The Spanish edition came out in 1944 and an English translation by Edith Grossman was published on February 27, 2007 by Harvill Secker.
Loosely based on the author’s own life, it is the story of an orphaned young woman who leaves her small town to attend a university in war-ravaged Barcelona.
Residing amid genteel poverty in a mysterious house on Calle de Aribau, young Andrea falls in with a wealthy band of schoolmates who provide a rich counterpoint to the squalor of her home life.
As experience overtakes innocence, Andrea gradually learns the disquieting truth about the people she shares her life with: her overbearing and superstitious aunt Angustias; her nihilistic yet artistically gifted uncle Roman and his violent brother Juan; and Juan’s disturbingly beautiful wife, Gloria, who secretly supports the clan with her gambling.
From existential crisis to a growing maturity and resolve, Andrea’s passionate inner journey leaves her wiser, stronger and filled with hope for the future.
The incomparable Edith Grossman’s vital new translation captures the feverish energy of Laforet’s magnificent story, showcasing its dark, powerful imagery and its subtle humor.
Mario Vargas Llosa’s Introduction illuminates Laforet’s brilliant depiction of life during the early days of the Franco regime.
With crystalline insight into the human condition, Carmen Laforet’s classic novel stands poised to reclaim its place as one of the great novels of twentieth-century Europe.
Source:Tehran Times