The rites of water.
La White City Trilogy is a series created by the Spanish novelist Eva García Sáenz de Urturi. All three books have been set in the author's hometown (Vitoria, Álava). Although they have been commercialized within the genre of the crime novel, the development of their plots also corresponds to that of a detective novel.
The titles of the saga were released under the seal of Editorial Planeta and have exceeded one million printed copies sold to date. For this reason, The Vitorian author is considered the writer with the greatest impact in Spain today. Not surprisingly, in 2019 the first installment of the trilogy (The silence of the white city) was brought to the big screen.
About the author, Eva García Sáenz de Urturi
He was born in Vitoria, Álava, in 1972. He settled in Alicante since the mid-80s. From an early age, she demonstrated her fascination for reading, a passion — in the author's own words — inherited from her father. She has a degree in optics and optometry, with a broad career in the field. She has also worked at the University of Alicante and is a well-known lecturer.
Eva García Sáenz de Urturi formally began his literary career with the self-publication on Amazon of The saga of the old ones during the year 2012. The work was well received by the public on the Internet, which led to its printed publication by Esfera de Libros. Since 2013 he has published with Planeta. Before the White City Trilogy (2016 - 2018), published two novels (both from 2014):
- The Saga of the Long-lived II: The Sons of Adam.
- Passage to Tahiti.
Eva Garcia Saenz.
The trilogy
From the front line of The silence of the White City, the author manages to capture the reader through her vibrant narrative and constant surprises. Such intensity continues even more evident in the second book, The water rites. However, some critical voices - such as Carmen del Río from the portal The Accidental Traveler- They point out that "the last of the books is not so fast-paced."
Setting
A unique aspect of the trilogy is the recreation of the most emblematic sites of the city of Vitoria, where a good part of the events take place. In fact, thanks to this work, the author was recognized (by radio listeners' choice) with the Cadena Ser de Álava 2017 Award.
The descriptions of the historic center of Vitoria are particularly well detailed and very accurate. In the same way, the typical customs of the region are magnificently represented. As well as the peculiarities of compound surnames —very common in Álava— derived from the combination between the paterfamilias and the community of origin (López de Ayala, for example).
The silence of the White City (2016)
The city of Vitoria is shaken by a series of murders of couples whose ages end in multiples of 5. In addition, the bodies of the victims appear in well-known places in the city, left in positions that evoke some type of symbolism. This disturbing modus operandi captures the full attention of the Inspector of the Criminal Investigation Division of Vitoria, Unai López de Ayala, alias “Kraken”.
The inspector with the mythological cephalopod nickname is an expert in profiling perpetrators. But in this confusing investigation he needs additional support, because the assassin's strategies demand specific knowledge of ancient rites. For this reason, the Kraken turns to a controversial archaeologist (previously convicted of other deaths) in order to better understand the context of the deaths.
Quote by Eva García Sáenz.
Protagonists
Like a good mystery novel with a detective plot, the main character has a dominant and enigmatic character. Inspector Unai López de Ayala earned his nickname (Kraken) due to two undoubted issues. First, his imposing physique in combination with a pragmatic personality, incomprehensible to most of those around him.
Second, an obsessive behavior that leads him to solve the most intricate crimes, since "no one is beyond the reach of his enormous tentacles." Moreover, he does not hesitate to border the limits of what is morally acceptable in order to solve a case. In contrast, the co-star (often exasperated by Kraken's unorthodox behavior) is a much more rational person, Assistant Commissioner Alba Díaz de Salvatierra.
The water rites (2017)
En The water ritesEva Garcia Saenz de Urturi delves into the psychology of the main characters while presenting the resolution of a new case. The narrative is divided into two timelines, 1992 and 2016. In 1992 the relationship between Kraken and his first girlfriend, Ana Belén Liaño, is recounted. Who would be the first pregnant victim (in 2016) of a serial killer who (apparently) follows a ritual practiced 2500 years ago.
Ana Belén was found hanging upside down, drowned in a vessel previously stolen from a museum in Santander. So, to understand the accidents that occurred in the present, it is necessary to know the reconstruction of a Cantabrian town in 1992. Kraken, his ex, Professor Raúl and Rebeca (the professor's daughter) participated in this work. It would be a mission marked by the foreboding appearance of a young comic book artist.
Character evolution
En The water rites the most vulnerable side of the protagonist appears. Because the killer is linked to Kraken's past and goes after pregnant women. His fears are justified because Deputy Commissioner Alba could be pregnant with him (potentially making her a target). All fears are exacerbated by past trauma to Unai, who suffered the death of his parents as a child.
The contribution of the secondary characters (such as his partner Esti or Kraken's grandfather, for example) turns out to be crucial for the outcome. Therefore, in the development of the argument there are no unnecessary or random passages. On the contrary, every detail - however insignificant it may seem - is relevant within the frantic and dramatic plot created by the author.
The time lords (2018)
Similar to the narration of The water rites, riding a The time lords it takes place in two time lines. The first (in the present), explains the resolution of the case of a murder of a businessman in circumstances similar to those of a novel about to be launched. The second is a kind of historical novel from the Middle Ages called The time lords.
The lords of time.
Unai's emotional maturity
Eva García Sáenz de Urturi shows all the facets of Unai's inner journey. He goes from being a rather intimidating character at the beginning of the saga, to being a very thoughtful and emotionally mature person. The impression of a bulky and rough guy, he transforms into a man who values family above all else. In the end, the protagonist is able to deeply value the people around him.
The masterful closing of the saga
Despite the apparent distance between the timelines, The time lords it becomes the perfect closing of the trilogy. Because finally the connection is established between all the claims that have occurred since The silence of the White City and Unai's family. According to the page Reader to Reader (2018), the writer leaves “all the ends tied together, however difficult it may seem at times”.