We Have Always Been Who We Are

From Pushcart Prize-nominated author Sofia T. Romero comes a breathtaking debut collection of interrelated stories suffused with magical realism.

In stories that evoke the haunting beauty of New England beaches and resonate with a bittersweet loneliness, Romero blurs the lines between life and death, reality and fantasy. A deceased woman counsels her son's fiancée on how to be a good wife to him, with disastrous consequences. A mysterious, commanding cat appears in a young woman's home, as inexplicable as the demise of her years-long relationship with her boyfriend. At turns humorous, sorrowful, and whimsical, this collection spans the familiar setting of a college-town supermarket and eerie dystopias that are not just postpandemic but postart. Romero masterfully conveys the follies of youth and the regrets of life, and a sense of loss-of a relationship, a child, a time before-pervades each page.

With this remarkable debut, Romero joins the ranks of writers such as Brenda Peynado and Marytza K. Rubio, offering a superb collection of speculative fiction with a distinctly Latina perspective. We Have Always Been Who We Are is at its heart a testament to the power of storytelling, and an invitation to develop our inner strength through the imagination.

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We Have Always Been Who We Are

From Pushcart Prize-nominated author Sofia T. Romero comes a breathtaking debut collection of interrelated stories suffused with magical realism.

In stories that evoke the haunting beauty of New England beaches and resonate with a bittersweet loneliness, Romero blurs the lines between life and death, reality and fantasy. A deceased woman counsels her son's fiancée on how to be a good wife to him, with disastrous consequences. A mysterious, commanding cat appears in a young woman's home, as inexplicable as the demise of her years-long relationship with her boyfriend. At turns humorous, sorrowful, and whimsical, this collection spans the familiar setting of a college-town supermarket and eerie dystopias that are not just postpandemic but postart. Romero masterfully conveys the follies of youth and the regrets of life, and a sense of loss-of a relationship, a child, a time before-pervades each page.

With this remarkable debut, Romero joins the ranks of writers such as Brenda Peynado and Marytza K. Rubio, offering a superb collection of speculative fiction with a distinctly Latina perspective. We Have Always Been Who We Are is at its heart a testament to the power of storytelling, and an invitation to develop our inner strength through the imagination.

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We Have Always Been Who We Are

We Have Always Been Who We Are

Unabridged — 6 hours, 2 minutes

We Have Always Been Who We Are

We Have Always Been Who We Are

Unabridged — 6 hours, 2 minutes

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Overview

From Pushcart Prize-nominated author Sofia T. Romero comes a breathtaking debut collection of interrelated stories suffused with magical realism.

In stories that evoke the haunting beauty of New England beaches and resonate with a bittersweet loneliness, Romero blurs the lines between life and death, reality and fantasy. A deceased woman counsels her son's fiancée on how to be a good wife to him, with disastrous consequences. A mysterious, commanding cat appears in a young woman's home, as inexplicable as the demise of her years-long relationship with her boyfriend. At turns humorous, sorrowful, and whimsical, this collection spans the familiar setting of a college-town supermarket and eerie dystopias that are not just postpandemic but postart. Romero masterfully conveys the follies of youth and the regrets of life, and a sense of loss-of a relationship, a child, a time before-pervades each page.

With this remarkable debut, Romero joins the ranks of writers such as Brenda Peynado and Marytza K. Rubio, offering a superb collection of speculative fiction with a distinctly Latina perspective. We Have Always Been Who We Are is at its heart a testament to the power of storytelling, and an invitation to develop our inner strength through the imagination.


Editorial Reviews

California Reading

This is a really exciting collection, with some incredibly original ideas. Yay for new short stories!”

author of My Salinger Year and A Fortunate Age Joanna Rakoff

These pitch-perfect tales call to mind the work of short fiction greats like Kelly Link, Alison Lurie, and Laurie Colwin. I tore through this book like a novel, astonished by Romero’s singular voice and in love with her thorny, irresistible characters!”

author of White Horse: A Novel Erika T. Wurth

This stunning collection filled with vengeful seal queens, books of secret confessions, and creepy customizable mothers is just the speculative jewel you’re looking for.”

author of When Trying to Return Home Jennifer Maritza McCauley

We Have Always Been Who We Are stuns and soars. Romero has the staggering ability to depict unforgettable characters in their dreamlike states, losses, freedoms, and magic. With majestic, cleanly conceived prose and a wonderful attunement to the pulses of the human heart, this book is a winner. Highly recommend!”

Ms. magazine

This debut collection of speculative stories from Pushcart Prize–nominated writer Sofia Romero illustrates her brilliant imagination, her divine timing, and her mastery of subtle storytelling. They are urgent and deceptively quiet all at once.”

Booklist

Rich, interconnected stories follow characters as they face the dynamics and unspoken conflicts within their identities and relationships…Sincere yet unrestrained, Romero’s searching collection burrows deep into its mysteries.”

AudioFile

A trio of experienced narrators…bring these creepy and unsettling works to life with vivid and evocative narrations…These expressive performers elevate this collection.”

New York Times bestselling author of Hollow Beasts Alisa Lynn Valdés

The spare, muscular prose of newcomer Sofia Romero brings to mind the best parts of Hemingway, though her characters, unlike his, journey inward, through complex emotional truths that belie the minimalist language used to tell them. These are deceptively quiet stories that grow louder the longer they sit inside you. Stories that leave a fragrance behind, in your skin. Stories whose urgency lies in the haunting understatedness with which they’re told. Romero’s voice is clean, strong, and unique, and one that deserves to be heard.”

Ms. Magazine

This debut collection of speculative stories from Pushcart Prize-nominated writer Sofia Romero illustrates her brilliant imagination, her divine timing, and her mastery of subtle storytelling. They are urgent and deceptively quiet all at once.”

New York Times bestselling author of The Dirty Gir Alisa Valdés-Rodriguez

The spare, muscular prose of newcomer Sofia Romero brings to mind the best parts of Hemingway, though her characters, unlike his, journey inward, through complex emotional truths that belie the minimalist language used to tell them. These are deceptively quiet stories that grow louder the longer they sit inside you. Stories that leave a fragrance behind, in your skin. Stories whose urgency lies in the haunting understatedness with which they’re told. Romero’s voice is clean, strong, and unique, and one that deserves to be heard.”

DECEMBER 2023 - AudioFile

A collection of linked short stories set in New England explores what happens when reality and fantasy intermingle. A trio of experienced narrators, Ines del Castillo, Frankie Corzo, and Carolina Hoyos, bring these creepy and unsettling works to life with vivid and evocative narrations. One story has the ashes of a deceased mother telling her son's fianceé how to keep him happy. Another story sees a college journalism student attempting to infiltrate a sorority--only to have a magical book upend her social standing. The stories center around female Latinx characters. The narrators use flawless Spanish when called for, thereby adding authenticity. Overall, these expressive performers elevate this collection. A.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID: 2940192509418
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Publication date: 10/10/2023
Edition description: Unabridged
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