The January 1844 uprising is presented here as a historic struggle for freedom that challenges an absolutist government. In this narrative, the events unfold through the eyes of Luis Amat Vidal, a figure who intertwines memory with invention to illuminate a period when ambition, hope, and resistance collided in the streets of Alicante. The work described as a love, a conflict, and a class drama takes readers into a world where loyalty and dissent coexist in a single breath and where personal destinies reflect larger social battles.
The author offered this volume to an audience in Alicante, outlining how history and fictional characters are fused with real events and documented facts. The narrative explores psychological and emotional conflicts faced by protagonists who move through historical contexts where multiple plot lines intersect, creating a tapestry that feels both credible and vividly imagined. The writer emphasizes that the book lives at the crossroads of documented history and imaginative storytelling, inviting readers to see the past with fresh eyes while recognizing the emotional cores that drive each character.
For more than two years, the author immersed himself in the living record of the city. He gathered details about the streets, customs, social classes, and wardrobes that would have defined life in the era. He describes a deep fascination with the city’s evolution, noting that the San Roque neighborhood, once home to a diverse blend of communities, played a pivotal role in shaping the city’s early character and stood at the cradle of the modern urban fabric. This meticulous fieldwork provides a tangible atmosphere that helps readers feel the textures of late nineteenth century life while tracing the steps of a past that still whispers through today’s lanes and balconies.
The cover of the novel stands as a visual preface to the journey inside the pages, hinting at the textures of memory and the weight of history that the book carries. The author hopes that readers will experience both luck and misfortune as they walk the narrow lanes of Alicante from years gone by and smell the ink that would have flowed from an imagined printing house on Calle Mayor, where the story and the author first learned the craft of visual storytelling. The narrative also recalls the Pantaleon Boné revolution of 1844 and its enduring call for love, freedom, and equality, which leaves an imprint long after the final page is closed, resonating with themes that go beyond the printed word.
During the presentation, the author is accompanied by fellow writer Juan Carlos Pereletegui and a History graduate named Xema Galan, who contribute perspectives that enrich the discussion and deepen the historical context that underpins the fiction.