Description
Mar de Fora
Book Summary
A work awarded the 42nd Ribera d'Ebre Narrative Prize that explores solitude and the search for self through the figure of a young lighthouse keeper. Stationed at the tip of Punta de la Banya, on the Alfacs Peninsula, the protagonist accepts the isolation of the lighthouse as an opportunity. An orphan with no ties, he finds in literature and writing a refuge to endure the immensity of the sea and the silence. A brief and intense novel about the power of narrative as salvation.
What is it about?
The story takes place in front of the mythical town of Santa Maria d'Atipar, where a lighthouse is installed at the tip of Punta de la Banya, on the Alfacs Peninsula: Punta Corballera. A young man is sent there as a lighthouse keeper. The young man, who has been left an orphan and has no family relationships in the town, willingly accepts the assignment of maintaining and guarding everything related to the lighthouse. Amidst this isolation, only letters and writing seem to save him, offering him a temporary refuge and a way to understand his new reality.
Main themes
- Solitude and isolation: the lighthouse keeper's life as a metaphor for the human condition.
- Search for identity: the process of personal discovery after a loss.
- Power of writing: literature as salvation and refuge from solitude.
- Landscape and nature: the sea and the coast of the Ebro Delta as key narrative elements.
Who is it recommended for?
For readers interested in contemporary Catalan narrative, especially those who seek intimate and psychological stories. Recommended for those who enjoy short novels that explore solitude, landscape as a protagonist, and the power of literature as a tool for emotional survival.
What this book offers
- A deep reflection on isolation and the capacity to reinvent oneself.
- An immersive literary atmosphere thanks to the description of the deltaic landscape.
- A narrative that combines sensitivity and intensity in few pages.
- An award-winning work that recognizes the quality of current Catalan narrative.
Technical data
- Author: Reverte Aguilar, Miquel
- Publisher: Cossetania
- Language: Catalan
- Topic: Modern and contemporary fiction, Fiction: special features
- Collection: Notes de Color
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: September 2025
- Number of pages: 112
- Weight: 190 g
Editorial review
A novel that stands out for its ability to build a dense and suggestive atmosphere in a brief format. The prose of Miquel Reverte Aguilar, winner of the 42nd Ribera d'Ebre Narrative Prize, manages to connect the reader with the protagonist's solitude and the Delta landscape. A work recommended for those looking for an intense and reflective read, with a strong literary and emotional component.