Originally published in 2022, Solitária will be released in English this August. I was fortunate to receive an advance reader copy from Astra Publishing House.

This powerful novel follows Mabel and her mother, Eunice—two Black Brazilian women working as domestic servants for a wealthy family. Spending two decades within the confines of the luxurious estate known as the Golden Plate, both women slowly come to realize the importance of pivoting toward a future defined by their own interests.

Mabel grows up in the shadow of servitude but eventually breaks away to become a doctor—though not without first witnessing how fragile and unjust life can be, especially for those without power. Eunice, unaware of her daughter’s internal shift, continues to serve the family loyally, believing that playing by their rules will protect her. But the novel quietly reveals the danger of that comfort—especially in a country where the legacy of slavery is still painfully fresh, and the wealthy continue to feel entitled to the lives and labor of those beneath them.

Through both Mabel and Eunice, we witness a slow, courageous awakening—a journey toward justice, resistance, and reclaiming their agency. Their growing awareness is shaped not only by their experiences within the household, but by their relationships with other laborers in the building.

The structure of the book is particularly striking: the first section is told from Mabel’s perspective, the second from Eunice’s, and the third from the point of view of the objects and spaces that surround them—rooms that have borne silent witness to their lives. Despite its relatively short length, Solitária covers a great deal of ground—though sometimes not quite enough. The final chapters felt rushed, wrapping things up faster than expected. Characters introduced early on reappear in later sections, but their returns can feel overly deliberate. And despite being about race and class in Brazil, it doesn’t seem like the commentary exceeds that of what we would see in a soap opera.

I found myself wishing we had more time with Eunice’s mother instead of the romantic threads introduced for both Mabel and Eunice. And while some characters weren’t meant to be central, others like Camila, the wealthy family’s daughter (and frankly, the spawn of the devil) felt underdeveloped, especially given their significance.

There were moments where the translation didn’t quite flow, some passages felt slightly off, but overall, Solitária is a moving and thought-provoking fictitious exploration of class, race, and the enduring legacy of colonialism in Brazil. It’s a reminder of how quietly radical it can be to change the direction of your life and reclaim your voice.

I left this book with mixed feelings.

On the positive side, I liked the basic contours of the plot, which tackled tough issues of intergenerational trauma, racism, abortion, workers’ rights, to name a few. The book is told from several perspectives, and the mother’s segment was particularly moving.

However, I wish that the multiple perspectives had been incorporated throughout the novel, rather than having the last two narrators introduced within the last 15% of the book. In a similar vein, I found the pacing a bit off and wish there had been more time dedicated to the resolution of the conflict.

I’m very grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me access to this eARC. Kudos to the publisher to bringing this to American readers, who have likely been exposed to similar race and class dynamics and will find the value in this narrative.

Solitaria tackles quite a lot in its slim 240 pages: classism, racism, multi-generational trauma, upward mobility, and family loyalty.  Told from four different POVs, Cruz weaves together a tale that takes place over more than a decade in a format that feels unputdownable enough to finish in an afternoon.  Most of Mabel’s childhood is spent helping her mother as a rich family's live-in maid and nanny, in a building she’s come to call home even though her status as the help makes it so she never quite belongs.  When tragedy strikes, Mabel and Eunice must navigate the classist nature of Brazilian society in the microcosm of their employer’s neighborhood.  In unflinching prose, Cruz’s astute cultural observations, coupled with a touching portrait of the family you’re born with and the family you choose, is a remarkable feat of creativity and skill.

Many thanks to Astra and netgalley for the advanced copy!

This was a beautiful book. The characters where filled with so much depth and emotions. They are well rounded flawed characters that are constantly growing and reading about them was so beautiful. The book is well written and the prose are very nice. It is on the slower side but that just gives you the time to think about what you are reading and to really see the layers of each character

Great read! First read from this author. This book makes me want to read more from this author. Kept my attention and interest until the end.

First of all, the characters in this book were fantastic. I loved the way they interacted with each other and especially the way they spoke to one another. There was a deep humanity in the writing that made me continue reading, made me think about the characters while in my everyday life, and kept me invested.
As someone who researches narratives about women’s reproductive health and how they impact real-life care, I found the story to be deeply important. It is definitely worth reading, especially if you like international and translated fiction.
The beginning section of this book was the best. Mabel was a strong character and had a beautiful story. Her story, especially with her abortion, was raw and emotionally vibrant. I have to admit it made me cry. However, when it first transitioned to Eunice, I found it a bit jarring, as the narration seemed to lose momentum. Finally, when it switched to all the rooms it was simultaneously creative and a bit complicated to follow.
My biggest critique would be that the ending felt rushed. It could have easily had another fifty pages and fleshed out some of the details. But overall, the characters were so good that I am giving it 4 stars.