A new perspective in the narrative
Núria Perpinyà, born in Lleida in 1961, enters the world of Homer’s Odyssey with a renewed look, also inspired by Joyce’s Ulysses. In this reinterpretation, the author transforms the traditional hero into a contemporary antihero, condensing his life journey into a single day. ‘As Joyce goes to a new direction, I decided that Q10 is again a hero in my narrative; My true homeland is the language, ” he says.
The journey of an enzyme as the protagonist
The invisible body presents a unique protagonist: an enzyme that circulates through the human body, transporting energy and living various experiences. From the liver to the fingers, its route is a reflection of what happens inside our body. Perpignan acknowledges that the scientific research he has done for his novel is not exhaustive, letting experts value their creativity in the portrait of this enzyme “delirium”.
A rich and innovative language
The originality of the work is also manifested in the language. ‘The Q10, as an enzyme, cannot communicate as humans would; The onomatopoeias I use reflect unique chemical communication, ” says Perpignan. The sounds that emit the bones and eyes acquire a particular musicality, with the first resonant as drums and seconds as violins, thus creating a new form of literary expression.
A personal literary journey
Since her first novel, a good mistake, published in 1998, Núria has undergone a significant evolution as an author. After leaving behind the realism with diatomea (2022), it has opened to the fantastic genre and to poetry, exploring new forms of expression that approach more to theater than traditional lyricism.
Perspectivism i phenomenology
The author emphasizes the importance of perspective in his work, inspired by phenomenology, which proposes that things do not have a single essence, but multiple interpretations. This vision results in his narrative, which challenges conventional perceptions.
Literary parallels
Perpignan’s work shares similarities with the intruder of Irene Pujadas, both focused on travel and adventure. However, while Pujadas uses his protagonist as a reflective narrator, Perpignan opts for a focus more inspired by the Homeric tradition, without a guide for his protagonist.
A life dedicated to literature
In addition to being a professor of comparative literature at the University of Lleida, Perpignan is a passionate reader, immersed in a literary world that is infinite. The author mentions that, despite her dedication, he still finds time to read various topics, including history, philosophy and novels. Authors such as Kafka and Calvino are constant in their library, while acknowledging that contemporary literature is escaped, although he values the contributions of his colleagues.
Influences and discoveries
A work that has recently struck it is the Han Kang vegetarian, which has left him reflecting, but he has not yet been able to explore the intruder, leaving the door open to new literary discoveries.