Spanish author David Uclés expresses happiness after winning the Nadal Prize, despite the hate he received on social media regarding his novel about the Spanish Civil War.
Spanish writer David Uclés, who recently won the prestigious Nadal Prize for his novel "La península de las casas vacías," shares that his joy stems not from the accolade but from distancing himself from social media. Overwhelmed by insults and threats on X (formerly Twitter) from individuals who had not read his novel but were aware it tackled the sensitive subject of the Spanish Civil War, Uclés ultimately chose to shut down his profile to escape the negativity.
Uclés’s book, which took him fifteen years of research to complete, explores the turmoil of the 1936 civil war through the lives of a family, using magical realism as a narrative device. This blend of genres is relatively unique within Spanish literature, allowing Uclés to incorporate elements like prophecies and fantastic occurrences, such as drastic physical transformations, to articulate the profound impact of historical trauma on personal and collective levels.
The challenges faced by Uclés highlight the contemporary landscape of discourse where creators can become targets for backlash, especially concerning politically charged subjects like the Spanish Civil War. His story raises questions about the effects of social media on artistic expression and whether it stifles diverse narratives in literature, especially those revisiting painful historical events.
