A voice driven, wickedly smart and original novel that left me reeling throughout until its (somewhat abrupt) ending.

Catalina is an undocumented immigrant in her senior year at Harvard, navigating relationships, racism, challenging family dynamics and of course, the frightening limbo of the pre-DACA days. Taking place over the course of the school year, with flashbacks to other periods of Catalina’s life, it strings together the tedium of the day to day of the year with life-shattering changes that come from being both in early adulthood and living legal status.

The comparison to Elif Batuman’s The Idiot and Either/Or is apt - Catalina (the book) shares Batuman’s dry humor and Catalina (the character) shares Selin’s sardonic, nothing-matters attitude shielding her pain voice and actions.

The stream-of-consciousness was sometimes too random, and I sympathized with Catalina more than enjoyed spending time with her.

This is a book that I’m glad I read, but didn’t love.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing/One World for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

While Catalina is kind of a mess (who isn't at 21 years of age?), I found this to be an interesting exploration of college life as an undocumented person during the birth of the DREAM Act. There was a lot here to digest and I really appreciate the nuanced perspectives it introduced for me. Karla Cornejo Villavicencio is masterful in her storytelling and her lyrical writing pulls you in!

Catalina had me scratching my head. There were parts where I found it relatable but then it would fall off for me again. I wanted more for the ending but it did keep me entertained.

Catalina is the story of a college student in her senior year at Harvard in 2010, in the midst of the DREAM Act’s ruling in Congress. Catalina is an undocumented individual who came to the United States to live with her grandparents from Ecuador, after being raised by her aunt and uncle following her parents’ tragic death.

This novel is written in a stream of consciousness style, and separated into the seasons of her senior year as Catalina navigates her relationships and what the future holds for her after graduation. Throughout the novel, the reader learns more about the struggles the undocumented face in America, the history of Ecuador and its politics, as well as Latin American history and culture.

Catalina’s character is complex, dealing with a myriad of emotions as she grows into adulthood. The emotional burden she faces is daunting, as she not only worries about her future, but her undocumented grandparents’ futures as well. At times, I struggled to follow the stream of consciousness style, but I am glad that I read this novel. It opened my eyes to the struggles and hardships of the undocumented in our country.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House - One World for this eARC, in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 3.5/5

thank you to netgalley and oneworld for the digital arc!

catalina follows the titular character throughout her time at harvard. despite being a student at an elite educational institution, which would normally afford someone impressive opportunities, catalina is plagued by uncertainty, namely stemming from her and her grandparents' undocumented status.

this book had a lot that worked for me: catalina is a really compelling narrator. i loved her point of view, and she is unlike any other main character. her grandparents were also complex, flawed, endearing characters that kept me reading.

but honestly, i expected more from this. my main issue is with the pacing of this novel. the ending simply gave me nothing. i feel like so much time was spent setting up the relationships at the heart of this novel (between catalina and her grandparents and between catalina and nathaniel), and then the resolution was practically nonexistent. to which i guess you could say "well, that's the point!" to which i would say "well, i didn't enjoy reading it!"

i also felt that aside from catalina and her grandparents, all of the other characters were simply...there. boring! irrelevant even! sometimes a name would pop up and i would be like...um who? and if you are going to name a tertiary character, you have to give me something meaningful to latch onto so i can identify them going forward lol

that being said, this was not a bad book by any means. this is a good campus novel for this time of year, and i will read more of karl cornejo villavicencio in the future. i just wouldn't call it a favorite and think it could have been stronger.

This book is for you if you like something short, vibrant, with bits of history and culture of Latin America. This was a story about undocumented person (many thanks to author for this), a young woman in the Ivy League who worked her way there. A very beautiful and powerful novel, I definitely recommend!

With the attitude of Holden Caulfield and the majestic grace of a black widow spider, Catalina brings her A game to every social encounter. I enjoyed seeing her train of thought take a turn for the worst, can relate to the pressure of needing to please everyone for their sake. When it comes time to really shine is when she is defending her grandparents or her people as a whole.

Karla does a great job giving us angst and the true look inside the mind of someone who just wants to be okay. I could relate to so many characteristics and yet the true moments I found myself in awe and learning something of the human condition were the ones where she has to sit with the weight of being undocumented in a world where not everyone is supportive.
This was overall a quick read for me, I devoured this book because I really wanted to know that Catalina would be okay.

Thanks to NetGalley, One World and Karla Cornejo Villavicencio for my favorite ARC! This is the book of the year!

I really like this author's writing...her writing flows, it's easy to get engrossed in her story. However, it was more of a stream of consciousness story to me, and it jumped around in time a lot. There was one section where she jumped ahead years and I was confused--did that really happen, but it was like a dream. I felt for the main character, an undocumented young woman who grew up with her undocumented grandparents in NYC. She is now at Harvard, sharing her story. She didn't always make the best choices, and by the end, I felt a little frustrated with her. The ending kind of petered out, and I wished for a little more. I'll still plan to read more from this author (I read her earlier nonfiction and found it very compelling).

This was a stunning, timely novel that tells the story of one woman's rise through academia while her family moves deeper and deeper into peril. The author, one of Harvard's first undocumented graduates, tells the story of Catalina, a woman who seems well on her way to achieving the "American Dream" while her family faces deportation. In her desperate reach for help, she becomes a pawn in a much larger game. Villavicencio offers a thought-provoking argument that defies party politics, and demands a solution that sets aside these exploitive goals and instead considers the problem on a human level. Of course, now I just really want Villavicencio to write a memoir.

Catalina by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

Catalina follows the story of an undocumented girl, Catalina, who is attending Harvard during the early 2000s. It’s not linear and it’s not precisely clear what story she is telling but it is nevertheless compelling and thought provoking and disturbing and beautiful.

Villavicencio has a way with words that will make a reader fall in love with language again. Even in her debut, the Undocumented Americans, which was a nonfiction account, her lyrical prose is mesmerizing and heartbreaking and powerful. and here in Catalina, she has done it again. Her damning and succinct observations about white people, Harvard, art and how value is created, the romanization and othering of Latin America, living undocumented and deportation, etc. is an art. This book was short yet I had to stop and process and reread her words on occasion bc of how rich and full fatted the observations and prose were. The overall effect of this book is profound in that I know I’ve read something that will stay with me for a very long time

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!

A beautifully written debut novel. The stream of consciousness writing was spot on. Catalina’s experiences and dreams were well executed. There is so much content to this short book and I couldn’t stop reading. Thank you NetGalley for providing the ARC.

Karla Cornejo Villavicencio’s The Undocumented Americans is easily one of my favorite books of all time, so I was really excited when I saw Villavicencio’s first foray into fiction.

Catalina is a Bildungsroman that follows titular Catalina in her final year at Harvard, against the backdrop of the recently failed DREAM Act vote in 2007. Catalina is undocumented, and growing increasingly more depressed as graduation looms because she has no idea what future awaits her without legal citizenship.

There is a lot to like in this book. Villavicencio is a phenomenal writer with a really distinct voice, and her style really shines through in this character. The topic of the book is one we need to see more of, and we truly experience Catalina’s mounting despair as her senior year trudges forward.

Ultimately, though, this fell a bit short for me - and honestly? I think it’s because it is just far too short. At 199 pages, I felt like I was just getting to know and understand Catalina right as we were coming up on an ending. The ending itself felt abrupt, and the epilogue didn’t do much at all besides feel like a summary of closing events. Catalina is a difficult, complicated young woman - I needed to be with her longer to feel her full effect.

This is not a bad book by any stretch, it just felt incomplete to me. I think a bit more of a dive into Catalina’s backstory would have added so much to the spiral we clearly meet her in. I recommend this, but also hope Villavicencio does a bit more with whatever work she delivers next.

Catalina
By Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

Catalina Ituralde is an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador. When she was little, her parents were killed in a car accident, leaving her the sole survivor. She is shipped off to live with her grandparents in Queens. Alas they have not achieved the American Dream, because they are also undocumented.

Her grandparents have pushed Catalina to strive to be the best at everything, so that she can have a better life. She has indeed succeeded and has been accepted at Harvard. Now, as her college career is winding down, Catalina is realizing that her immigration status is going to hold her back from the life she would like to lead. And the threat of deportation of her grandparents adds to her angst.

This is a short book with a profound message. The author, Harvard's first undocumented graduate, knows personally the price that undocumented immigrants may have to pay in order to get ahead.

Catalina by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio is a poignant, introspective novel about an undocumented Ecuadorian woman navigating her final year at Harvard while grappling with her past and uncertain future. Catalina’s voice is sharp and witty, offering a raw, honest look at the struggles of being undocumented in a world of privilege and elitism. The book masterfully intertwines themes of identity, immigration, and the pressures of expectation, all while exploring the complexities of love, friendship, and belonging.

Villavicencio’s writing is engaging, but the narrative can feel scattered at times, which may be a stylistic choice to mirror Catalina’s turbulent inner world. While the jumping timelines and stream-of-consciousness style may not appeal to everyone, it adds to the depth of Catalina’s character and her emotional journey. The novel tackles important topics with grace, shedding light on the often-overlooked experiences of undocumented individuals, especially in elite spaces.

Overall, Catalina is a compelling read for those interested in coming-of-age stories with a focus on immigration and identity. The novel’s unique voice and perspective make it a standout debut, even if its structure may not work for all readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this review copy! I needed up listening to the finished copy of the audiobook from my library because I’m forever late with my reviews I’m sorry. I liked this one but it was a bit slow and had a fair bit of telling rather than showing. I think this book will have lots of fans.

Catalina is the name of the book's protagonist, a Harvard student and a Dreamer, sent to live with her grandparents in the United States, both of whom are also in the country illegally.
The story explores Catalina's challenges with attending one of the most prestigious universities in the world, yet facing a daunting, uncertain future due to her undocumented status. It also offers a look at how just being a student, a daughter, an orphan, a female in general, isn't for the weak.
Catalina is an interesting enough character, but I wasn't nearly as enamored with her as she seemed to be with herself. This would have worked better for me if I liked her a little more.
Thanks to #netgalley and #oneworldpublications for this #arc of #catalina in exchange for an honest review.

Catalina dives into the struggles of an undocumented immigrant with a lot of heart, but the stream-of-consciousness style might not be for everyone. Catalina's life at Harvard is marked by a mix of high hopes and deep insecurities, and while her experiences are undeniably compelling, the narrative can feel a bit all over the place. I enjoyed the glimpses into Latin American culture and some standout moments, like the scene where Catalina jumps out of a moving car, but I found it hard to stay engaged with the fragmented storytelling and Catalina's often frustratingly immature behavior. It’s an interesting read, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

Villavicencio has such a unique voice. Her storytelling creates strong imagery for the reader, and makes the reader feel as though they are in the same room as Catalina. Really hope to see this novel translated on to the big screen and that this is the first of MANY Villavicencio fiction works.

Catalina is an endeavour in vibes. A bit frenetic and scattered, and reads a bit like stream of consciousness, but with good characterization and enough heart to pull me through. I do wish some of Catalina’s commentary was a bit sharper, as she is clearly meant to be clever and we mostly see surface level observations. Overall I think the right audience will love this, but ultimately wasn’t quite the right fit for me. Genuinely would like to try it on audio because it felt like a good narrator could truly make magic of Villavicencio’s already solid foundation of narrative voice.

My heartfelt appreciation to Netgalley and One World for the opportunity to read an e-galley of Catalina in exchange for an honest review!