El descontento
El descontento is a debut novel by Beatriz Serrano.
Published by Temas de Hoy, the novel follows Marisa, a 32-year-old head of creative strategy at a Madrid advertising agency who cannot stand her job and gets through the day on YouTube videos and tranquillisers; Serrano has framed its portrait of office life through Erving Goffman's theories of social performance.[1]
RTVE's books programme Página Dos described it as a portrait of a generation disappointed with the world of work, and Serrano told the programme that workplace malaise and mental health had become constant topics of conversation among her friends.[2]
Serrano said the book was not about economic precariousness but about "the moral and emotional precariousness that gnaws at you"; by June 2024 the novel was in its sixth edition and was being translated into English and French.[3]
By November 2024, it had reached its tenth edition, sold more than 50,000 copies and had its television rights sold.[4]
An English translation by Mara Faye Lethem, Discontent, was published by Vintage in 2025; reviewing it in The New York Times Book Review, Hilary Leichter called the novel "wry and incisive" and "a new view into the psyche of the disillusioned work force".[5]
References
- ↑ Lagares, Charo (11 November 2023). "Beatriz Serrano: "Con más oportunidades que nuestros padres, no encontramos la felicidad"" [Beatriz Serrano: "With more opportunities than our parents, we cannot find happiness"]. S Moda (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 August 2026.
- ↑ Domínguez, Marta (27 June 2024). "Beatriz Serrano dibuja en 'El descontento' a una generación decepcionada con el mundo laboral" [Beatriz Serrano portrays in 'El descontento' a generation disappointed with the world of work]. RTVE (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 August 2026.
- ↑ Nogueira Calvar, Andrea (8 June 2024). "Beatriz Serrano, autora de 'El descontento': "Este libro va de la precariedad moral y emocional que te va reconcomiendo"" [Beatriz Serrano, author of 'El descontento': "This book is about the moral and emotional precariousness that gnaws at you"]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 August 2026.
- ↑ Sisí Sánchez, Alberto (6 November 2024). "Beatriz Serrano, escritora: "A nuestra generación se nos ha enseñado que no basta con tener un talento, hay que enseñárselo a todo el mundo"" [Beatriz Serrano, writer: "Our generation has been taught that having a talent is not enough, you have to show it to everyone"]. Vogue España (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 August 2026.
- ↑ Leichter, Hilary (18 September 2025). "Book Review: 'Discontent,' by Beatriz Serrano". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 August 2026.