New Book Spotlight: The Dream of the Jaguar by Miguel Bonnefoy
Miguel Bonnefoy’s prize-winning novel The Dream of the Jaguar is a sweeping and enchanting family saga. Echoing the lush storytelling of One Hundred Years of Solitude and the emotional depth of Isabel Allende’s work, this novel explores colonialism, cultural identity, and the enduring ties of heritage. Through unforgettable characters, Bonnefoy illuminates the vibrant, complicated history of Venezuela. (Other Press, 2025)
A Story Born on the Steps of a Church
The novel opens when a beggar in Maracaibo, Venezuela, discovers a newborn on the steps of a church. She cannot foresee the extraordinary destiny awaiting the child she takes in.
Raised in poverty, Antonio’s life begins as a cigarette seller and porter, later a servant in a brothel, yet his relentless energy and charisma ultimately lead him to become one of the most celebrated surgeons in his country.
A Lineage Shaped by Love, Ambition, and Country
Antonio’s life intertwines with that of Ana Maria, who becomes the first female doctor in the region. Their daughter, named Venezuela, dreams not of her homeland but of Paris, yet the novel reminds us that no matter how far we travel, our roots remain.
It is through the notebook of Cristobal, the final link in this extraordinary lineage, that the family’s full, astonishing story unfolds.
A Lush, Multi-Generational Epic
Inspired by Bonnefoy’s own ancestry, The Dream of the Jaguar paints a vivid portrait of a family whose fate is inseparable from that of Venezuela itself, a vibrant, emotional saga of identity, ambition, and history.
About the Author
Miguel Bonnefoy, born in France in 1986 to a Venezuelan mother and Chilean father, is an acclaimed novelist whose previous works, Octavio’s Journey and Black Sugar, each sold more than thirty thousand copies in France and have been translated worldwide.
He received the Prix du Jeune Écrivain in 2013, and his novel Heritage earned widespread praise, becoming a finalist for the Prix Femina, the Grand Prix de l’Académie française, and the Goncourt Prize.
About the Translator
Ruth Diver holds a PhD in French and comparative literature from the University of Paris 8 and the University of Auckland. Her translation work has earned multiple honors, including two 2018 French Voices Awards and Asymptote’s Close Approximations fiction prize. She brings exceptional sensitivity and clarity to Bonnefoy’s text.
SA Examiner 