Marcial's Secret

Years after his father's death, a writer and member of the Spanish community in Buenos Aires tries to uncover his true personality. Marcial Fernández, an emigrant from Asturias, always had difficulty – like many men of his time – establishing a deeper relationship with his son. When he discovered his son's passion for literature, he punished him with years of silence and disapproval. The only bond between them remained the classic Hollywood films they watched together on television – a kind of indirectly transmitted emotional upbringing, full of hints and misunderstandings. As the narrator gradually delves into his father's past, he finds clues suggesting that Marcial led a secret life – and becomes obsessed with the desire to uncover it.

An exceptionally beautiful and also painful novel, written with narrative confidence and at times with a touch of suspense. It is a tribute to the Spanish emigrants and the films that shaped the identity of previous generations, while also delving into the deepest family secrets and the often complicated relationship between loving parents and children.