María Zabay is one of those cultured, interesting, charming, and fun women who captivate. A lawyer, journalist, presenter, and writer, she has conquered television and literature with a unique combination of intelligence, charisma, and courage. Her new novel, Valentina, immerses us in a world of contrasts: Jamaica (Queens) and Manhattan, poverty and luxury, desire and power. She does so with brilliant prose.
The protagonist, Valentina, is a 19-year-old with fierce ambition and a life marked by inequality. But beyond being the story of a young woman dreaming of changing her fate, Valentina challenges us to question our own limits, prejudices, and desires.
Today, we speak with María about this novel, which is already making waves in Spain and promises to captivate readers in the United States and Latin America. A conversation about literature, power, sex, and the eternal struggle between what we want and what we are willing to do to get it.
Your protagonist, Valentina, is young, beautiful, ambitious, and lives in a tough neighborhood. Is she a heroine, a survivor, or a rebel without a cause?
Valentina is all of those things and none at the same time. She’s not the traditional heroine who does everything right, nor the anti-heroine who revels in darkness. She is human—full of contradictions, torn between dignity and temptation, dreams and fears. She is brave but also vulnerable, and I think that's where readers can see themselves in her.
The novel poses a powerful question: Is it possible to achieve success without betraying yourself? What is María Zabay’s opinion on this?
It depends on what one considers success. If success means meeting other people's expectations, then betraying yourself is almost a requirement. But if success is staying true to yourself—your essence and values—then it is possible, though much harder. We live in a world that rewards pragmatism, not consistency. Valentina knows this, which is why her journey is not an easy one.
Valentina explores desire, power, and class struggle. How much of the story is a metaphor for the world we live in?
A lot. We live in a society where desire moves mountains but also imposes rules. It’s no coincidence that money and power are the great arbiters of many human relationships. In the novel, desire is not just physical—it’s the desire to be, to belong, to rise. Valentina moves within a world where everything is a game of forces. And in that game, we all have a bit of Valentina in us.
Andrew, the man who introduces Valentina to a world of luxury—is he a prince charming, a predator, or an enigma?
A little of everything. I don’t like flat characters. Andrew is not just a rich and attractive man opening doors for Valentina; he is also someone with his own doubts and demons. Like everyone else, he struggles between what he wants and what he should want. His relationship with Valentina is a constant battle where power and vulnerability shift hands all the time.
You’ve written novels, essays, and short stories—what makes Valentina different from your other books?
A distinct freshness, an emotional intensity that grips you from the first page. It’s a story that blends boldness and depth, humor and drama, pleasure and fear. I believe it’s one of my most authentic novels because it dares to speak openly about topics we often avoid—inequality, sexuality, class conflict, the power of beauty and its traps.
Is Valentina a reflection of María Zabay?
All my characters have a part of me, but Valentina especially carries my perspective on the world. That mix of irony and tenderness, boldness and doubt, the urge to devour life but also to question it constantly. Valentina is not my projection, but she could definitely be someone I’d sit down with for hours over coffee.
The novel has moments of humor but also deeply emotional scenes. Was it difficult to balance that?
It was a fascinating challenge. Life is not just drama or comedy—it’s a constant swing between moments. I wanted the novel to reflect that: one moment, you might laugh at something Valentina says, and the next, you feel a lump in your throat. Because that’s real life—unpredictable and full of contrasts.
In the story, Valentina has to make tough decisions. If you were in her shoes, would you have done the same?
That’s a great question. I think Valentina and I share many things, but we are also different. She is more impulsive, bolder in some ways, and more naive in others. With my experience, I might have made different choices, but that’s the beauty of the novel—it makes you wonder what you would have done in her place.
For readers in the U.S. and Latin America, why should they read Valentina?
Because it’s a story that transcends borders. Whether you're in New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Caracas, Bogotá, or Mexico City, Valentina speaks to something universal: the desire to be more, to find your place, to challenge the labels imposed by others. Plus, the novel has rhythm, wit, that mix of sensuality and reflection that hooks you and leaves a mark. And above all, because it’s a story that forces us to look in the mirror and ask: What would I do in her place?
What would you like a reader to feel when they finish the book?
Like they’ve been on an emotional rollercoaster. That they laughed, felt moved, got angry, felt tenderness. And that, in some way, their view of the world has changed a little. That’s what makes a book worthwhile.
What’s next after Valentina?
Now it’s time to enjoy the adventure of this book, share it with readers, and see how it resonates with them. After that… who knows? Stories always find a way of appearing when you least expect them.
With Valentina, María Zabay delivers a novel that goes beyond entertainment. It’s a story that challenges, questions, and, above all, makes us feel. If you haven’t read Valentina yet, get ready—it’s a literary journey you won’t forget.
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