Description
URRACA, URRAQUITA, URRAQUITITA
Book Summary
Doña Urraca Alcolea has made a firm decision: she will wait sitting under the orange tree on her property until October 15th, the day she has chosen to die. Alone, save for the company of her granddaughter Motita, she reflects on the disappearances of her daughter, her husband, and other loved ones while facing off against gossiping neighbors. This novel is a magical and moving tale about stubbornness, family memory, and the resilience of a woman who refuses to move, not out of incapacity, but out of pure determination.
What is it about?
Doña Urraca Alcolea waits beneath the only orange tree on her property, immovable, until the date set for her death. Her daughter Teresa "the Big Calf" has vanished without a trace, just as her husband Prudencio, Dacímaco the giant, Otis the pig, and her own parents did before. In her solitude, she relies only on the loyalty of her granddaughter Motita, who becomes her eyes, her ears, and her legs to protect her from the neighbors who come to mock the Alcolea surname. Through this wait, Doña Urraca recalls episodes of her life and her lineage, where the magical and the inexplicable seep into everyday reality, weaving a story of resilience and dignity.
Main Themes
- Resistance and stubbornness as an act of personal dignity.
- Family memory and disappearances as the connecting thread of a lineage.
- The magical and the inexplicable infiltrating rural reality.
- Isolation and loneliness in the face of the community and local gossip.
- The intergenerational bond between grandmother and granddaughter as an emotional pillar.
Who is it recommended for?
This work is intended for readers interested in contemporary narrative with touches of magical realism who enjoy stories featuring strong, eccentric female characters. It is also ideal for those looking for short novels with a poetic, reflective tone and a hint of dark humor, as well as for followers of Hispanic literature who explore the unusual in the everyday.
What this book offers
- A moving and original perspective on aging, death, and choosing one's own destiny.
- A narrative that merges the real with the magical, offering an immersive literary experience.
- An intimate portrait of female resilience in the face of abandonment and social pressure.
- A reflection on the memories and absences that mark a family.
Technical Specifications
- Author: RIBA ARANGO, JAIME
- Publisher: DOS BIGOTES
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY FICTION
- Collection: DOS BIGOTES
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: April 2025
- Number of pages: 232
- Weight: 460 g
Editorial Review
Urraca, Urraquita, Urraquitita is a novel that surprises with its ability to tell a deep and exciting story from the stillness of an immobile character. Jaime Riba Arango builds a unique narrative voice, where Doña Urraca's stubbornness becomes an act of rebellion and poetry. His style, which combines the everyday with the unusual, will attract those looking for a short but intense read, with memorable characters and a background of magical realism that invites reflection on life, death, and family.