Book: Catalina
Author: Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the publisher, One World, for sending me an ARC. This is another case where it’s me and not the book. This book had so much going for it, but it ended up not being the book for me.

In this one, we follow Catalina and a year in her life. She has not had an easy start in life. She barely escaped death in Latin America. She is now in America, living with her undocumented grandparents. Now, she is a senior in high school and is faced with what to do next. The problem is that she doesn’t have a lot of options. Since she is undocumented, she has to keep herself uncover. She starts to develop feelings for someone and comes to terms with the fact that the world is not as she was told.

All we are doing in this book is following Catalina as she goes throughout her days and tries to figure out what comes next. She has a lot on her mind and just doesn’t know what where to go or what to do. All she has been told is that she is one of the chosen ones. Everything is overwhelming right now. She does manage to take everything in. She doesn’t fit in anywhere she goes and just hasn’t found her place in the world. She also realizes that she does not have the same opportunities as everyone else around her. She realizes that her world is actually much smaller than those around her. She needs to figure out what to do next and how to do it.

I did find the structure of the story to be somewhat difficult to follow. One minute we would be in the doom and the next we would be talking about something else. It made it hard to stay in the story. I know we are supposed to see how much of a chaotic time this is and all, but it just didn’t work for me on the page. Don’t get me wrong, it was beautiful, but this style is not one that I really enjoy in books.

The writing is stunning and beautiful. It takes you right into Catalina’s world and allows you to see everything that she is going through. It makes everything comes to life in a way that transports you into the world. The story structure also works for the story. Again, it was something that didn’t work for me. Everything is truly well done in this book, but it’s just not for me.

Don’t let my negative review stop you. Trust me when I say that it’s not the book, it’s me.

This book comes out on July 23, 2024

This book just really didn't hit the mark for me. The main character's voice was choppy, and the narrative was difficult to follow at times. Because of this, I unfortunately wasn't very invested in the story's arc. It felt very raw and unfinished which ultimately didn't hold my attention until the end.

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Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this title. This review contains my honest thoughts.

DNF at 30%. There's nothing exactly *wrong* with this book, and I"m sure a lot of others are enjoying it. But there's something about the tone that isn't making me feel good inside. It's not about the content or subject matter, which I enjoy, but the narrative voice.

This is a story about an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador who worked her way to Harvard. She shares her experiences with living there feeling like an outsider and keeping her status from most people. Some important issues were discussed (like femicide and the harrowing experiences of people living undocumented in the US, fetishized love interests) but I overall found this book too hard to follow. The content was interesting but the style was not for me.

It was too stream of consciousness and very chaotic. The lack of transitions left me feeling whiplashed. Was that the intent? It reminded me of talking to someone altered who is just rambling in and out of different stories and I’m just politely nodding my head until I can make my exit.

A look into the life of an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador and how the lack of documents impact her daily life as well as her grandparents and others in the community. How cans one plan the future without the necessary documents to work?
#Catalina #OneWord #NetGalley

"Catalina" by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio offers an intriguing glimpse into the life of an undocumented college student navigating Harvard's halls. The story delves into Catalina's experiences with a blend of humor, authenticity, and the ever-present weight of her undocumented status.

Throughout the narrative, Villavicencio crafts a diverse cast of characters who feel refreshingly real and multifaceted. From Catalina herself, introducing readers to the witty, real, and at times, unpredictable protagonist, to her fellow Harvard peers, each character adds depth to the story, exploring themes of identity, privilege, and resilience.

While the timeline may be a bit disjointed at times, particularly in the beginning, it doesn't detract from the overall impact of Catalina's journey. "Catalina" is a compelling read for anyone interested in gaining insight into the challenges faced by undocumented individuals in higher education.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing me with an ARC.

Catalina takes you on a journey through the eyes of a Dreamer who has faced a lot of loss. It felt real. Catalina, herself, is a bit erratic and unhinged, making the story a little jarring at times, but just be in it for the ride, for seeing a year in the life through a Dreamers eyes.
I was hooked from the very beginning. My interest never waivered. The character building is stellar.

It was hard getting into this book. Catalina’s voice was immature for her age, and the info dumping of her background made it difficult to want to read on. I had expected a maturity that didn’t come across in the story.

I loved this book I have already looked up more of her work and can’t wait to read more from her. This novel is fun and witty, and contains so much depth. I’m excited to recommend it to all of my friends.

Karla Cornejo Villavicencio's debut novel is bitter & electrifying & in possession of a sharp set of teeth. This semi-autobiographical novel details the final Harvard semester of Catalina, an undocumented college student & aspiring writer unmoored in a sea of nonchalant nepotism & rampant White privilege that seeks to simultaneously tokenize and blindly assimilate her into a racist system, one which she alternately craves and despises. Catalina herself is a singular voice, dry and witty with a performative apathy that masks enduring vulnerability & a deep, desperate rage. The novel bounces back and forth between her life in Boston and the New York apartment occupied by the elderly grandparents who raised her, fueling a complex dynamic of love & resentment that follows her up and down the coast as she struggles to incorporate both lives. Despite Villavicencio's brilliant work situating the novel in the pre-DREAM xenophobia of the mid-2000s, the White saviorist, "colorblind" racism infusing Catalina's Harvard is nonetheless painfully familiar as a student of today. This novella is an acute reflection on privilege and identity both within & outside of the Latin American immigrant community, giving voice to the experience of the thousands of undocumented students maligned by collegiate institutions & "well-meaning" White liberals alike.

Catalina's character was very real... imperfect and a little prickly and impulsive, but easy to love for all of it. The author does an amazing job of building complexity into all of the characters, but clearly Catalina was the focus, and the story unwraps layer upon layer of all the things that make her Catalina. I would have lvoed a bit more. I appreciate that it was a year in her life, but felt like things were unfinished. I suppose that's a good reflection of life.
The book kept me engaged, the writing was excellent, the plot was good, and the character building was phenomenal.

Although I found the plot to be somewhat meandering I loved the voice of the narrator. She's witty, scrappy, and sharp and kept me reading to the end.

This isn't just a book about what it's like to be an undocumented immigrant- it's about being an unpredictable, smart, creative, flawed young person who is coming of age while also being undocumented. Her immigration status is one more freaking thing, and it's a pretty big thing.

Catalina is at Harvard, she's kind of being fetishized by a young man who loves that she's from South America-- Ecuador-- a little too much, her grandfather might be getting deported, she has so little money, she's keeping an eye on DACA legislation that will affect Dreamers like her, a famous filmmaker wants to make a documentary about her, she has to knuckle down and write her thesis but she can't seem to get herself started on the job. She's a really great character, witty and funny to spend time with.

But- and this was a big but- this narrative was very scattered and jumping all over the place, which is realistic for this young, smart narrator, but which is very difficult for this particular reader in 2024. There are many things warring for my attention, and when I start a book, I mostly read it in 20-minute increments in bed as I try to get sleepy. Once I get hooked, I'll read more and at different times of the day, but this jumped around so much that I never really got hooked. So while there's a lot to like here, and while the fault might very well be mine and my stupid 2024 brain, and while I was entertained enough to finish this, when I was done, I was mostly just relieved.

Catalina ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️(4.5/5 stars)

This is one of those reading experiences that are all about the journey. The plot and character relationships certainly move you along, but what I enjoyed most about this book was succumbing to the vibes of the story and not questioning the titular Catalina too much.

It’s not your typical campus novel, but it’s a worthy entry to the subgenre. The chaos that is her life at Harvard and her life in Queens with her grandparents kept me simultaneously invested and stressed out. I was equally rooting for her and shaking my head, yet grinning at the choices being made. If there was a second book, that picked up Catalina’s story after Harvard, I would pick it up in a heartbeat. She’s definitely a character that will stick with me for a while.

I have been eagerly awaiting another book from Villavicencio since devouring and loving The Undocumented Americans. I think this foray into fiction was fantastic and I’ll continue to recommend their work widely.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC!

I have never read anything by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio so I went into Catalina not knowing anything about the book or the authors writing.

While I did feel that the book moved very slowly, I really did like Catalina, the main character, I found her very funny and witty. Her story as an undocumented college student in the US felt very real, maybe because so many college kids are now days, having been born here or brought over at a very early age by their undocumented parents. They are in such a hard place, having only known living in the US yet having to be cautious due to their status.

My biggest problem with the story... the details were plentiful and I felt like that was what slowed the book down for me. I liked it, would I read it again, probably not, but it being somewhat a current affair situation made it readable.

I have been looking forward to this book since I found it about it, and it didn't disappoint in the slightest. Karla Cornejo Villavicencio has such a way with words, and this story and its characters were real and heartbreaking and funny and beautiful. The abandonment/daddy issues hit me especially hard.

I feel like I can't explain my favorite things about this book without spoiling it, but just know that it does some unique things really well and I'm so grateful I got to read it when I did.

Thank you to Random House One World and Netgalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.

Cornejo Villavicencio's debut novel is a revelation, offering a glimpse into the life of an undocumented student at Harvard with humor, wit, and unflinching honesty. Catalina's journey is both unique and universal, as she navigates the complexities of college life while grappling with the weight of her undocumented status. Cornejo Villavicencio's storytelling is masterful, drawing readers in with its authenticity and charm. Catalina's experiences shed light on the challenges faced by undocumented individuals, making this not just her story, but a story for all young people striving to find their place in the world. An absolute must-read that will stay with you long after the final page. I can't wait to read more from this talented author! Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

I love Karla Cornejo Villavicencio's writing, and I normally love a novel that runs primarily on vibes, character development, and voice, but Catalina, while brimming with all three things, lost me. The novel feels aimless, without the direction or vision that tends to drive the author's previous work. Certain moments in time circle in and out of focus, but without seeming to build to anything. This made me feel distant from Catalina, and increasingly disinterested.

That said, I will be eager to read whatever Karla Cornejo Villavicencio writes next, as even her misses are interesting.

Thank you to One World and NetGalley for an early review copy of Catalina. All opinions are my own.

I appreciate receiving an ARC to review through Net Galley. My reading in the past few years has become increasingly peppered with books from the rest of the Americas, south of the US border. I've really enjoyed The Murmur of Bees and American Dirt (I was surprised!) and pretty much anything by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Maybe this shift in reading is inevitable in our times? I did like this book, just not quite as much as I expected to. It doesn't really feel like fiction, but if it is semi-autobiographical, that makes sense. I admit to being rather stunned that an undocumented student could get admitted to Harvard, I'm thrilled, but it does go counter to the stuffy pretentiousness that we tend to associate with Harvard. I enjoyed her outrageous ideas, and she made me laugh. I liked her boss at the internship that helped fit in. I think in the end I just felt as though too little had happened, some more plot would have thickened the soup.

Such an interesting story and I was just pulled into it. I feel like I went on a journey and am not quite sure how to explain what happened but I know that I liked the ride and would definitely recommend it to anyone.