Paladas de sombra contra la oscuridad

(Spadesful of Shadow to Ward off the Darkness) A fascinating, poetic and moving work, written with great wit, crammed with metaphors and amusing wordplay.

The author trains his truthful gaze on characters whose pulse is set racing more by art than by money. Villazón is no stranger to the world of artists and of those who transform their lives into art, describing their highs and lows with pinpoint precision. In his latest offering, his characters are artists of life who wax philosophical, paint, make up games, practice origami and work backstage at the opera. The limelight may be elsewhere, but their dreams are lofty. They are led by the inventor of games Palíndromo, dispatched by the mute Golondrina to head off in search of a highly personal treasure, along the way learning a little more about the mysterious woman, himself and life in general.