Beatriz Serrano - Discontent

On the surface, Marisa seems to be doing well. She lives in a pleasant apartment in Madrid, has a lover and neighbour downstairs, and has climbed quickly through the ranks of a successful advertising agency. From the outside, her life may look enviable — but inside, she is exhausted, disconnected and increasingly unable to pretend that everything is fine.

Beatriz Serrano’s Discontent is a bold and biting novel about the emotional cost of modern work culture. Marisa hates her job, but she also knows how to perform competence, busyness and ambition well enough to survive inside it. Her carefully constructed professional mask is put under pressure when she is forced to attend her company’s annual retreat and deliver a talk on creativity.

Over the course of one hot summer, the cracks begin to show. Surrounded by unsettling bosses, awkward team-building exercises, flirtatious facilitators and an atmosphere of corporate absurdity, Marisa is pushed toward a spiral that is both comic and painfully recognizable. The novel captures the strange emptiness of being outwardly successful while feeling inwardly adrift.

What makes Discontent especially engaging is its mix of humour and unease. Serrano writes about the world of office performance, digital distraction, ambition, boredom and loneliness with a caustic, observant eye. The result is a novel that feels very contemporary: a story for readers who have ever wondered whether productivity, status and constant busyness are really enough.

Who is this book for?
This novel is a strong choice for readers who enjoy contemporary literary fiction, dark humour, workplace satire and stories about modern anxiety, burnout and self-deception. It may especially appeal to readers who like sharp, character-driven novels about women navigating work, desire, loneliness and the pressure to appear successful.

Why is it worth reading?
Because it speaks to a very modern form of dissatisfaction: the feeling of wanting more time, more meaning and more connection, while being trapped in routines that make real change feel almost impossible. Serrano turns workplace frustration and emotional drift into a funny, uncomfortable and sharply observed story.

Could it make a good gift?
Yes, especially for readers who enjoy smart, ironic and contemporary novels about work, relationships and the absurdities of modern life. It could be a great choice for fans of literary fiction with a satirical edge.

Take a look at other English-language books available from BigBandi.hu if you enjoy sharp contemporary fiction, workplace satire and darkly funny novels about modern life.