The Cemetery of Untold Stories

De: Julia Alvarez

Narrado por: Alma Cuervo

Literary icon Julia Alvarez returns with an inventive and emotional novel about storytelling itself that will be an instant classic.

Alma Cruz, the celebrated writer at the heart of The Cemetery of Untold Stories, doesn’t want to end up like her friend, a novelist who fought so long and hard to finish a book that it threatened her sanity. So when Alma inherits a small plot of land in the Dominican Republic, her homeland, she has the beautiful idea of turning it into a place to bury her untold stories—literally. She creates a graveyard for the manuscript drafts and revisions, and the characters whose lives she tried and failed to bring to life and who still haunt her.

Alma wants her characters to rest in peace. But they have other ideas, and the cemetery becomes a mysterious sanctuary for their true narratives. Filomena, a local woman hired as the groundskeeper, becomes a sympathetic listener as Alma’s characters unspool their secret tales. Among them: Bienvenida, the abandoned second wife of dictator Rafael Trujillo, consigned to oblivion by history, and Manuel Cruz, a doctor who fought in the Dominican underground and escaped to the United States.

The characters defy their author: they talk back to her and talk to one another behind her back, rewriting and revising themselves. The Cemetery of Untold Stories asks: Whose stories get to be told, and whose buried? Finally, Alma finds the meaning she and her characters yearn for in the everlasting vitality of stories.

Listeners of Isabel Allende’s Violeta and Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead will devour Alvarez’s extraordinary new novel about beauty and authenticity that reminds us the stories of our lives are never truly finished, even at the end.

©2024 Julia Alvarez (P)2024 Recorded Books

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Thought-provoking and powerful, The Cemetery of Untold Stories is a balancing act of the everyday and the magical, a blend of history and cuento. Through imperfect characters longing for love and fighting against el olvido, we are reminded that stories have the power to bring us together.”—Jaquira Díaz, author of Ordinary Girl

Not good for audiobook

Good story but difficult to follow the characters, made more difficult because of the single reader and the long chapter 4. If you loose your place it’s impossible to find it again. It would have been better also to have a glossary of the Spanish sayings. Friends who grew up with Spanish were familiar with them, I felt left out of that experience.

confusing

I really wanted to like this book based on the title but unfortunately I did not like it as much as I had hoped. It was not written in a linear way which kept confusing me. I had hoped that her untold stories would eventually be told. I did not hate the book, but I would not likely recommend it.

Great interwoven storytelling

Loved how all the stories were connected. This book was captivating and I loved, and hated, the characters’ stories. What a unique way to bring multiple stories together. The relationships between everyone, their dreams and struggles, everything was beautifully developed.

Story richness!

I absolutely loved this story and the performance was lovely. I was struck by the idea of saying goodbye to untold stories in such an incredible way.

Beautiful tale

“The Cemetery of Untold Stories” is an absolutely beautiful tale, with fabulous narration. A new favorite.

Interesting concept

The plot kept me interested however the ending could have been better…I was disappointed.

Time well spent

An amazing weaving of “then and now” and “why”. Well written, beautifully narrated. Even comforting.

We are all so painfully human.

Beautifully written with perfect narration

A quick story that is worth multiple readings/listens. First experience with both the author and the narrator, but I will absolutely be seeking more from both Alverez and Cuervo.

Good story

I loved the way the story wove its way throughout the various characters. The ending just didn’t make me feel like it all made sense. It confused me a bit and didn’t tie up the loose ends I expected to be resolved. But I did enjoy the story.

A unique story told in an unexpected way

A five star read for me! I loved the thought and unique storyline of this book. It was interesting, heartwarming and heartbreaking all the same. Creative storytelling at its finest!