Victoria González Torralba’s (Barcelona, 1966) second novel, Good Times, but can also be considered the first. He explains: “My first literary work was the prologue to the character Inspector Méndez, created by my father, Francisco González Ledesma. Although this is a novel that is entirely my own, I tried to respect his literary style and the character’s temperament. That was the purpose. Now the job is different. In fact, the biggest obstacle I faced was finding my own voice. As a journalist, I am used to sticking to the guidelines set by reality, the guidelines imposed by the media style book, the demands of the editor-in-chief, or the limitations of space».
He was completely free and “this became a problem in the beginning because freedom gives you endless possibilities to err.” “I was constantly questioning myself. I wondered if this was the voice I wanted to have, my own style. I didn’t stop having doubts until the novel began to take shape. Although I fear uncertainty is inherent in the creative process. What I am sure of is that I am satisfied with the end result,” he adds.
“There is a good intrigue and main plotline that begins with the remains of a corpse being revealed but more mysteries unfold as the story progresses. The characters add to that by being filled with chiaroscuro. “I think this novel will be enjoyed by fans of the black genre, the novel of intrigue, but It’s not just them. It also has its own dose of adventure. One of the main characters, Juan Sil, is inspired by John Silver from Treasure Island and contributes to give it a certain tone. It can also be considered a starter novel because the protagonist Laura transforms until her fate changes completely,” he elaborates.
Laura is surrounded by men: «Sil, her boss in the canteen where she works; Álex Lobo, an arrogant and attractive scoundrel he would feel attracted to; Dog Man, a haunting vagrant; Antonio, a vacationer who will pass on his love of books, and his uncle, a selfish and unimportant man. Despite that, I think there is a great female power in this novel. These are transformative engines, evident in the power of Laura or Marieta, a character from the past that will affect the hero’s present ».
Purpose: The reader has a good time and is immersed in the story guided by the engaging characters and a powerful story. As a reader, she “does not like novels that are plot-driven with high expectations and are uninspiring in the second part. I tried to maintain a pace that kept the reader engaged. The style, albeit unconsciously, is reminiscent of Silver Kane, my father’s pen name for which he wrote hundreds of western novels that thousands of readers have followed for decades.