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This Is the Only Kingdom
This Is the Only Kingdom | Jaquira Diaz
3 posts | 1 read | 4 to read
LONGLISTED FOR THE CENTER FOR FICTION FIRST NOVEL AWARD - From the Whiting Award-winning author Jaquira Daz, an epic novel of a mother and daughter wrestling with the aftermath of a murder, set against the backdrop of a tightknit, working-class barrio in Puerto Rico. When Maricarmen meets Rey el Cantante, beloved small-time Robin Hood and local musician on the rise, she begins to envision a life beyond the tight-knit community of el Casero, Puerto Rico - beyond cleaning houses, beyond waiting tables, beyond the constant tug of war between the street hustlers and los camarones. But breaking free proves more difficult than she imagined, and she soon finds herself struggling to make a home for herself, for Rey, his young brother Tito, and eventually, their daughter Nena. Until one fateful day changes everything. Fifteen years later, Maricarmen and Nena find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation as the community that once rallied to support Rey turns against them. Now Nena, a teenager haunted by loss and betrayal and exploring her sexual identity, must learn to fight for herself and her family in a world not always welcoming. For lovers of the Neapolitan novels, This is the Only Kingdom is an immersive and moving portrait of a family - and a community - torn apart by generational grief, and a powerful love letter to mothers, daughters, and the barrios that make them.
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Amor4Libros
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#majicmonday @Eggs

I read 166 books in 2025 (mostly bangers, I must say! 🙌🏽), and these are the ones that I still think about constantly:

Slanting towards the sea by Lidija Hilje
The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny by Kiran Desai
This is the Only Kingdom by Jaquira Diaz

BarbaraBB I have Sonia and Sunny on my shelves and need to check out The Only Kingdom because I LOVED Slanting Towards the Sea too! 3d
Amor4Libros @BarbaraBB I‘m sure you will love both! 🤗 3d
Eggs Wow excellent 👌🏼 1d
38 likes3 comments
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Amor4Libros
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #arc Pub Date: 10/21/25

I've been craving a story like this for a while and I finally found it! The story centers around Maricarmen and her daughter, Nena, as they navigate life in a Puerto Rican project.

Maricarmen falls in love with Rey, the neighborhood's resident musician and bad boy. After Rey is murdered, it is up to Maricarmen to make a life for herself, Nena and Rey's brother, Tito.

👇🏽

Amor4Libros This book tore me to pieces, the stories felt at the same time familiar but so very new. This is not a fun read, but these characters have you rooting for them in every page.

Read this!
3mo
BarbaraBB Stacking! 3mo
Amor4Libros @BarbaraBB YAY! 🤗 3mo
Reggie Sounds great. Stacked! 3mo
Amor4Libros @Reggie I‘m sure you‘re going to love it! 🤗 3mo
42 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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Matilda
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