One Love
One Love is a contemporary drama written by the Spanish philologist, journalist and author Sara Mesa. The work was published on September 2, 2020 by the publisher Anagrama. After its release, it has received mixed reviews from both critics and readers, obtaining average ratings of 3.57 and 3.9 stars on Goodreads and Amazon, respectively.
The negative criticisms—which have planted themselves like barnacles in the minds of many other readers—are related to the way Nat, the protagonist, acts, thinks, and feels. Although One Love It is titled one of the feelings most associated with happiness, The novel portrays some of the darkest recesses of human beings: hysteria, guilt, fear and misery..
Synopsis of A Love, by Sara Mesa
The least bucolic place in Spain
This is not the first time that Sara Mesa has demonstrated her great ability to portray complex situations while exploring the nuances of human relationships. On this occasion, the author focuses on feelings of discomfort and the blurred boundaries between the public and the private. Un love It is set in a fictional town called La Escapa, which, despite being in the countryside, is as arid as the desert.
This oxymoron is not a coincidence—nothing in the novel is, as is often the case throughout Mesa's work. Nat, a translator looking for a change in her life, moves to this strange town.However, her need for human contact and her bombastic personality lead her to encounter a series of tensions that push her to the limits of her mental health.
A love that becomes disturbing
After arriving at La Escapa, Nat moves into a secluded rental house. As she settles in, she discovers that many areas of the property are damaged. Still, decides to focus on finding a job and mentally distance himself from the hustle and bustle of the city. However, the tranquility of her new life becomes an emotional challenge when she begins to interact with the town's locals.
From the beginning, The protagonist feels a barrier between her and her neighbors, who seem hostile or, at least, enigmatic.The landlord of the rental house, the hostile Andreas, and other characters such as Peter and Roberta, do not seem interested in making Nat feel welcome. As a result, she becomes more aware of the state of her house and is deeply disturbed by it.
Poorly conditioned and with several structural problems, The space in which Nat lives seems to physically manifest the tension he is experiencing.Despite her attempts to adapt, her relationship with Andreas deteriorates more and more. Over time, it becomes a kind of subtle confrontation that permeates her daily life.
Desire, isolation and personal limits
One Love It contains at its core several essential themes, but perhaps the greatest of all is isolation. Mesa accurately describes how Nat, even surrounded by people, lives in a kind of chronic loneliness., where communication barriers are constantly rising. As relations with her neighbors become more strained, Nat's mind spirals out of control.
So Nat is faced with a series of internal conflicts, especially regarding her own emotions and desire. In this work, the “love” in the title does not allude to romance. On the contrary: explores a longing for connection and recognition that becomes ambiguous and dangerousIn this sense, ambiguity is one of the strongest points in the novel's narrative.
Relationships that oscillate between attraction and rejection
One Love paints an emotional map that is difficult to access. At the moment when the protagonist seems to have found some stability in the company of one of the characters, he moves away because of her intensity. As a result, Nat becomes even more erratic than before, behaving like someone who doesn't know the limits. that safeguard individual integrity.
The novel avoids giving easy answers or clear resolutions, and that is one of its greatest achievements.There are no “good” or “bad” characters in the traditional sense, but rather people with their own shadows and traumas. Nat’s relationship with her environment is not something that can be classified in simple terms; it is complex and, in many ways, unsolvable.
Mesa opts for a sober and direct style, where each word seems carefully chosen to convey a specific feeling. This concise style is characteristic of the author and one of the elements that stand out most in her work. One Love. Instead of overwhelming with descriptions or reflections, Mesa allows actions, glances and silences to tell the story.
About the author
Sara Mesa was born in 1976, in Madrid, Spain. He studied Journalism and Hispanic Philology. His career is primarily known for short story books such as The sobriety of the tortoise (2008) It's not easy being green (2009) and Bad handwriting (2016), in addition to the novels The brain trepanner (2010) and An invisible fire (2011), works for which he has won several awards.
your title One Love It was considered the best novel of the year by El País, The Cultural y La Vanguardia. Some of the main themes that he usually addresses in his narrative are the abuse of power, the search for freedom and conflictive relationships. His literary style also stands out for its ability to create terrifying atmospheres that, nevertheless, do not detach themselves from reality.
Other books by Sara Mesa
Narrative
- An invisible fire (2011);
- Four by four (2012);
- Scar (2015);
- Bread face (2018);
- Country Dog (2021);
- The (2022)
poems
- This goldfinch schedules (2007)
Test
- Administrative silence. Poverty in the bureaucratic labyrinth (2019)
Awards given to Sara Mesa
- National Poetry Award "Miguel Hernández Cultural Foundation", for the collection of poems This goldfinch schedules (2007);
- XI Edition of Illustrated Stories of the Provincial Council of Badajoz, for the illustrated story book The sobriety of the tortoise (2008);
- Málaga Novel Prize, for the work An invisible fire (2011);
- Critical Eye Award for Narrative, for Scar (2015);
- Las Librerías Recomiendan Award, in the fiction category, for the novel One Love (2021);
- Calamo Award, Extraordinary category, for The (2023)