Kantika A Novel
Kantika, a novel by Elizabeth Graver, is set to be published by Henry Holt and Company on April 16, 2024. This 304-page work presents a multigenerational saga that traverses Istanbul, Barcelona, Havana, and New York, delving into themes of displacement, endurance, and the concept of family as home. The story centers on Rebecca Cohen, a spirited daughter of the Sephardic elite in early 20th-century Istanbul, who navigates the complexities of life after her family’s wealth is lost.
Readers will find a kaleidoscopic portrait of Rebecca’s journey as she faces various challenges, including a failed marriage and the responsibilities of motherhood. The narrative explores her resilience as she adapts to new environments, moving from Spain to Cuba and then to New York, where she confronts the difficulties posed by her disabled stepdaughter, Luna. Kantika also examines identity, place, and exile, highlighting the female experience in work, art, and love. This lyrical novel invites reflection on the tenacity of women and the pursuit of beauty in the face of adversity.
Official synopsis Publisher
A dazzling Sephardic multigenerational saga that moves from Istanbul to Barcelona, Havana, and New York, exploring displacement, endurance, and family as home.
A kaleidoscopic portrait of one family’s displacement across four countries, Kantika—“song” in Ladino—follows the joys and losses of Rebecca Cohen, feisty daughter of the Sephardic elite of early 20th-century Istanbul. When the Cohens lose their wealth and are forced to move to Barcelona and start anew, Rebecca fashions a life and self from what comes her way—a failed marriage, the need to earn a living, but also passion, pleasure and motherhood. Moving from Spain to Cuba to New York for an arranged second marriage, she faces her greatest challenge—her disabled stepdaughter, Luna, whose feistiness equals her own and whose challenges pit new family against old.
Exploring identity, place and exile, Kantika also reveals how the female body—in work, art and love—serves as a site of both suffering and joy. A haunting, inspiring meditation on the tenacity of women, this lush, lyrical novel from Elizabeth Graver celebrates the insistence on seizing beauty and grabbing hold of one’s one and only life.
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