Anita de Monte Laughs Last Audiobook By Xochitl Gonzalez cover art

Anita de Monte Laughs Last

A Novel

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Anita de Monte Laughs Last

By: Xochitl Gonzalez
Narrated by: Jessica Pimentel, Jonathan Gregg, Stacy Gonzalez
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About this listen

Long-listed, Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the Year, 2024

Long-listed, Time Magazine Best Books of the Year, 2024

Long-listed, Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2024

Long-listed, CPL: Chicago Public Library Best of the Best, 2024

Long-listed, NPR Best Book of the Year, 2024

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.

©2024 Xochitl Gonzalez (P)2024 Macmillan Audio
Coming of Age Fiction Historical Fiction Latino American Psychological United States Women's Fiction Student Witty Scary
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Critic reviews

"Gonzalez crafts excoriating and whip-smart commentary on the art world’s Eurocentric conceptions of beauty and the racism faced by first-generation students of color. This is incandescent."Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Funny, piercing, and full of moxie, Anita de Monte Laughs Last is unsparing in its assessment of what goes on behind the castle walls, the price people pay to be accepted into those hallowed halls, and what it takes to liberate oneself from the dangers that lurk within. Really, what Xochitl Gonzalez has written is an affirmation for anyone who's ever had to 'work twice as hard to get half as much.' Anita de Monte Laughs Last is rollicking, melodic, tender, and true. And oh so very wise."—Robert Jones, Jr., author of The Prophets, a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction

"Bravo! A remarkable story about reclaiming what has been erased. Reader, enjoy!”—Ana Castillo, author of So Far From God

What listeners say about Anita de Monte Laughs Last

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    3 out of 5 stars
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The reader does a lot of screaming

The reader does a lot of screaming. It’s a loud book. I know it’s to make a point, but it gets old. Almost stopped listening.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great storytelling, outstanding delivery!! A must read/listen.

I loved everything, outstanding plot and delivery- congratulations, great choice of actors who performed- I enjoyed every minute.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing book!!!!!

I loved the intelligent complexity of the story (the ghosts) and simplicity of the message. Brava, Xotchitl!

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    5 out of 5 stars
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The performance was on point.

It has a fantastic plot and outstanding performance. I plan on recommending this author to my colleagues.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A must read for artists and creatives

Took a minute to get cooking, but wow what an incredible novel. Magical realism infused with the realities of being WOC in white spaces. ❤️

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic narration

I was hooked the second I started it. The narration was fantastic and brought the characters to life.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A brilliant Fury in the hidebound art world

I was surprised by how much I loved the raw courage, determination, and fury of the protagonist—Anita, a young Cuban artist in the 1960s. I’m not big on angry feminist tracts but it turned out this was not that.
The arc of her life was set off by the counterpoint of the second protagonist, a Latina art history student in the 1990s whose love life and nascent career in the art world were marked by her timidity and willingness to bow to the sexism and racism in the art establishment. She has to hunt for her courage but finds it as she uncovers the buried traces of Anita’s art and life.
I gather that the authors modeled Anita’s character and life story on an actual artist, without permission or attribution, bringing the wrath of God (and Anita?) upon her. I understand the seriousness of the theft, but can’t help loving the book and artist’s skill nonetheless. For example, the magic realism employed by the author is a delight as it allows Anita an amusing measure of agency after her death and knits the lives of the two protagonists together.
I highly recommend this book.

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Phenomenal Writing

Gonzalez offers the world her art, in a story that resonates through the years and is told in a way that feels both classic and brand new.

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Heart pounding excitement!

Awesome topic with the perfect artistic readers. Nothing satisfies like a great book! Best to Ms. Gonzales

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    4 out of 5 stars
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the voice of Anita

the story was great, however the voice of Anita is constantly yelling and overly dramatic, which was stressful and irritating. Not a relaxing listen.

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