Catalina

A Novel

By: Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

Narrated by: Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD • A year in the life of the unforgettable Catalina Ituralde, a wickedly wry and heartbreakingly vulnerable student at an elite college, forced to navigate an opaque past, an uncertain future, tragedies on two continents, and the tantalizing possibilities of love and freedom

“[A] sparkling fiction debut.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)
“[A] fresh and unflinching take on the campus novel.”—People (Ten Best Books of the Year)
“Diabolically charming and magnetic.”—Ira Glass

FINALIST FOR THE PEN/HEMINGWAY AWARD • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Time, The Washington Post, NPR, The Boston Globe, them

When Catalina is admitted to Harvard, it feels like the fulfillment of destiny: a miracle child escapes death in Latin America, moves to Queens to be raised by her undocumented grandparents, and becomes one of the chosen. But nothing is simple for Catalina, least of all her own complicated, contradictory, ruthlessly probing mind. Now a senior, she faces graduation to a world that has no place for the undocumented; her sense of doom intensifies her curiosities and desires. She infiltrates the school’s elite subcultures—internships and literary journals, posh parties and secret societies—which she observes with the eye of an anthropologist and an interloper’s skepticism: she is both fascinated and repulsed. Craving a great romance, Catalina finds herself drawn to a fellow student, an actual budding anthropologist eager to teach her about the Latin American world she was born into but never knew, even as her life back in Queens begins to unravel. And every day, the clock ticks closer to the abyss of life after graduation. Can she save her family? Can she save herself? What does it mean to be saved?

Brash and daring, part campus novel, part hagiography, part pop song, Catalina is unlike any coming-of-age novel you’ve ever read—and Catalina, bright and tragic, circled by a nimbus of chaotic energy, driven by a wild heart, is a character you will never forget.

Excellent narration of a great story

I don’t often write reviews, but this is one of the best books I’ve listened to for a long time. I felt hope and heartbreak in turns as the main character, Catalina, navigated the pleasures and pressures of life as an undocumented Latina Harvard undergrad. The story brought back some fond memories of my own time there. The storyline about the quipu tied together (no pun intended) the themes of recorded history, conquest and colonization, and the ties that bind us together across time, culture, and geography, in a way that didn’t feel forced or gimmicky and made the ending especially bittersweet.

A splendid read on Audible

An unforgettable voice and horrific story that transported me someplace I had never been. What more do you want a wonderful book?

Absolutely unforgettable experience!

Catalina is such a fun and deeply provocative book! It’s so intimate, full of inside thoughts described in hilariously and relatable ways. I walk away full of clever insights, feeling like I have a new best friend. This is definitely my new favorite book. Super easy to read, it’s a page turner till the end. So sad it’s over! The audio version was super soothing and had me laughing out loud. My absolute new favorite book! I’m getting a copy for everyone!

Brilliant

Sharp and funny and poignant. Never read anything quite like it. I will remember Catalina’s voice.

Frivolity and nuance

This reads exactly as what it is. I can relate to the content that was prosaically reflecting on what it means to have a culture and homeland outside of the US while being sunk in the nonchalant unbelonging to belong.