Season of the Swamp

A captivating new novel set in 19th-century New Orleans from the acclaimed author of Signs Preceding the End of the World.

New Orleans, 1853. At the edge of a swamp in a bustling, decaying port city, a young exile named Benito Juárez arrives. Destined to become the first Indigenous head of state in the postcolonial Americas, Juárez begins his journey as an unnoticed migrant in a city teeming with life and contradictions.

Joined by a small circle of compatriots plotting their return to Mexico and their resistance against a brutal dictatorship, Juárez navigates the vibrant chaos of New Orleans. Amid sweltering summers, yellow fever hallucinations, and the seductive rhythms of Creole music and cuisine, Juárez encounters both the allure and brutal realities of this strange new world. The grotesque horrors of human trafficking lurk in the background as he toils in obscurity, his time in the city quietly shaping his resolve and vision for what lies ahead.

Although history offers no record of Juárez’s eighteen months in New Orleans, Yuri Herrera brilliantly imagines how these hidden years informed his future. Blending linguistic mastery with deep cultural insight, Season of the Swamp is both a speculative portrait of a leader’s evolution and a lyrical homage to New Orleans’ unique blend of cultures. Profound, richly textured, and powerfully relevant, this novel offers a haunting reflection on migration, resistance, and the enduring human spirit.