On the popular Spanish show La Roca, writer Juan del Val shared his perspective on the debate surrounding the novel ‘Vera, una historia de amor,’ which received the prestigious Premio Planeta literary award this year. The author noted that the book’s release sparked a heated discussion in society, with readers and critics sharply divided in their opinions.
According to del Val, part of the audience greeted the novel with enthusiasm, but there were also harsh remarks. Some reviewers questioned the depth of the characters and the plot’s development, and expressed dissatisfaction with the dialogues. Nevertheless, the writer does not consider these assessments to be objective and emphasizes that the perception of literature always depends on personal preferences.
During the discussion, del Val drew attention to the frequent claim in public discourse that popular books cannot be of high quality. He believes such statements are unfounded and urges people not to jump to conclusions based on a work’s mainstream appeal.
The writer also pointed out that in literary circles, there is a common belief that negative reviews demonstrate greater professionalism on the part of the critic. In his view, this is a misconception, as each reader experiences a work differently and there are no universal criteria for evaluation.
Del Val emphasized that he is open to any opinions about his work, regardless of their tone. He believes that polarized views are a natural part of the creative process, and the diversity of responses only proves how relevant the themes raised in the novel are.
In conclusion, the author noted that he is satisfied with the result and sees no point in responding to every negative comment. For him, the most important thing is that the book has sparked interest and become a topic of discussion—which, in his view, is the main purpose of literature.
