Book cover "Otilia, the Fool" by Hernán Fontanet, featuring an illustration depicting an urban scene with a female figure reading and a man walking, along with a brief biography of the author.
LIFESTYLE

'otilia, the Idiot': the Religious Thriller That Revolutionizes Literature

'What happens when faith becomes a weapon and dogma stifles difference?' Ediciones de la Torre presents 'Otilia, la imbécil'

What Is It About?
 Based on true events, Otilia, the Imbecile tells the story of Otilia Dubé, a young Canadian reporter brutally murdered in Sudan while investigating the death of a priest linked to the Vatican. But her story doesn't end with her death: from beyond, Otilia returns to tell her truth. And her story isn't pretty. It's a heart-wrenching cry against the silencing of those who are different.

Otilia Dubé: An Uncomfortable Heroine
 "Nerd, neurodivergent, queer. Her story doesn't fit the canons of traditional female heroism. It doesn't fit into the molds of sweetened resilience or the overcoming stories that seek likes on social media. It's uncomfortable, it's fierce, it's a thorn in the side of those who believe diversity is just a well-edited photo in an advertising campaign. With a fast-paced narrative, the novel captivates from the first page and immerses the reader in a plot that mixes fantasy, social criticism and a deep exploration of identity."

What Happens When Someone Sees What Others Don't Want Seen?
 "In a world where truth is perceived as a threat, Otilia's voice becomes an echo impossible to silence." This novel not only tells a story of murder but is a coming-of-age tale. Through Otilia's life, the work becomes a metaphor for the path of self-discovery for those who face intolerance, dogma and exclusion while seeking purpose in a hostile world.

The Novel Everyone Will Want to Read
 It's not a comfortable or complacent book. Otilia, the Imbecile rejects any attempt at ideological domestication and breaks with well-meaning discourses. "It's not an inspiring story by market standards but a ruthless exploration of marginalization, abuse, mental health and the violence exerted by the tyranny of the 'common'—the neurotypicals, those silent rulers of neuro-normativity."

Otilia, the Imbecile: 'Manual for Betraying the World'
 "This is the story of all those who have been silenced, infantilized, nullified in the name of the 'common good'. There are no easy morals or sugar-coated endings here. Only the brutal truth of a world that prefers the different dead or disappeared. Will anyone dare to read it?"

An Uncomfortable Truth That Can No Longer Be Ignored
 From Sudan to Canada, passing through Chile, Argentina and Spain, the novel traces a map of power and betrayal where faith becomes a weapon and neurotypical normality dictates death sentences.

Hernán Fontanet: A Writer Who Doesn't Ask for Permission
 Hernán Fontanet (Buenos Aires, 1966) is an academic, essayist and now novelist. With a career dedicated to dismantling official narratives, he earned his doctorate at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and has taught at Yale University, North Carolina State and Rider. With essential books like Juan Gelman y su tiempo and The Unfinished Song of Francisco Urondo, he now breaks into fiction with a novel as provocative as his academic work. Otilia, the Imbecile is his fist on the table, a work that doesn't seek to please but to shake.

Amplifying the Debate on Diversity and Neurodivergence
 The launch of the novel, whose participation is confirmed at the Madrid Book Fair 2025, is a call to cultural journalists in Spain to investigate and convey the powerful message Fontanet wishes to give. The goal is for Otilia's story to spark interest and be replicated in various media, amplifying the debate on diversity and neurodivergence.

What Do Readers Say?
 "Brutal and addictive. My goodness, what a piece of story. Otilia, the Imbecile blows your mind. It's not just the plot, which hooks from the first page, but how it's written: direct, raw, fearless. Otilia is a character I've never seen before, so real she seems to jump out of the book and scream at you. What amazes the most is how it mixes the thriller with that more philosophical and religious part. It makes you think without realizing it, and when it ends you're in shock. Plus, it has twists that drive you crazy. If you're looking for a different, powerful story that breaks away from the typical, this book is a must. More novels like this are needed now." — Casa del libro.

A Novel That's Making Waves
 Available in bookstores throughout Spain and on platforms like Amazon, Casa del Libro, Agapea, Fnac and El Corte Inglés.

Follow the Conversation on Instagram:@Otilia.la.imbecil

"Discover why this novel is making so many uncomfortable. Read it. Spread it. And decide."

 

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