Cosmic, hellish or human? Monsters as a symbol and as a reality
Monsters are among the most prevalent figures in fantasy literature throughout history. In recent times, though, classic monsters have been replaced by other manifestations of monstrosity, though they have never entirely disappeared. Javier Fernández Mata, for example, chooses a dog from hell – inherited from Joan Perucho – as the monster character in his début L’últim dip (Spècula), while Pedro Berruezo favours vampires and Lovecraftian forces in Luz negra (Minotauro). Rubén Sánchez Trigos’s Vuelve a mí (Grijalbo) and Arantxa Rochet’s Carne de arena (Eolas, 2024) get darker, approaching monstrosity through a more intimate, human perspective, sometimes even social or poetic. Through these different manifestations, authors invite the reader to reflect on what a monster really is, at what point something or someone becomes a monster, and how one can fight a monster. Because wherever there is a monster, there is a fight, often a metaphor for an internal struggle. The four writers will discuss these themes with author Maria Pealva as moderator.
