Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media & Julia Alvarez for an audio galley of Cemetery of Untold Stories in exchange for an honest review.

There were multiple things that drew me to request this book – the beautiful cover, the attention-grabbing title and the general premise of the book.

Unfortunately, I was let down by everything in between the covers.

First, I will give props to the author. I do believe that the author is very talented and that the writing in this book was done well. I enjoyed the richness of culture by her use of a mixture of English & Spanish.

This just wasn’t the book for me. None of the “untold stories” were particularly great to me. In addition to that, the switch between POVs was oftentimes confusing because it would go from one POV to the next without any kind of signal that it had done so.

I can see where many readers will enjoy this book. It just wasn’t for me.

This is closer to a 3.5 for me. The beginning was so strong for me and I loved the idea behind the story of the cemetery, but as the story went on some things got a little disjointed and it was hard for me to follow who was who and how some characters were connected. I absolutely loved the lush writing style, which created a strong atmosphere. I think if I were to reread this, I would enjoy it more and it would clear some things up for me.

This book brought about such a mixture of feelings for me. I laughed and I cried, felt anger, loss, sorrow and hope.

I listened to the audiobook version and I fell in love with the accent and language that the narrator was speaking with. One drawback of the audio version is that with the frequency of jumping between characters and with there being so many, all with multiple names or precursors in Spanish, it was very hard to know whose story I was listening to and keep track of who was who and what had happened.

I enjoyed the relationships between the characters and there were so many different ones to choose from. Sisters, parents, spouses, lovers, neighbours, children. The book touched on so much, loss, grief, abandonment, cheating, murder, spurned lovers, control, political dictatorships, dementia, just to name a few. But among those, hope, love, family, legacy, and the importance of stories.

One of my favourite quotations went something like, 'When an elderly person dies a library is extinct'. So beautifully put and it really puts in focus the knowledge and tales that we accumulate over our lifetimes.

I didn't really ever understand what was happening in the cemetery. Was it paranormal? Was it like that only for a privileged few? Or could anyone who paused long enough to listen hear the voices on the breeze? The ending was a little rushed after the beginning and most of the book was so slow moving but it worked if you were in a mood to absorb all the feelings.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author and publisher for a temporary copy in exchange for an honest review.

The audiobook was a joy to listen to. The writing was lyrical and magical listening to the narrator tell the story. This story was rich in culture telling the story of Alma’s time in Dominican Republic. While the writing was captivating, the story was a bit slow for me. I do feel this is one to be read because of the story and following Alma’s journey. It’s just a slow burn.

Cemetery of Untold Stories follows the efforts of Alma, a retired author who has returned to the Dominican Republic, as she establishes a cemetery for her unfinished manuscripts. She meets new people (Philomena was my favorite) and we get experience their stories. BUT wait there’s more! The cemetery brings her stories to life as the markers (made by her artist friend) begin whispering, some not so whispery, their tales. We learn about heartbreak and joy, and fill in different lines of story as we go.

This is a book I knew would be perfect savored slowly with una cafecita. I ended up receiving the ebook and audiobook so I mixed and matched to my mood.

The audiobook added to the lyrical storytelling and fleshes out the contributions of the Spanish language used through out as well. The ebook felt like visiting a classic story, with the patterning of storytelling melting with the shifting narrative. This is multi-POV and multi-timeline as it shifts from living people to living characters. It felt a little overwhelming shifting back and forth, but the author gives the characters such distinctions you learn them like an old friend. The audio book narrator also lends her character building voices to assist with this literal distinction too.

This is my first Julia Alvarez book, and it was a decent experience overall! Despite initially grappling with her style, I admired the vivid personalities she crafted in each character. However, the frequent jumps in time and storyline, along with the number of characters, was a bit challenging. While the connections between storylines come together in the end, the execution could have been more cohesive. But, I did find the overall themes of this book engaging, though tighter storytelling would have enhanced the experience.

The Cemetery of Untold Stories is an ambitious novel that combines multiple family sagas, magical realism, and historical fiction. Julia Alvarez's writing is truly beautiful, and while this is the first book I've read by the author, I recognize why she is held in such high esteem.

What I enjoyed:
- As mentioned above, I loved Alvarez's style of writing. I found myself getting totally lost in her descriptive vignettes. Using few words, Alvarez is able to build tension, establish meaningful connections between characters, and describe a setting in a way that makes you feel like you're there.
- There were many characters in this novel (perhaps too many, but I'll elaborate more below). One of my favorite aspects of the book was reading about the relationships between the different characters, particularly the romantic relationships, as well as the relationships between mothers and their children, and those between sisters.

What didn't quite work for me:
- There were so many characters, and the chapters would jump so abruptly between different stories, characters, and timelines. I found this quite jarring. Sometimes I would have to go back and re-listen to entire minutes of the book because I couldn't figure out whose story I was meant to be following. Additionally, she would often switch to someone else's story right at the moment when I felt most invested in the character she had previously been following.
- Given the scope of the novel, I found the resolution to be a bit anticlimactic. The ending felt a bit rushed, and it didn't hold the same emotional resonance as much of the rest of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced listener copy.

I will be picking this book up as a physical copy verses the audio as there were just too many characters for me to follow. I would rather be able to page back and familiarize myself with the characters again. Audio narrator was great and I could tell the story was going to be good though.

I listened to the audiobook version.
⭐⭐⭐

The story starts with Alma Cruz, a Latin American novelist. She has many stories that she has never finished and decides to create a cemetery for all the unfinished works after inheriting a small piece of land from her father after he dies.

I absolutely loved the idea of this book. I was captured straight away from the book cover & the description. The story was so unique! A cemetery for unfinished books? Absolutely magical. Unfortunately I did find it a bit hard to follow all the different stories & names. The pacing of the narration was a bit off for me with no pause after sentences had finished. I found myself having to go back to previous chapters to double check who was who. I will eventually pick up a physical copy of this book to read.

Thank you to Algonquin for giving me the opportunity to listen to this ALC via NetGalley.

This is a review specifically for the audiobook.

I enjoyed the book and all the different story lines. However, the audiobook format was hard to follow. I don't know if the structure of the book makes it easier to follow in print than in audio. I was never really able to click into exactly what was happening. I was able to follow what was going on within each chapter but struggled to understand how each chapter connected to the overall story.

This is a beautiful book about how people's stories are never truly done. I was enraptured with Filomena and her story and could not get enough. I struggled to connect with Alma and the style of writing was difficult for me to follow at times. The narrator choice was perfect for this audiobook.

Thank you RB Media and NetGalley for the ALC of this book!

This story was not was I expected, but in a wonderful way. This book transported me directly into the story, to the cemetery along side the families and all the journeys they took.

This story was very sad at times, but other parts were exciting. Julia Alvarez does a great job of immersing the reader in the culture of the Dominican Republic while joining Alma on her journey. Not only does the reader find out about Alma's life across the world, but also as some Dominican Republic natives.

Highly recommend this book to anyone ready for an adventure and who loves to hear or tell stores.

The Cemetery of Untold Stories is such a uniquely beautiful read. Written by acclaimed author, Julia Alvarez, the story almost feels autobiographical with elements of magical realism sprinkled in. The story follows an author, Alma, in her senior years, who inherits a plot of land in her native country of Dominican Republic. She decides to use this land to build a cemetery for all the manuscript drafts and revisions that she was unable to complete and characters that she was not able to bring to life through her writing during her career - among them is Bienvenida, the forgotten second wife of dictator Rafael Trujillo who has been wiped off from the pages of history and Manuel Cruz, a doctor who escaped to United States from DR. However, these characters have a mind of their own, and their stories will not remain untold and forgotten. Alma enlists the help of a local woman - Filomena to tend to her cemetery grounds where her unwritten characters find Filmona a sympathetic listener and reveal their untold secrets.

I found the premise and characters to be fascinating and the writing to be absolutely gorgeous. The stories followed the oft-forgotten or overlooked characters, primarily women in our mundane world, sharing the extraordinary stories from their lives that deserve to be told, and some that would like to remain hidden from the world. The book also explored the idea of control over one’s own narrative, and sometimes the lack thereof, and the immense responsibility that comes with being the author of someone else’s stories. Overall the pacing was just perfect for this book, and the characters rich and vividly painted. The plot was unique and fresh, and very memorable.

This is a big thumbs up from me - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! Give this book some love if this book finds you.

Another masterpiece by Julia Alvarez. When a famous writer inherits a parcel of land from her late father, she turns it into a cemetery for her abandoned and unfinished works. The book is told from the perspectives of many characters, living and dead, with the perfect touch of magical realism. As the narratives weave together, we find connections between the characters and stories. The book is heartfelt, honest, and flawlessly written. The audiobook narration brings depth and a unique voice to each distinct character in the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC (in audiobook format).

"The Cemetery of Untold Stories" by Julia Alvarez, narrated by Alma Cuervo, is a poignant and masterfully crafted novel that delves into the depths of memory, history, and the unyielding power of storytelling.

Set against the backdrop of the Dominican Republic, the novel introduces us to Alma Cruz, a retired novelist and professor who decides to build a literal cemetery for her unfinished stories. This symbolic act of burial becomes the catalyst for a narrative which explores the lives of characters whose stories demand to be told, despite being relegated to the shadows of history.

Alvarez's prose is luminous and evocative, weaving together the personal and the political with a deft hand. The novel's structure is innovative, shifting focus from Alma to the vibrant tales of her father, Dr. Manuel Cruz, and Bienvenida Inocencia Ricardo, the forgotten first wife of the Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo. These narratives intertwine with the life of Filomena, a woman hired to guard the cemetery, who possesses the extraordinary ability to hear the stories buried within.

The narration by Alma Cuervo adds another layer of depth to the experience, her voice capturing the nuances of each character and the rhythm of Alvarez's writing. Cuervo's performance is both grounded and ethereal, perfectly complementing the novel's themes of legacy and the transcendence of stories.

"The Cemetery of Untold Stories" challenges the reader to consider the stories that go untold and the voices that are silenced. Alvarez has crafted a work that is both a tribute to the storyteller's art and a call to remember the untold tales that shape our world.

This novel is a triumph of narrative ingenuity and emotional resonance.

The premise of this story intrigued me, a story about an author, Alma, who takes the least desirable piece of inherited land from the family portfolio to use a a burial ground for her stories and characters. Alma goes on to employee a groundskeeper who also becomes integral to the story.

I really liked the concept and the story is beautiful written, but I will have to re-read this in book format. The story was too rich to be told in the way it was. I would have preferred to have several narrators to bring the different characters and their stories to life. I will look forward to reading this one from a physical book.

The synopsis of The Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez had me intrigued. I thought it was extremely imaginative and I couldn't wait to find out how the story unfolded.
However, I did find it hard to follow in the audiobook version. This might be different if I had read the book instead of listening to it. The mixture of languages took me out of the story at times, and I felt that the ending was rushed.
I am glad that I took the time to listen to The Cemetery of Untold Stories as it was different from anything I've read before.
I would like to thank RB Media and Netgalley for an advance copy of the audiobook in return for my honest review.
3 out of 5 stars.

In her latest novel, Julia Alvarez weaves an enchanting tapestry of storytelling, blending elements of historical fiction, magical realism, and family drama. The Cemetery of Untold Stories is a celebration of the power of narratives, the resilience of characters, and the enduring vitality of tales left untold.

Alma Cruz, a celebrated writer, inherits a small plot of land in her homeland, the Dominican Republic. Instead of building a traditional cemetery, Alma creates a unique resting place for her unfinished manuscripts, discarded revisions, and the characters who once inhabited her imagination. These characters, stubborn and restless, refuse to fade into oblivion. Bienvenida is the abandoned second wife of dictator Rafael Trujillo, erased from history. Manuel Cruz is a doctor who fought in the Dominican underground and escaped to the United States.

As Alma’s characters unspool their secret tales, the cemetery becomes a sanctuary where stories come alive. Filomena, the local groundskeeper, listens empathetically as the characters rewrite themselves, challenging their creator and each other. Through their voices, Alvarez explores profound questions: Whose stories deserve to be told, and who remains buried in silence?

Alvarez is such a gifted writer who in this book seamlessly shifts between past and present, inviting readers to explore the interconnected lives of her characters.

The Cemetery of Untold Stories is a captivating tale from the first page. Alvarez’s love for storytelling shines through, reminding us that our own stories are never truly finished—even at the end.

If you enjoy works by authors like Isabel Allende and Barbara Kingsolver, this novel will resonate deeply. Prepare to be enchanted by its magic, moved by its authenticity, and haunted by the echoes of untold stories.

I have a new favourite novel! This story of untold stories, so incredibly dynamic and poignant, is everything I look for. Lively characters, entwined threads, lines that will stay in my memory long after reading. These are just a few reasons why I enjoyed it so much.. The narrator's voice is the perfect fit too. I will be going out and buying this book the first chance I get because I just can't wait to read it all over again.

My first ARC! Thank you to RB Media for an ALC through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

3.5/5 stars rounded down. This was a beautifully told heart-wrenching story following several interconnected individuals and the lives they led in the Dominican Republic and America. Julia Alvarez blends together genres, characters, and timelines into this lovely melting pot of a novel that's centered around stories and the power they hold. Alvarez's prose is whimsical and feels familiar and comfortable with some witty humor strewn throughout. This book falls more into historical fiction with a touch of magical realism. Blend that together with immigrant stories, cross-generational family drama, and the love of storytelling (whether publicly or privately).

I'm sure this would be a higher rating if I read the physical or ebook in conjunction rather than just the audio. I think the audiobook would have benefited from dual or multi narration, or if the narrator was able to alter her voice for each character. The timelines and POVs are not clearly and ridigly laid out throughout the book, which has a great storytelling feel to it. However, it makes for a difficult listen due to the large cast of characters and seamless transition between them and their stories. I was lost quite a bit and had to go back and listen again to different passages until I got the hang of all the names. I would definitely recommend dual reading the physical and audio books!