In Her Absence by Antonio Munoz Molina

A love story with humor in the form of a novella. He’s 36, she’s 30, no kids. He’s one of those guys who can’t believe his luck in getting this woman who is so out of his class. I mean out of his class literally. She’s beautiful, from a well-off family, and she grew up appreciating the arts. He still struggles to remember his table manners that she taught him. (Wait a minute -- did I write this book? LOL)



She’s way to the left of him politically and they have no kids because she thinks they have “no right to bring a child into this horrible world.” She’s a foodie and when they eat with friends, she knows wines, etc., while he struggles to figure out what this strange thing is in his salad.

He’s also struggling to keep her. He’s a low-level bureaucrat but they get by financially, sometimes with help from her mother. She putters around with artists volunteering in art studios and galleries. And there’s the rub. Most of these artists she hangs out with are men and they are all hot for her. In fact, that art-groupie druggie life was the life he rescued her from when he married her. He worries when she stays overnight at places.



Every weekend he has to take her to an avant-garde cutting-edge exhibit or events. Often they tie up the whole weekend taking the train into Madrid. Here is where the humor comes in. The man describes hours of torture looking at “squiggles and doodles” in art galleries and walking through sculptural displays that look construction sites. He attends two-hour a-tonal musical concerts and bizarre multi-media creations that drive him insane. It’s exhausting for him to feign interest and then at the cocktail hour have to express admiration to the artist who is usually a slovenly guy with bad personal hygiene and table manners yet exempt from his wife’s criticisms that apply only to her husband.

By the end of the book, we have a wry twist on the title: In Her Absence. He’s obsessed with her leaving him, but he starts to wonder if all this is worth it. He starts looking at her in a new way as if another woman wearing the same clothes has replaced her.

I d the story, the writing and the humor and all in all I thought it was a good read. I note though its relatively low rating on GR: 3.4, so I have a higher opinion of it than most folks.



The Spanish author(b. 1956) has written a dozen novels only a few of which have been translated into English. He’s probably best known for his novel Winter in Lisbon.

Top photo: art gallery in Madrid from ifema.es
Rooftop restaurant in Madrid from one-week-in.com
The author from elmundo.es
art marriage spain ...more88 s Guille829 2,106


Una historia sobre el amor inconveniente, ese que nos hará daño sin remedio, pero que nos atrae como nunca lo haría el amor tranquilo... ese que quizás no es amor, ese que siente Blanca por Mario.

El libro me ha parecido una pequeña joyita... aunque el final la haya estropeado un poco. De hecho, creo que al autor tampoco le gustaba mucho, por eso lo enturbió con ese fantasma de Blanca que deja abierto el libro a interpretaciones.82 s Pakinam Mahmoud891 4,104

?? ???? ?????? ..????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ???? ??? ???? ?? ???? ????????? ?? ???????...

??????? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ????? ????? ????? ??? ??? ????? ??????? ??? ??? ??? ???? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ??????? ?? ?? ???? ???????? ???? ???? ???????..

??????? ?????? ?????? ??? ???? ? ??? ????? ?? ??? ??? ??????? ??? ???? ????? ????? ? ???? ????? ????? ????? ????? ??? ???????? ???????? ? ??????? ???? ?????? ??????? ?????? ???? ?????????? ??? ??????? ????? ????? ?????? ??????? ???? ???? ?? ????? ????? ???? ??? ??? ??????? ???? ??????? ???? ????? ???? ? ??? ??? ????? ?????...

??????? ????? ???? ? ?? ??? ???????? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????..
??????? ?.?66 s Maziyar Yf589 337

?? ???? ?????? ? ????? ???? ?? ??????? ????? ?????? ??????? ????????? ? ?? ?????? ????? ??? ?? ?? ????? ???? ??????? ? ?? ????? ?? ??? ???? ? ??? ???? ???? ???? ?? ??????? ?? ??????????? ???? ???? .
????????? ????? ??? ????? ?? ????? ??? ?????? ????? ???? ?? ?? ?? ?????? ???? ????? ? ????? ? ???? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ? ?? ?????? ?? ?? ???? ??? ????? ???? ?? ???? ??? ?? ?????? ??? ???? ? ????? ?????? ????? ??? ???? .
?? ???? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ?????????? ?? ??? ???? ?? ??????? ?????? ????? ? ?? ???? ???? ?? ?????? ? ?????? ??????? ?? ????? ?????? ? ??? ??? ?????? ? ???? ?? ??? ??? ?? ???? ??? ???? ? ?? ??? ????? ???????? ? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? .
?? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ????? ????? ??? ?????. ????? ?? ??? ??? ??????? ?? ???? ?????? ?? ???????? ??? ?? ????? ???? ? ??? ?? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?? ?? ???? ????? ?? ???? ? ??????? ?? ?? ????? ???? ????? ? ?????? ???? ??? .62 s Heba1,134 2,562 Read

?????? ??????? ????? ????? ??? ??? ????? ??? " ?????? " ???? ?????? ????? ? " ????? "...
???? ???? ????? " ?????? " ???? ?? ??? ??...?? ???? ?? ???? ??...
??? ????? ????? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ?????? ? ?? ????? ?????? ? ????? ???? ??????? ? ??????? ?????...
?? ???? ??? ? ??? ??? ???????? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ? ???? ???? ??????? ???????? ..??? ???? ?????? ?????..!!
???? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ?? ???? ?? ??????? ???? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ? ??? ???? ??????? ?? ???? " ????? " ?? ??????? ? ???? ???? ??? ?????? ????? ????????? ?? ?????? ? ????? ?? ???? ??????? ???? ???? ???? ????? ? ???????? ?? ???? ????????? ??? ??? ???? ??? " ?????? " ?? ??? ?? ?? ????? ????? ???? ??? ???? ?? " ?????? "..
???? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?? ?? ??? ? ???? ????? ????...????? ?? ???? ??????..???? ??? ?????....
???? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ????? ??????? ? ???? ????? ??? ????? ??????? ?? ????? ???? ????? ????? ????? ?? ?????....34 s Tijana808 226 Read

Bilo je vreme da mi se i ovo desi: za vreme ?itanja sam od samog po?etka imala ose?aj ve? vi?enog, ali tek negde na pola ove vrlo kratke knjige (zapravo novele objavljene samostalno) stigla sam do re?enice koju sam nedvosmisleno prepoznala kao ve? jednom pro?itanu i shvatila da sam ovo ipak konzumirala onomad kad se pojavilo kod nas, a ne samo lenjo pomislila kako bi je valjalo pro?itati.
I to, nažalost, verno odražava i moj sadašnji sud o Blankinom odsustvu: knjiga je pažljivo osmišljena i lepo napisana, ali je centralni koncept neubedljiv jer zavisi od jedne dosta prozirne metafore koja nikad ne zaživi. Muž prose?njak se godinama upinje da održi brak sa ženom koju doživljava kao u svakom pogledu superiornu i jedinstvenu "i zašto je ona uopšte sa mnom ovakvim", i u trenutku kad se (recimo) ona ipak opredeli za njega a ne za uspešnog umetnika, muž se toliko potrese da je više ne doživljava kao onu istu ženu ve? kao njenu prijatniju ali -ne-tako-jedinstvenu-i-savršenu dvojnicu. I pošto od po?etka gura taj koncept podmetnute dvojnice a pritom ne pokazuje ni minimum naznake da je muž zaista psihoti?an ili da ?e žena da sljušti ljudsku ?auru, pusti pipke i proždere muža, Munjos Molina ostane na nivou jedne prijatne ali mlake i nezadovoljavaju?e pripovesti od koje posle petnaestak godina zadržite samo jednu re?enicu i to, o paradoksa, o bivšoj devojci koja je smogla snage i napustila ga jer je njihova veza bila beskrajno dosadna. Budite i vi kao bivša devojka, zaobi?ite ovo!reprize16 s Shaimaa220 65

???? "?? ???? ??????" ??????? ????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ?? ????? ??? "????? ???????" ?? ???. ?????? ??????? ?????? ?????? ???? ??? "??? ????????? ?????? ?????"? ??? ??? ????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ??????? ??????? ???????. ???????? "?? ???? ??????"? ???? ????? ?????? ???????? ?????????? "????" ?? ???? ???????? ??? ????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?????.

???? ???????? "???? ???????" ????? ????? ???? ?? ????? "??????? ?????". ???? ?????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ???????? ???????? ????? ?? ?????? ?????? ???????? ???? ?????? ????? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ????? ???????????? ????? ?? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ?? ???????? ???????? ??????? ????? ??? ????? ??????????? ????????? ?????? ???????. ???? ??? ????? ????? ????? ????? ????? ?????? ????? ??????? ??? ?????? ?????.

??? ????? ??? ?? ???? ??????? ???????? ?? ?????? ??????? ?????????? ?????? ????? ???? ??? ????? ?????? ???????? ?? ????? ??? ?? ?? ????? ?? ???????? ???? ??????? ???????? ?????? ??????? ??????????? ??????? ?? ???? ??????????? ?????? ?? ???????? ????????? ?????? ?????????? ?? ???? "??????? ?????". ?? ?? ?????? ??????? ????????????? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?????????? ???????? ?? "????? ??????"? ?????????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ????????. ?????? ????? ?????? "?????????" ??? ?????? ????????? ??? ????? ?????????? ?"??????".

??? ???? - ?? ??????? - ??????? ??? ????? ?????? ???? ??????? ?????? ??? ?????? ????? ???????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ????? ????? ??? ????? ??????? ??????? ???????? ???????? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????????? ??? ??????. ?????? ???????? ????? ??? ????? ?? ????? (??????)? ??????? ???????? ???????? ?????? ????? ???. ?????? - ?? ??????? - ????? ?????? ???? ????? ??????? ???? ???? ????????? ?? ????? ????? ?????.

???? ?????? ??????? ????????? ????????? ???? ????? ????? ???????? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ??????? ???????? ??????? ????? ??????? ??????? ????? ????? ????? ??? ????? ????????? ??????? ????????? ?????? ????? ????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ???????? ???????? ????? ????? ????? ???? ????? ???? ?? ?? ???? ?????? ??????? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ???????? ?????? ??? "????".

??? ?????? ?????? ????? ???? ?? ????? ?????? ?????????? ?????????? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ??????? ??????? ???????? ??????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ??????? ???????? ????????? ?????????? ???? ?????? ?? ?????? "?????????". ?? ???? ?????? ??? ?????? ????? ?? ??????? ???? ???? ?????? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ???????? ????????? ?????? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ?????? ??? ??? ?????? ?????.

???? ?????? ????? ??? ???? ??????? ????? ????? ??? ?????? ??? ??????? ??? ?????? ???.19 s ???? ????Author 13 books1,575

????? ????? ??? ?????? ?????16 s M&A Ed321 55

"?? ???? ??????" ??????? ???????????_??????? ?? ?????? ??????? ????????? ????????? ???. ?? ??? ?????? ?? ?? ????? ???? ?? ??????? ????? ? ?????? ???????. ????? ??????? ????? ???????? ??????? ? ????????? ???? ??? ?? ??? ???. ???? ?? ?????? ?? ??????.
????? ? ?????? ?? ?? ?????? ????? ?????? ?????????. ????? ???? ??????? ? ???? ???? ??? ????? ?? ???? ? ???? ??????? ?? ??????? ???????? ? ???? ????? ??? ???? ??? ?????? ?? ??????? ??????? ???? ?????? ???? ????????? ???????? ??? ?? ?????????? ?? ??????? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ???????? ?? ????? ????? ????? ????? ????? ???????.
?? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ??? ?????? ? ???? ???. ??????? ?? ???? ??????? ??????? ?? ?? ??? ???? ???? ????? ???. ??? ??? ????? ?? ?????? ?????? ????? ?? ??? ???????.13 s Yuri Sharon243 22

Interesting premiss, but somehow doesn't go anywhere interesting. A near miss, but a miss nonetheless. fiction9 s1 comment Berengaria520 107

Novella corta y muy bien escrita, pero sin dirección o conclusión definida. El lenguaje utilizado no es difícil de leer, pero a veces es muy abstracto.

Short, wonderfully-written literary novella about a very mismatched couple.

Blanca, the wife, is a woman with artistic aspirations, who chooses to be a starry-eyed serial groupie of haughty male "artists" rather than launch herself as an artist. Mario, her husband, is a low-level civil servant who loves Blanca to distraction, although he has no clue, and doesn't really care, about the art she lives for. He is terrified that art (or an artist) will steal her away physically, or rob her of her authentic humanity, thus leaving him loving a work of art that LOOKS his wife, but is not really her.

This novella is more a character study with an unclear conclusion (or a "let the reader decide what all this is about" ending), than a traditionally structured narrative. Very little happens in real time and long swaths of the story are told to us, rather than shown with direct action. That's not bad, and Muñoz Molina certainly has control of his characters and language, but it can get a bit...literary...if you catch my drift.

I read this in the original, so for learners of Spanish, if you're on the B1-B2 cusp or beyond, you'll be able to handle "En ausencia de Blanca" just fine, but watch out for the abstract descriptions. Don't feel you missed something when you don't get the end or what the whole enchilada is supposed to be about. It's not your Spanish, it's the novella!
2021-reads read-in-spanish6 s Laura1,162 23

Ha sido una lectura muy amena. El libro es muy corto pero intenso y describe muy bien los personajes y sus sentimientos. No es el típico libro en el que siempre están pasadno cosas, sino que más bien es de los que hay mucho diálogo interno y descripciones. El libro nos habla de un hombre que está tan enamorado de su mujer que roza la obsesión, y cuenta cómo la conoció, cómo era ella entonces y cómo es ahora. Él afirma que su mujer ha cambiado, que ya no es la misma. Pero, ¿Ha cambiado de verdad o es él el que la percibe de forma distinta? ¿O incluso es él el que ha cambiado? El libro no resuelve estas preguntas, sino que deja que seas tú quien lo adivine con la información que te ha dado el autor.
Ha estado bastante bien, buscaré más obras del autor para seguir leyéndolo, ya que me ha gustado bastante su estilo.6 s Fátima Linhares584 198

"É que, em todos os anos da sua vida, só se apaoxonara por ela, pelo que a sua ideia sobre o amor era inseparável da existência de Blanca, e como experimentara o amor e já não conseguia viver sem ele e não imaginava que outras mulheres lho pudessem dar, para continuar vivendo não lhe restava outro remédio do que viver sempre junto dela fossem quais fossem as condições."6 s foroogh63 43

???? ???. ?? ????? ???? ???????? ?????. ???? ????? ???? ????? ??? ????? ?? ???? ???????? ????. ????? ?? ??? ?????? ??????? ?? ??? ????????? ???? ??? ?? ????? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ????. ????? ?? ??? ???.6 s carol.156 6 Read

czy kiedykolwiek ogl?dali?cie w?asne odbicie w ksi??ce? zapewne mieli?cie tak? okazj? wielokrotnie, jednak z regu?y nie jest to jedyna refleksja i fundament dla oceny danej pozycji. w obliczu fabu?y i kompozycji narracyjnej tego krótkiego dzie?a moliny, musz? wstrzyma? si? od wyra?ania wszelkich opinii i przekona?, bo wydaje mi si?, ?e jest to jedna z tych pozycji, która pojawia si? na mojej drodze, ?eby umocni? w sobie pewne przekona? i ?wiadomo?? s?uszno?ci w?asnych decyzji. nie umiem inaczej widzie? tej ksi??ki, ni? jako dokumentacji relacji toksycznej, trudnej, niezdrowej i ci??kostrawnej. nie podoba mi si?, jak w narracji mario widz? sam? siebie sprzed kilku miesi?cy i mam ochot? to uczucie ?ciera? ze skóry najbardziej szorstkim pumexem. co smutniejsze, nie umiem zupe?nie zreferowa? si? do tej ksi??ki szerzej, ni? w ten emocjonalnie za?ciankowy sposób. a szkoda5 s Luis737 174

Mario López vive con una mujer que no es Blanca pero que se parece mucho a cómo era Blanca. Actúa de forma muy similar a Blanca, pero no es Blanca. Tras este planteamiento inicial, asistimos a la vida de esta pareja, a los orígenes de sus vidas en común y a cómo todo llega a ser como nunca debió haber sido pero se veía venir.

Esta breve novela de Muñoz Molina traza con acierto las inquietudes de su protagonista y de su tan distinta pareja. De hecho, las descripciones están tan logradas que uno es capaz de reencontrarse con la trama en varios puntos a lo largo del libro. El avance desvela acontecimientos importantes pero gira una vez y otra en torno a la misma tesis, una tesis que tras cerrar el libro aún se sigue meditando.

Es fácil de leer hasta el final. Crea una especie de dolor por la compasión con lo que ocurre. Alguno se identificará.4 s nusareads161 48

????? ?????????-?????????4 s Lisa Guidarini158 34

With a husband who’s an average workaday bureaucrat, married to a beautiful wife longing to leave their provincial town for the excitement of life in the city, In Her Absence is at first reminiscent of Flaubert’s Madame Bovary. In place of the farmer’s daughter, Emma, anxious to marry the doctor she presumes will take her away to a more exciting life, Molina’s Blanca was raised in a wealthy family, never lifting a finger to support herself. She married Mario not because of his important job or big salary (he had neither), but his kind nature. He came upon her at the lowest point in her life, when, mourning the loss of the artist boyfriend who abandoned her in poverty, she was left drug and alcohol addicted. By the time she was strong and healthy again, she had grown to care for Mario. But did she love him or merely feel she owed him?

Blanca’s life has been filled with a passion for art and rubbing elbows with artists. She loves what’s new and cutting edge, whether it be painting or music or sculpting or writing. At the same time, Molina characterizes her as a devoted wife, in her own way. She loves cooking Mario gourmet meals and is always waiting for him when he comes in from work. Yet, she longs for more, dragging Mario into Madrid when he’s agreeable, when they can afford it on a bureaucrat’s salary. For his part, he understands nothing of art and could live without it very easily. But pleasing Blanca, his lovely and perfect wife, is his highest priority.What rubs him the wrong way are the male artists who make no attempt to hide their lustful thoughts about his beautiful wife. For her part, she doesn’t flirt outright but does fawn over them, which may look similar from a husband’s point of view.

Blanca’s no artist herself, there’s no “room of one’s own” she longs for. Instead, she’s absorbed by beauty. She is a caring wife but often she’s miles away, mentally:

“When she read a book, listened to music, or watched a movie, Blanca had a marvelous ability to sink deep in herself and disappear entirely from the external world. This absolute concentration was something Mario had learned not to interfere with, the proof of a sensibility that was a constant wonder to him but made him feel dull by comparison. Sometimes he felt intimately deserted, wanting to tell Blanca something or ask her a question but knowing it wasn’t worth trying, not because she’d pay no attention but because she literally was not there; she’d taken leave of her senses, as people used to say, in the most literal meaning of the words, taken leave of the reality that so often bored or disgusted her.”

“Disgusted” is the key word and a strong one. Cooking and cleaning and performing regular household work are jobs a person could understandably be bored with, but disgust is another level deeper. It’s much more visceral, far more angry, even hate-filled, indicating just how restless Blanca truly is. But for one yearning to make a life living in the midst of culture and the arts, forced into the role of housewife, disgust may fit. “How can I be here scrubbing his floors and ironing his clothes when I should rightfully be at exhibits and concerts?” The feeling agrees with her personality, however it makes it difficult not to see Blanca as a rather spoiled woman, too used to privilege. Despite how he tries to justify her behavior, convincing himself she loves him more than the excitement in the galleries and soirees of Madrid, even Mario’s all-consuming love can only go so far.

Mario’s position is that of breadwinner, Blanca uninterested in working to help bring money into the household. On the few occasions she does find work she quits shortly thereafter, justifying it with her complaints it was boring or she was unhappy. Mario’s patience was endless, though he’d give anything for her to work, then, a few years later, have a baby, completing the family. Her complete refusal to be a wife more than superficially brands her as a selfish woman, unappreciative of the husband many women would have loved to have, a man who adored her:

“Blanca would often say they led a life from which great experiences were absent. He conceded that she was right, but also thought, on his best days when he’d get home a few minutes before three after a workday devoid of annoyances, that for him there could be no greater experience than simply walking home along the same route as always in the knowledge that un all the other men he went by in the street – men in bars and talking about soccer with cigarettes in their mouths, men with hungering faces pivoting to watch a woman walk past – he alone had the privilege of desiring beyond all other women the precise woman he had married, and the absolute certainty that when he opened the door of his house, he would find her there.”

Molina doesn’t judge his characters. He’s much more even-handed, far too skilled. The author of thirteen novels, he’s won Spanish prizes twice, making him one of Spain’s greatest living writers. He knows precisely what he’s doing. It boils down to Blanca and her attitude toward her responsibilities in the marriage. It’s Blanca whose character is the heart of the book, the center around which Mario turns:

“Another man might have thought she was flighty, but for Mario Blanca’s endless sequence of new and different jobs and wildly disparate enthusiasms was proof of her vitality, her audacity, her innate rebelliousness, qualities he found particularly admirable because he was largely devoid of them.”

A bit tongue in cheek, a little hint to the reader Blanca knows what she has and isn’t inclined to let go of the man. Not that she’s all self-centered. She tells him, at one point, he rebuilt her when she’d come near dying, “as if you’d found a porcelain vase that was smashed into a thousand pieces and you had the skill and patience to reconstruct the whole thing, down to the tiniest shard.” A women lacking a moral compass wouldn’t have been so kind.

What to make of these two? That’s up to the reader.

Antonio Munoz Molina, aside from his excellent characterization skills, writes first class prose. The edition I read, the only English language edition I know of, was translated from the Spanish by Esther Allen. We’re always at the mercy of translators but I can attest to the beautiful writing. It’s a short book, at 134 pages, tightly written. It moves well and offers much food for thought. At times I’m not sure if the author’s being straight or playful; sometimes I have difficulty picking up on this sort of veiled humor, tending to take writers at their word too often.

I think readers should approach In Her Absence with a healthy dose of skepticism, reading between the lines. It’s a sneaky little novel, one I wouldn’t mind dissecting to see what’s inside and how Molina pulls things off. I’d most definitely read more of his work, if I come across it. If this novel is representative of his writing, I’m already a fan.literature-in-translation m spanish3 s Anoeska NossolAuthor 3 books58

2.5 van de 5 sterren

'Zonder Blanca' is een zeer vaag boek met vele kantjes die moeizaam te begrijpen zijn. Helaas was het voor mij geen topper. Het was prima, maar voor een novelle gebeurd er pittig weinig.
Overigens zeer blij dat ik het wel gelezen heb. Ondanks dat het toch een beetje teleurstellend bleek te zijn.2-stars read-in-20203 s Beverly885 340

My favorite passage, "Penury makes people fearful and conformist; it's the secure possession of money, Mario suspected, that awakens and nourishes audacity. He enjoyed reading works of contemporary history and had noticed that most if not all revolutionary leaders were not of working-class origin."3 s Mohmmed Osama Ahmed98 5

????? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ??????

???? ????? ?????? “?????? ????? ?? ??????”? ???? ????? ?? ??? ???????? ?? ??????? ??????? ???? ???? ???- ?? ????- ??? ??????? ??????? ?? ???????? ?? ??? ???????? ????? -?? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???? ????- ????? ?? ??????? ?????? ????? ??????? ???? ???? ????? ??????.

??? ???? ???? ??????? ?????? ??? ???? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?? ????? ??????? ???????? ??? ??? ??????? ?????? ??????? ????????? – ???? ?? ??????? ???????-? ????????? ??????? ?? ??? ?????? ??????? ??????? ????? ?? ???????? ?? ???????? ????? ???? ??????? ???????? ???? ??? ????? ????? ????????? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?? ???? ??????? ?????? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ?????? ??????? ?? ????? ???????? ?????????? “??? ???? ?????????? ??????? ???????? ??? ????? ?????? ????” ??? ?? ??? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ????? ?????? “????? ??? ???? ??????? ???????” ?????? ?? ???? ??? ?????? ??????? ???????

???? ???? ????????? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ????? ??????? ???? ???? ?????? ???????? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ?????? ?? ??????? ???????? “??? ???? ?????? ???? ?????? ?????? ??? ?????” ???? ???? ?? ????? ????? ???? ??? ???????? ????? ????? “?????? ???? ??? ????? ??????? ??? ??????” ????? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ????? ????? ????? ??????? ????? ??????? ????????- ??? ????? ?? ??????? ?????? – ???????? ????????? ??? ??????? ????? ????? ????? ???? ?? ??????? -??? ?? ????? ??? ??? ?????- ?? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ???? ?????

???? ??? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ??????? ??? ??? ?????? ???? ????? “?????” ????? ??? ??? ????? ????? ?? ?????? ?????? ????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ????? ??? ???? ???? “?? ????? ????? ???? ??? ???? ????? ????” ???? ???????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ????? ??????? ?????? -?????- ?????? ??? ??????? ???????? ?????? ??? ??? ?????? ?? ?? ??? ?? ???? ???? ???? ??? ??? ???????? ?????? ???????? ????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ??? ??? ???????? ???? ???? “????? ????? ??????? ?????? ????? ?????”? ???? ?? ???? ?? ???? ?????? “????? ????? ?????? ??????” ?? ????????? ?? ?? ??????? ?????? ????? -??? ???????- ?????? ?????? ???? ??? ?????? ???? ????

–??? ??????? ??????? “?? ???? ????”
-??? ??? ??? ????????? -??? ???? ??????? ???????- ??????? -?? ?????? ?? ??? ?????? ?????? ?????- ?? ?? ???????? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ????? ????????? ?? ???????? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ?????? ??? ???????? ???? ???? ??????? ??? ?? ??? ?????? ????? “?? ?????? ?????? ?????? ??? ???????? ????? ?????? ???????” ?????? ??????? ??? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ????????? ???? ????? ????? ?????? “??? ??? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ???????” ? ??????-???? ????? ??????- ?????? ???? ????? ??? ????????? ?? ??????? ????????? ????? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ???????

??? ???? ??? ?????? ?????? ??????? ??? ?????? ????? ??????? ?? ???? ????? ????????? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ??????? ???? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ????????? ??????? ??? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ???? ???? ????? ????? ????? ??? ??????? ?? ????? ???? ??? ???? ????? ????? ?? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ?????? “????? ?????? ??????” ????? ?????? ??????? ?? ????? ?????? “?????? ????? ?? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ??? ?????”? ??? ?????? “????? ?????” ?? ?????? ??? ?? ??????? ?????? ???????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ???????? ??????? ???? ?????? ?????? ???????? ????? ?????? ??? ?????? “????? ??????? ???? ?? ?????? ???? ??????? ?? ??????? ” ?????? ?????? ?? ?????? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????????? ???? ?????? ??? ?????? ????? ?????? ?? ?????? ??? ????????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ??? ?????

??????? “???? ????? ?????” ?????? ?? ??? ??????? ????? ????? ??????? ????????? ???? ???? ????????? ????? ????? ???? ??????? ?? ?????? ????? ??? ????? ??????? ?? ???????? ???????? ????? ????? ??????? “???? ?????” ??? ???? ????? “??? ???? ???????”? ???????? ??? ??? ???? ?????? ??????? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ???? ?????? ???????? ??? ???? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ?? ??????? ?? ??? ????? ????? ???????? ?? ?????? ????? ?????? ??????? ???? ???????? ?? ??????? ?????? ??????? ?? ???????.

????? ??????? ?? ????? ??????? ??? ????? ?? ??????? ???????? ???? ?????? ?????? ??? ?? ???????? “?? ????? ?????? ?????? ??? ????? ????? ??????”? ??? ???? ??? -??? ???? ??????? ?????? ??? ?????? ??????- ??? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ??????? ?? ??????? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ?? ????? ????? ???? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ????? ??????? ?????? ???? ?? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????? ??????? ?? ??? ?????? ????? ???? ??????? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ????? ???????? “?????? ?? ????????? ???? ????? ???????? ?? ???? ????????” ????? ????? ???????? ???????? ??? ?????? ??????? -??? ???? ??????? ???????? ???? ????- ????? ??? ??? ??? ????? ???? ??? ???? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ????? ????? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ?????? ??? ?? ???? ??? ????? ????? ????? ?? ??????? ????????? ??????????? ??? ????? ??????? ????? ????? ?? ????? ??? ???? ?????? “????? ????? ?????????”? ????? ????? ?????? ????? ???????? ??? ???????? ???????? ??????? ????? ????? ??? ?? ?????

— ????? ???? “?????? ??????? ??????”

” ???? ???? ???????? ????? ????

???? ??? ??? ???? ??? ?? ????? ??

?????? ?? ????? ????? ????? ??

???? ????? ?? ?????? ??????”

-??? ????? ????????

??? ????? ??? ??????? -??????? ?????? ?? ??? ????- ???? ????? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ??????? ????? ????? ??????? ???? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ????? ??????? ??????? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ?????? ?????? ???????? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ??????? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ??? ???? ?????? “??? ??? ????”? ????? ?????? ?? ???????? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ?????? ?????? ?? ??????? “??? ??? ????? ????” ???? ????? ????? ??????? ?????? ??????? ????? ???? ?????? ????????? ?????????? ?????? ???? ????? ?????? ????? ??????? .

??? ?? ??? ????????? ?? ???? ???? ???????? ???????? ?? ???? ?? ????? ??? ??? ??????? ???? ???? ?????? ????? ?????? “??? ???? ??? ????? ?? ??? ???? ???? ??? ???? ??????” ?? ???? ?? ?????? ????? “??? ????? ?????? ???? ??????? ??????? ????? ?????? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ?? ????”? ????? ??????? ?? ????-??????? ????? ?????- ???? ?????? ??? ???????? ????? ???? ?? ????? ????? ??????? ???? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ?????? ?????? “???????? ??????” ???? ??? ????? ???? ?????? ????? “?????? ???????”

???? ?? ????? ???? ?????? ??? ???? ????? ?? ???????? ?????? ?? ????? ??????-??? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ??????- ??? ??? ??? ??? ??????? ???? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ?? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ???????? ?? ????? ????? ???? ??? ????? ?? ???? ??? ?? ???? ?????? ??????? ?????? ????????? ??????? ???? ????? ?????? ??? ?? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ?????? “???? ?????? ” ????? ?? ??? ????? -???? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ???? ??????? ???? ????? ?????? ??????? ?????? ?? ??????- ?????? -?? ?? ????? ???? ????? ????? ????? ?? ???? ??????- ?? ?????? ???????? ??????? ?????? ????? ??????? ??????

?????? : ????? ??????? ???? ?????? ????? ???? ??? ?????? ????? ?????? ????? ???? ??? ????? ??? ????? ?? ????? ??????? ??????? ???? ????? ????? “????? ??????/???? ?? ???/ ????” ??????? ??? ???? ?????? ????? ???????? ????? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ???????? ?????? ????? ??? ?????

?????? ??? ??? ?????? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ????? ?????? ????? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ??????? “?? ?????” ?? ????? ??? ????? ????? ????? ??? ???? ?????? ???? ???????? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ????? ??? ???? ?? ????? ??? ?????? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ???????? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ???? ???? ????? ???? ???? ?????2 s ????? Bissane59 6

?? ???????? ????????? ?????????.
?????? ????? ??????? ?????? ??????. fiction-?????2 s Jose Luis51

Este es el propio libro para escoger en un club de lectura y debatir hasta el cansancio cuál puede ser el final: Blanca no es Blanca porque hizo lo que yo pienso que hizo (y no lo escribo por respeto a quien no lo ha leído aun). Desde la visión de Mario, Blanca no es Blanca porque es un inseguro y cobarde y se inventa sus propias historias?. ¿Acaso es Mario el que ha cambiado?, ya no es el mismo tonto de antes y, ahora (un ser más curtido), ve las cosas desde otra óptica y se da cuenta que fue él el que siempre vio a Blanca como la que no era o es?... seguramente hay más opciones y segurísimamente yo soy el que está equivocado y Blanca sí es Blanca, Mario no es Mario y quien no es quien es, soy yo.2 s David1,509

This was an odd book. Personally I understand the mismatch between the woman, Blanca, caught up in the art world living with the civil clerk, Mario who gets annoyed with the pretentious art scene crowd. I felt Munoz Molina mailed it here. Yet the woman almost became too extreme and and the same time, the guy seemed so mismatched that when he meets his old girlfriend in the bank and wonders "what if she was the right one?" I felt it was time for him to abandon near crazy Blanca. I guess this is the case where love is blind.

It did have some very good qualities and I almost wanted to give it a four star but the ending just baffled me.

Read in Spanish.read-en-español spanish-lit2 s BioKarpon16 1 follower

Es la primera vez que leo a este autor y me ha sorprendido gratamente la forma tan fresca que tiene de describir. Si bien al principio creí que no iba a gustarme (esta fue mi segunda opción, porque a la primera le dije “hasta lueguito” después de las 15 primeras páginas), al adentrarme en la vida de los protagonistas me fue picando la curiosidad.

Esta obra está llena de sentimientos y obsesiones, de lo que dejas pasar por lo que parece amor y de cómo dejas de ser quien eres para ser otra persona.

Me ha gustado, y posiblemente vuelva a darle a este autor una oportunidad en el futuro.2 s Inés209 17

Primero de todo, que un libro tan corto se me haya hecho tan largo no es buena señal.
No sabía qué iba a encontrarme y lo cierto es que tampoco estoy segura de qué he leído.

Está claro que no encontrarás una gran historia, porque no la hay. Pero sí he sentido el amor y la devoción de Mario por su mujer, pero a la vez esa inseguridad y miedo por estar solo.

No voy a hacer ningún comentario sobre el disparate de la Blanca 'no verdadera'.2022 fiction2 s1 comment Anetq1,126 54

Mario the bureaukrat pretends to the avantgarde and high brow art because he is obsessed with his beautiful, sophisticated wife. And he will do anything to keep her. But one day she's left him, and is replaced by another Blanca. She looks the same, but is much more agreeable. The story is circular and a maze.reading_europe2 s JaneAuthor 11 books139

i pretty much exactly agree with what wendy said - i really don't know what was going on here, but really d how well-drawn the characters were. i felt quite immersed in the main character's feelings and worries, and frequently annoyed with his all-too-familiar wife.2 s May Kasahara162 57

Lo he terminado en un día y me ha gustado bastante ¡Qué descubrimiento el de este pequeño libro! Está muy bien narrado y a pesar de que la historia no sea de las de enganchar, no se puede parar de leer.
Igualmente me ha encantado este pequeño descubrimiento. 2 s Wendy255 6

Autor del comentario:
=================================