The narrator’s voice was so refreshing and unique. I really enjoyed the writing and storyline. I will definitely keeping my eyes peeled for Villavicencio’s future books.

I really wanted to like this book--I loved Villavicencio's THE UNDOCUMENTED AMERICANS. However, I found this novel difficult to get into, somewhat unfocused, and the voice was not to my taste.

I received this from Netgalley.com.

Kind of meandering, difficult to follow, found the characters and topic uninteresting.

2.25☆

A coming-of-age story about an undocumented Harvard student. Even tho i felt sorry for Catalina. I thought she was quite hard to like. The story was allover the place cofusuing and hard to follow at times.

have been excited about this book since I first heard about it. If you know me, you know that my favorite book of all time is The Idiot by Elif Batuman, so Catalina was right up my alley. I really enjoyed the humor and Catalina's strange encounters at Harvard. There are so many generalizations about Latin America and undocumented immigrants that this book subverts, addresses head on, and humorously explores. This book read like a big whirlwind, but slowed down in the third act for me. I wish the end was a bit more fleshed out, but I enjoyed Catalina's voice so much I didn't mind all that much in the end. Overall, I am so glad I read this and I laughed out loud quite a few times.

All the stars! The Undocumented Americans was an amazing book that every one should read and I was very excited for this novel. Catalina gives you the story young women balancing her family, her place at Harvard and her undocumented status. The sarcasm and humor is biting, frequently breaking the fourth wall. I loved this.

Thanks to NetGalley and One World for the chance to read and review.

I really wanted to like this one, but it was ultimately just too meandering and stream-of-consciousness for me. It took me two whole weeks despite being a relatively short book. As others have said, it very much reminded me of The Idiot by Elif Batuman, both in style and setting and in that the authors are much too smart for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

This! Was! Incredible!! I have nothing but good things to say about this book. One of the best things I’ve read this year, it managed to be so much at once: Emotional, funny, heartbreaking, messy. The writing isn’t exactly lyrical but is still somehow so beautiful? Catalina’s voice was compelling and drew me in and I could easily follow her character for a long time. I implore everyone to read it, even to just read about the stresses and heartbreaks of this particular life that is a reality for so many. It opens your eyes to the things an undocumented person has to go through that you would never even think about.

ARC provided by NetGalley

This story follows Catalina who is finishing school but as an undocumented person, she’s not sure what her next steps will be. The writing style was super interesting where it felt like a stream of consciousness most of the time.

I’m really interested to see what this author writes next!

Thank you to Netgalley and One World for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to like this book because the subject matter of undocumented immigrants, particularly as it relates to DACA, is important. I simply never grew fond of Catalina, or her family, or any of the characters in the book. Being inside Catalina’s head for the entire book was not a place I enjoyed. It made the book seem much longer than its 223 pages.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book to read and review.

Amazing book. As a Harvard student, I found it very relatable. I also appreciated reading about the experience of an undocumented student. Would definitely recommend!

I started this book and then put it down for a while due to the off putting stream of consciousness style. But then I decided to finish it because I wanted to see what happened to Catalina, an undocumented immigrant living with her grandparents and attending Harvard. I would like to say the novel garnered my interest on my second try, but alas, I can’t. Catalina’s mental state spirals downward as the novel continues, and I could understand neither the direction of her self-destructive behavior nor the purpose of her story. She loves James Joyce, and if you do too, you might enjoy this book. I, however, am not a Bloom’s Day celebrant.

Catalina is an undocumented immigrant who came to America from Ecuador as a child to live with her grandparents after her parents were killed in an accident. Her grandparents are also undocumented. Accepted at Harvard, this fictional memoir recounts her experiences there. Pre DACA, a major obstacle for this Ivy League educated young woman is that she will not be able to secure a job upon graduation.

This short book (224 pages) exposes the insecurities, fears, and emotional toll experienced by undocumented individuals and families. It is written mostly as stream of consciousness with quite a bit of fantasizing which for me took away from the importance of the topics explored. This style will not be for everyone; others may find it a vibrant, contemporary read. I did enjoy the references to Latin American history and culture.

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.