The Wonders

In 1969, María leaves her small town, and her child, behind to head to the city of Madrid. There she finds work, always taking care of others. Years later, María’s granddaughter Alicia is unhappily married to a man always pressuring her to have children, go on bike rides, or act more like other couples they know, and she often seeks escape through encounters with random men. Then in 2018, Alicia finds herself working at a train station snack shop as women from around the country gather to protest the unfairness they face in work and life. This is a lyrical and beautifully written book that follows three generations of a family of working women, highlighting the struggles that women have always faced in a patriarchal society. Rebecca Gibel adds beauty to the book, which showcases the author’s poetic writing.