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.
Setting: Catalonia (Spain) & Morocco
Book set in Spain (Catalonia) and Morocco: The novel is set between Morocco and Catalonia, Spain. While the exact Catalan town is not explicitly named in the text, it is widely believed to be inspired by the town of Vic, where Najat El Hachmi grew up.
Original title: L’últim patriarca
Year of publication: 2008
Nr of pages: 320
