A struggling writer is drawn back to his native Majorca when he’s hired to compose the memoirs of Dora Bonnín, a recently deceased singer and mother of his childhood best friend Leo, whom he hasn’t seen in years. Leo’s father Higini Verdera is heir to the family shoe business, and the reigning patriarch of this extremely wealthy clan.
Delving into Dora’s diaries the writer soon discovers hints of some dark secrets, and loses all impartiality when he gets involved with Leo’s stepsister. Leo’s wife disappears on their wedding night, and Leo’s theory is that his father has kidnapped his bride. Then Dora’s diaries vanish as well; again Leo blames Higini.
As violent, criminal links to the Verdera family are exposed, Leo’s accusations start to seem less far-fetched, and the narration becomes much less reliable. How far have the Verderas gone to maintain the power of their empire, and how far are they willing to go?
In this deft tale of fathers and sons, a young writer is pulled into an affluent family tree whose roots stretch deep into an island’s sordid past.
Awards:
- Crítica Serra d'Or Award
- Creixells Award
- Núvol Award
“One of the most ambitious and spectacular novels born in contemporary Catalan fiction” Pere Antoni Pons, Última hora
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