Pablo Rivero Quote
In the world artistic sphere there are not many examples of actors or television presenters capable of successfully venturing into literature. In general, the good image cultivated by these artists is used for marketing purposes. However, Pablo Rivero represents one of the exceptions to this trend, since the quality of his books is unquestionable.
Therefore, This article offers summaries of the written works of the Madrid interpreter, who also deserves to be called a writer with all his letters. Specifically, the titles are I will never be afraid again (2017) Penitencia (2020) The girls who dreamed of being seen (2021) and the brood (2022). These are tense, dark, exciting and well-constructed stories.
Pablo Rivero: books
I will never be afraid again
Setting and main characters
The novel has a shocking entry: a parricide that occurred on April 9, 1994. From that point on, a thriller is elaborated whose plot details the last seven days of a truly dysfunctional Madrid family. To begin with, Laura - mother of Raúl and Mario - has an extreme and somewhat insane love-hate relationship with her husband.
Likewise, there are not many references to the husband and father of the children (mainly mentions and memories of his wife and children). This is because he leaves home after a strong argument with his wife in the first chapter. On the other hand, Raúl is a teenager with a strange behavior and devoted to horror movies.; while the younger brother is a very fearful child.
Structure and development
The book is structured in seven chapters, one for each day discounted until the date of the fatal outcome. The events are described by an omniscient narrator who gradually reveals the motives and the true identity of the murderer.. In fact, the narrator exposes the thoughts and perspective of the protagonists plus that of some other secondary character involved.
Thus, the reader discovers the traumas and obsessions of the family members. Additionally, in the environment two overwhelming events fly over. The first is the disappearance of Jonathan, the neighbor (Raúl's friend) that occurred a year earlier. The second is Mario's (exaggerated?) fears. With that scenario, a shocking outcome is inevitable.
Penitencia
Argument
According to some literary critics, Penitencia presents a disturbing plot with certain traits of Novelty and some autobiographical passages. The latter is due to the protagonist: Jon Márquez, an actor who has played the same role in a television series for a decade. The name of the popular saga is Killing Neighbors (translates “killing neighbors”).
At first, Márquez's intention is to distance himself from Fran, his alter ego (whose main dedication is the title of the series). For this reason, Jon decides to seclude himself in a remote mountain range, away from media noise and human contact in general. But it fails on your target; apparently, it is already too late... his "other self" is already fused in his psyche; it is already part of it.
The girls who dreamed of being seen
Approach and context
It is a powerful psychological thriller set in 2014 between the cities of Bilbao and Madrid. At that time, the rise of influencers began to be a common element in cyberspace and a highly valued resource in the world of advertising. At the same time, many teenagers suffered from their addiction to receiving external approval through likes in social networks.
Precisely, the serial killer in this noir novel is a character as intelligent as he is perverse, focused on pursuing girls eager for notoriety on the internet. In this context appears Jaime García Hernández, brother of Laura, a girl who is found dismembered in the parking lot of a shopping center in Madrid.
Development
Garcia assures the police that the culprit is a human, more, the authorities are confused because the corpse of the girl evidence marks of some animal. Meanwhile, in Bilbao, a skittish publicist (Pablo) learns of Laura's gruesome death and is moved by Jaime's suffering.
In addition, the murder brings to the present various nightmares and ghosts from Pablo's past (Unknown to Lisi, his pregnant wife). In any case, due to a dream job offer, the publicist cannot avoid staying in the Basque city and, therefore, confronting his childhood traumas.
the brood
In keeping with the themes covered in his predecessor books, Rivero explores the darker side of the influence of the social media in children's personality and teenagers. In this sense, the story raises an extremist question: is it better to raise children totally immersed in the RR.SS. Or, on the contrary, is it preferable that children grow up totally isolated from the web?
Under this premise, the author introduces Candela, the Civil Guard officer in charge of investigating the disappearance of Lucas, the best known boy in Spain. This kid is the image – along with a striking white rabbit of enormous proportions – from a popular cookie commercial.
development questions
At the beginning of the book, the lieutenant is going through a moment of deep personal crisis. Probably, her circumstance is not the most appropriate in the face of such a pressing investigation where every second counts. To make matters worse, the abduction of the minor leaves in the air several alarming questions (very current in the socio-cultural current situation of the Iberian nation).
Is it really a kidnapping? Is it a case of vicarious abuse? Are the events a consequence of the exposure of minors on the web? Meanwhile, the most heartbreaking aspect of the plot is the grief suffered by two mothers who have lost their children. In the end, there is no answer to the pain of these ladies, much less a valid consolation in the midst of the frivolity of the Internet.
Some biographical and professional data of Pablo Rivero
Pablo rivero
Pablo José Rivero Rodrigo was born in Madrid on October 11, 1980. His figure rose to fame in 2001 thanks to his role as Toni Alcántara in Remember when. This Spanish Television series holds the record for being the longest in the history of the Iberian country, with 22 seasons (and counting). In total, Rivero has participated in 19 films, 4 television series and 5 plays.
Regarding his literary career, critics have praised Rivero's ability to put together terrifying, engaging stories. Although, the contrary voices point to several inconsistencies in the narrative rhythm and in the settings, especially in his first book. In any case, he has shown a positive evolution in his prose over time.