Contemporary Spanish Novel: Post-Franco Literary Trends
The Spanish Novel: From 1975 to the Present Day
The atmosphere of freedom that emerged in Spanish culture after the death of General Franco significantly enhanced the understanding of Spanish literature across Europe and within Spain’s Western literary landscape. This period was marked by the disappearance of censorship, the recovery of works by exiled writers, and a deeper appreciation for narrative forms from other countries.
Below, we briefly outline the main trends in the Spanish novel from 1975 to today, along with some of the most significant authors and titles:
Key Trends in Contemporary Spanish Fiction
Metanovel
This trend involves a symbiosis between narrative history and the process of its own construction. It is characteristic of novelists such as Juan Goytisolo and his brother Luis, José María Merino, and Juan José Millás.
Lyricism
The lyrical or poetic novel focuses on suggestion rather than concrete detail, featuring character-symbols and a strong tendency towards poetic language. It is a preferred modality for authors like Francisco Umbral and Julio Llamazares.
The Historical Novel
These novels are set in the past, ranging from distant eras to more recent events like the Spanish Civil War, the Franco dictatorship, and the political transition.
Thriller
This genre blends police schemes with political and historical aspects. Manuel Vázquez Montalbán is a highly representative writer, alongside Eduardo Mendoza and Antonio Muñoz Molina.
Realistic Approach
Some authors have revived the art of fiction from a much broader and more open perspective, incorporating elements of the dream world, the irrational, and the absurd. Notable authors include Luis Mateo Díez and Luis Landero.
Culturalist Novel
This type of novel analyzes and explains various aspects of Western culture from a highly scholarly position. Juan Manuel de Prada is a key author in this field.
Urban Youth Fiction
These novels explore the problems of urban youth, often with an aesthetic closely aligned with counterculture.
Defining Characteristics of the Spanish Novel (Last 30 Years)
Two significant aspects define the Spanish novel of the last three decades:
- The Unifying Character: It embraces virtually all trends, patterns, discourses, themes, experiences, and personal concerns.
- Individuality: Each novelist finds the most appropriate orientation to develop a unique style for expressing their personal world and particular vision of reality.
It is also important to note that women are becoming increasingly prominent in the field of narrative. Key authors include Ana María Matute, Rosa Montero, Josefina Aldecoa, Almudena Grandes, Dulce Chacón, and Maruja Torres.
Postmodernism, Eclecticism, and the Publishing Market
In summary, writers are increasingly exploring popular subgenres, moving away from the strict ideological systems of the social novel. Thus, two very prominent features in the contemporary Spanish novel are postmodernism and eclecticism.
The book has become an object of consumption, and publishers now not only cater to readers but also actively create them. This is evident in the abundance of advertising, the proliferation of literary prizes, best-seller lists, literary supplements in newspapers, book fairs, book signings in stores, and the entry of prominent journalists, politicians, or television presenters into the world of fiction.
Publishers also saw the children’s and youth market develop remarkably from the 1980s onwards.