The Dream of the Jaguar

An enchanting family saga in the vein of One Hundred Years of Solitude, this prize-winning novel illuminates Venezuela’s history through the lives of its extraordinary, memorable characters. When a mute beggar from Maracaibo, Venezuela, takes in a newborn on the steps of a church, she has no idea of the extraordinary destiny that awaits the orphan. Raised in poverty, Antonio will be a cigarette seller, a porter on the docks, a servant in a brothel before becoming, thanks to his effusive energy, one of the most illustrious surgeons in his country. An exceptional partner will inspire him. Ana Maria will distinguish herself as the first female doctor in the region. They will give birth to a daughter whom they will name after their own country: Venezuela. Connected by her first name as much as by her origins to South America, she only has eyes for Paris. But we never truly leave our own people. It is in the notebook of Cristobal, the last link of their family, that the stories of this astonishing lineage will finally take shape. In this vibrant saga full of unforgettable characters, Miguel Bonnefoy paints a picture, inspired by his own ancestors, of a remarkable family whose fate is intertwined with that of Venezuela.