Inspired by the desolation of the Sau reservoir during a period of drought, Carlota Gurt (Barcelona, 1975) conceived Els erms, a novel that marks her move to the Anagrama publishing house after three titles with Proa. The work features the improbable encounter between Ramona, an columnist and podcaster, and Faust, the dam manager, united by disillusionment on December 24 at the Sau parador.
“"There is also darkness and solitude, which is something very much mine, and a certain sense of humor, an irony about things. I think I am quite like that."
The novel, which the author describes as “expansive, intense, and emphatic,” explores professional, romantic, social, and collective droughts, including climatic ones. Gurt notes that, although the novel arrives when the reservoirs are full, the distance from the reality of the drought makes it literarily more interesting.
“"We are crossing the desert, but we don't know where we are supposed to arrive."
One of the most prominent aspects of the work is the representation of Barcelona, which Gurt describes with a sense of sadness and resignation. The author laments the city's transformation towards appearance and tourist subservience, as well as the loss of the Catalan language in everyday use.
“"In Barcelona, I didn't speak Spanish until I was 12 years old. Today, that is science fiction."
Gurt emphasizes the importance of reality in her fiction, visiting all the novel's settings, from the Sau reservoir to the AVE high-speed train line. This novel, unlike her previous ones, looks beyond the characters to address themes such as language, aesthetic obsession, and screens, offering a broader vision of the country.
