Daughter of Fire: A Novel BY Sofia Robleda

For a young woman coming of age in sixteenth-century Guatemala, safeguarding her people’s legacy is a dangerous pursuit in this mystical, empowering, and richly imagined historical novel.

Catalina de Cerrato is raised by her widowed father, Don Alonso, in 1551 Guatemala, just thirty years after the Spanish invasion. As a ruling member of the oppressive Spanish hierarchy, Don Alonso wields power over the newly marginalized Indigenous communities. Fiercely independent, Catalina struggles to honor her father and her late mother, a Maya noblewoman. To honor a vow made to her mother, Catalina is determined to preserve the lost sacred text of the Popol Vuh—the treasured, now forbidden history of the K’iche’ people.

Guided by her mother’s spirit and her own extraordinary gift for memorizing stories, Catalina sets out on a secretive and transcendent quest to rewrite the ancient text. Her journey takes her through ancient pyramids, Spanish villas, and mystical caves inhabited by masked devils. Along the way, she finds an unexpected ally in Juan de Rojas, a lord whose rule was undermined by the invasion. As their bond deepens and the stakes grow higher, Catalina grapples with her conflicting heritage and the escalating tyranny of her father.

To fulfill her vow and preserve her people’s history, Catalina must confront the secrets of her lineage and navigate a perilous path, risking everything for a future that honors both her past and her people.