We’re starting a new blog season after the summer break with a novel that holds a special place in my heart for many reasons: The towers of the sky, (original title: “Les torres del cel”) by Coia Valls.
Today marks the relaunch of the first novel about the founding of Montserrat, our beloved mountain, with an event at the Ona bookstore in Barcelona.
Montserrat holds a unique significance for my family, as we’ve spent many summers there, and only those who know Montserrat understand what it means to vacation in the surroundings of a monastery. Those were some of the best times of my childhood, and later on, being able to enjoy a novel that explains how it all began was the icing on the cake.
And when the author is Coia Valls, who has been by my side almost from the beginning, with whom I share many things, including a deep connection to Montserrat, it’s an honor. She is a truly remarkable author.
This novel is also special to her. When she wrote it, she was going through an important personal moment, and now, with its relaunch, she finds herself in a similar situation. I’m certain that this coincidence will give the novel new wings, paying tribute to the millennium of Montserrat.
It all started on an infinite mountain, the great lost episode of our history. The story offers a glimpse into the early days of the Monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat, the first years of the scriptorium, and the primal song that gave rise to the Escolanía. The novel paints an extraordinary picture of a frontier land—Catalonia expanding southward to assert its identity as a nation.
In the early 11th century, Abbot Oliva makes a decision that disrupts the established order. A small group of monks settles in one of the hermitages with the mission of laying the foundations of the monastery. Among them is Dalmau Savarés, a former soldier of Count Berenguer Ramon I, who finds himself torn between two mutually exclusive futures: the transformative spirituality of the hermit Basili and the worldly power of the Church. Coia Valls masterfully recreates a lost chapter of our history, offering a heartfelt tribute to Montserrat and the sea that once covered this magical land at the dawn of time.
I believe this is a novel that every Catalan should have at home, but also anyone who admires Montserrat. People from around the world visit and are captivated by the magic that surrounds the mountain. We should all know how it began and the history of this place that is so deeply ours yet shared with the world. Its charm, infinite beauty, and secrets can only be fully appreciated by delving into its history. Les torres del cel is, therefore, a must-read for everyone.
