Olga Dies Dreaming
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3.7 • 164 Ratings
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- $19.99
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- $19.99
Publisher Description
"All three narrators are Puerto Rican–born and deliver the Spanish passages with musical grace, thereby enhancing an already fine novel." —The Washington Post
“The narrators’ accents and code-shifting create a vibrant auditory experience. In particular, Guerra’s luscious voice conveys Olga’s transformation from fighter to a compassionate woman as she overcomes dualities and finds wholeness within herself.” – BookPage
A blazing new talent debuts with the story of a status-driven wedding planner grappling with her absent mother, her glittering career amongst New York’s elite and her Puerto Rican roots in the wake of Hurricane Maria.
It’s 2017, and Olga and her brother, Pedro “Prieto” Acevedo are bold faced names in their hometown of New York. Prieto is a popular Congressman representing their gentrifying, Latinx neighborhood in Brooklyn while Olga is the tony wedding planner for Manhattan’s powerbrokers.
Despite their alluring public lives, behind closed doors things are far less rosy. Sure, Olga can orchestrate the love stories of the 1%, but she can’t seem to find her own...until she meets Matteo, who forces her to confront the effects of long held family secrets…
Twenty-seven years ago, their mother Blanca, a Young Lord-turned-radical, abandoned her children to advance a militant political cause, leaving them to be raised by their grandmother. Now, with the winds of hurricane season, Blanca has come barreling back into their lives.
Set against the backdrop of New York City in the months surrounding the most devastating hurricane in Puerto Rico’s history, Xochitl Gonzalez's Olga Dies Dreaming is a story that examines political corruption, familial strife and the very notion of the American Dream—all while asking what it really means to weather a storm.
A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Olga Dies Dreaming kicks off as a smart, snarky romantic comedy—then immediately expands into something even better. At 40, Olga Acevedo is one of New York’s hottest wedding planners. When she has an impulsive one-night stand with Matteo, a quirky realtor from her old Brooklyn neighborhood, it seems like we’re in for the familiar story of the ambitious career woman who rediscovers what she’s lost. That’s not what happens. First-time author Xochitl Gonzalez adds other fascinating characters, like Olga’s similarly career-driven congressman brother (who has his own troubles) and an absent mother who abandoned the family to become a pro-independence Puerto Rican revolutionary. Plus, the story unfolds just before Hurricane Maria destroyed much of Puerto Rico in 2017. We were amazed by Gonzalez’s talent for exploring big themes like gentrification, colonialism, misogyny, homophobia, racism, and corruption while still keeping things zipping right along. A trio of talented narrators perfectly matches the novel’s funny but engaged tone. Olga Dies Dreaming is destined to become an iconic New York City novel.
Customer Reviews
Must Read
This is the best book I have read in a very long time. I felt connected to all the characters as I felt like part of the family. As a Latin woman, I understood and appreciated how accurate the story was written. Every single topic touched was so important and so well detailed. This is a must read for everyone. I cannot wait for another book from this wonderful author.
Fantastic book
This a sensory rich tale of my home, New York City - sites, sounds, smells and familiar references. I relate as a fellow wedding planner and love the character’s navigation of a high profile luxury market. This book is firing on all cylinders: a deeply personal family tale, a romanic adventure, and a shockingly important political lesson. Somehow it balances the feeling of a indulgent, fast moving story while being deeply powerful and thought provoking. Well done.
Increíble
A masterfully woven fictional narrative of our past, present, and future.