Description
I gave you eyes and you looked at the darkness
Book summary
Irene Solà returns with an exuberant and powerful novel set in the remote Clavell farmhouse, in the Les Guilleries mountains. Through the voices of women, both living and dead, and fantastic creatures, the work weaves a tapestry of cursed stories spanning centuries of wars, pacts, and resistance. A read that immerses the reader in a rural magical realism, where the supernatural and the historical intertwine to offer a unique and fascinating literary experience.
What is it about?
The novel is set in the Clavell farmhouse, a hidden and timeless place in the Les Guilleries mountains that resists the passage of time and historical upheavals. Through its walls, hunters, bandits, Carlists, maquis, ghosts, and demons parade, but it is the women, both living and dead, who are the true protagonists. Scorned as witches, hags, evildoers, and tricksters, each of them holds a piece of the place's memory. The story begins with Joana's pact, who, in order to find a husband, originated a cursed lineage that will mark the destiny of all those who inhabit it. The plot unfolds in a mixture of realism and phantasmagoria, where the supernatural coexists with the hardness of rural life and the conflicts of war.
Main themes
- Magical realism and rural fantasy literature.
- Historical memory and the passage of time across generations.
- The role of women and their resistance in a hostile world.
- Curse and destiny as forces that condition life.
- War and its echoes in everyday life.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is recommended for readers who enjoy contemporary narrative with a strong component of magical realism, for those looking for stories that mix the historical with the supernatural, and for those interested in powerful female voices and poetic and evocative prose.
What this book offers
- An immersive reading experience that combines magic with the rawness of reality.
- A unique perspective on the history of Catalonia through the lives of silenced women.
- Rich and exuberant prose that will awaken the reader's imagination.
- A reflection on heritage, destiny, and the strength of family ties.
Technical specifications
- Author: SOLA, IRENE
- Publisher: Kalandraka
- Language: glg
- Theme: MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY FICTION
- Collection: NARRATIVA K
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: September 2023
- Number of pages: 200
- Weight: 335 g
Editorial review
Irene Solà consolidates her place as one of the most original voices in contemporary narrative with a work that defies genres. "I gave you eyes and you looked at the darkness" is a novel that captivates with its dense and majestic atmosphere, and offers the reader a rich and complex literary experience. Her ability to weave myth with history and give a voice to those on the fringes makes this book an essential read for those looking for more than just a simple story.