Por si un día volvemos by María Dueñas
Step into the life of Cecilia Belmonte, a young Spanish woman in the 1920s who crosses the Mediterranean to arrive in the cosmopolitan yet fractured city of Oran.
Over three tumultuous decades, Cecilia’s story mirrors the rise and fall of French Algeria and gives voice to the little-known lives of Spaniards who built lives far from home. Told with Dueñas’ trademark blend of historical sweep and intimate detail, this novel invites us to reflect on identity, survival, reinvention and the unseen maps of memory.
Join us for a discussion in Spanish (English-friendly) on what it means to leave, to become, and perhaps, one day, to return.
To get the most out of this activity, we recommend reading the book in Spanish. Please note that the book club takes place in this language.
Travel to 1920s Oran and witness the lives of Spaniards far from home.
Explore Cecilia Belmonte’s story of survival, reinvention, and resilience across decades.
Discuss themes of identity, memory, exile, and the meaning of “home".