Staff Pick
Sea anemones! Francisco Goya! Buccaneers! Rita Indiana blends magical realism, time travel, eco-feminism, and art history into an unforgettable, zany romp. I never knew where the story was headed, but each element blended seamlessly, and not a word was wasted. I loved everything about this strange, wonderful book! Recommended By Amy W., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Plucked from her life on the streets of post-apocalyptic Santo Domingo, young maid Acilde Figueroa finds herself at the heart of a voodoo prophecy: only she can travel back in time and save the ocean - and humanity - from disaster. But first she must become the man she always was - with the help of a sacred anemone. Tentacle is an electric novel with a big appetite and a brave vision, plunging headfirst into questions of climate change, technology, Yoruba ritual, queer politics, poverty, sex, colonialism and contemporary art. Bursting with punk energy and lyricism, it's a restless, addictive trip: The Tempest meets the telenovela.
Review
"Rita Indiana is fearless and brilliant and Tentacle is her finest novel, an unforgettable experience." Junot Diaz
Review
"An electric novel with a big appetite and a brave vision." Tor.com
Review
"From beginning to end, Tentacle is a strange, unnerving, and at times beautiful book that critiques global inequality and the politicization of climate change." Amy Brady, Chicago Review of Books
About the Author
Rita Indiana is a Dominican music composer, producer and key figure in contemporary Caribbean literature; Tentacle won the Grand Prize of the Association of Caribbean Writers in 2017, the first Spanish-language book to do so. She is the author of three collections of stories and four novels, and is a driving force in experimental Dominican popular music along with her band, Rita Indiana y los Misterios.
Achy Obejas is a writer, journalist and translator. She is the author of five books of fiction and has translated Junot Díaz and Wendy Guerra, among many others. She is from Cuba and lives in California.