Beth Fish Reads: Review: Love in Lowercase by Francesc Miralles

01 February 2016

Thoughts before Reading

After reading that Francesc Miralles's Love in Lowercase was being compared to The Solitude of Prime Numbers by Paolo Giordano, which I really loved, and that it was being billed as "a romantic comedy for language lovers," I thought I'd give the novel a chance.
For some unplanned and unknown reason, I've been on a books-in-translation kick. Love in Lowercase fits right in; it was originally written and published in Spanish and was translated into English by Julie Wark.

What's it about?

Love in Lowercase is a sweet story about a young linguistics professor whose world is turned upside down thanks to a cat.
Samuel likes his quiet life--living alone, grading papers, and sticking to his routine. When a cat shows up at his apartment on New Year's Day, Samuel's immediate plan is to find its owners or arrange a permanent home for it. In the meantime, he feeds the cat. These actions set off a chain of events in which he meets his neighbors, rediscovers a childhood girlfriend, and rejuvenates his relationship with his sister.

Thoughts after Reading

Love in Lowercase is a charming story of loneliness, love, and friendship set in the beautiful city of Barcelona.
The novel is infused with a number of literary references; for example, Samuel names the cat Mishima (a favorite author of mine) and describes the hospital as Kafkaesque.
Not all novels survive translation, but the warmth and fun of Miralles's story are built on a universal foundation.
Samuel is insecure, quirky, and capable of surprising even himself. I was caught up in his transformation and his discovery of the many sides of love, friendship, and loyalty. As the Kirkus reviewer said, "Samuel, full of awkwardness and good intentions, is an easy protagonist to root for."
I love the overriding theme that it's never too late to open the door to the unexpected.
There is a subtheme of finding everyday magic.
This is a light, quick read for a lazy afternoon. The chapters are only a couple of pages long, so it's also perfect for commutes and travel.
Will this be the best book you'll read this year? Probably not, but it's bound to make you smile, and you'll have fun with the references to art, music, and books.

Warnings

After I formulated my own thoughts, I took a look at other reviews. I was surprised that some readers were not as enchanted as I was.
I think you have to be willing to just go with the flow. Yeah, in real life in the city you probably wouldn't develop an immediate trust with people you hardly know, but Love in Lovercase is meant to be fun, not realistic--like a rom-com on the silver screen.

Daryl, 2/1/16, 9:35 AM: oh i wish i had read this before now, heading to Barcelona tomorrow ..
(Diane) bookchickdi, 2/1/16, 1:25 PM: This sounds like a charming book, perfect for Valentine's Day.
Katherine P, 2/1/16, 2:54 PM: This sounds like a lovely book and like one I could just go with. I do love the theme as well and the literary references.
rhonda, 2/1/16, 6:27 PM: Sounds lovely going on my list😊
Margot, 2/2/16, 1:56 PM: I am so ready for a good romantic comedy. This sounds like one I could enjoy. I like that it's set in Barcelona. Hopefully it will feel like I've taken a mini-vacation there.
Amanda, 2/3/16, 8:59 AM: This sounds like a lovely comfort read! Putting it on my list.