Description
THE LEGACY OF DOCTOR ELIES CAN
Book Summary
Pharmacist Elies Ardèvol, tormented by absurd thoughts since his youth, lives in the Spanish postwar period. When his daughter Cristina confesses her desire to become a doctor, he embarks on a passionate quest to offer her a valuable testament. Starting from documents found in the family home, Elies attempts to reconstruct the exemplary life of his grandfather, Doctor Elies Can, in a search that will lead him to discover surprising events and question the true essence of a good physician. A novel about family legacy, vocation, and perseverance.
What is it about?
The novel tells the story of Elies Ardèvol, a pharmacist who has lived haunted by absurd impulses and thoughts that have turned his existence into an ordeal. In the context of the Spanish postwar period, his daughter Cristina communicates her decision to study medicine. With the goal of passing on a profound legacy, Elies decides to investigate the life of his grandfather, Doctor Elies Can, a physician who was an example of dedication. Through old documents, Elies discovers unique facts that leave him perplexed, but his constant doubts and health problems prevent him from completing the task. It will be his wife, the persevering Magda, and Cristina, now a doctor herself, who will finally conclude the incredible story of Doctor Elies Can, unveiling a legacy that goes beyond medicine.
Main themes
- Family legacy and the transmission of values between generations.
- Medical vocation and the search for the true essence of a good professional.
- Overcoming personal limitations and perseverance in the face of adversity.
- The context of the Spanish postwar period and its impact on individual lives.
- The importance of memory and reconstructing the past to understand the present.
Who is it recommended for?
This work is recommended for readers interested in historical novels set in the Spanish postwar period, with a strong component of family drama and psychological introspection. It is also ideal for those who enjoy stories about professional vocation, especially in the field of medicine, and how the past can illuminate the present. Reader profiles that appreciate choral narratives and the construction of complex characters will find this novel an enriching read.
What this book contributes
- A deep reflection on the meaning of vocation and service to others.
- An emotional vision of family relationships and the transmission of knowledge between generations.
- An immersion into the daily life and challenges of the postwar period in Catalonia.
- A plot that combines mystery, historical research, and personal development.
- Strong female characters who take the baton and complete an unfinished task.
Technical specifications
- Author: PRATS, EDUARD
- Publisher: Cossetània Edicions
- Language: cat
- Subject: MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY FICTION
- Collection: NARRATIVE
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: May 2018
- Number of pages: 248
- Weight: 410 g
Editorial review
Eduard Prats constructs a novel that alternates personal inquiry with historical reconstruction, offering the reader a double narrative layer. The figure of Doctor Elies Can is presented as an ideal of kindness and dedication, while his grandson, Elies Ardèvol, represents human fragility and internal struggle. The resolution of the plot in the hands of the two women in the family provides an unexpected twist and vindicates the active role of women in preserving memory. A recommended read for those looking for an intimate and moving story, with a well-defined social and ethical background.