Summary of The Last Patriarch
“The Last Patriarch” by Najat El Hachmi tells the story of a Moroccan immigrant in Spain (Catalonia) who struggles to adapt to his new country and its Western culture. The man has a violent temperament and imposes his traditional values on his entire family, except himself. This causes conflicts with his free-spirited daughter, who is more integrated into Spanish – Catalan society.
Reasons to read The Last Patriarch
Najat El Hachmi is a Spanish writer of Moroccan descent, who writes in Catalan. Her novel “The Last Patriarch” was a bestseller in Spain and won the Catalan Ramon Llull Award in 2008. The book is a powerful exploration of immigration, focusing on an abusive father who treats the women in his family with utter disrespect. On a more positive note, it also tells the story of a daughter’s attempt to break free from a stifling family environment and live her own life.
Original title: L’últim patriarca
Year of publication: 2008
Nr of pages: 320
