Masterpiece by the writer Gonzalo Torrente Ballester which marks the start of a new golden age of Hispanic literature.
Written during his stay in the United States, this novel was the first instalment of what is known as the author's 'Fantastic trilogy' together with 'Fragments of the Apocalypse' (1977) and 'The Island of Cut Hyacinths' (1981). Through the protagonist José Bastida, the book narrates the story of the theft of a relic in a provincial town, which the author uses as a pretext to immerse the reader in the story of the place. Underlying this fantastic and mysterious plot are elements of provocation and critique of the society of the time.
Considered by the critics to herald a new period in Hispanic letters, the work won the City of Barcelona Award and the Critics ' Award, both in 1972.
Awards
1972 City of Barcelona Prize
1972 Critics' Award
