Arca

The novel presents a complex and multifaceted plot that narrates the life of Laura, a talented musician and lesbian activist around 35 years old, who lives with her alcoholic father, Roberto, and works for ARCA, an NGO dedicated to investigating the massive stranding of Zei whales that occurred in southern Chile in 2015. Laura carries the weight of a dark episode of abuse in her childhood, which took place in a sect known as the Refugio, deeply affecting her character and relationships.

During a concert, Laura meets siblings Alia and Lucas, who are actively involved in ARCA. This encounter triggers a bizarre and existential love triangle that intensifies throughout the story through the desires and crossed projections among the three characters. Alia, a 40-year-old journalist who has left behind a failed marriage and multiple unsuccessful attempts at assisted reproduction, feels deeply attracted to Laura, discovering new facets of herself and finding inspiration to write a science fiction novel. Lucas, in turn, becomes a fundamental support for Laura, with whom she eventually moves to a remote island in southern Chile.

The novel also explores Laura’s relationship with her sister Camila and their father Roberto, an alcoholic with mystical inclinations, who has left deep scars on his daughters, influencing their decisions and adult relationships. The omniscient narrator, with a humorous and reflective tone, structures the novel in three parts. In the first part, the story of Laura, Alia, and Lucas is told in a realistic tone that alternates times and memories as their relationships develop and complicate. The second part follows the journey of ARCA members to the Gulf of Penas and Melinka Island, where they investigate the deaths of the Zei whales. The third part focuses on Camila’s search for her father, now part of a biblical group in northern Chile, revealing details of the traumatic experiences that marked the sisters’ childhood and youth. Additionally, it narrates Camila’s tumultuous adventure with Gabriel.

The novel weaves an intricate mosaic of stories where the past and present intertwine, exploring themes of trauma, love, self-discovery, and redemption, in the context of environmental activism and complex human relationships.