Title: The Jaguar’s Roar
Author: Micheliny Verunschk
Translator: Juliana Barbassa
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (Liveright)
Publication Date: December 2, 2025
Format Read: Kindle ARC
Genre: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction
A haunting blend of past and present where beauty and brutality coexist, and one girl’s story echoes through centuries.
Cacophony: an incongruous or chaotic mixture; a striking combination (Merriam-Webster). Few words could better describe this hugely important novel wrapped in a small package. The Jaguar’s Roar by Micheliny Verunschk, translated by Juliana Barbassa, tells the story of a nineteenth-century Indigenous girl, Iñe-e, taken from her home in the jungles of Brazil and shipped across the Atlantic to Munich as a “living specimen.” It is also the story of a modern woman who feels a seismic internal shift upon seeing the girl’s lithograph in a Brazilian museum and becomes determined to uncover her truth.
Why cacophony, you ask? Allow me to explain. The story is narrated not only by the girl and the modern woman, but also by a large cast of others — humans, animals, even rivers — and not always with the clearest transitions. It unfolds in a non-linear format that won’t suit every reader; in fact, I suspect it will resonate deeply with only a select few. Yet this structure feels intentional and beautifully executed, carried by lyrical prose and a remarkable translation.
Each of the many settings is immersive, though the reader is never in one place long enough to fully take them in. Like the rivers that carry some of the story’s most powerful narration, the pacing is unpredictable, at times placid and steady, then suddenly wild and gravity driven. The course of Iñe-e’s story mirrors the rainforest itself: the peaceful chatter of birds, the chaotic screech of monkeys, the heavy stillness before the jaguar strikes, and finally the absolute silence of the end. The abrupt shifts between narrators, times, and places mirror her disorientation, the sense of being lost, confused, and afraid.
The Jaguar’s Roar is a powerful novel about the mistreatment and cultural genocide that Europeans have inflicted upon Indigenous peoples across the world. It is not a straightforward story, because the history itself was never straightforward. At times it feels disorienting and confusing, the kind of story that deserves more than one reading; each time, the reader will uncover something new. Though it is not packaged neatly, the writing is gorgeous and the translation feels tailor-made, fitting perfectly. I was moved almost from the very start to the final page. It would be unrealistic to say this book will appeal to everyone, yet I believe everyone could learn from it. I highly recommend it to readers of historical fiction who value difficult but important themes, to those who enjoy translated works, and to anyone willing to engage with a book more than once.
Nerd Rating: 🤓🤓🤓 — A haunting, intricate story of identity, displacement, and resilience that speaks across centuries.
Let’s Discuss: Can a story that feels fragmented still reveal a deeper truth about who we are and where we come from?
Find out more about The Jaguar’s Roar or learn more about the author, Micheliny Verunschk, and translator Juliana Barbassa, through W. W. Norton’s website.
I read a digital copy made available by W. W. Norton & Company through NetGalley, and this review reflects my honest opinion.