“Las maravillas” (The Wonders), the first novel by the poet form Cordoba, takes place in the palm groves of “A tiempos Recios” (Hard Times) of Vargas Llosa.

“Las maravillas” (The Wonders), by Elena Medel (Anagrama), has been chosen as the best book published in Spain in 2020 by the jury of the Francisco Umbral Award. The novel is the first work by the poet and publisher from Cordoba.  It is a story of economic power and its effect on the life of women, and in Spanish politics, from the death of Franco to the March 8, 2018 demonstration.  The main characters are three women; a grandmother, a mother and a granddaughter who do not get along, but by comparing their experiences, build a common story.

"I wrote Las Maravillas without really knowing if I wanted to publish it. I had already written three novels without having them published. I wrote it for the enjoyment of writing, which may be the best way to write. And of course, I think this feeling is transmitted to the reader," says Medel in an interview to EL MUNDO. "The book talks about money, about the lack of it, and about politics. There are many discussions about politics although it may not seem so at first glance. The voices that narrate are those of three working-class women who are on a geographic and decision-making periphery ".

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