"I am a woman who has managed to fulfill the dream of dedicating herself to what she likes and now, in some way, I feel more entitled than ever to encourage people to pursue their ambitions." Leaning against the bar with her dog, Dori, resting at her feet, Eulàlia Rodríguez sips some green tea, while the syncopated and elegant rhythm of Nouvelle Vague's version of Love will tear us apart fills the morning air of the Bar. "Encouraging others to fulfill their dreams," she adds, with a shining smile across her face, and her head set on the dystopian world that has taken shape in her recently published debut El so dels timbals (Diëresis).
The novel presents a future in which, after reaching its peak of atmospheric degradation, the Earth orbits protected by an artificial crust that seals and isolates its contaminated layer. Under the shelter of this crust, Kristala has emerged on the planet's surface, an ecosystem of cities built on the old world where the most advantaged among the new humans remain biologically active through a system similar to photosynthesis. The less fortunate, that is, the majority, live underground, marginalized and used as cheap labor to exploit, "something that perhaps may sound familiar in these times," the author points out.
And there lies the crux of the matter. Despite the complexity of articulating this future world that oscillates between the possible and the fantastical, Eulàlia has privileged the most human and social aspects of the plot: "The relationship between the characters, Àsia and Tristany, the tension between the inhabitants of the new world and those of the old." Nods to an endless number of literary and cinematographic references ranging from her adored Ayn Rand or Orwell to The Hunger Games or Divergent, "with much of the action set in the city of Barcenova, built on the ashes of ancient Barcelona."
A rara avis in Catalan literature where authors dedicated to the dystopia genre are not precisely abundant, she is now working on the second part of three, "finishing thinking about the characters and scenes, developing the escaleta and the main scenes to get to it and let myself go, while I await the Spanish translation of the first, which will be titled El latido de los tambores." Who would have told her, just five years ago, that she would find herself in this situation?
Cooking cakes and cooking stories
In Eulàlia Rodríguez's life, there are two great passions: baking and literature. "As a child, I already wrote or climbed onto the stool to help knead, with the same passion," recalls the woman who, in her childhood, was already editor of the school newspaper and got excellent grades in writing.But life led her towards other professional horizons."My father had founded a pioneering company in the field of coffee vending." She studied economics and specialized in coffee. Once the company was sold, she joined its staff. "I threw myself into that and continued until, due to a discopathy, a tumor was found in my back, which resulted in two operations, in 2018 and 2019. After the prolonged leave, I reached an agreement with the company and, thanks to the advantageous personal situation I had, I was able to take the plunge and pursue my two passions."
She enrolled in Hoffman to study pastry and in Ateneu to do the same with writing. She chose the latter because, although she continues to make notoriously delicious sweets for her family and friends, it was too sacrificing a life with her back problems. "In parallel, at Ateneu I started working on the novel. Especially since the day a professor, Albert Lladó, encouraged me to give shape to the idea of an Earth covered by a crust!", she laughs.
Who pays for the party?
"I was born and live in Barcelona. All the good things that have happened in my life, all the happiness I've experienced, have happened here. And, without wanting to get dark, it's the place where I hope to die, because it's the city I prefer over the many others I've had the opportunity to travel to," confesses the local, especially in love with the Palau de la Música, which she defines without hesitation as "one of the most beautiful places in the world, for its colors, for its atmosphere, for all that varied and different music that is heard within its walls." She finishes her tea. "A place that makes me proud to live here."
It's hard for her to get angry with the city in the same way it's hard for her to get angry with a family member or a friend, "although I have no shortage of reasons, because sometimes it seems that we Barcelonans are paying for a big party to which we are rarely invited."
--- What we invite you to do is try the gastronomy of our Bar, as it's getting close to lunchtime. There are tapas, portions, a menu, combined dishes… All delicious.
A spark shines in Eulàlia Rodríguez's eyes. Dori, at her feet, stretches. "The tapas are varied and very fun!" she replies, also glancing at the sweets, "although more than eating them, which I also do, what excites me most is cooking them for the people I love," she confesses.
Add The New Barcelona Post as your preferred Google source for free
Stay informed with the latest news.
