The Hive

Camilo José Cela · 1916–2002 · Spain

Originally La colmena (Spanish)

Why it matters

Hundreds of characters pass through a single Madrid café over three days in the hungry, repressive years after the Spanish Civil War. Cela's kaleidoscopic technique makes the whole wounded city its true protagonist.

At a glance

Hundreds of characters cut between in short fragments with almost no connective narration.