Sombras de Barcelona (Shadows of Barcelona)#
Sombras de Barcelona is a novel written in A2 Spanish level intended for people new to the language help improve their Spanish in fun and engaging way.
- Genre: Noir / Detective Fiction / Historical Fiction
- Level: Spanish A2 (Pre-Intermediate)
- Setting: Barcelona, November 1975 (The month dictator Francisco Franco died).
Structure of the Novel (Estructura de la Novela)#
Start Reading (Part 1, Chapter 1)
Introduction for the Reader (Introducción)#
This book is written for Spanish learners who want something different. The grammar is restricted to A2 (Pre-Intermediate), but the themes are adult. The sentences are short, direct, and punchy. It is a story about a sad man in a dirty city, waiting for the world to change.
Grammar Focus:#
- Presente (I drink, I see)
- Pretérito Perfecto (I have seen)
- Indefinido (I saw - specific past actions)
- Imperfecto (It was raining, I used to go - descriptions and background)
- Estar + Gerundio (I am drinking - actions in progress)
Character List (Personajes)#
Héctor Beltrán#
45 years old. Ex-police officer thrown out of the force. He drinks cheap red wine and smokes black tobacco. He lives in a damp, small apartment in El Raval (Barrio Chino). He hates politics, authority, and mornings. He likes cats because they are independent.
Lucía Boix#
A rich woman from the Sarrià neighborhood (the upper district). Elegant, cold, but terrified. She wears pearls and smells of fear. She has a secret that could destroy her family.
El Gato#
An American jazz musician at the Jamboree club. He plays the trumpet. He knows the secrets of the night. He speaks Spanish with a heavy accent.
Inspector Morales#
A corrupt police officer. He is fat, violent, and wears expensive suits paid for with bribes. He is Héctor’s worst enemy.
Carmen#
A waitress at the bar Marsella. She has seen everything. She is the only person Héctor trusts. She serves him absinthe without asking.
Solange#
A mysterious French girl. She reads philosophy and wants a revolution.
Historical Backdrop (Contexto Histórico)#
The year is 1975. It is November. The dictator Francisco Franco is in a hospital bed. He is dying slowly. The whole country is holding its breath. The police (Los Grises ) are aggressive and nervous. In Barcelona, the air is heavy. Students protest in the university. Writers and artists (the Gauche Divine) drink in the bars of the Gothic Quarter. It is a time of shadows, fear, and a little bit of hope.
Historical and Geographical Realism (Realismo Histórico y Geográfico)#
The novel is grounded in real historical and geographical research of 1970s Barcelona, allowing readers to learn about Spanish culture and history as they read:
Geographical Realism: Almost all locations in the book are real. Héctor’s apartment is in El Raval (the historic Barrio Chino), and his story takes him through real places like Plaça Reial, Calle Petritxol, Poble Sec, and the wealthy Sarrià neighborhood. Iconic landmarks like Bar Marsella (Barcelona’s oldest bar, famous for absinthe since 1820) and the legendary Jamboree jazz club serve as atmospheric backdrops.
Historical Realism: Set in November 1975 on the eve of the death of dictator Francisco Franco. The book realistically depicts the tension of the Spanish Transition, the crackdowns by the Policía Armada (known as “Los Grises” due to their grey uniforms), the student protests at the University of Barcelona, and the notorious political police headquarters on Via Laietana.
Contributing (Contribuyendo)#
Bulk of the content is written by GenAI: Google Gemini Thinking 3 Pro. However, it is hosted on Github and improvement through pull requests are welcome.