Explosion in a Cathedral

In the first new English translation in sixty years, Alejo Carpentier's acclaimed historical novel unfolds the story of Victor Hugues, a merchant sailor from Marseille, who arrives in late 18th-century Cuba. Infused with the ideals and ambitions of the French Revolution, his journey leads him to a trio of Creole orphans and sets off a turbulent adventure across the Caribbean. As Hugues grapples with themes of liberation and exploitation, the narrative explores the explosive intersections of revolutionary fervor and the seductive nature of power. Featuring a new foreword by Alejandro Zambra, this Penguin Classic reintroduces a landmark of Latin American fiction to English readers.