The Volcano Daughters

A Novel

By: Gina María Balibrera

Narrated by: Gisela Chipe, Elena Rey, Alma Cuervo, E. A. Castillo, Ines del Castillo

A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK • A searingly original debut about two sisters and their flight from genocide—which takes them from Hollywood to Paris to San Francisco’s Cannery Row—each haunted along the way by the ghosts of their murdered friends, who are not yet done telling their stories

“Gripping and spellbinding...Unforgettable.”—Brit Bennett, author of The Vanishing Half • “Stunning...A sweeping yet intimate look at love, sisterhood, and resistance in the face of devastation.” —Charmaine Wilkerson, author of Black Cake • “A bilingual, mythological, and original debut about resistance and survival.” —Vulture

El Salvador, 1923. Graciela, a young girl growing up on a volcano in a community of Indigenous women, is summoned to the capital, where she is claimed as an oracle for a rising dictator. There she meets Consuelo, the sister she has never known, who was stolen from their home before Graciela was born. The two spend years under the cruel El Gran Pendejo’s regime, unwillingly helping his reign of terror, until genocide strikes the community from which they hail. Each believing the other to be dead, they escape, fleeing across the globe, reinventing themselves until fate ultimately brings them back together in the most unlikely of ways…

Endlessly surprising, vividly imaginative, bursting with lush life, The Volcano Daughters charts a new history and mythology of El Salvador, fiercely bringing forth voices that have been calling out for generations.

©2024 Gina María Balibrera (P)2024 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

A Most Anticipated Book from Goodreads, Vulture, Seattle Times, Book Riot, Electric Literature, Debutiful, and Nerd Daily

“Haunting…Spanish words and phrases are interwoven throughout the novel, challenging readers to sink into Balibrera’s lushly described world, where meaning is found through experience rather than translation. A devastating story of sisterhood, community, and memory, quietly magical and utterly unforgettable.”
—Library Journal, starred review

“Captivating…Vibrant…Their visions of Graciela and Consuelo are riveting… Striking characters…Balibrera eulogizes the lives lost in La Matanza, the real-life 1932 massacre of the Pipil people by the Salvadoran government, and underscores the value of holding one’s culture close, even when it threatens to disrupt just-scarring wounds…The resilience of sisterly bonds forms the backbone of this swirling, heart-wrenching debut.”
—Kirkus

“Wrenching…With keen psychological insight, Balibrera portrays how the women, each of whom doesn’t know the other has survived, make hard choices in search of fulfillment. It adds up to a powerful story of finding the strength to chart one’s own course.”
—Publishers Weekly

A Masterpiece, a must read!

A different, complex & incredible type of story! Superb & clever writing by a unique writer. I will buy this book as a Christmas gift for everyone I love.
As a Salvadoran-American woman, I couldn’t be prouder of seeing our own cipota writing about our ancestors & showing the beautiful of our beautiful country & the essence of our resilient people! Hoooray! I can’t wait to read Ms. Balibrera’s future works of art!

Culture

It’s obvious to me that the author wanted to paint the true images of the culture. Those who can’t find the story don’t see the culture in it.
It’s a wonderful book, sad and infuriating topics but themes that are seen throughout so many cultures.

narration.

this was amazing. it's sad but good. I love the narration. you can't top this narration.

Never ending

So many words to say so little. I thought it would never end. Extra words to meet minimum

Incomprehensible

I could not find a point to this book. Had trouble tracking the story until I realized it was not moving at all.