This post is bilingual, scroll down to find the English language version
RBA Libros, 2011. Publicado originalmente por Saymon Ediciones, 2009. P. 224. ISBN: 978-84-9867-894-9.
La acción se desarrolla en la actualidad, en un barrio obrero de Barcelona, pero podría haber ocurrido igualmente en cualquier otra megalópolis. Una mañana temprano Epi Dalmau y Tanveer Hussein acaban de entrar en el bar de Salva ‘después de una noche muy complicada’. Alex, el hermano de Epi, esta sentado en una de las mesas del fondo. Epi lleva una bolsa de deporte y se dirige directamente al servicio. Alex había oído que su hermano pequeño y el marroquí volvían a andar juntos. Un paquistaní entra en escena. Desde la barra Salva le advierte que sin consumición no puede utilizar el meadero. El tipo no entiende o no quiere entender. Epi apenas sale del lavabo cuando el paquistaní se apresura a entrar. De repente todo se precipita. Epi golpea a Tanveer con un martillo que llevaba en la bolsa de deporte. Su plan era darle un golpe limpio en la cabeza, sólo uno, para que Tanveer no supiera nunca quién o qué le había matado. Pero no ha podido ser y ya no puede parar. Tanveer yace muerto en el suelo. Epi cruza una mirada con su hermano por primera vez. Ninguno de los dos logra articular palabra. Epi se va cuando el paquistaní abre la puerta del lavabo. Desconcertado, sale corriendo también. Salva y Alex no tienen prisa por llamar a nadie. Ambos comprenden, sin mediar palabra, que le pueden endosar el crimen al pobre paqui.
Los acontecimientos se desarrollan muy rápidamente durante todo ese día. A través de varios flashbacks vamos a descubrir lo que pasó esa noche y cómo Tiffany Brissette, la antigua novia de Epi, lo había dejado por Tanveer. Epi sólo quería que todo fuera como era antes.
La trama se desarrolla en un mundo donde sólo hay pobreza y marginación. Los personajes son violentos, egoístas y drogadictos. Ellos culpan a la sociedad (a los demás) de todo lo que les sucede. La violencia y las escenas de sexo son terriblemente gráficas. Considero más apropiado calificar este libro de realismo sucio en lugar de novela negra. Su lenguaje es muy grueso, aunque adecuado para este entorno. Carece de humor. Su crítica social está simplificada en exceso y es esquemática. Sin embargo, su narrativa es capaz de mantener el misterio y el suspense. Pero en general, este libro es muy nihilista y no tiene mucho sentido para mí.
He decidido no darle una calificación a este libro
Una reseña mucho más favorable se puede ver en Notas literarias
The Barcelona Brothers by Carlos Zanón
The action takes place at present, in a Barcelona working-class neighbourhood, but it could have happened in any other megalopolis. Early one morning Epi Dalmau and Tanveer Hussein have just entered in Salva’s bar ‘after a very strenuous night’. Epi’s brother, Alex, is sitting at one of the tables in the back. Epi carries a sport bag and heads directly to the bathroom. Alex has heard that his little brother and the Moroccan were friends again. A Pakistani enters the scene. Salva, behind the bar, advices him that he can’t use the john unless he buys something. But the guy doesn’t understand or doesn’t want to understand. Epi is hardly out of the bathroom when the Pakistani rushes to enter. Suddenly everything starts happening fast. Epi hits Tanveer with a hammer he was carrying in the sport bag. His plan was to strike a clean blow to the head, only one, so that Tanveer would never now who or what killed him. But it wasn’t to be, and now he can’t stop. Tanveer lies dead on the floor. Epi glances at his brother for the first time. Neither of them manage to utter a word. Epi leaves when the restroom door opens and the Pakistani appears. Puzzled, he too rushes out. Salva and Alex are in no hurry about calling anyone. Both understand, without a word, that they can pin the murder on the poor Paki.
The events develop very quickly during all that day. Through several flashbacks we will find out what happened that night and how Tiffany Brissette, Epi’s former girlfriend, had left him for Tanveer. Epi just wanted everything to be as it was before.
The plot unfolds in a world where there is only poverty and marginalisation. The characters are violent, selfish, and drug addicts. They blame society (others) for everything that happens to them. The violence and the sex scenes are terribly graphic. I consider it more appropriate to label this book as dirty realism rather than crime fiction. Its language is extremely coarse, even if adequate for this environment. It lacks humour. Its social criticism is over simplified and schematic. However, the narrative is able to keep up the mystery and the suspense. But overall this book is incredibly nihilistic and it doesn’t make much sense to me.
I decided not to give a rating to this book
A much more favourable review can be seen at Tzer Island.
A Crime is Afoot 
José Ignacio – Thanks for the honest appraisal. I think I’ll probably give this one a miss…
Jose Ignacio: Not for me!
Thanks for the review, Jose Ignacio. A warning of a book to avoid is very valuable.
I think my review of it is somewhere between yours and the one at Tzer Island. Although I did find it very depressing and graphically violent, I also thought it was a powerful portrayal of a cruel, marginalised world. Social realism more than crime fiction, perhaps, as you so rightly put it. Still, I am glad I read it. And I will check out your other suggestions of Spanish authors in translation.
Really I appreciate your visit and your time to comment on my review, Marina. I’m in a minority here. This book has had a widespread recognition in Spain since it was published by RBA, but not my cup of tea.