Spanish / Spain
W
Rosa, Isaac
(text)
Barcelona: Edebé, 2019. – 180 p.
(Series: Periscopio; 47)
ISBN 978-84-683-4109-5
Doppelganger | Identity | Self-discovery | Coming of age
Reading age: 12+
White Ravens issue: 2019
Award-winning author Isaac Rosa seeks to enter the realm of young-adult literature with this novel, which he conceived together with his daughter Olivia, but wrote on his own. “W” (“double-V” in Spanish) is a highly successful book, well worth reading for its plot, language, and character renditions. The story revolves around 14-year-old Valeria, who encounters her doppelganger. Valentina looks exactly like her but is nevertheless totally different than she – Valeria’s mirror image and nemesis rolled into one. This leads to confusion as well as enjoyment, as the two surreptitiously switch roles and try out unfamiliar identities. In the process, they continue to grow, as does the novel, which becomes more complex, multi-layered, and also more serious. It is no longer merely a game, as fundamentally important topics for adolescents are touched upon: identity, self-discovery, self-doubt, and self-determination.