Yo!

Written by Julia Alvarez

Narrated by Alma Cuervo, Luis Moreno and Coral Pena

Yolanda García—Yo, for short—is the literary one in the family. Her first published novel, in which she uses as characters practically everyone she knows, was a big success. Now she’s basking in the spotlight while those “characters” find their very recognizable selves dangling in that same blinding light. But turnabout is
fair play, and so here, Yolanda García’s family and friends tell the truth about Yo. Her three sisters, her Mami and Papi, her grandparents, tías, tíos, cousins, housemaids, her third husband: they take turns telling their side of the story, ripping into Yo and in the process creating their own endearing self-portraits.

At once funny and poignant, intellectual and gossipy, lighthearted and layered, ¡Yo! is above all a portrait of the artist. And with its bright colors, passion, and penchant for controversy, it’s a portrait that could come only from the palette of Julia Alvarez.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9781705089378

Julia Alvarez

Born in New York City in 1950, Julia Alvarez’s parents took her back to their native country, the Dominican Republic, shortly after her birth. Ten years later, the family was forced to flee to the US because of her father’s involvement in a plot to overthrow the dictator Rafael Trujillo. Alvarez has written many bestselling novels including: How the García Girls Lost Their Accents, In the Time of the Butterflies, ¡Yo!, In the Name of Salomé, and Afterlife. She has also written collections of poems, non-fiction, and numerous books for young readers. The Cemetery of Untold Stories is her most recent novel. Her awards and recognitions include the Pura Belpré and Américas Awards for her books for young readers, the Hispanic Heritage Award, and the F. Scott Fitzgerald Award. In 2013, she received the National Medal of Arts from President Obama.

Reviews for Yo!

[squeakychu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Yolanda Garcia, also known as Yo, leaves an impression on those who know or meet her. Each person, in turn, describes how Yo has impacted his or her life in such a way that the reader gets to know Yo without actually meeting her. It's worth reading the stories of Yo's family, friends, and acquaintances to find out how this is so vividly, affectionately, and cleverly done Each chapter is a mini-novel unto itself.

[melissamcb · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Each chapter looked at Yolanda from a different character's point of view so you saw her through many different eyes and at different times of her life. I didn't like it nearly as much as How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents which has the same characters, but it was an enjoyable read.

[urduha_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a collection of short stories about Yolanda Garcia (we first met her in How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents) told from the perspectives of various peoople in her life. The stories are often humourous with a tinge of sadness, revealing Yo's journey from precocious child, to a rebellious teen, to a somewhat confused and unfocused adult. We come to see that she is a challenging daughter, a loving a sister, a courageous and loyal friend and lover, an idealistic activist, and ultimately, an artist. The book still brings tears to my eyes, even after double-digit readings.