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Isolda Patrón-Costas Wins 73rd Ateneo–Ciudad de Valladolid Novel Prize for ‘La vergüenza es azul’

Jurors cited a nuanced portrait of a fraught mother–daughter bond with prose that sustains tension.

Overview

  • The jury named ‘La vergüenza es azul’, submitted under the pseudonym Adela Landoni, the winner of the 73rd edition.
  • The prize includes €20,000, publication by Editorial MenosCuarto, and a public presentation on June 5 at Valladolid’s Book Fair.
  • The panel praised the novel’s focus on difficult maternal and filial relationships and its fluid writing that maintains suspense.
  • The deciding jury was chaired by Angélica Tanarro and included Espido Freire, Noemí Sabugal, Gustavo Martín Garzo, and MenosCuarto director José Ángel Zapatero.
  • The mayor of Valladolid called the Madrid-based author during a City Hall event to relay the verdict, and her biography notes earlier film work and a 2022 debut, ‘Amargosa’, that drew prize recognition.