Description
Mariflor
Book Summary
A hybrid work between memoir and essay that begins with the early death of Aunt Mariflor to delve into the enigmatic life of a paternal grandmother marked by the war, the postwar period, and the profound silences of her generation. Sonia Rico explores how those family secrets, even if not fully revealed, impact our identity and condition our present. An emotional journey from Asturias, between the 1940s and 1960s, that unveils the effects of silence and the hidden memory of women made invisible by history.
What is it about?
The author starts from a specific event, the premature death of her aunt Mariflor, to undertake a personal investigation into the figure of her paternal grandmother, a woman who lived in Asturias between the 1940s and 1960s. A cook and domestic servant, she endured poverty, repression, and the secrets of the postwar era, taking to the grave mysteries that left open wounds in her descendants. Through this account, the book reflects on how the traumas of past generations can be silently encoded in our genes, determining destinies without us barely suspecting it. An exploration of the hidden memory of invisible women and how the past inevitably lives in our present.
Main themes
- Family memory and generational secrets.
- The impact of silence and repression on personal identity.
- The lives of women during the Spanish Civil War and postwar period.
- Transgenerational transmission of trauma.
- The invisibilization of women in history.
Who is it recommended for?
For readers interested in historical memory, non-fiction literature with an autobiographical approach, the stories of women silenced by history, and those seeking to understand how family secrets and traumas shape our current identity. Also for those who enjoy works that combine personal reflection with social and historical analysis.
What this book contributes
- An intimate and well-documented look at the effects of silence on family dynamics.
- Reflection on how past traumas can influence subsequent generations.
- A vindication of the memory of anonymous women who lived through the postwar period.
- A perspective that connects personal history with collective history.
- An exercise in empathy toward lives marked by repression and secrecy.
Technical Specifications
- Author: Rico, Sonia
- Publisher: EDICIONES CON M DE MUJER
- Language: Spanish
- Topic: MEMOIR, CONTEMPORARY ESSAY
- Collection: CON M DE MUJER
- Publication date: September 2025
- Number of pages: 164
- Weight: 216 g
Editorial Assessment
Mariflor is a literary proposal that combines the sensitivity of an autobiographical account with the depth of an essay, offering a necessary reflection on the emotional legacy of family silences. The work connects with the growing interest in historical memory and studies on the intergenerational transmission of trauma, making it a relevant read for those seeking to understand how the past conditions our present. Its focus on the figure of the anonymous woman during the postwar period provides a valuable perspective that is rarely explored in depth.