Oye by Melissa Mogollon

In her debut novel “Oye,” Melissa Mogollon delivers a story that feels like eavesdropping on the most entertaining and emotionally charged phone conversation imaginable. The narrative unfolds almost entirely through phone calls between Luciana Domínguez, an 18-year-old Colombian American high school senior, and her college-attending older sister Mari. Through these conversations, we witness Luciana’s journey as she navigates her grandmother’s illness, her own sexuality, and the complicated dynamics of her family—all while trying to figure out who she is and what she wants from life.

The novel’s unique format—one-sided phone conversations where we only hear Luciana’s voice—creates an intimate connection with her character. We’re drawn into her world immediately through a voice that’s fresh, raw, and distinctly Gen-Z. Mogollon’s ability to craft such an authentic teenage narrator is perhaps the novel’s greatest strength, though the limited perspective also becomes one of its weaknesses as the story progresses.

Structure and Style: The Art of the One-Sided Conversation

“Oye” by Melissa Mogollon is structured in three parts with chapters titled after common phrases Latino parents and grandparents use with their children—”Pásame El Teléfono” (Pass me the phone), “Peínate El Pelo” (Comb your hair), “Bájame El Tono” (Lower your tone)—instantly recognizable to anyone who grew up in a Latino household. This clever framing device establishes the novel’s cultural specificity while signaling the omnipresent parental commentary that shapes Luciana’s life.

Mogollon’s choice to tell the story entirely through Luciana’s phone calls creates a narrative that feels both immediate and constrained. We experience everything through Luciana’s eyes, which gives us access to her unfiltered thoughts and emotions. However, this one-sided approach sometimes leaves the reader wanting more—more context, more from the other characters, more narrative development outside of what Luciana chooses to tell her sister.

The rapid-fire dialogue is peppered with Spanish phrases, pop culture references, and the kind of blunt honesty that exists between siblings. Mogollon excels at capturing the caustic wit and vulnerability of teenage communication, creating passages that are laugh-out-loud funny one moment and gut-wrenchingly sad the next.

Character Development: The Complexity of Abue

While Luciana is our window into the story, it’s her grandmother Abue who emerges as the novel’s most memorable character. A glamorous, stubborn, and complex woman, Abue refuses to evacuate her home during a hurricane and later receives a devastating cancer diagnosis. Through Luciana’s recounting of conversations and events, we come to understand Abue as a woman who has endured tremendous trauma but has never let it diminish her sense of self or style.

Abue’s childhood story—revealed gradually throughout the novel—involves family betrayal, sexual harassment, and imprisonment in her own home’s basement. Yet she remains defiant, vain, and vibrant, refusing to let illness change how she presents herself to the world. Her insistence on appearance as armor and her resistance to her daughter’s and granddaughter’s efforts to control her medical decisions make her a fascinating study in agency and resilience.

Meanwhile, Luciana herself undergoes significant growth throughout the novel. Initially resentful of having to care for her grandmother while her sister is away at college, she gradually becomes Abue’s confidante and advocate, learning important lessons about self-determination and authenticity along the way.

Thematic Richness: Inheritance Beyond Genetics

“Oye” by Melissa Mogollon explores several interconnected themes that give the novel its emotional resonance:

1. Family secrets and intergenerational trauma: The novel delves into how unresolved pain passes from one generation to the next, with Abue’s childhood trauma influencing her parenting and ultimately affecting both her daughter Elena and her granddaughters.
2. Cultural identity and belonging: Luciana’s connection to her Colombian heritage is complicated by her American upbringing, creating tensions that manifest in her relationship with language, food, and family traditions.
3. Agency and bodily autonomy: From Abue’s refusal of cancer treatment to Luciana’s closeted sexuality, the novel consistently explores who has the right to make decisions about one’s body and life.
4. The performance of gender and identity: Abue’s obsession with appearance, Elena’s rigid ideas about womanhood, and Luciana’s rebellion against these expectations highlight how identity is often performed rather than simply expressed.

These themes give “Oye” by Melissa Mogollon a depth that elevates it beyond a simple coming-of-age story, tackling complex issues of family dynamics, cultural expectations, and personal freedom.

Strengths and Weaknesses: A Mixed Debut

Mogollon’s debut showcases considerable strengths:

• Authentic voice: Luciana’s narration feels genuine, capturing the specific cadence and vocabulary of a contemporary Latina teenager.
• Cultural specificity: The novel’s Colombian American context is richly realized without ever feeling like a cultural explainer for non-Latino readers.
• Emotional range: “Oye” manages to be hilarious and heartbreaking, often within the same paragraph.
• Structural innovation: The phone call format creates a unique reading experience that mimics the intimacy of overhearing someone’s private conversations.

However, the novel also has notable shortcomings:

• Limited perspective: The one-sided conversation format, while innovative, sometimes limits our understanding of other characters and events.
• Pacing issues: The middle section of the novel drags somewhat, with repetitive conversations that don’t always advance the plot.
• Uneven character development: While Luciana and Abue are fully realized, other characters like Mari and Elena (Luciana’s mother) sometimes feel like sketches rather than complete people.
• Resolution: The ending, while emotionally resonant, leaves some plot threads feeling unresolved.

Cultural Context: Colombian American Stories in Contemporary Fiction

“Oye” by Melissa Mogollon joins a growing body of fiction by Latina writers exploring the complexities of bicultural identity and intergenerational relationships. Readers who appreciate this novel might also enjoy works by Patricia Engel, particularly “Infinite Country,” or Ingrid Rojas Contreras’s “Fruit of the Drunken Tree,” both of which engage with Colombian American experiences and family dynamics.

As a debut novelist, Mogollon brings a fresh voice to this literary landscape. Her background as an MFA graduate from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop is evident in her technical skill, but “Oye” also reflects a deeply personal understanding of the cultural dynamics she portrays.

Final Assessment: A Promising Debut with Room to Grow

“Oye” by Melissa Mogollon is a novel that leaves a strong impression, primarily through its central character’s distinctive voice and its unflinching portrayal of family complexity. Mogollon demonstrates considerable talent, particularly in her dialogue and character development. However, the constraints of her chosen format and some pacing issues prevent the novel from fully realizing its potential.

Oye is a solid debut that suggests Melissa Mogollon will be an author to watch. Readers who appreciate family dramas with cultural specificity, LGBTQ+ coming-of-age stories, and narratives that balance humor with emotional depth will find much to enjoy in “Oye.” While not without flaws, it announces Mogollon as a writer with a unique perspective and considerable promise.

The Verdict: Who Should Read “Oye”?

This novel will particularly resonate with:

• Readers interested in contemporary Latina voices in fiction
• Those who appreciate stories about complex family dynamics
• Fans of coming-of-age narratives centering LGBTQ+ identities
• Anyone who enjoys innovative narrative structures
• Readers who have experienced the particular challenges of navigating between cultures

“Oye” asks us to listen—not just to Luciana’s voice, but to the stories we inherit and the secrets we keep. In doing so, it offers a compelling meditation on how we become who we are, both in opposition to and because of our families. Despite its flaws, it’s a conversation worth joining.

Key Takeaways for Potential Readers

• Innovative format: Told entirely through one-sided phone conversations
• Strong cultural elements: Authentic portrayal of Colombian American family life
• Complex characters: Particularly in the portrayal of Abue and Luciana
• Balances humor and heartbreak: Tackles serious themes with a light touch
• LGBTQ+ representation: Centers a young lesbian protagonist’s experience
• Some pacing issues: Middle section can feel repetitive
• Unresolved elements: Not all plot threads reach satisfying conclusions
• Impressive debut: Shows considerable promise for Mogollon’s future work

In “Oye,” Melissa Mogollon has created a narrative voice that stays with you long after you’ve finished reading—much like a conversation with a loved one that continues to echo in your mind. While imperfect, it’s a novel that announces a distinctive new talent in contemporary fiction.