Crocodilopolis // A Novel

“A darkly intoxicating novel, at once mythic and wickedly contemporary…Here is a writer in full command of his world, delivering a ferocious meditation on masculinity, legacy, and national myth through an audacious, unforgettable book.” –Ocean Vuong, theNew York Timesbestselling author ofThe Emperor of GladnessandOn Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous

From the author of national bestsellerWhere There Was Firecomes a gripping tale of sibling rivalry, family secrets, and the fate of a nation.

Once a powerful, cold-blooded politician in Costa Rica, Seth Oreamundo is now living in exile in Washington, DC and his younger brother Osario is to blame. Born into a corrupt political dynasty and raised on a seemingly idyllic coffee estate, the Oreamundo brothers were destined for greatness. But a dark family secret and a scandalous double crossing sent their lives into a tailspin, changing the country forever.

Osario must pay, and Seth decides the only way to do so is to return home to Costa Rica and feed his brother to the infamous river of crocodiles from their childhood. What follows is a spellbinding story of revenge alternating between Seth’s murderous plans and memories of the brothers’ upbringing. With the wisdom of biblical myth and the soapy wit of a telenovela,Crocodilopolisis a masterful interrogation of power, masculinity, destiny, and legacy from a literary star on the rise.

John Manuel Ariasis a queer, Costa Rican American poet and writer. He is a Canto Mundo fellow & alumnus of the Tin House Summer Writers Workshop. His prose and poetry have been published inPANK, The Rumpus, F(r)iction, Joyland Magazine,and Akashic Books. He has lived in Washington D.C., Brooklyn New York, and in San Jos, Costa Rica with his grandmother and four ghosts.Where There Was Fireis his first novel.

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Publish Date: August 25, 2026
• Pages: 320
• Language: English
• Type: Hardcover
• EAN/UPC: 9781639738434
• Dimensions: 234.9 X 6.1 X 1.0 inches | 1.25 pounds
• BISAC Categories: Literary Fiction, Popular Fiction