Author: Camilo José Cela
- Fiction
- Booket
- ISBN: 9788423340613
- Release Date: 01-01-1970
-Reviewed by: America Reads Spanish

This was the first novel of Nobel laureate Camilo José Cela and most translated of his long career. Naturalist in style, it relates with no holds barred the ruthless life of a murderer, a peasant from Extremadura by the name of Pascual Duarte. Although there is a constant state of alarm throughout the work and a savage tone which causes one to shudder, there is a certain lyricism in Duarte’s personality, in spite of the brutality of his actions, he seems more of a victim of circumstances than their catalyst. The sensation which the novel caused outside of Spain seems to suggest that Pascual Duarte may be the confirmation of the Spanish topoi of violence and bloodthirstiness.