6 Memorable Books by Marcela Serrano
Marcela Serrano is a Chilean author from Santiago who writes novels that delve into concerns, problems, and aspirations of Hispanic-American women in the 20th century. Although many see her as a feminist, her work isn’t about ideology so much as about being a woman trying to survive in a male-driven world.
She addresses real-life scenarios where main characters face the sadness of loneliness after achieving independence. Her work has been translated into German, French, Greek, Portuguese, and Spanish. She tapped into the detective genre novel where women are the protagonists. Many have compared Marcela Serrano to Louisa May Alcott since the Chilean writer loves to develop fascinating and complex stories about women. Read on to find out more about this memorable author.
Benefits of Reading in Spanish
Reading is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the Hispanic culture. It gives you a glimpse into the world through the author’s lens and helps you expand your vocabulary and apply your skills in a practical way. The more you practice reading in Spanish, the better your comprehension and fluency become.
Reading aloud in Spanish is a great way to listen to your pronunciation and self-correct. It’s a practical and accessible tool. Reading not only allows you to expand your knowledge but also helps you learn new words, phrases, and grammatical structures.
By reading in Spanish, without even realizing it, you will start to understand more Spanish words and increase your familiarity with Spanish vocabulary.
See also: Our Favorite Spanish Reading Lists for Language Students
6 Amazing Books by Marcela Serrano
I’ve compiled a list of Marcela Serrano’s best books to help you immerse yourself in Spanish literature and be incredibly entertained in the process. Enjoy!
1. We Love Each Other So Much (Nosotras que nos queremos tanto)
In Nosotras que nos queremos tanto, Marcela Serrano tells the story of four women who meet at a lakehouse where they openly talk about their beliefs and lives. As the book progresses, we learn about these four women and their families. The conversations also address issues such as politics and society.
In this book, Marcela Serrano shares her point of view on politics that have nothing to do with gender. The women in the book realize that speaking up about world issues and how they feel about them is their only road to liberation. It’s an incredible portrayal of four women that want better lives for themselves and their families.
2. Something to Remember me by (Para que no me olvides)
Blanca is a young housewife who suffers from a rare mental health disease called aphasia. This illness doesn’t allow her to articulate language—meaning she can’t read or talk, but she can perfectly understand what is happening around her. This book follows Blanca and her existential crisis. Readers take a journey with her as she revisits her past.
She found stability in her marriage and felt like there wasn’t room for growth or surprises. But she feels an unexpected attraction that makes her question her beliefs and is faced with more than she thought she would.
Para que no me olvides received acknowledgment for its story about transgressions from Chilean repression and forgiveness.
3. My Life Before (Antigua vida mía)
Antigua vida mía is Marcela Serrano’s third novel. It’s a story about a friendship between Violeta Dasinski, an architect, and Josefa Ferrer, a famous folk singer. Josefa reads Violeta’s diary and learns about her intimate life. This makes her reflect upon her estrangement from her kids and husband.
It’s an intense and powerful story that covers political topics as well as in-depth insights into women’s psyches. It is a delicate portrait of an enduring relationship fortified by honesty, commitment, love, and mutual appreciation. It’s a book about an unbreakable bond between two best friends and what that means.
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4. Ten Women (Diez mujeres)
- Paperback in Spanish
- Kindle in Spanish
- Audiobook in Spanish
- Paperback in English
- Kindle in English
- Audiobook in English
In this book by Marcela Serrano, nine diverse women share their stories. Natasha is a therapist who decides to bring all these women together. She knows how different their lives and backgrounds are, and that’s precisely why she wants them to meet and discuss. No matter their origin, age, social status, or point of view, they all feel loneliness, fear, insecurities, and desire in similar ways.
Natasha guides these wives, girlfriends, mothers, and daughters to understand how they can reinvent and improve their lives. It’s a revealing look at human relationships in today’s world.
5. The Ninth (La Novena)
Marcela Serrano’s work conveys that her life was marked by deep wounds and exiles because she lived through Pinochet’s dictatorship in Chile.
This book follows Miguel Flores who, as a result of an unexpected accident, is arrested in a protest against Pinochet’s dictatorship. After several days in jail, he is sent to an agricultural site close to Santiago, Chile where he is completely isolated from politics.
He passes his days in solitude, and the locals don’t like his presence, except for Amelia. Amelia is a middle-aged woman who owns La Novena (the ninth) farm. She’s the only one who welcomes Miguel and opens the doors of home to him. A farm was the kind of lifestyle that Miguel detested. But his feelings shift when he gets to know Amelia and her lifestyle.
6. So Long, Little Women (Hasta siempre, mujercitas)
Hasta siempre, mujercitas is Marcela Serrano’s take on Louise M. Alcott’s classic, Little Women. Marcela’s unique version is set in Chile.
The women in this book are cousins, not sisters. Amy is Lola: good looking, selfish, and ambitious. Beth is Luz: the sweet and solitary one of the cousins. She is dead, so she appears as a spirit in the book. Meg is Nieves and Jo is Ada as the rebellious one.
They all meet to reminisce on their childhood and get to know themselves and their cousins in a deeper way. It is a lovely tribute with a twist you’ll love!
Marcela Serrano Quotes
Here are some Marcela Serrano quotes for you to enjoy!
“Value yourself. Without internal resources, you have nothing.”
“I felt like the most despicable woman in the world for allowing my mother to be a vagabond and not lifting a finger to rescue her. Other nights I cried from rage, from pure hatred, and I couldn’t rid myself of it. Hatred is like blood, it’s impossible to conceal and it stains everything.”
“Women among women know how not to feel alone.”
“Everyone suffers, who doesn’t, for God’s sake? So there should be some kind of manual explaining how the hell to bring back happiness in spite of your troubles.”
“If you make up with order, you become a stone.”
What’s Your Favorite Book?
Reading any of these incredible books by Marcela Serrano will inspire you to immerse yourself in the Hispanic world. Spanish is a romantic and complex language to learn. There’s nothing more effective than reading to understand grammar structure. Marcela has a proficient use of Spanish, and her talent is just what you need to become a better reader.
Spanish continues to grow and continues to be spoken in and out of the U.S. According to a study conducted by The Economist, a person can earn anywhere from $50,000 to $125,000 extra just by knowing a foreign language alone.
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