This story is beautifully written and has a compelling historic background. I enjoyed the beauty of the words and learning a little more about the struggles of Salvadorans, particularly the women.
There was a significant amount of Spanish used which I don't understand. It slowed my reading, and I missed out on a full understanding of many of the conversations. This may have kept me from getting into the story as much as I would have liked. Because of the beauty of the prose and the historic detail, I wouldn't hesitate to try reading another book by this author.
I would definitely recommend this title for any fan of Isabel Allende, as it is very much in her style of historic fiction with a touch of magic real.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

📖 + 🎧: The Volcano Daughters-a standalone

✍️ By: Gina María Balibrera -debut author

📃 Page Count: 354 eBook

🗣️: Narrators: Gisela Chipe, Elena Rey, Alma Cuervo, E.A. Castillo, and Ines del Castillo voice the cast. Their voices fit the characters with standouts from Graciela and Consuelo. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along with the e-book and audiobook

🏃🏾‍♀️‍➡️: Run Time: 12:26

🗓️ Publication Date: 8-20-24, Read 9-27-24


🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Pantheon, and Gina Maria Balibrera for this ARC 💚! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

🌎Setting: Volcano Izalco, El Salvadore- + California + France 1923-1942

Genre: Women's Fic, Latino American Lit/Hispanic American Lit Fic

🌋Tropes: mythology, magical realism, found family, female friendship/sisterhood, surprise pregnancy

POV: multiple

⚠️TW: kidnapping, grief, miscarriage, WWII, genocide, SA-h, alcoholism, suicide attempt-h

💭Summary: Two sisters reunite through tragedy told by the victims themselves. Graciela and Consuelo never met until their father died, one sister becoming the oracle to the General and President of El Salvatore and the other a prisoner of war.

🚺Heroine: Graciela-grew up w/ volcano daughters until invited to the Capital w/ her mother to meet sister Consuelo. She's made an oracle for the General, taking her deceased father's place as fortune teller.

🚺Heroine: Consuelo-kidnapped as a child, raised by her father and stepmother

🎭Side cast:

•Lourdes, María, Cora and Lucia-all grew up w/ Graciela and their mothers in El Salvador

•Socorrito-Graciela and Consuelo's mother

• El Gran Pendejo/The General/Patrick Brannon- a dictator who commits genocide

• Perlita-German's wife, unable to have children

• German-Graciela and Consuelo's father

• Luis-Consuelo's boyfriend and an artist

• Hector-Cora's boyfriend

• Ninfa-Perlita's servant, becomes a mother figure to Graciela


🤔 My Thoughts: I had no idea about this time in history, but I'm glad I found it. The sisterhood, the struggle to survive, and the journey these women went on was epic. It's filled with Latino mythology, ghosts, and nightmares of the past. The found families and men of the moment kept the sisters occupied and helped them maintained a life after everything they endured.


Range of emotions: 😬🤔🙄
🌶️: Spice 3/5-a few scenes, nothing explicit
😭: Emotion 5/5
⭐️: Rating 4/5

I'm Salvadoran so as soon as I heard that the publisher had bought rights to this book, I was EXCITED!!! I've known that this book was coming for a while! LOL! I'm always on the hunt for Salvadoran books. Anyways...one of the first things I want readers to know is that this is NOT a fast read. This is a book that you want to take your time with. Believe me, its worth it!!! It's a beautiful story about Consuelo and Gracielita, two sisters of the indigineous community Pipil, who survived a genocide and get seperated. It's all told through the eyes of their four friends: Lourdes, Maria, Cora and Lucia. All four are ghosts since they were murdered during the massacre (this isn't a spoiler, they tell you from the first pages).

Also the finished copies have a list of all the characters to make it easier. I didn't have this in my ARC copy so I had to take notes but I love doing that and had to annotate so much!!! 😍It's always fun to see my thoughts when I go back.

One thing I kept thinking as I was reading this book was how much I wished I had this book when I was younger. I didn't know about the brutal genocide of 1932 until a few years ago. There's so much Salvadoran history in this book that I want to read more about it. I loved the mentions of Prudencia Ayala and Roque Dalton. I also loved all the folklore that was included specially about La Siguanaba and el Cadejo. If it was up to me this book would had been twice as long. I couldn't get enough.

I appreciated all the Salvadoran spanish that was used throughout the book. It made me feel like I was hearing the story from a family member! Although I guess my family uses the word Puchica differently...

I understood that the narrators were dead, but the premise of the whole book was so sad for the most part. Plus it was hard to get into, as I felt like I needed to whip out a Spanish to English fiction at times and the story didn’t need to be as long as it was, or maybe I just didn’t understand everything I read. I loved the scenery set up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to Pantheon for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Overall Rating: 3.75 / 5 (rounded up to 4)

I would recommend this book to those that are fans of historical fiction told from a unique perspective, especially if you have a background on the politics and leadership of El Salvador.

Overall I found this to be a tough but fascinating and compelling read. At times I found myself stumbling over the decisions made for storytelling, having to backtrack when the perspectives swapped or when it wasn’t entirely clear to me when the timelines had changed. This could have been a me problem since I loved the actual prose and scathing look at El Salvador’s history. I also felt at times that this story bit off a bit more than it could chew, trying to fit in a lot of quips and commentary when some subjects were merely introduced but not necessarily explored as in-depth as I would have liked to see.

Despite all that, I still found myself sucked in to the story. While I wasn’t entirely sure where it was going in the beginning, I did find myself really rooting for Graciela and Consuelo as the plot focused in on how they’re trying to survive their tragic pasts. At times I do wish we had more interludes from the ghostly narrators, since the times they did come up did have me chuckling. They felt at times almost like they were saying exactly what I was thinking when the two girls would do something that wasn’t in their best interests.

I would definitely pick up another work by this author, I may just take some time for myself to do prior research on the subject matter to be sure that I can jump immediately into the story. I have definitely grown more and more curious through reading historical fiction and this book is no exception.

OMG OMG full disclosure I was so enamored with this that halfwaythrough I went ahead and bought the audiobook so I could listen while cleaning and fixing the washing machine. I just could not put it down but I also had a ton of chores. I love it so much. It is so sad and so magical. I absolutely reccomend this one.

It had interesting potetntial but it was very wordy and slowly paced. By the time I figured out who the main characters were, I was bored. I think this author is talented but this just wasn't for me.

I could not get into this book.

Though the premise promised a gripping story, the execution fell flat for me. There was an overwhelming amount of lengthy exposition and scene-setting right from the beginning, and the characters were impossible to understand and empathize with.

This ended up as a DNF. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this e-arc.

I was hooked from the very start in this book! The premise that ghosts were telling the story intrigued me and I loved the usage of Spanish throughout the book as it made it more authentic to the story. This was a tale of loss, love, sisterhood and family and I think the author did a great job of keeping the book moving and keeping the themes relevant throughout. I think at some points it was a little lengthy, but overall I enjoyed the book.

A magical story from the start filled with so much heart and passion. The authenticity and boldness of the narrators drives the story forward with fun and spirited energy. The pages are lively, dramatic and captivating as you walk through each sisters' story and watch them navigate through all of the twists and turns their lives take.

The Spanish woven within the book is special and heart-warming for those who grew up in Spanish speaking cultures. I appreciated the details those words added to the overall story. This is a unique way to tell a story of sisterhood, love, loss, and pain.

I had high expectations for this book and unfortunately it fell flat from what I was expecting. I have read several books where ghosts were a collective narrative voice/POV, and I have always really loved this kind of storytelling. However, the way this POV was done in this book was harder to follow and felt a little disjointed. I liked the main characters and felt connected to their journey. I will read from this author again, as I did see potential with this story, even if it didn't live up to what I wanted it to be.

Gina María Balibrera's The Volcano Daughters presents a lush and atmospheric narrative set against the backdrop of El Salvador's turbulent political landscape. Balibrera skillfully interweaves the nation's history with the personal journeys of the novel’s characters, bringing readers into a world of revolution, exile, and myth. While the book excels in its ability to evoke a vivid sense of place, it falls short in pacing and character development, which can make for a mixed reading experience.

One of the novel's strongest points is its vibrant depiction of El Salvador. The descriptions of the country's natural beauty and the looming presence of its active volcanoes create a haunting, almost magical realism-like atmosphere. Balibrera’s prose is lyrical and often captivating, especially in moments when the land itself seems to breathe with the weight of its history.

The novel delves into El Salvador's civil unrest with sensitivity, blending historical events with the intimate experiences of its characters. Balibrera effectively communicates the tension of living in a politically unstable country, drawing connections between the personal and the political in ways that feel poignant and authentic.

The story’s pacing is one of its more significant issues. The early chapters promise much, setting up rich narrative threads, but the middle portion of the novel drags, losing momentum as the plot becomes bogged down with too many subplots. This slower pace could deter some readers, making it difficult to stay fully engaged.

While the setting and historical context shine, the characters themselves often feel less realized. The protagonist’s journey, in particular, lacks the emotional depth needed to make her arc truly compelling. At times, it feels like the characters are overshadowed by the larger events surrounding them, making it difficult to connect with their struggles on a personal level.

The Volcano Daughters offers a beautifully written exploration of El Salvador’s landscape and history, but its slow pacing and somewhat flat characters prevent it from reaching its full potential. Readers interested in historical fiction with a strong sense of place will appreciate Balibrera’s attention to detail, but those looking for deeply engaging character development may find the novel lacking. While not without its merits, The Volcano Daughters ultimately falls short of being a standout in the genre.

This is a beautiful and heart-wrenching story of two sisters of the Pipil, the indigenous peoples of El Salvador, living on the side of the Izalco volcano until they are brought into the orbit of a military dictator, the General. Younger Graciela and her sister Consuelo are caught up in the brutality of this era, set during and after the time of La Matanza, a massacre of El Salvadoran peasants in the early 1930s that still impacts the country and the greater Central American region today. I had to go hunting down the historical figures and the background for the story, because debut author Gina María Balibrera isn't focused on the history itself - in fact, the General is never given a specific name, instead he is referred to as El Grand Pendejo by the sisters for most of the book.

Instead, Balibrera focuses on the lives of the characters, and she does it in a beautiful, almost mythological way, with her focus on the language, the beauty of the landscape, and the relationships between mothers and daughters. Adding to the poignancy and lyricism is a chorus of ghost girls, young girls who grew up with Marciela and were killed in the General's massacre of the indios.

I was completely enraptured with this book, and with the lives of Maricela and Consuelo as they escape their country and flee to various parts around the world. This should be a movie.

My thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the book publishers for an ARC of this book. My thoughts are my own.

Review: The Volcano Daughters
✨: 3.75/5
Genre: historical fiction/ magical realism
1️⃣ emoji: 🌋
Format: ARC! Thanks for the copy— this one came out on August 20!

1920s El Salvador— two sisters from a rural village, separated at a young age when one is kidnapped from their mother by their rich and powerful father, who is and advisor to the country’s dictator. Both become wrapped up with this dictator, right before he commits a cultural genocide against their village and people.

➕: Certainly very interesting premise, and lots of twists and turns during the story. Isabel Allende vibes.

➖: Sooo much Spanish slang, to the point where it was hard to understand what was going on— even if you tried to google translate it, it was such specific slang words that it didn’t make sense. There’s like 2 slang words every page thrown in, it was too much and frustrating.
I didn’t love the magical realism part— basically their dead friends from the genocide were chiming in on narration as “ghosts”, even though they weren’t dead yet at that part of the story? And then there were too many of the ghosts without much character development to keep track of.

The Volcano Daughters by Gina Maria Balibrera is historical fiction that considers a time period and region of the world that is often ignored in literature. This story of two sisters separated by genocide is well-written, and I especially appreciated the "choral voice" used throughout the narrative. The characters are well-drawn - distinct and compelling. The book dragged a bit in the middle, but, all in all, this is a good read for lovers of historical fiction.

The Volcano Daughters tell the story of two sisters that are separared from their mother at a very early age, having to separately escape from San Salvador during a genocide. Each of them thinks that their sister is dead, so they go on with their lives in different countries until they find each other years later. I enjoyed both sisters' stories but I found it a bit confusing the several POVs it's narrated in. There's also a lot of Spanglish involved which wasn't too challenging for me because Spanish is my first language but some words I had to look up because they were pretty local to El Salvador. I overall enjoyed this book despite everything, it was interesting to read about the real life events the characters had to live through.

This is a really impressive debut. I wish I had been able to read a paper copy because there are so many characters and story lines that it would have been nice to flip around a paper copy. She really captures the difficulty, love, and strength of family bonds.

This is a beautiful and evocative story of Indigenous women in modern El Salvadoran history. The book follows the lives of 2 sisters born by the Izalco volcano. They go through many ups and downs in their lives together and apart. They are both shaped by the tragic La Matanza massacre in 1932 and their consequent escape from El Salvador. I loved how the author used the choral voices of childhood friends to shape the narration of the sisters' lives. I really enjoyed this book as a window into a history of people unknown to me. The writing was beautiful, but also stayed somewhat detached from the characters. This style made it easier to read the traumatic experiences, however it made it harder to feel emotionally connected the story.

Overall, I strongly recommend this story of 2 women surviving the impacts of various social-political events throughout world history. I look forward to reading more of this author's work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Pantheon for providing an eARC for my honest review.

Starting in El Salvador in 1923, this book follows sisters Graciela and Consuelo. The sisters are stolen from their mother and their home 9 years apart.

After a genocide hits their village, the sisters flee individually, believing the other is dead.

Their friends who were murdered in the genocide guide them throughout their lives, as well as guiding us through their journey as narrators.

From El Salvador to San Francisco to Los Angeles, Paris and back, the sisters are shoved into brand new lives, so different from where they came from.

This is a slow read. It demands you to take your time with it. I felt it was a little dragged out in certain spots and while I wanted to keep going to find out what happened to the sisters, it wasn’t a book I was eager to get back into.

The last 20% was great and I read that in one sitting but there were pockets throughout that could have been trimmed back.

Thanks to #netgalley, the publisher and the author for this e-arc!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC!

The Volcano Daughters recounts the life of Salvadoran sisters from a small village whose mothers worked at a coffee plantation. Through both historical fiction and magical realism, this book describes what life and politics were like in El Salvador in the early 1900s. The first quarter or so of this book was hard to follow but with assistance of the audiobook, I was able to understand the point of view changes within the book. Speaking of POV, it is something that makes this book unique. Much of the story is told from the afterlife perspective of the sisters who were killed during La Matanza, a massacre that targeted indigenous Salvadorans. They follow their surviving sisters throughout the rest of the story, both observing them and guiding them in times of need.
Through Graciela and Consuelo, we see how colorism impacts their lives differently despite them sharing the same mother and father. This part of the story particularly caught my interest. Prior to reading this book I was unfamiliar with Salvadoran history, and I hope to learn more.