Miguel Dalmau wins Café Gijón Novel Prize for ‘La reina de Cuba’

Catalan writer Miguel Dalmau has been awarded the 2026 Café Gijón Novel Prize for his work ‘La reina de Cuba’. The award, announced in Madrid, includes 20,000 euros and a publishing contract with Siruela, with the novel scheduled for release in January 2027.

The jury, chaired by Mercedes Monmany, praised the novel for its “agile, torrential and full of authenticity” style. The story explores themes of memory and filial love, transitioning between pre-revolutionary Cuba and post-war Spain. The narrative follows a son reflecting on his mother’s life, moving from her childhood in the 1940s in Cuba to her arrival in a devastated Spain in 1945.

Dalmau, born in Barcelona in 1957, has a distinguished literary career including works such as ‘La grieta’ and ‘Las cenizas de Berta’. He described the winning novel as a reconstruction of a complex character rather than a canonical biography.