Lowering Clouds

Gabriele, an actress nearing the end of her career, returns to the city where she spent her adolescence. At sixty‑two, with two divorces behind her and film roles growing scarce, she feels the weight of time and the unforgiving gaze of the film industry. Her unexpected visit unsettles two childhood friends: Marianne, a retired teacher whose memory is beginning to blur, and Silvia, a woman caught between family obligations, the care of her grandchildren, routine, and a marriage worn thin.

Through these encounters, Gabriele glimpses what her life might have been, while her presence awakens long‑buried desires and unresolved tensions.

A psychological and deeply human novel about aging, identity, friendship, and the fragile hope of second chances.

“A slice of real life dissected with a razor‑sharp literary scalpel. One of the most promising voices in contemporary Catalan fiction.”
— L’Ull crític

“Intimate, spontaneous, and profoundly human moments. A novel that captures nostalgia and the strength of new beginnings.”
— Cinzia Rizzotto, Translator

“A sensitive portrait of people in their sixties reflecting on their lives and choices.”
— Vera Ramakers, Translator

“A memorable interpersonal mosaic that lingers long after the final page.”
— Catherine Wray, Translator


NÚRIA AÑÓ is a Catalan writer whose work explores the psychology of her characters with a deeply visual, introspective approach reminiscent of art‑house cinema. Her novels and essays, published internationally and translated into fifteen languages, are known for their literary depth and quiet, lingering tension. She has received numerous literary awards and has been invited to prestigious writing residencies across Europe and Asia. Her prose blends emotional precision, a contemplative rhythm, and a sensitivity that resonates long after the final page.