Álvaro Pombo, Cervantes Prize 2024, can boast of being one of those writers who have “a literary world of its own, imperishable and essential, which moves and hurts”, as the Ministry of Culture has emphasized, granting to the narrator the most prestigious prize in Spanish literature.
Of remarkable stature as a poet and essayist – where he made his debut at the age of 80 – Pombo is distinguished primarily by his work as a novelist, the genre for which he has been most acclaimed. They support himrecognitions such as the Planeta Prize for The fortune of Mathilde Turpin (2006), the Nadal Prize for The hero’s tremor (2012), the Santander Honorary Prize for Literature (2018), the Menéndez Pelayo International Prize (2023) or the last one, the Francisco Umbral Book of the Year Prize 2023 for his novel Santander, 1936.
Considered “a philosophical narrator”, Pombo studies “the human condition from the emotional point of view of deep and contradictory feelings”, all this “under the cover of irony and humor”, indicates the judgment.
The Exclaustrado (2024)
In his latest novel, Pombo tells the story centered on old Juan Cabrera, a Benedictine monk who, after leaving the convent after denouncing some novices for indecent exposure, cloisters himself in his small apartment in Madrid. He is released from his isolation from the world by the surprise visit of a nephew, Jaime, who brings him to the present one of his friends, one of those expelled yesterday from the monastery, Antón, today a law professor, hungry for revenge.
The exclaustrado oscillating “between dramatic soap opera and philosophical reflection, the author explores loneliness, guilt and lack of communication in a bitter and funny plot,” said Santos Sanz Villanueva, critic of El Cultural.
Santander 1936 (2023)
Francisco Umbral Prize and Madrid Critics Prize
In his penultimate novel, Pombo recounts the conflict between a Republican father and his Phalangist son – the author’s uncle in real life, also called Álvaro Pombo –, recuperating the history of his own family. It is a “masterful portrait of two characters of extraordinary density”, according to Sanz Villanueva.
“Pombo distributes the exact doses of affection, tenderness, understanding, helplessness, pain of illness and grief of death to create two characters of extraordinary density and depth, those who continue to “accompany the reader once the tragic adventure is over.” » emphasizes Sanz.
The clock house (2016)
In The clock housePombo immerses us in the life of a family through its secrets and conflicts. The protagonist, Juan Caller, receives as an inheritance the great fortune of Andrés, the man for whom he has worked in recent years. Among all the goods he receives is the imposing Casa del Reloj, a country house located in an isolated rural area and which belonged to the family of Matilde, the late wife of the lord.
“In The clock house multiple variations of conscious and unbridled passion are recreated. The novel paints with humor and crudeness the moral misery of our species.but his harsh argument ends with an ending that puts an end to evil. Pombo’s deliberate moralism suggests such a positive message through a story whose culturalist display and analytical pointillism in no way hinder the enjoyment,” commented Sanz Villanueva.
The Fortune of Matilda Turpín (2006)
Planet Prize
The Fortune of Mathilde Turpín by Álvaro Pombo is a novel that addresses the complexity of couple relationships, identity and the passage of time through the story of Mathilde and her husband Juan. Matilda, a successful and self-confident woman, has managed to build a fortune and a renowned career. Her husband, Juan, a more introspective and seemingly withdrawn man, begins to question his life and the relationship they shared when Matilda suddenly dies.
Her death triggers in Juan a deep reflection on the meaning of his life and the role his wife played in it. With a detailed and introspective style, Pombo invites the reader to reflect on the value of individuality in relationships and the importance of building a meaningful life. A lucid and honest portrait of the weight of expectations and roles in marriage.
unnatural (2005)
In unnatural Pombo returns to explore the sexual orientation and identity in a conservative society. The novel follows a protagonist who, faced with his homosexuality, tries to reconcile his desires with the traditional values that surround him. Pombo treats with great sensitivity the internal conflict of the protagonist, who is torn between his desires and his need to belong. The novel exposes the pain of living “unnatural”that is, contradicting social norms, and how this affects the protagonist’s relationships.
A profound work that questions the nature of prejudice and the hypocrisy of social norms. With a bold narrative, Pombo opens a window into the dilemmas of identity and sexuality, offering a humane and understanding look at the struggle to be authentic in a judgmental world.
The ceiling (2001)
José Manuel Lara Foundation Prize
In The ceilingÁlvaro Pombo masterfully combines drama and humor, exploring the contradictions of human life. The title itself reflects this duality: “ceiling” can refer to both a clear firmament and the ceiling of a room. The novel addresses both spiritual struggles in turbulent contexts and the intimate lives of the characters in a closed microcosm, a space which becomes the scene of tensions and repressed desires.
Pombo examines essential themes of our time, such as justice and violence, love and politics, guilt and redemption, through a story rich in contrasts, which ranges from parody to intimacy and magic to cruelty. The novel raises a central question: is it possible to change your life? With his characteristic literary style, Pombo invites you to think on the moral dilemmas that define our times.
where women (1997)
National Prize for Fiction
Set in post-war Spain, where women Pombo tells the story of several women trying to find their place in a society that restricts their desires and freedoms. The protagonists deal with the weight of social norms and the role assigned to them as women in a context of repression.
The narrator, the eldest daughter of the family, had thought that her eccentric family was made up of beings who shone with their own light, but the revelation of a family secret which affects her in a decisive way, reveals to the narrator her true face – cold, practical, tyrannical. and, ultimately, venomous – mythologized inhabitants of this fortress in which “fathers, husbands, men, it doesn’t matter, they are interchangeable“.
The iridescent platinum meter (1990)
National Critics Award
The iridescent platinum meter East one of Álvaro Pombo’s most ambitious novels, a mixture of psychological introspection, humor, philosophy and realism, in contemporary Madrid. The story follows Martín and María, a couple whose life plans deeply affect those close to them. Gonzalito, María’s brother, is influenced by Martín, a philosopher and writer, and flees to London to explore his identity. Virginia, a superficial friend of María, quickly marries a businessman, although their relationship soon fails.
The family reunites after a tragedy, revealing their personal changes. Gonzalito returns from London with internal conflict; Virginia deals with her failed marriage; and Pelé, the son of Martín and María, has a complex relationship with his uncle Gonzalito. María and Martín also face some separation, as their emotional ties have changed over time. Pombo, with this novel, establishes himself as a prominent voice in contemporary literature, offering deep work on connections, identities and destiny.
The Attic Hero (1983)
Herralde Prize
In The Attic Hero (Herralde Prize in 1983), Pombo presents the story of Ricardo, a young man who, returning to the family home after the war, lives in a sort of garret (attic) in his grandparents’ house. The novel explores Ricardo’s personal development as he confronts complex feelings of alienation and belonging and an oppressive family environment.
Pombo manages to recreate the claustrophobic and oppressive environment to which the protagonist is subjected. With an introspective tone and poetic language, which allows the reader to delve into the complex psyche of the protagonist, Pombo explores repression, memory and self-acceptance, question the boundaries between private and public. This book established Pombo as a master at constructing characters with deep internal contradictions.
minor offenses (1980)
minor offenses tells the story of Ortega, a frustrated middle-aged homosexual writer, and his relationship with Quirós, an unemployed, attractive and carefree young man. Their meeting, marked by a festive tone and the feeling of having found someone “different”, is intensified by the humorous presence of Quirós’ mother, a widow in the process of remarrying. However, what starts as a fun and bright story becomes darker and the plot takes a more intense and erotic turn that leads to a tragic outcome.
Pombo uses fluid and entertaining prose, returning to a clear but deep narrative style characteristic of his work. In this novel, the author criticizes the fragmented and meaningless vision of life in modernity, where “crimes” are ultimately insignificant. The novel focuses on the cowardice of conscience which chooses to ignore values and reveals Pombo’s ethical concernsoffering a pointed exploration of the moral disorientation of the time beyond labels of gender or sexuality.
