Review: The strange thing is to live by Carmen Martín Gaite

Review of the book “The strange thing is to live” by Carmen Martín Gaite.

«Lo raro es vivir» is a novel by the Spanish writer Carmen Martín Gaite, published in 1996. The novel tells the story of Marina, a young woman who has lost her mother and who feels adrift in her life. Marina feels disconnected from the world around her, as if she does not fit in, and is looking for her place in the world.

In this post I would like to talk about a novel that has had a profound impact on me: Lo raro es vivir, by Carmen Martín Gaite. It is a work published in 1996, when the author had already suffered the loss of her daughter and her husband, and which reflects her ability to transcend pain and loneliness with a lucid and curious look at life.

The protagonist and narrator is Isabel, a 35-year-old woman who has just lost her mother and is dedicated to researching the figure of an 18th-century adventurer, the Count of Montenegro, whose memoirs she has found in the archives of the National Library. Isabel lives with an architect named Daniel, with whom she has an ambiguous and distant relationship, and feels disconnected from her own family and personal history. Through her memories, we learn about her childhood, marked by the absence of her father, who died when she was little; her adolescence, in which she took refuge in rock and stormy loves; and her maturity, in which she faces existential emptiness and the search for meaning.

The novel is an inner journey through Isabel’s emotions and thoughts, which are intertwined with those of the Count of Montenegro, a fascinating and contradictory character who lived outside of social conventions and invented a life full of adventures and lies. Isabel identifies with him and admires him, but she also questions and criticizes him. At the same time, she discovers unknown aspects of her mother, her grandmother and herself, which help her to better understand her past and accept her present.

The Strange Thing is to Live is a masterful novel, written in agile and elegant prose that combines humor with melancholy, realism with absurdity, irony with tenderness. Carmen Martín Gaite offers us a profound reflection on the meaning of life, love, death, lies and truth. She shows us that the strange thing is to live, but also that living is the only thing we have.

The novel is set in Madrid in the 1950s, a time of change and transformation in Spain. Martín Gaite describes in great detail the city of Madrid and its streets, as well as the daily life of the time. Through Marina’s eyes, the author shows us life in the city, human relationships and the way people relate to each other.

One of the highlights of the novel is the way Martín Gaite portrays the complexity of the characters. Marina is a very well developed, complex and realistic character. Her struggle to find her place in the world is palpable and moving. In addition, the secondary characters are also very interesting, each with their own struggles and dilemmas.

The novel is also a reflection on life, death and human existence. Through Marina, the author questions the way we live our lives and makes us reflect on the meaning of existence. The central idea of ​​the novel is that life is strange, and that happiness can be found in the most unexpected moments.

Martín Gaite’s prose is poetic and emotional. The author writes beautifully and elegantly, but at the same time, her style is accessible and easy to read. The novel is full of metaphors and beautiful descriptions, which makes it a very attractive literary work.

In short, “Lo raro es vivir” is a moving and profound novel that portrays the complexity of human existence. The work is full of interesting characters and an exciting plot. Martín Gaite’s poetic prose makes the novel an enjoyable and enriching read. This is a must-read for any lover of Spanish literature.