Juanita, the Fantastic is a funny, tender, and sometimes chaotic life story. It’s the story of a woman who leaves no one indifferent—a vibrant, unpredictable, endearing, and sometimes irritating personality, but always profoundly human.

Through her, I explore family, memory, the bonds that shape us, and the contradictions that run through us.

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Juanita is not a fictional character: she exists, she breathes, she overflows with life.

This book recounts her energy, her excesses, her flashes of brilliance, her clumsiness, her anger, her bursts of laughter, and her unique way of navigating life.

It is a family portrait, but also a mirror held up to who we are: imperfect, funny, fragile, sometimes unbearable, but always profoundly alive.

Juanita, the Fantastic is a tribute to those people who leave an indelible mark on a family—for better or for worse.

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She does things her way, when she wants and how she wants. If she gets up at eight o’clock and the clock shows eight o’clock, for her, it’s six o’clock, like every morning. If she has to hang out her soaked sweater while Eva eats breakfast in pajamas at four degrees, she takes her time. If she has to spread bleach on her kitchen sink while a few centimeters away Eva prepares breakfast for Jean and Olivia, she gets right to it without hesitation.

She’s like that, Juanita!

Why I wrote this book

I wrote this book to preserve a record. To tell the story of a woman who could have been lost to silence, when she deserves to be heard.

I also wrote to understand: to understand family, to understand relationships, to understand what shapes us.

And perhaps, to laugh at ourselves a little.

Book themes

• Chronicles
• Family
• Humor
• Memoir
• Characters

Reader reviews

Carine

The humorous treatment of the subject matter made this a book I devoured, even though I’m not usually a voracious reader.

The tone and writing style make it easy to read, and the character, as complex as he may be, is captivating.

Who knows? I could easily see this story adapted into a play someday!

I loved it!

Lara Gomez

This book was a genuine surprise. The story is skillfully constructed, unfolding with fluidity and subtlety, while incorporating perfectly measured touches of irony. The author manages to blend understated humor with everyday situations, lending the narrative a unique authenticity.

The little anecdotes of daily life that punctuate the pages add unexpected depth: they connect the story to universal experiences, making the characters even more endearing. You feel as if you’re navigating between fiction and reality without ever losing coherence, a testament to great narrative mastery.

This is a book to savor from beginning to end, a book that will make you smile, reflect, and, on several occasions, recognize yourself in its scenes. A seemingly simple work, yet rich in meaning. Without a doubt, a book I warmly recommend.

Alex Lopez

I loved reading Juanita the Fantastic. Not being a voracious reader, I found this book very easy to read. The desire to discover what happens next, the next story, the next adventure, makes you want to keep turning the pages.

The blend of reality and fantasy is particularly well done, to the point that you sometimes lose track of what’s real. This blurred line makes the reading even more captivating and gives depth to the story. The fantastical elements integrate perfectly with reality, which makes the book so beautiful and original.

I highly recommend this book because, whatever your usual literary preferences, it can appeal to a very wide audience. In my opinion, Juanita the Fantastic resonates with a broad readership thanks to its originality and its easy readability.

Work in progress

New chronicles by Juanita

I continue exploring his world through new scenes, anecdotes, and portraits.

Family story

A larger project about family dynamics, inspired by but distinct from Juanita.

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