International Book Day: 5 Stories that Have Been a Success in Spanish and English

Like all April 23, International Book Day is commemorated worldwide, where it seeks to raise awareness among the population regarding the importance of reading and where the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture ( Unesco) seeks to pay a global tribute to the main books that have been published throughout history by authors with great prestige and who have earned worldwide recognition for their pen.

For the same reason, on this very special day we want to recommend five books that have been released recently and that have managed to conquer the hearts of readers both in the Spanish language and in the English language, something difficult to obtain in the current market.

To Paradise, by Hanya Yanagihara (2022)

The American of Japanese descent on her father's side is one of the most successful authors of recent years, with highly outstanding books such as "The People in the Trees" and "A Little Life". The first thing to say is that Al Paraíso is the most recent novel by the writer and it is also quite a long book (more than 900 pages), but that is not surprising, since the author always opts for quite extensive books.

In the rest, it should be noted that "To Paradise" is a fictional story that is structured and divided into three parts with a difference of 100 years between each one. In the first section of the story, there is talk of an alternative version of America in 1893, and where it is said that same-sex marriage is a reality, something unthinkable for the time. The second part of the story takes place in 1993, where a boy lives with his girlfriend and hides his past and that of his father from her, which complicates him greatly; and the third, which is set in 2093, shows us a world in chaos hit by various plagues and ruled by a totalitarian regime.

I Wish You All The Best, by Mason Deaver (2021)

The non-binary writer Mason Deaver seems to tell part of his life and his personal experience in this novel that is fast, agile and easy to read, and that also manages to entertain, fall in love, invite reflection and learn more about the non-binary gender.

It is a book that tells the story of Ben de Backer, who is in the stage of adolescence and his life changes forever when he tells his parents how he identifies and tells them that he is non-binary, bringing him rejection from of their parents. However, she begins a new life and meets Nathan Allen, a boy with whom she strikes up a very special friendship that could soon turn into something more.

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Later, by Stephen King (2021)

As is the trend, mystery and suspense once again take over one of Stephen King's most recent creations. "After" tells us the story of Jamie Conklin, who is an only child and just wants to have an ordinary childhood, like the rest of the boys and girls his age.

However, everything gets complicated when his mother forces him to keep a secret for a long time and when an inspector from the Department of New York tells him that he has to avoid at all costs an attack by a murderer who seems to be a threat. permanent. Be that as it may, one of Stephen King's most recent novels has already managed to stand out in Spanish and English.

Violeta, by Isabel Allende (2022)

The American media Los Angeles Times cataloged the new novel by Chilean Isabel Allende as "an epic South American tale", a strong enough phrase to convince readers to enjoy this latest book by one of the most important writers in Latin America.

Violeta is a journey through various historical stages of human life, ranging from economic crises, Latin American dictatorships and natural disasters to a Spanish flu that killed many people. A particular, political and also family story and where, as previously mentioned, the 1970s take a leading role with the horrors committed during the dictatorships.

Aristotle and Dante Dive in the Waters of the World, by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (2021)

The long-awaited and acclaimed continuation of the successful novel Aristotle and Dante discover the secrets of the universe, one of the most important LGBT books of the last decade and that has marked an entire generation, precisely ten years later it has been published and has not left nobody indifferent.

If the first book talks about self-discovery, first love and sexual awakening, in this sequel Aristotle and Dante will have to face the prejudices and accusations that are accompanied by a lot of ignorance and ignorance on the part of many people. All this in the midst of machismo and the height of HIV disease in the 90s, which only increases the stigma that was held at that time towards LGBT people. Given all this panorama, both will fight to be able to live their love in the midst of disappointments, unexpected losses and internal struggles that will make them rethink many issues.