Non-detective space of the Spanish noir: “The Invisible Guard” by Dolores Redondo

Abstract

Spanish noir is only gaining popularity among the Russian audience, although it is quite famous in other countries outside Spain. Several works, mainly by foreign authors, studied this kind of black detective, certain features of the genre. However, in the context of the non-detective novel space of the works by the Spanish writer Dolores Redondo, such studies do not exist yet. That is why a comprehensive analysis of this phenomenon in the novel «El guardián invisible», 2013 («The Invisible Guard») from «Trilogía del Baztán» (Bastan Trilogy) seems to be relevant. The purpose of the study is to describe Spanish noir through the structural and analytical characteristics of the non-detective components of the genre. The research is based on literary, cultural and artistic analysis of the novel. The analytical base is not only the original text of the novel, but also a series of interviews by the author containing her interesting revelations. As a result of the research, it can be concluded that Spanish noir has left the boundaries of the classic detective story, thus turning into a kind of “regional” or “local” black detective story. Its integral elements are the inclusion of the plot space in a specific cultural and geographical context with its inherent historical, mythological and anthropological features, as well as an organic bond of the figure of the detective with this space. Non-detective features of the Spanish noir include representation of the way of life, traditions, beliefs, and the history of the place and its inhabitants. In non-Spanish readers’ view, Spanish noir not only immerses one into the world of an exciting mystical thriller, but also serves as a powerful cognitive impulse to study an unusual, non-stereotypical Spain in its historical and cultural diversity.