The Affairs of the Falcóns

A Novel

By: Melissa Rivero

Narrated by: Frankie Corzo

A stunning debut novel about a young undocumented Peruvian woman fighting to keep her family afloat in New York City.

Ana Falcón, along with her husband Lucho and their two young children, has fled the economic and political strife of Peru for a chance at a new life in New York City in the 1990s. Being undocumented, however, has significantly curtailed the family’s opportunities: Ana is indebted to a loan shark who calls herself Mama, and is stretched thin by unceasing shifts at her factory job. To make matters worse, Ana must also battle both criticism from Lucho’s cousin—who has made it obvious the family is not welcome to stay in her spare room for much longer—and escalating and unwanted attention from Mama’s husband.

As the pressure builds, Ana becomes increasingly desperate. While Lucho dreams of returning to Peru, Ana is deeply haunted by the demons she left behind and determined to persevere in this new country. But how many sacrifices is she willing to make before admitting defeat and returning to Peru? And what lines is she willing to cross in order to protect her family?

The Affairs of the Falcónsis a beautiful, deeply urgent novel about the lengths one woman is willing to go to build a new life, and a vivid rendering of the American immigrant experience.

excellent debut for this writer !

I loved it. I love how it mixed words in Spanish. The book is about a mother's struggles and inner thoughts. It is perfectly told to keep you engaged. You empathize deeply with her.

Heart wrenching story ...

I truly loved this book. The story was so true and so real. I could see everything clearly and could feel ever nuance of the characters.


There is more to say, but I don’t want to give away the story or its ending.

Needless to say, the immigrant story told from this point of view pulled at me from every angle.

Great story. I recommend this book.