Review: Claudio, Mira by Alfons Cervera

Review of the book «Claudio, mira» by Alfons Cervera.

“Claudio, Mira” is a novel by Spanish writer Alfons Cervera published in 2013. The story takes place in Spain in the 1980s and follows Claudio, a young man in his twenties who has just been released from prison after serving a sentence. for theft. As he attempts to rebuild his life, he becomes involved in a series of situations that test his resolve and his ability to overcome his past.

Claudio, mira, by Alfons Cervera is a novel that tells the story of a young man who lives in exile after the Spanish civil war. The protagonist, Claudio, is forced to leave his country and his family to escape Franco’s repression and seek a new life in France. There he faces the difficulties of adaptation, uprooting and nostalgia, but also love and hope.

The novel is structured in two parts: the first, set in 1939, tells of Claudio’s journey from Valencia to Paris, passing through the Portbou border and the Argelès-sur-Mer refugee camp. The second, set in 1944, tells of Claudio’s return to Spain as a member of the anti-fascist resistance, along with his partner Mira and other fellow fighters.

Alfons Cervera is a Valencian writer who has dedicated much of his work to recovering the historical memory of those defeated in the civil war and Franco’s regime. His style is characterized by poetic prose, loaded with images and sensations, which seeks to convey the emotion and pain of his characters. Claudio, mira is a novel that combines fiction with testimony, adventure with drama, and that shows us the reality of a generation that suffered exile and resistance as a way of life.

One of the great strengths of the novel is its ability to convey the atmosphere of the time. Cervera writes very vividly about Spain in the 1980s, with its economic and political crises, its social inequality and its sense of hopelessness. Through Claudio’s story, the author shows us how the social and political reality of the time affected the most vulnerable people in society.

Another strong point of the novel is its main character. Claudio is a complex character, with a contradictory personality that makes him both sympathize and repel the reader. On the one hand, his determination and courage to face his problems are admirable. On the other hand, his propensity for violence and his tendency to fall into deception and manipulation are concerning. In general, Claudio is a character that awakens mixed emotions in the reader, which makes him more human and realistic.

The novel also makes use of interesting narrative techniques, such as alternating perspectives between Claudio and other characters, allowing the reader to see the story from different angles and better understand the characters’ motivations and thoughts.

However, the novel also has some weaknesses. At times, the plot seems a little forced and unrealistic, and some of the supporting characters come across as stereotypes. Furthermore, the novel has a narrative style that may be difficult for some readers to follow, as it mixes different tenses and uses colloquial and sometimes vulgar language.

In summary, “Claudio, mira” is an interesting and emotional novel that realistically portrays Spain in the 80s and the lives of the most vulnerable people at that time. The novel has a complex and realistic main character, and makes use of interesting narrative techniques. Although it has some weaknesses in its plot and narrative style, it is a recommended work for those interested in contemporary Spanish literature and the exploration of current social and political issues.