In "The Barbarian Nurseries," Hctor Tobar paints a gripping portrait of contemporary Los Angeles through the lens of a domestic crisis. Araceli, the Mexican live-in maid for the affluent Torres-Thompson family, unexpectedly becomes the sole caretaker of their children after a violent marital spat results in both parents leaving home. Thrust into a role she never anticipated, Araceli embarks on a mission to locate the children's grandfather, leading to a misadventure spiraling across social divisions. The misunderstanding escalates into a high-stakes media frenzy that threatens to unravel the lives of all involved, exposing the volatile mix of race, class, and cultural identities that simmer beneath the city's glossy surface.