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El cuento de sirena

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El narrador de esta historia, que se corresponde con el autor, Gonzalo Torrente Ballester, utiliza una serie de datos y personas reales, como su primera esposa, Josefina Malvido y sus primos de Vilaxoán -él escribe Vilaxuán-, en un tiempo y lugares muy concretos, articulando un relato qu e oscila entre lo real y lo fantástico, sin salirse nunca del cauce de lo verosímil, indispensable para el interés de lo narrado. El narrador parte de la leyenda que recoge en su Nobiliario el conde de Barcelos para contarnos una versión actualizada de la leyenda de los Mariño. La Sirena no ha olvidado el compromiso de la satisfacción del tributo que esta familia tiene históricamente adquirido con ella. Y sigue dispuesta a reclamarlo, o al menos eso piensan todos. Escrito por Torrente en 1978, El cuento de Sirena es una pequeña joya literaria que no desdice de ninguna de las grandes novelas de su autor.

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

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About the author

Gonzalo Torrente Ballester

113 books87 followers
Although primarily a novelist, he also published journalism, essays, and plays. His career as a writer began in Oviedo, but developed largely in Madrid.

After moving around frequently in the later 1920s and early 1930s, including a period in Paris, he returned to Spain and linked himself to Franco's Falange party in order to save his own life and that of his family. His first novel, Javier Mariño, appeared in 1943, and he continued to publish novels almost until his death, receiving major prizes for some of them.

Despite his affiliation to the Falangists, Torrente Ballester always promoted relatively leftist ideas, and from 1939, when he returned to Santiago to take up a university post, he increasingly distanced himself from the party. He joined in protests in favour of striking Asturian miners in 1962, and was expelled from his teaching post at the university as a result. In the mid-1960s he had a number of problems with government censors.

He left Spain for a post at the State University of New York at Albany in 1966, and remained there until 1970. After his return to Spain, he was increasingly celebrated: In 1975 he was elected member of the Real Academia Española, and was awarded the premier Spanish literary prize, the Cervantes Prize, in 1985.

Immediately after his death a foundation was set up to protect, study and disseminate his work. The name of this foundation is Fundación Gonzalo Torrente Ballester and counts among its supporters the Royal House of Spain.

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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Profile Image for Abel Giménez.
81 reviews4 followers
January 11, 2025
Este cuento no se parece a ningún otro que haya leído.

El autor se adentra en el mito y, en lugar de contarnos la historia, nos relata su intención de escribirla. Cuando queremos darnos cuenta, las páginas se acaban y la tragedia queda consumada.

Me recordó al realismo mágico, fantástico y verosímil.
Profile Image for Alberto.
98 reviews
April 30, 2024
Una historia cuanto menos interesante, jugando entre la linea de lo espiritual, místico y nuestra parte más racional como personas, y al final de tanto pensar y creernos las historias y nuestros propios pensamientos los acabamos creyendo.

El estilo algo distinto a lo que estoy acostumbrado pero no es nada a lo que no se le pueda afrontar.

Lo recomiendo.
Profile Image for Lia.
41 reviews
September 18, 2024
Initially, it seemed to me that it would be an easy-to-read story that I would like. But, the more I read, the story became more uninteresting, ending up taking much longer to read than I expected.
Profile Image for Cocodras.
551 reviews9 followers
December 20, 2014
El cuento de Sirena es una fábula fantástica, pero ¿será fábula o será realidad?

La historia me ha gustado (por eso las tres estrellas), el estilo no tanto. Y creo que es una de esas narraciones a la que el gallego le vendría como un guante.
Profile Image for Déborah F. Muñoz.
Author 48 books59 followers
November 6, 2015
Es demasiado corto y me ha dicho tan poco que ni siquiera me molesto en hacerle reseña para el blog. Me han sobrado casi todas las páginas y el resto se veían venir. Una narración exquisita, sí, pero sin nada interesante detrás que me mantuviera pegada a las páginas.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews

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