We have resumed the reading club of the 50a50 Association with the novel “L’instant abans de l’impacte by Gloria de Castro, with whom we have had the pleasure to have during the session.

“L’instant abans de l’impacte is a novel that analyses motherhood, work-life balance policies and the consumer society, portraying a bitter reality that many women face daily in their work. The main character of the novel, based on the author’s own experiences, lives a disillusionment: discovering what it really means the motherhood.

During the session, moderated by Anna Mercadé and Cristina Oliva, the author recounted the situation of harassment at work that led her to write this novel, as well as some of her personal experiences that have subsequently inspired fragments of the book.

This text allows us to draw our own conclusions from a feminist perspective. In fact, during the session, Cristina Olivahighlighted that it is a very appropriate novel for young women, as it breaks with the false illusion of equality that many women experience before becoming mothers.

The session took the shape of a relaxed conversation between colleagues, where debate was created not only about the plot of the novel, but also about all the issues that it brings to light: consumerism, the dangers of new technologies, aesthetic pressure, motherhood… In addition, the participants shared their doubts, concerns, and enriching experiences.

In addition, Gloria de Castro called for the need to value care work, appealing to the responsibilities of men, companies, and administrations. Finally, the new models of men and roles in the couple were discussed, as well as the mental burden of women and the obstacles that society places in the way of family coresponsibility. As Anna Mercadé pointed out, companies currently place more value on being present than on the skills of the workers.