Description
Someone Who Shouldn't Have Been There
Book Summary
Manuel de Pedrolo offers a noir novel that goes far beyond the perfect robbery. Apparently, the story narrates the plan for a heist at a bank branch in the Sant Andreu neighborhood, devised by Ernest and his accomplices as a way out of their precarious lives. However, the plan takes an unexpected turn with unexpected shadowing, chases, and deceptions, transforming the protagonist and leading him to create an order of fair coexistence. Set in late-Francoist Barcelona, this work is considered the first "néo-polar" of the noir genre in Catalonia, combining crime with a profound political backdrop.
What is it about?
Ernest is the narrator and architect of a heist that, in principle, should be the perfect job: a robbery at a small bank branch in the quiet neighborhood of Sant Andreu. Together with his accomplices, he seeks the ultimate solution to escape their precarious situation. But the adventure goes awry due to unusual elements: unexpected surveillance, frantic chases, encounters with erotic touches, and constant deceptions. These events tear Ernest away from his status quo and lead him to the other side of the law, with the aim of establishing an order of fair coexistence. All of this takes place within the framework of a Barcelona trying to shed the grey reality of late Francoism, offering a reflection on justice and morality in times of change.
Main themes
- The perfect robbery and its unforeseen consequences.
- Late-Francoist Barcelona as a setting for decadence and social transformation.
- The crook-story or history focused from the perspective of the criminal.
- The political background and the fight for alternative justice.
- The fatality and tragic destiny of the characters.
Who is it recommended for?
This work is recommended for readers fond of noir and mystery novels who are looking for a different plot, set in a specific historical context. It is ideal for those interested in the "néo-polar" genre and stories narrated from the perspective of the criminal, as well as for those who want to explore the Barcelona of the end of the Franco regime through a realistic and fatalistic narrative.
What this book offers
- An innovative vision of the noir genre in Catalonia, being the first "néo-polar" in the country.
- A realistic and well-documented plot about a premeditated robbery, with unexpected twists.
- A reflection on morality, justice, and precariousness in an oppressive political context.
- An immersion in late-Francoist Barcelona, with historical details that enrich the narrative.
- A focus from the perspective of the criminal, infrequent in Catalan literature.
Technical specifications
- Author: de Pedrolo, Manuel
- Publisher: Editorial Alrevés
- Language: cat
- Subject: DETECTIVE AND MYSTERY GENRE
- Collection: CRIMS.CAT
- Binding: Paperback
- Edition date: February 2018
- Number of pages: 190
- Weight: 225 g
Editorial review
Algú que no hi havia de ser is a key work within the Catalan noir genre, both for its stylistic innovation and its political weight. Manuel de Pedrolo constructs a plot that, despite starting from an apparently simple robbery, becomes a labyrinth of fatalities and revelations. His realistic narrative and the historical context of late Francoism add depth to a story that challenges the reader about justice and second chances. Recommended for anyone looking for a read that combines action, reflection, and a powerful social portrait.