La Quimera

It is an almost unanimous opinion among the critics that "La Quimera" initiates or, at least, consolidates a change of course in Emilia Pardo Bazán's way of writing novels, characterized by detailed psychological analysis, interest in aestheticism, spiritualist tendencies , the opening to the world of mystery and irrationality, the defense of the Ideal against Reason or the poetic and impressionistic style, among other aspects of notable interest. Inspired by characters and events of recent Madrid, "La Quimera" starts from an autofictional background to build a social satire and, in the words of its own author, "study an aspect of the contemporary soul" through literary art.