Neruda on the Park: A Novel

NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS’ CHOICE • An exhilarating debut novel following members of a Dominican family in New York City who take radically different paths when faced with encroaching gentrification

“Strikes all the right notes—captivating characters, lyrical language, and a storyline that captures your imagination and refuses to let go . . . an unforgettable debut!”—Tayari Jones, New York Times bestselling author of An American Marriage

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: PopSugar

The Guerreros have lived in Nothar Park, a predominantly Dominican part of New York City, for twenty years. When demolition begins on a neighboring tenement, Eusebia, an elder of the community, takes matters into her own hands by devising an increasingly dangerous series of schemes to stop construction of the luxury condos. Meanwhile, Eusebia’s daughter, Luz, a rising associate at a top Manhattan law firm who strives to live the bougie lifestyle her parents worked hard to give her, becomes distracted by a sweltering romance with the handsome white developer at the company her mother so vehemently opposes.
 
As Luz’s father, Vladimir, secretly designs their retirement home in the Dominican Republic, mother and daughter collide, ramping up tensions in Nothar Park, racing toward a near-fatal climax.
 
A beautifully layered portrait of family, friendship, and ambition, Neruda on the Park weaves a rich and vivid tapestry of community as well as the sacrifices we make to protect what we love most, announcing Cleyvis Natera as an electrifying new voice.

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Published May 2, 2023

352 pages

Average rating: 6.62

8 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

kathie
Jan 11, 2025
8/10 stars
this felt a little long, but i enjoyed most of it. it’s sort of atmospheric and very realistic which i think is hard to pull off. the characters and their struggles all felt very real and i really found myself immersed in their struggles and emotions.
i don’t know what it is but it seems these days every other audiobook i read is hiring an entire cast for each book when there are separate perspectives, it’s kinda cool though

rating: 4 stars

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