Discontent A Novel
Discontent A Novel by Beatriz Serrano, published by Random House on September 2, 2025, is a darkly humorous exploration of corporate life through the eyes of Marisa, a young woman grappling with existential dread. Set against the backdrop of her seemingly enviable life in Madrid, the narrative delves into her struggles with the banality of her job at an advertising agency, where she finds solace in isolation and escapism. As Marisa navigates her chaotic existence, the story unfolds with a blend of comedy and tragedy, highlighting the absurdities of office culture.
Readers will find a vivid portrayal of Marisa’s internal conflicts as she faces the pressures of a company retreat that threatens to expose her carefully constructed facade. The novel captures the tension between her outward success and inner turmoil, revealing the dark humor in her attempts to cope with a life filled with small humiliations and corporate absurdities. With elements of satire and dark humor, this 192-page edition invites readers to reflect on the complexities of modern work life and the lengths one might go to escape it.
Official synopsis Publisher
From a dazzling new international voice, an audacious, darkly funny novel about a young woman whose carefully crafted office persona threatens to crack when she’s forced to attend her company’s annual retreat
“A wry work of spectacular wit. . . . Beatriz Serrano writes with a caustic flare for detail, exploring the small humiliations of the everyday corporate office with charm and utter hilarity. Absolutely brilliant.” —Danya Kukafka, author of Notes on an Execution
On the surface, Marisa’s life looks enviable. She lives in a beautiful apartment in the center of Madrid, she has a hot neighbor who is always around to sleep with her, and she’s quickly risen through the ranks at a successful advertising agency. And yet she’s drowning in a dark hole of existential dread induced by the banality of corporate life. Marisa hates her job and everyone at it. She spends her working hours locked in her office hiding from her coworkers, bingeing YouTube videos, and getting high on tranquilizers. When she has the time, she escapes to her favorite museum where she contemplates the meaning of life while staring at Hieronymus Bosch paintings, or trying to get hit by a car so she can go on disability.
But Marisa’s dubious success, which is largely built on lies and work she’s stolen from other people, is in danger of being exposed when she’s forced to go on her company’s team-building retreat. Isolated in the Segovia forests, haunted by the deeply buried memory of a former coworker, and surrounded by psychopathic bosses, overzealous coworkers, flirty retreat staff, and an excess of drugs, Marisa finds herself acting on her wildest impulses and is pushed to the brink of a complete spiral.
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