Milena Busquets

Milena Busquets is a celebrated Spanish author known for her sharp wit, unflinching honesty, and a narrative style that blends fiction with autofiction. Born in Barcelona in 1972, Busquets carries a literary pedigree; her mother was the renowned Catalan writer, Esther Tusquets, and her father a publisher. This upbringing steeped in literature undeniably shaped her own path.

Busquets’s breakthrough came with the publication of *También esto pasará* (This Too Shall Pass) in 2015. The novel, translated into multiple languages, became an international sensation. It tells the story of Blanca, a woman mourning the loss of her mother. Rather than sinking into despair, Blanca chooses to confront her grief with a combination of hedonism and reflection. She retreats to the family’s seaside villa in Cadaqués with two ex-husbands, her closest friends, and her children. The narrative unfolds amidst sun-drenched beaches, flowing wine, and frank conversations about love, loss, and the complexities of female relationships.

*This Too Shall Pass* is characterized by its conversational tone and its willingness to address taboo subjects with humor and vulnerability. Busquets doesn’t shy away from exploring themes of female sexuality, motherhood, aging, and the messy realities of modern relationships. While the novel is fictional, it draws heavily from Busquets’s own life experiences, blurring the lines between autobiography and fiction. The death of her own mother clearly informs the emotional core of the book, lending it a raw and authentic feel.

One of the defining features of Busquets’s writing is her ability to capture the nuances of human relationships. Her characters are flawed and relatable, engaging in the kinds of messy, sometimes selfish, behaviors that often define real life. She portrays women in particular with a refreshing honesty, exploring their desires, insecurities, and the challenges they face in navigating a patriarchal society. Her work has been praised for its feminist perspective, although Busquets herself has resisted being pigeonholed by labels.

Busquets has also written other novels, including *Hombres poco decentes* (Indecent Men) and *Gema*. These works continue to explore similar themes of love, loss, and self-discovery, often through the lens of female experience. Her writing is characterized by its intelligence, its humor, and its refusal to shy away from difficult or uncomfortable truths.

Beyond her novels, Busquets is a prolific journalist and commentator, contributing to various Spanish publications. Her writing consistently displays her sharp wit and her insightful observations on contemporary life. Milena Busquets has established herself as a unique and important voice in contemporary literature, captivating readers with her honest and engaging exploration of the human condition.