A Heart So White
A Heart So White by Javier Marias, published by HarperCollins in 1995, is a thought-provoking exploration of familial relationships and hidden truths. This edition, a second printing, spans 278 pages and is presented in English. The narrative centers on Juan, who knows little about his widowed father, Ranz, and the troubled past that shapes their relationship. As Juan navigates his own marriage to Luisa, the unspoken dialogue between father and son gradually reveals unsettling truths about their lives and the complexities of love and betrayal.
Readers will find a nuanced depiction of two generations and the intricate dynamics of marriage. The story unfolds through Juan’s experiences and observations, including encounters that echo his father’s past. Marias skillfully weaves together themes of secrecy and the burdens carried within familial bonds, creating a layered narrative that invites reflection on the nature of relationships. This edition offers a rich literary experience for those interested in contemporary fiction set against the backdrop of Spain and continental Europe.
Official synopsis Publisher
Juan knows little about his widowed father Ranz, a man with a troubled past; if he has been told no lies, that is because he has asked no questions. All he does know is that before marrying Juan’s mother Ranz was married to her elder sister and she had committed suicide. The unspoken dialogue between father and son, however, is to become a spelling out of the horrifying truth once Juan has been married for a year to Luisa, and the bride turns discreet confessor to the burdened old man. What gradually emerges into the cold light of day is a repetition of scenes already witnessed by Juan in the course of his travels – of a married man blackmailed by his mistress in a Havana hotel, of a woman in New York pursuing a sequence of shabby lovers through the lonely-hearts columns. With remarkable skill and delicacy Javier Marias builds up his colours to produce a startling picture of two generations, two marriages, and of the secret commerce between spouses that rests on the gossamer-thin threads of an unspoken accord.
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