Anita de Monte Laughs Last: Reese's Book Club Pick (A Novel)

Written by Xochitl Gonzalez

Narrated by Jessica Pimentel, Jonathan Gregg and Stacy Gonzalez

This program is read by a full cast of Stacy Gonzalez, Jonathan Gregg, and Jessica Pimentel, best known for her role on Orange Is the New Black.

"The book is clever and original, but what’s more, Jessica Pimentel, a star of Orange Is the New Black, reads Anita as if she’s in a fever dream. There’s a vibrant wickedness to her performance that no doubt will make this one of the best listens of the year."—Vulture

REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK • New York Times bestselling author Xochitl Gonzalez delivers a mesmerizing novel about a first-generation Ivy League student who uncovers the genius work of a female artist decades after her suspicious death

A Most Anticipated Book of 2024: TIME, The Washington Post, Refinery 29, Barnes & Noble, Marie Clare, Real Simple, Entertainment Weekly, LA Daily News, LitHub, The Millions, TODAY.com, HipLatina, Book Riot, Kirkus, and more!

“Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a cry for justice. Writing with urgency and rage, Gonzalez speaks up for those who have been othered and deemed unworthy, robbed of their legacy." ―The Washington Post

"Anita De Monte Laughs Last by Xochitl Gonzalez asks some big questions, like who in art or history is remembered, who is left behind or erased and WHY. I have goosebumps just talking about this story." ―Reese Witherspoon

1985. Anita de Monte, a rising star in the art world, is found dead in New York City; her tragic death is the talk of the town. Until it isn’t. By 1998 Anita’s name has been all but forgotten—certainly by the time Raquel, a third-year art history student is preparing her final thesis. On College Hill, surrounded by privileged students whose futures are already paved out for them, Raquel feels like an outsider. Students of color, like her, are the minority there, and the pressure to work twice as hard for the same opportunities is no secret.

But when Raquel becomes romantically involved with a well-connected older art student, she finds herself unexpectedly rising up the social ranks. As she attempts to straddle both worlds, she stumbles upon Anita’s story, raising questions about the dynamics of her own relationship, which eerily mirrors that of the forgotten artist.

Moving back and forth through time and told from the perspectives of both women, Anita de Monte Laughs Last is a propulsive, witty examination of power, love, and art, daring to ask who gets to be remembered and who is left behind in the rarefied world of the elite.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Mar 5, 2024
• ISBN: 9781250331533

Xochitl Gonzalez

Xochitl Gonzalez is the New York Times bestselling author of Olga Dies Dreaming. Named a Best Book of 2022 by The New York Times, TIME, Kirkus, Washington Post, and NPR, Olga Dies Dreaming was the winner of the Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize in Fiction and the New York City Book Award. Gonzalez is a 2021 MFA graduate from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her nonfiction work has been published in Elle Decor, Allure, Vogue, Real Simple, and The Cut. Her commentary writing for The Atlantic was recognized as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. A native Brooklynite and proud public school graduate, Gonzalez holds a BA from Brown University and lives in her hometown of Brooklyn with her dog, Hectah Lavoe.

Reviews for Anita de Monte Laughs Last

[Brenda · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Slow start, BUT push thru, and the book gets better.
Love the women empowerment within this book.

[Weronika Pogorecka · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This story was engrossing with feminist themes, strong female characters, and a touch of magical realism.

I loved Anita from the beginning. She was fire and emotion and rage, her persona was very compelling. As an immigrant, I connected with her the most, she was sent out of Cuba as a child by her parents. Missing it dearly and not having the same connection to America. When she has to chance to come back to Cuba, she realizes she no longer belongs there anymore, and that really resonated with me personally.

Narration in this audiobook was truly outstanding. Jessica Pimentel stole the show as Anita, she was animated, emotional, and entertaining. Stacy Gonzalez as Raquel brought a younger, vulnerable voice to the story. Jonathan Gregg performed the few chapters for Jack and I also thought he showed great emotion for the character. A fantastic performance by this cast throughout the whole book!