Pilgrims

BOOK REVIEW

PILGRIMS

Author: Joaquín Berges From the reader report by: Delphine Valentin

Joaquín Berges never takes himself seriously. He does not bombard us with moral tales or truths, he does not take advantage of his characters to give us his opinion on the pandemic, he just accompanies them in their adventures, tailored to their capabilities. Certain comments and situations make the reader laugh out loud, and the balance between the tales of the past and the road trip is subtle and well-paced so that there is no respite but no boredom either.

Joaquín Berges has been writing more or less farcical tales for many years now. They are always well constructed and manage never to appear shallow, despite the clear objective to make readers laugh.

PUBLISHED IN NEW SPANISH BOOKS FR

TUSQUETS EDITORES

Title PILGRIMS PEREGRINAS

Author Joaquín Berges Genre Literature Pages 288

ISBN 978-84-90669-49-5 Year of publication 2021 Number of editions 1 Language Spanish Spanish retail price 19.50 €

Author’s biography: Joaquín Berges (Zaragoza, 1965), has a degree in Spanish Language. Berges launched his career with three hugely successful comedies: El club de los estrellados (The losers’ club: Prize for Best debut novel at the Festival du Premier Roman de Chambéry, 2009), followed by Vive como puedas (Live as you can: FNAC New Talent prize, 2011) and Un estado del malestar (A state of unrest: Cálamo Prize, 2012). Continuing in the comedy line, he published Nadie es perfecto (Nobody is perfect) in 2015. In a more intimate and moving register, his work La línea invisible del horizonte (The invisible line of the horizon, 2014) also captured readers’ imaginations as did his novels Una sola palabra (Just one word, 2017), and Los desertores (The deserters, 2019), this latter winning resounding praise from critics and booksellers alike. In 2015 he received the Heraldo de Aragón Arts and Literature prize for his life’s work.

Synopsis: Dorita, Fina and Carmen are three octogenarians on the run from an old people’s home in order to spend a summer out of confinement. Dorita has urgent business in Tarragona and has convinced her two friends to accompany her: Carmen – who still has her driving licence – and Fina – who owns an ancient Volvo and whose only wish is to make a pilgrimage along the Santiago Way. Fina suffers from Alzheimer’s and although she believes they are going to take the Santiago Way, in fact they are headed in the opposite direction. As we follow the three adventurers in their trials and tribulations on their travels through Spain, we also come to understand the difficult lives they have each led and their motives for this daring escapade. Somewhere between Paco Roca’s Arrugas (Wrinkles) and Golden Girls this is a “road movie” of a novel, full of humour and sticky situations, but also a profoundly moving portrayal of the personal stories carried by each one of its protagonists.

Publisher: Tusquets Editores Founded in 1969, Tusquets Editores publishes literary fiction, essays, poetry, history, biography and popular science, as well as representing most of its Spanish-language authors internationally.

Publishing rights available from: Tusquets Editores - CIF A08452021 Av. Diagonal 662-664, Barcelona, Barcelona www.tusquetseditores.com Contact: Alejandra Segrelles [asegrelles@tusquets-editores.es] Phone: (+34) 932 530 400