Olga Dies Dreaming
Books | Fiction / Family Life / Siblings
3.1
(455)
Xochitl Gonzalez
'Deeply satisfying and nuanced . . . a tender exploration of love in its many forms' Observer 'Gonzalez couples engrossing political intrigue with engagingly flawed characters you can't help but root for' Mail on Sunday It's 2017, and Olga and her brother, Pedro 'Prieto' Acevedo, are bold-faced names in their hometown of New York. Prieto is a popular congressman representing their gentrifying, Latinx neighborhood in Brooklyn, while Olga is the tony wedding planner for Manhattan's power brokers.Despite their alluring public lives, behind closed doors things are far less rosy. Sure, Olga can orchestrate the love stories of the one percent, but she can't seem to find her own . . . until she meets Matteo, who forces her to confront the effects of long-held family secrets.Twenty-seven years ago, their mother, Blanca, a Young Lord-turned-radical, abandoned her children to advance a militant political cause, leaving them to be raised by their grandmother. Now, with the winds of hurricane season, Blanca has come barreling back into their lives.Set against the backdrop of New York City in the months surrounding the most devastating hurricane in Puerto Rico's history, Olga Dies Dreaming is a story that examines political corruption, familial strife and the very notion of the American dream - all while asking what it really means to weather a storm.
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More Details:
Author
Xochitl Gonzalez
Pages
384
Publisher
Little, Brown Book Group
Published Date
2022-01-06
ISBN
0349726698 9780349726694
Community ReviewsSee all
"I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did, the beginning was good, but opened in a way where I expected that, at most, I'd like it. The development of the book pulled me in so much, it often made me angry and frustrated but for all the right reasons. Though a work of fiction, the author ties in a lot of recent events which adds a lot of realness to the book as well. 5/5 🌟 :) "
Mare
"I really enjoyed this book! The plot was chock full and super engaging but also a bit all over the place and occasionally hard to follow. For that reason, I would probably give it 3.5/5. I could have done without the added letters from their mom. They felt confusing and unnecessary. Overall though, the characters were beautiful and meaningful and grew so much over the course of the book. I really enjoyed the read and would definitely recommend it. "
Kaylee Vie
"Olga has verve, candor and drive, one of the best characters I’ve seen on the page in several years. A Brooklyn girl with a rich Puerto Rican heritage, she and her brother grow up taking care of each other after mom abandons them and dad dies. Olga at age 40 is a successful woman who lives life with gusto and who seeks love. Olga shines brightly in this novel, and I rooted for her from page 1. Olga Dies Dreaming is the 2022 selection for Greenwich (CT) Reads Together."
Diane Morello
"Wowowow one of the best books of the year!!"
Becca Sangwin
"I really want to give this book three stars because its idea is relevant and intelligent. It is a fun and smart look into Puerto Rican culture in Brooklyn, NYC. The characters seem to have everything they need and want, accompanied by the need to speak out against biases and unfair treatment. It’s almost laughable. It’s hard to see how injustice is directly affecting the characters in just the portrayal of their lives and the narrative. The romance is typical and the ending is a disappointment because it seems to be inserted in out of nowhere and it contradicts what we already know about the main character’s relationship to a romantic partner. Also, this is the third time in a row that I have met such a visceral female in a novel, so I’m wondering if it’s just coincidence or if it’s formulaic. And, I totally missed the meaning of this book’s title as it relates to the story. "
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Amy Milam
"I enjoyed the characters and how the author made the city of NY, and Porto Rico characters that came alive"
Lisa Morris
"I honestly wish I read the book, instead of listening bc there’s sooo many GREAT quotes i wasn’t able to write down, i loved this, definitely reread worthy❤️🔥❤️🔥 "
Maribel
"While I didn’t dislike this book, I didn’t find it overwhelmingly notable. 6/10 for me. Interesting thematic explorations of generational trauma, identity, gentrification, and family. However, resolution of the some of the main conflicts felt very “throw away” as a lot of things are wrapped up in a bow in a “happily ever after” sort of fashion. "
Megan Coady
"This was a really excellent novel on extremely recent history. I’m embarrassed to admit I only knew slightly beyond the basics from the news coverage of Hurricane Maria despite the fact that a family member of mine is Puertoricana. She traveled down to bring batteries and basics to her family, and while it was horrifying to hear about how devastating the storm was, it didn’t motivate me to read more about how the US could allow that to go on in the first place. <br/><br/>This novel help contextual the broader conversation of Puerto Rico in a way that was both accessible but eye opening. I’m fairly angry to be honest, but I think that’s part of it. There’s so much we miss because the conversations we should be having aren’t happening on a broader level. But that’s why I try to read widely and share the stories that move me, because the conversations we need to have can’t happen until we start trying to talk about it, and stories have always been a way of doing that. <br/><br/>I can’t believe this was a debut, and I hope there is more to come from the author. The characters were so realistic and I was drawn into both the plot and the message here. I encourage people to pick this up, and I hope they enjoy it as much as I have!"
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Allie Peduto
"Great book! Good story lines, interesting characters, kept my interest from the start to finish. Very easy to get into."
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Samantha Strache
