“Alexandra C.: All the Lives We Haven’t Lived” is the opera prima of Alexandra C., a Spanish jurist who
dared to write her first novel in English, because she works in English and actually lives her life in
English most of the time. Her short book is a story which is entirely its own genre, with a distinct and
alluring voice.
Alexandra has always had a passion for literature and is a compulsive reader. She started, like almost
everyone else, writing ridiculously tacky love poems in her teenagerhood that now she would be
ashamed to read.
The idea of the novel stems from a real life experience which had Alexandra shattered for several days until she decided to write about it as a catharsis. While earlier in life she was shy to publish anything, after two serious illnesses that were potentially life-threatening and are now behind her, Alexandra decided to fulfil her lifelong dream of publishing a book.
In it, Alexandra C. strips herself naked by writing a sincere, touching and sometimes inappropriate
book for her platonic love Ernesto Abastos, where all her fears and contradictions are exposed
through her recollection of stories with some of the men she mixed up with during the time she and
Ernesto were not in touch.
In reaction to the shocking news of his passing, Alexandra embarks on a sharp and satirical journey in
search for splendour in the grass. With her in that journey are singers Maria Callas and Leonard
Cohen, actress Nathalie Wood, Dr. Oliver Sacks and writers Julian Barnes and Javier Marias, along
with many other icons and other anonymous humans that influenced her life.
Alexandra is blunt and laughs at herself, but also cries. And she is not scared to confess to Ernesto
some of her one-night stands or her love for others. She describes to him, at times with humour, at
times with nostalgy, some her encounters, for instance this one:
‘You do not even need to like their coffee or their business model. One day, you can enter a Starbucks
and ten minutes later walk out of it with a tall latte, a grand self-esteem, and a venti invitation to an
ATP 500 tennis match in your city that includes a same-evening dinner with one of the contenders. He
happened to be queuing right behind you at your local Starbucks. Without any warning, a simple
emergency stop for a caffeine shot after a sleepless night, turns into the best coffee of your life so far’
Or this longer and more intense one:
‘Alexander, who sometimes made love to me with his glasses on. Alexander would read me poetry in
bed. Alexander, who could dance just moving his shoulders and smiling with his eyes. If I light candles
at dinner, it is because he taught me to. If I cook Thai food, it is because I learned it from him.
Alexander, who had the most beautiful hands I have ever seen, and who made me embrace the
beauty of my own hands. Alexander, who knew how to establish boundaries and how to put me in my
place. In that he reminded me of you, Ernesto.”
Did she love Ernesto all along? Why were they not together? One of her reflections reads: “Every
now and then, more often than not, I wonder how Alexandra C.’s happiness would look next to
Ernesto Abastos’s, and what multiplying force we could have achieved together. ”
The novel has received excellent reviews, here some examples:
The fabric of this small novel is the people that Alexandra meets or has relationships with, each somehow
connecting to her memories and love of Ernesto. The prose and writing style of the author is to die for, literary and spellbinding. The styles of Siri Hustvedt in The Blazing World, and What I Loved, and Rachel Kushner in The Flamethrowers come to mind. I loved this slim volume and highly recommend it.
This novel definitely made me think about human relationships, the unspoken and belated words, the deep connections and the fact how quickly we forget that we have to live here and now.
A real/fictional story about a contemporary woman and her loves and lovers with a tender and ironic glance. The portraits of her iconic idols are delightful.
Beautiful, poignant, and passionate stories are interwoven with tragedy, humour and joy. The human condition is exposed. I read it from beginning to end at once. It pulls you in and piece by piece you get to see inside
Alexandra C’s beautiful soul. The writing is powerful and refreshing. Unlike many books that Hollywood films are based on with the same kind of bland stories, this tells a more honest and modern narrative of today’s women.
Written with a powerful wisdom about passion and connection!
Beautiful story that lets you experience Alexandra C life path right along with her, while forcing you to think about how you live your own life.
Touching and funny at the same time, intertwined with palpable passion for music and arts in general.
Absolutely loved it and recommend for a fast motivation and uplift.
“Alexandra C.: All The Lives We Haven’t Lived” by Alexandra C. is available worldwide on Amazon in kindle and hard copy format. For inquiries kindly email: [email protected] or check out her official Instagram account at @alexandrac_writer
