Jaume Cabré’s novel ‘I confess’ to be translated into 20 languages

The story is framed as a long confession written by , a brilliant polyglot and musicologist in Barcelona. Realizing he is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease , Adrià attempts to record his life story and his family’s dark secrets for his late love, Sara, before his memories disappear.

Adrià grew up in a cold, loveless household in Barcelona’s Eixample district. His father, Felix, was a ruthless antique collector with a "murky past" involving the extortion of Nazi victims.

At the heart of the novel is a priceless 18th-century violin made by Lorenzo Storioni. The instrument acts as a silent witness to centuries of human cruelty—from the Spanish Inquisition and 13th-century monasteries to the horrors of Auschwitz .

(originally Jo confesso in Catalan) is a monumental novel by Jaume Cabré , first published in 2011. It is widely considered a masterpiece of contemporary European literature, weaving together a vast history of evil, art, and personal guilt through the lens of a single man's fading memory. Core Premise & Plot

Adrià's life is defined by a sense of inherited guilt, a quest for intellectual mastery, and a tragic, broken relationship with Sara.