Crocodilopolis
A Novel
by John Manuel Arias
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Pub Date Aug 25 2026 | Archive Date Aug 24 2026
Bloomsbury USA | Bloomsbury Publishing
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Description
"A darkly intoxicating novel, at once mythic and wickedly contemporary...Here is a writer in full command of his world, delivering a ferocious meditation on masculinity, legacy, and national myth through an audacious, unforgettable book." --Ocean Vuong, the New York Times bestselling author of The Emperor of Gladness and On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous
From the author of national bestseller Where There Was Fire comes a gripping tale of sibling rivalry, family secrets, and the fate of a nation.
Once a powerful, cold-blooded politician in Costa Rica, Seth Oreamundo is now living in exile in Washington, DC – and his younger brother Osario is to blame. Born into a corrupt political dynasty and raised on a seemingly idyllic coffee estate, the Oreamundo brothers were destined for greatness. But a dark family secret and a scandalous double crossing sent their lives into a tailspin, changing the country forever.
Osario must pay, and Seth decides the only way to do so is to return home to Costa Rica and feed his brother to the infamous river of crocodiles from their childhood. What follows is a spellbinding story of revenge alternating between Seth's murderous plans and memories of the brothers' upbringing. With the wisdom of biblical myth and the soapy wit of a telenovela, Crocodilopolis is a masterful interrogation of power, masculinity, destiny, and legacy from a literary star on the rise.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781639738434 |
| PRICE | $29.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 320 |
Available on NetGalley
Average rating from 1 member
Featured Reviews
Hannah L, Librarian
Cocodilopolis follows individual members of the Oreamundo family over the course of 4 generations, focusing on two brothers who become pitted against each other because of their own political ambitions. The book does an excellent job placing the reader in Costa Rica of the 1980's and 90's, following a rapidly shifting culture and political arena. The book walks the line of the fantastical while still locating characters in a believable and recognizable world. Taking place over more than a century, the book ambitiously tries to document, in detail, much of the characters' lives. Arias does an excellent job of showing how individuals characters change over time, mirroring the political turmoil the book is following.
I would recommend this to fans of Barbara Kingsover, Sally Rooney, or Isabelle Allende.