“You must allow memories to heal you instead of allowing them to hurt you any further.”
David Olivas is a Spanish photographer and writer. At only 23 years, he has won a photography television contest, worked for a popular Spanish newspaper, and photographed artists on their tours. On top of that, David has also has written four books, including his most recent release, El vuelo de la mariposa, which is his first novel for adults. He has a significant following on Instagram, where he shares his photos—photos about everyday life that seem taken straight out of a movie, photos that are pure magic and love. The story told in this novel, just offers more of that, but in writing.
In this new novel, we follow the story of Julia, our protagonist, as she tries to overcome a big loss and discover a mystery that surrounds her family. Julia was on a trip to Paris with her boyfriend, Carlos, when suddenly a big tragedy struck them. Unfortunately, Carlos lost his life during this event, and Julia is left alone and devastated far from home without any loved ones around.
Back home, in the house she used to live in with her departed boyfriend, Julia isn’t doing too well. She can’t stop thinking about him, remembering him, seeing him everywhere she goes. That’s why she decides to take a break from work and go back to her old town, Cudillero (Asturias), where her family still lives and where she hopes to heal from the hardest wound one can only try to mend. It’s there, in her hometown, where she discovers the letters her grandparents used to write to each other when her grandad Miguel went into exile to Germany to provide for his family and where he eventually died. However, Julia, a very observant and curious journalist, notices that something is off with those letters and decides to dig into her family’s history and sets off to Germany on her own. She will have a little help though: from a coworker, her little sister, and a handsome stranger. She will find herself on a journey that will change her life forever. A journey that will lead her to discover family secrets and meet people that will bring some light into her life. A journey that will help her reignite that spark and will to live that she had lost.
David’s writing style, although simple, shines during the most emotional moments and gives this almost 400 pages long novel a great sentimental touch. The book has a nice steady pace, always finishing a chapter with a tiny cliffhanger that leaves the reader wanting to know more. The chapters are also concise, which is why the readers will most likely find themselves speeding through this novel. In terms of the characters, they are pretty well written. Julia is a very realistic character, with whom we suffer and cheer for every step of the way; and because the novel is written in the first person and we know everything she thinks and feels, we get to connect with her on a deeper level. It’s a pleasure to discover things as she does—even though sometimes it’s easy to predict what’s coming next because we feel those moments of despair and tension, we live them the same way Julia does. However, when she accomplishes something, we cheer for her and celebrate her wins as if they were our own.
The rest of the characters aren’t at all flat, and it’s very easy to get emotionally attached to them and their story as well. In particular, Julia’s grandmother, Candela, is a special one; she is such a strong woman that always offers wise words and great advice. But, overall, they’re all very lovable characters.
The title of the book already kind of tells the reader what they’re going to get. In this emotive journey, we see Julia’s metamorphosis; we get to see how little by little, she faces her fears and comes out of her chrysalis. The book can also encourage the reader to open up to the possibility of a new life, maybe not the one that they expected, the one they had planned, but certainly the one they perhaps deserve. The book has received mainly great reviews, so the expectations were extremely high, but it definitely lived up to the hype.
Heart-wrenching, addictive, and real, El vuelo de la mariposa is a book that certainly won’t leave the reader indifferent, it will touch your soul and leave a mark. It’s pure emotion, a story that gives off love for life. It celebrates second chances and how powerful they can be if we only are brave enough to go after them. We don’t want to say much because otherwise, we’d give plenty of spoilers, but we 100% recommend this book. David has undoubtedly managed to carry the same magic his photos exude in this beautiful piece of writing.
Unfortunately, this novel has not been translated into English—or any other language, really. However, if you are fluent or want to practice your Spanish reading skills, this would be a perfect pick for you!
El vuelo de la mariposa is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers. The publisher has also provided a little excerpt for those who may be interested in the book.
Will you be picking up El vuelo de la mariposa? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
A veces, el amor es más fuerte que el destino.
Y el destino es generoso con quienes lo merecen.
Después de la muerte de su gran amor, Julia piensa que su vida también ha terminado. Pero su viaje no ha hecho más que empezar. Y es que el destino puede cambiar en unos segundos y ofrecerte una nueva oportunidad para ser feliz.
La tragedia ha golpeado a Julia donde más duele: en el corazón. Rota por la pena, regresa al pueblo de su familia, cerca del mar, para intentar sanar de las heridas en compañía de los suyos. Allí descubre la correspondencia entre sus abuelos, Miguel y Candela, separados hace años cuando él tuvo que emigrar a Alemania, donde falleció repentinamente. Ahora que su abuela está enferma, Julia decide seguir las pistas de las cartas para conocer la verdad sobre la muerte de su abuelo. Pero lo que descubrirá será mucho más sorprendente de lo que piensa, un secreto capaz de dar un vuelco a su existencia y abrir por fin la puerta a la esperanza.
