The Fourteen Sisters of Emilio Montez O'Brien

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In his new novel, Oscar Hijuelos brings to life the lively Montez O'Brien family. Nelson O'Brien, an enterprising Irish immigrant and photographer, travels to Cuba during the Spanish-American War and meets his future wife, the sensitive and poetic Mariela Montez. Their first daughter, Margarita, is born at sea en route to America in 1902. Settling in a small Pennsylvania town, Nelson runs the Jewel Box Movie Theater while Mariela gives birth to thirteen more daughters and eventually a son. The narrative unfolds through Margarita's reminiscences, recounting the family's lives, loves, and tragedies, as well as their complex relationships. The story also follows Emilio, who navigates life in Greenwich Village, the army, and Hollywood as Monty O'Brien, starring in grade-B detective and Tarzan movies and mingling with stars like Errol Flynn. Struggling to find his place in a predominantly female family, he searches for true love. Meanwhile, Margarita discovers profound passion in her later years. This raucous and heartfelt epic spans the continent and the century, celebrating moments of happiness that give meaning to interconnected lives and the ever-present force of change and renewal.