Cantoras

A novel

By: Carolina De Robertis

Narrated by: Carolina De Robertis

"Cantoras is a stunning lullaby to revolution—and each woman in this novel sings it with a deep ferocity. Again and again, I was lifted, then gently set down again—either through tears, rage, or laughter. Days later, I am still inside this song of a story." —Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award–winning author

From the highly acclaimed, award-winning author of The Gods of Tango, a revolutionary new novel about five wildly different women who, in the midst of the Uruguayan dictatorship, find one another as lovers, friends, and ultimately, family.

In 1977 Uruguay, a military government crushed political dissent with ruthless force. In this environment, where the everyday rights of people are under attack, homosexuality is a dangerous transgression to be punished. And yet Romina, Flaca, Anita "La Venus," Paz, and Malena—five cantoras, women who "sing"—somehow, miraculously, find one another. Together, they discover an isolated, nearly uninhabited cape, Cabo Polonio, which they claim as their secret sanctuary. Over the next thirty-five years, their lives move back and forth between Cabo Polonio and Montevideo, the city they call home, as they return, sometimes together, sometimes in pairs, with lovers in tow, or alone. And throughout, again and again, the women will be tested—by their families, lovers, society, and one another—as they fight to live authentic lives.

A genre-defining novel and De Robertis's masterpiece, Cantoras is a breathtaking portrait of queer love, community, forgotten history, and the strength of the human spirit. At once timeless and groundbreaking, Cantoras is a tale about the fire in all our souls and those who make it burn.

A Good read

I liked the fact that the author was able to communicate the ugly stuff that was going on without being so graphic that it gave me nightmares. That's not an easy feat so kudos to her!

a story for everyone

see the azpn page for this book for my full review, but I will say Carolina DeRobertis gave an incredible vocal performance and I can't wait to hear her read again, whether it be at a reading or for one of her other books.

Relatable

If you read the synopsis of this book, you wouldn't think it, but it's incredibly relatable. It is a LGBTQ+ book set in politically charged 1970's South America and is an all female lead. You might ask, how is that relatable? Well, it's a story about being accepted as yourself and finding a place that you can be that version of you. I think we've all struggled with that regardless of gender, sexuality, ethnicity and political associations. Also, it helps that it was beautifully written. Enjoy!

I love the book with my whole heart <3

I love the book with my whole heart. When I decided to check out the audiobook right after finishing the paperback, I did not know I would also end up falling in love with this version. Narrated by the author, I knew listening to Cantoras would bring me closer to the characters, closer to the story.

And did it ever.

Revisiting the book after only one month since finishing it for the first time and flipping through the pages everyday for the past weeks, I’d say a sizable chunk of the writing was already forever seared into my memory. The intensity Cantoras initially brought has now pulsed to a softer, yet forever aching throb in my heart, and I can finally experience the beautiful joy and wholesomeness of the book amidst the heartbreak of it all.

The pacing felt a bit different upon reread; the story seemed to be faster but in more details at the same time. With the calming flow of De Robertis’s voice, the listening experience was like hearing a friend reminiscing the past, a past which I shared from reading the evocative writing last month. The voices of the characters weren’t exactly what I had expected. But much like the higher pitched, almost hilarious voice of Romina, yet so filled with resilience and surety, everything works perfectly. We have the soft, “honey-coated” voice of Malena, the deeper, more powerful one of Flaca, the rather sultry, breathy voice of La Venus, and the energetic, younger voice of Paz. It was wonderful to hear how the words were spoken, how the author sounded out the rhythm in the sentences, and how the cantoras banter back and forth. Threaded in the dialogues were affection, familiarity, playfulness, and pain, and through the audio, the personalities of the characters were more vivid, the group dynamics even more vibrant.

There is so much to this book that even reading it for the second time, I still find new gems among the words. Listening made it almost impossible to miss the details—details that killed me a little inside, that made me want to claw at my heart, to scream and cry and crumple all at the same time, and details that put a content smile on my face, my heart relieved and happy for the characters. My love for the cantoras grew, shifted for some but stronger and deeper.

And when I look up to the sky at night and see the moon, be it “a meager slice” or not, it feels comforting to know that they, the cantoras, have shared the view of the same moon with me, as time and space collapse into one.

Such a beautiful story of women and love

I really enjoyed the unique backgrounds of each women. Loved listening to their lives unfold through the years.