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A historical detective story set against the social and political tumult of 1920s Barcelona and based on the real events of the end of a dazzling era. In the decade before the Spanish Civil War, Barcelona is on the verge of boiling over. Pablo Vilar, a well-connected young lawyer and journalist, meets several mysterious people who seem to hold clues to what is brewing in the city. The diverse cast of characters includes an assaulted cabaret artist, an anarchist leader, the city's new autocratic civil governor, and a beautiful, wealthy countess--their destinies all bound by invisible ties. While the city both touches its zenith and peers into the abyss, Vilar guides us through a labyrinth that leads from the caverns of Montjuïc, home to paupers and outlaws, to the high-society parties in the gardens of Horta. Based on documents from the author's family archives, and called "an irresistible read" by Carlos Ruiz Zafón, author of The Shadow of the Wind, A Barcelona Heiress provides a fresh perspective on a complex and dramatic period.… (more)
User reviews
Justice is for the rich and powerful. The story opens with a client (a young showgirl) reporting
The ingredients are all here for an excellent novel. The background descriptions to the Spanish civil war are compelling. The story that develops against this rich portrayal of the times is somewhat hampered by the labored conversational style of Pablo Vilar as he narrates events. As a consequence the interaction between characters is somewhat stilted. It could be that the flow has been lost in translation, which is a pity; or maybe I should read the work as a traveler searching for meanings in a different cultural and historical framework. Either way this is an otherwise interesting view into the times.
I enjoyed the historical aura. I have not been to Barcelona but when I do, I will reread ‘A Barcelona Heiress’ for a sense of place and history.
A Netgalley ARC
Into this the author introduces a protagonist based upon his own family's history, an indigent aristocratic lawyer who moonlights as a reporter, and through the lens of that individual a series of seemingly disconnected characters and events.
All these elements could have been riveting, for certainly there is enough intrigue and danger in Spain's 20th century history to inspire even the most mundane minds. The execution, however, of that narrative tended to drag, partly because of long passages of exposition and political rhetoric, and partly because the author is so familiar with the history of which he's writing that he forgets to inform the reader. Historical characters walk on and off the page like old familiars, without giving the reader any reference or landmarks, which would be fine for a Spanish audience, but alas not for an English-speaking one, even one as familiar with Spain's history as this reviewer.
Transitions between scenes often runs to abruptness, leaving the reader adrift, although certainly the use of metaphor and language is accomplished. Overall, the novel needed the guidance of a good developmental editor, at least in this reviewer's opinion.
Worth reading? Indeed yes. Why? Because of the historical background if nothing else. Memorable? Not so much.