At its core, the question lingering in the background is whether she would have enjoyed it. The admiration and warmth shine through the words of Aroa Moreno, the creator, along with illustrator Ana Jarén, in Almudena. A Biography. The two collaborators offer a heartfelt tribute to one of Spain’s most cherished literary figures.
Moreno and Jarén invite readers into Almudena Grandes’s universe, a breathing space that allows fans to reconnect with the Madrid-born writer following her sudden passing in November 2021.
Moreno explains that writing the biography was a way to keep her presence alive, a process of living alongside the writer through researching her work and speaking with those who knew her. It is a form of farewell intended to inspire a new generation to read and write.
The biographical work harkens back to the impact Grandes had on a generation of women, both readers and authors. It also presents a parallel view of her art and life, showing a harmonious partnership that the illustrations capture with skill and sensitivity.
Among the most striking images in the book is a scene of Grandes in her studio, dressed in a caftan, surrounded by shelves stacked from floor to ceiling with books, while a baby carriage sits nearby. The composition anchors a specific moment in the author’s life with vivid detail and emotion.
Jarén notes that an illustrated version of Grandes, drawn in her own style from an immense body of material, was important to ensure that those close to her would recognize her essence and not lose it in translation.
She acknowledges that the ending images, including a scene of Luis García Montero placing the poetry collection Completamente viernes in his late wife’s grave, are particularly challenging. The illustrations are reinterpretations meant to evoke what life might have been, rather than literal recreations.
El compromiso ideológico de Almudena Grandes
The writer’s life and art cannot be understood without her political and ideological commitments. The biography recalls the moral failure of the Transition era alongside the defeated in the Spanish Civil War. It also considers the family she belonged to, many members of which held views distant from her own worldview.
One refrain that threads through the book is that love can overcome even the deepest disagreements. The Madrid setting plays a central role, and the importance of sitting down to debate ideas with respect is highlighted, especially in a world that has grown increasingly polarized.
A particularly touching section recounts her siblings and their playful adolescence, as well as the movie-like romance with García Montero and friendships with figures like Benjamín Prado and Eduardo Mendicutti. These memories populate the pages and reveal a richer portrait of the author.
Another section examines how Grandes is remembered after her death, attracting intense devotion and, at times, resistance from those who wish to keep silent about the country’s past. The biography notes how the Madrid Adequacy Station was named Puerta de Atocha Almudena Grandes as a public testament, while a literary prize established in her honor in Seville faced political pushback in 2022. The mayor of Seville argued that the award should reflect the author’s ties to the city, rather than a broader regional identity.
Moreno notes that politics can be narrow-minded and that these kinds of decisions deeply affect the millions who admire Grandes.
Every book ends with a sense of what comes next. The author of the biography describes this project as a pause and a lifeline, signaling that Grandes’s work will continue to live on. A new volume is in the works, described as a phase of planning and prewriting, where ideas are laid out before turning them into pages. The guiding belief remains simple: the books matter most. The biographical project hints at a future that will transport readers to Spain in 1975, with the author often looking back to tell her own story. The second part of the statement suggests that what guides this future is a reflection on the past and a desire to learn from it. The author, a Madrid writer herself, notes that this backward glance helps shape her own voice and practice.