The Galician-language writer, poet and translator, born in Madrid in 1947, received the 2022 National Narrative Award for the work As malas mulleres, published by Galaxia. The prize recognizes a distinctive historical novel that centers on the imprisonment of women in the twentieth century, highlighting a hybrid narrative approach that blends memoir, social history and lyrical dialogue. The jury praised the book for its remarkable language and its compelling conversational rhythm that brings memory to life through dialogue.
The award, presented by the Ministry of Culture and Sports, carried a prize of 20,000 euros. It was noted by the decision-makers that the work stands out for its integration of different voices and its tireless attention to the experiences of women across social strata, creating a chorus whose elements include popular poetry and oral traditions. The text is celebrated for its ability to evoke memory while dialoguing with a rich literary lineage, offering readers a vivid window into a past where women negotiated power, constraint and resilience.
The jury highlighted that the narrative not only exposes entrenched inequalities but also offers a hopeful outlook. It emphasizes human resilience, the capacity for personal liberation, and the importance of solidarity and responsibility toward others. In this way, the work becomes a testament to collective strength and the role of memory in shaping a more just present.
The awardee was born in Madrid and later joined the Institute of Natural Sciences, where a long academic trajectory began in 1973. She moved to Galicia, where she taught Biology at both secondary education levels and the University of Santiago de Compostela. Her professional life has revolved around writing and teaching, including the Didactics of Science at the University of Santiago, reflecting a commitment to both literary and scientific education.
She was a regular contributor to literary magazines and to the literary pages of regional outlets such as La Voz de Galicia and El Correo Gallego, reinforcing her presence in contemporary Galician letters and journalism. Her earliest forays into literature were in children’s fiction, earning recognition as a finalist for a major prize in the late 1980s. In adult fiction, works such as Chaos Theory and As malas mulleres have earned notable prizes, with the latter receiving an additional notable award in 2020. A poetry collection, Mudanzas, won a regional poetry prize in the mid-2000s, and in 2017 she was inducted into the Royal Galician Academy, underscoring her prominent role in Galician-language literature.
The jury was chaired by a high-ranking official responsible for Books and Reading Promotion and included esteemed figures from major linguistic and literary institutions. Members represented the Royal Spanish Academy, the Royal Academy of Galicia, the Royal Academy of Basque Language, as well as academic and critical bodies across Spain and Catalonia. The diverse panel reflected a broad consensus on the work’s significance and its cross-regional appeal, with contributions from university associations and national literary groups. The presence of a wide network of cultural authorities helped situate the prize within a larger conversation about narrative history, gender studies, and contemporary literature. The ceremony also involved engagement from the broader cultural and academic communities, illustrating the award’s role in fostering dialogue about memory, gender, and social change. For attribution: sources from the Ministry of Culture and Sports provide contextual details about the prize and its proceedings.