The Cemetery of Untold Stories
A novel about storytelling, memory, and the lives we create
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Charco Press
Published:4th Jun '24
Should be back in stock very soon
Julia Alvarez's The Cemetery of Untold Stories explores the intricate relationship between a writer and her characters, revealing their untold narratives.
In The Cemetery of Untold Stories, literary icon Julia Alvarez weaves an inventive and emotional narrative centered around Alma Cruz, a celebrated writer grappling with the challenges of storytelling. Alma, who has witnessed the toll that writing can take on her peers, is determined not to let her own creative journey lead her to madness. When she inherits a small plot of land in the Dominican Republic, her homeland, she envisions a unique solution: a graveyard for her unwritten tales. This sanctuary becomes a literal resting place for her manuscript drafts and the characters that have lingered in her imagination, waiting for their stories to be told.
As Alma attempts to give her characters peace, she discovers that they are far from ready to be silenced. The cemetery transforms into a vibrant realm where the characters come alive, sharing their truths and secrets with Alma and each other. Among them are figures like Bienvenida, the forgotten wife of a dictator, and Manuel Cruz, a doctor with a tumultuous past. These characters begin to rewrite their narratives, challenging Alma’s authority as their creator and forcing her to confront the complexities of their lives.
The Cemetery of Untold Stories ultimately raises profound questions about storytelling and representation: which stories deserve to be heard, and which are left buried? Through this exploration, Alma finds not only her own voice but also the enduring power of storytelling, reminding readers that narratives are always evolving and never truly complete.
"Only an alchemist as wise and sure as Alvarez could swirl the elements of folklore and the flavor of magical realism around her modern prose and make it all sing." —New York Times
"Magical and multifaceted, this meditation on creativity, culture and aging is a triumph." —BookPage
"[Alvarez's] gifts for glowing prose and powerful narrative are still strong." —Kirkus, starred review
"Julia Alvarez delivers yet another glorious novel, this time about a very unique kind of love—the love of storytelling. Scheherazade-like, Alvarez keeps us hooked with surprising plot twists and revelations, and characters so captivating that we want to get lost in the corridors of their tales. Simply stated, this book is magical."" —Rigoberto González , author of TO THE BOY WHO WAS NIGHT: POEMS SELECTED AND NEW
"What a love letter not only to storytelling, but also to the tender, urgent, funny, heartbreaking reasons we tell stories in the first place. This cemetery is a fertile field of rebirth, reawakening, and joy. Every page overflows with delight and wisdom."" —Stacey D'Erasmo , author of THE COMPLICITIES
"The Cemetery of Untold Stories asks us to consider if our tales will last forever or if they might one day be forever lost. Yet there is nothing to fear or lament in this reality—not when we are soothed by the balm of Alvarez’s tender wit and her large-hearted candor. What a blessing to have one of our finest writers assure us that indeed ‘we are in this story together'."" —Manuel Muñoz , author of WHAT YOU SEE IN THE DARK
"Julia Alvarez's thought-provoking and powerful The Cemetery of Untold Stories is a balancing act of the everyday and the magical, a blend of history and cuento. Through imperfect characters longing for love and fighting against el olvido, we are reminded that each of us is capable of terrible cruelty or incredible compassion, and that stories have the power to bring us together."" —Jaquira Díaz , author of ORDINARY GIRLS
"Brims with the intoxicating power of storytelling." —Publishers Weekly
"A rich addition to the magical realist canon." —The Skinny
ISBN: 9781913867829
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
280 pages