Imma Monsó
The Teacher and the Beast (La mestra i la bestia)
SPAIN
BOOK
September 1962. Severina, barely twenty years old, arrives in a mountain village in the Pyrenees after completing her teaching studies, where she is to work as a temporary elementary school teacher. Her parents were opponents of General Franco, and her mother homeschooled her so she wouldn’t have to attend schools run by the regime. At first glance, it’s clear that Severina doesn’t fit into her new surroundings – she stands out in her outlook, her clothing, and her behavior. Right from the start, her attention is drawn to an older, charismatic man named Simeon, who also defies local customs. Her neighbors keep their distance from him – some respect him, others ignore or hate him. Simeón thus becomes, for a time, the man of her dreams and fantasies…
Published by Odeon, 2025
AUTHOR
© Imma Monsó
Imma Monsó (b. 1959) is a Catalan writer, known primarily for her humorous and touching novels, in which she combines absurd humor with deep tenderness toward her highly distinctive characters. She worked as a high school teacher and French instructor. She made her literary debut in 1996 and has written a total of six novels and three short story collections. She has also published a children’s book and a collection of essays. All of her literary works have been translated into Spanish, and most of them have also been translated into several other languages. She has received numerous awards for her literary work.
TRANSLATION
Marie Jungmannová
