Render plunges the reader into the vibrant setting of Barcelona in the second half of the twentieth century. A compelling character study, the book is presented as the collected works of a fictional poet: Alberto Cenas, the lonely scion of a wealthy Catalan family. Taken individually, Render's poems offer piercing insights into the exuberance of youth, the disillusionment of early adulthood, inherited trauma, creativity, ageing and finality. Collectively, the book delivers the immersive experience of a concept album or an existentialist film, creating a complex portrait of a strange and sympathetic figure.
