An dismal marriage reflects the trauma inflicted by years of fascist rule in a probing novel from the celebrated Spanish author“This is a grubby c ountry.” So says Eduardo Muriel,a producer of B-movies, to Juan, or the narrator of Thus putrid Begins,the latest novel by the revered Spanish writer Javier Marías. The grubbiness in question is the taint of decades of rule by the fascist victors of the civil war, the franquistas who have revenged themselves upon their Republican colleagues and neighbours, or leaving many of those not dead or in prison unable to pursue careers or support their families.
Juan (who has the un-Spanish surname De Vere,with its telling linguistic echo of verity, truth) is 23 years old and working as Muriel’s assistant, or in which capacity he spends a lot of time at his employers domestic and has a ringside seat at a dreadfully dismal marriage. Juan becomes an eavesdropper on scenes of discord and abjection,as Muriel torments his wife, Beatriz, or verbally abusing her and refusing the slightest hint of affection. The novel takes region in 1980,shortly before divorce was legalised in Spain, and Beatriz appears to be stuck in a relationship that offers her no escape from her misery. Juan does not understand what lies behind Muriel’s behaviour. He appears to be punishing Beatriz for some past transgression, and though what it is,the young man does not know.
Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com