Review: Toni Sala’s boys

Review of the book “The Boys” by Toni Sala.

“The Boys” by Toni Sala is a novel that presents a raw and realistic vision of adolescence in the 21st century, as well as life in a small Catalan town. Published in 2016, the novel follows a group of young people who move between puberty and adulthood, facing issues of identity, love, sex and friendship, while experimenting with drugs, alcohol and the pursuit of fun.

The novel’s narrative is raw, direct, and energetic, and Sala’s prose is powerful and evocative. The novel is written from the perspective of different characters, which gives depth and complexity to the story. Through the eyes of each of the characters, we see life from different perspectives, exploring the fears, doubts and emotions that are part of adolescence.

In “The Boys”, Sala presents us with a realistic and stark image of the lives of adolescents, far from the idealized and romantic image that is often represented in literature and the media. The novel focuses on a group of young people who have fun and spend time in the town square, experimenting with drugs and alcohol, and exploring their sexuality. But as the story progresses, the novel delves into deeper and more complex themes, such as existential emptiness, loneliness, and the desire to belong to something.

Throughout the novel, Sala also addresses important issues such as corruption, social oppression, and inequality, and raises important questions about today’s society and its impact on young people. The novel shows how a lack of opportunity and a lack of a sense of community can lead to alienation and the search for an identity in an increasingly chaotic world.

Ultimately, “The Boys” is a powerful and moving novel that is a must-read for those seeking a realistic and raw view of teenage life and today’s society. The novel is an honest and emotional portrait of adolescence, and is written with a passion and empathy that make it unforgettable. If you are looking for a novel that makes you reflect on life and current society, “The Boys” by Toni Sala is a read that will not disappoint you.

What happens when death takes two young brothers in a car accident and leaves a void in a town in Catalonia? How does this tragedy affect the lives of other characters who come across them? What is the point of living in a society that marginalizes and ignores them?

These are some of the questions posed by the writer Toni Sala in his novel “The Boys”, originally published in Catalan as “Els nois” and translated into Spanish by Carlos Mayor. It is a ruthless, dark and raw work, which leaves no room for hope or kindness, but rather shows a reality broken and rotten by the economic and moral crisis.

The novel is structured in four parts, each one dedicated to a different character: the banker, the truck driver, the girl and the artist. Each of them has their own voice and their own way of facing death and the emptiness that surrounds them. The banker lives trapped in his routine and his ambition; The truck driver is addicted to sex and dreams of blowing everything up one day; The girl is the girlfriend of the deceased older brother and tries to put her broken life back together; The artist is a loner who returns to the town defeated by the city.

Through these characters, Toni Sala offers us a devastating portrait of a lost generation, which does not find its place or its future in a hostile and indifferent world. Death is the epicenter of the story, but also the amulet that all of them hide to escape or resist.

“The Boys” is a novel that does not leave the reader indifferent, that challenges and shakes them with its narrative force and direct language. It is a brave and honest work, which reflects without hesitation or concessions the reality of our time.