"This debut novel traces a group of survivors who fall under the spell of an authoritarian cult leader in the days following Hurricane Maria's destruction in Puerto Rico. It is deeply imagined and deeply felt - imagistic and strange and haunting - and simmering with grief and rage." -- Gabriela Garcia, New York Times bestselling author
Set in the wake of Hurricane Maria, Xavier Navarro Aquino's unforgettable debut novel follows a remarkable group of survivors searching for hope on an island torn apart by both natural disaster and human violence.
Camila is haunted by the death of her sister, Marisol, who was caught by a mudslide during the huracán. Unable to part with Marisol, Camila carries her through town, past the churchyard, and, eventually, to the supposed utopia of Memoria.
Urayoán, the idealistic, yet troubled cult leader of Memoria, has a vision for this new society, one that in his eyes is peaceful and democratic. The paradise he preaches lures in the young, including Bayfish, a boy on the cusp of manhood, and Morivivi, a woman whose outward toughness belies an inner tenderness for her friends. But as the different members of Memoria navigate Urayoán's fiery rise, they will need to confront his violent authoritarian impulses in order to find a way to reclaim their home.
Velorio--meaning "wake"--is a story of strength, resilience, and hope; a tale of peril and possibility buoyed by the deeply held belief in a people's ability to unite against those corrupted by power.
About the Author :
Xavier Navarro Aquino was born and raised in Puerto Rico. His fiction has appeared in Tin House, McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, and Guernica. He has been awarded scholarships from the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, the Sewanee Writers' Conference, a MacDowell Fellowship, and an ACLS Emerging Voices Fellowship at Dartmouth College. Aquino is currently an Assistant Professor of English at the University of Notre Dame where he teaches in the MFA program.
Vico Ortiz is a proud Latine/x non-binary/gender-fluid actor, narrator, and activist born and raised in Puerto Rico. They received their education at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles. Their first breakthrough role was in the hit Amazon series Transparent, which paved the way to TV appearances in shows such as Vida, American Horror Story: 1984, and Lucifer. They received a 2021 Queerties Award nomination for their series regular role in the award-winning digital series These Thems. Jesús E. Martínez received his BA at SUNY Purchase College and is currently an ensemble member of Pregones Theatre, Teatro SEA, and the Spanish Repertory Theatre. His English audiobook credits include The Talk, Four Hundred Souls, Marvel's Spider-Man Miles Morales, Albert Einstein Was a Dope?, Donut Worry, and The Boat. He has also narrated the Spanish versions of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao and My Sister's Keeper. For more information, visit him on Twitter or Instagram @mrtnz1393 or on his website at JesusEMartinez.com. Diana Pou is a Dominican actress, vocalist, and bilingual voice-over artist based in New York City. She is a winner of the HOLA, ATI, LATA, and TALIA awards (2022-2023) as Best Drama Actress for her performance as "B" in Boundless Theater Company production of Mercado Libre. She recently debuted on the big screen with the Honduran film La Condesa (available in the United States and Canada on Amazon Prime). Pou is also part of the music duo TeTxtie along with Puerto Rican artist Gilberto Gabriel. Their most recent single titled "Sal Pa' Fuera" is available on all digital platforms. Yetta Gottesman, an audiobook narrator, actor, and director of Puerto Rican and Jewish heritage, was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Brazil. She is completely fluent in Spanish, English, and Portuguese. She is a lifetime member of the prestigious Actors Studio and LAByrinth Theater Company.
Coming soon...
Review :
"A complex, politically engaged work and deeply human story."
-- "Chicago Review of Books"
"Deeply imagined and deeply felt--imagistic and strange and haunting--and simmering with grief and rage."
-- " Gabriela Garcia, New York Times bestselling author"
"Pulling readers into the story with an impending hurricane and a mother and her two daughters waiting in fear, first-time novelist Aquino sets a mood of charged and desperate hope."
-- "Booklist (starred review)"
"This lyrical and emotionally raw story will leave readers reflecting on the pain and promise of memory."
-- "Publishers Weekly"
"With voices of childlike clarity, youthful intensity, and sheer menace, Diana Pou, Vico Ortiz, and Gabriel S. Rivera Vázquez lead a skilled group of Latin actors in narrating this surreal, dark fantasy...The all-Latin cast's heartfelt deliveries and fluency in Spanish give a personal and authentic sound to this examination of what it is to lose one's world. A chilling and penetrating listen."
-- "AudioFile"
