Death in Spring (Penguin European Writers)

This is a real jewel of a book, with lyrical descriptions of the Catalan natural environment that always have just a hint of threat beneath them, and a strong animist current running throughout. It has to be appreciated like a poem rather than understood.

I read and very much enjoyed Merce Rodorerda's 'In Diamond Square' (or 'The Time of the Doves' as it was originally entitled), but 'Death in Spring' is a much darker and unsettling tale and one which leaves me in a quandary about how to rate it by Amazon's star system. The story focuses on a teenage boy who is witness to his father's suicide and of how his life plays out after this tragic event - however, this little book is more than a coming-of-age story and is one that is generally seen to be symbolic of the dictator Franco's repression of Catalan culture. Told through the consciousness of the young protagonist, this book tells of the customs and traditions of a Catalan village which has been built on rocks over a fast-running river, and of how the village's young men regularly draw straws to see who will have to swim under the village to see whether the rocks have crumbled - a dangerous feat which usually results in death or disfigurement. We also read about a forest where dead bodies are entombed in trees; we learn of pregnant women being blindfolded in public in case their unborn children take on the personal features of the men they might look upon if their eyes are not covered; and we read of the barbaric treatment of those who do not follow society's rules. There is more of course, but this is not a long book and I don't wish to reveal too much. Written by the author when the Catalan language she used was banned by Franco, this is a disturbing and almost dreamlike story with a dark current running throughout the entire length of the book, and although the language is beautiful and reads almost like a poem in places, it's one that leaves the reader (or this one, anyhow) feeling totally unsettled. And that is why I find it difficult to rate this book - I have to award it at least four stars for the quality of the writing, but it's not one I would necessarily recommend, especially for sensitive souls who might find the content too upsetting. 4 Stars.

We meet our narrator on the day his father who is not his father dies by having concrete poured ritually down his gullet, as you do. Our narrator, who is either a madman in an asylum or should be, then recounts at what seems like great length but is only a novella the customs in his insanely imagined village, which he presents as if it were real and where all is cruelty and fever-dream horror. I gave up at 45%. This book is either so profound it’s far beyond my meagre intellectual powers to grasp, or it’s a load of nonsense. It might be an allegory (of something), or it might just be an author dumping bits of her unfortunate imagination all over the unsuspecting reader. Some thoughts are better left unexpressed. In short, not recommended unless you want to read about horrible people being horrible to other people and to animals and insects, in a story that isn’t a story about a village that doesn’t exist.

My daughter loves reading books and this one is great

Lovely book fast delivery. Thank you 😊

Xmas present.

Mercè Rodoreda was the best female Catalan writer of the 20th century. Her books have an incredible quality, rich vocabulary but simple, and a deep psychology in her characters. Death in Spring is a masterpiece. It's not the most popular book of Rodoreda but without any kind of doubt is one of the best, although it's very difficult to choose which is the best when you are in front of a complete writer who creates amazing and wonderful literature. It's a great honour that Penguin has chosen Death in Spring to be the first book of this new European writers collection. A must!

Poor quality

Strangeness and sobriety ooze out of this novel. Exposes the hidden rituals of violence that underpin societies that rely on atrocity and oppression but not in a preaching-to-the-choir nor obvious way.

This review is for the product: Book arrived 2 days early but the quality was very bad. It looks like a very old, dusty copy and has many dust marks, frayed ends and the cover too is misshapen. Thankfully the pages inside are nice and crisp

I enjoyed "Inthe Time of the Doves" by the same author so while Iwas in Catalan I decided to read " death in Spring". It is a very strange and beautifully written book,very different from " In The Time Of The Doves." It is a haunting tale, very surreal. I highly recomend it.