Los amores de Hortensia

Mercedes Cabello de Carbonera (1842-1909), a foundational Peruvian novelist, challenged the literary and social norms of her time. Los amores de Hortensia (1887), first published as a serial in Paris in 1884, is considered her debut novel, a significant work that blends romantic tendencies with sharp social criticism and emerging naturalistic realism.

The novel explores the tragic story of Hortensia, a virtuous, intelligent woman trapped in a marriage of convenience. Through her protagonist, Cabello de Carbonera critiques the materialistic and patriarchal society of 19th-century Lima, highlighting women's lack of economic independence and the societal pressures that often led to their downfall. The work is a powerful precursor to the feminist-social themes that would define much of her later oeuvre.

This edition, meticulously based on the 1887 Torres Aguirre publication, addresses crucial chronological debates in Cabello's bibliography. It offers a unique window into a pivotal era of Latin American literature, showcasing the author's pioneering spirit and her daring challenge to conventional thought through a compelling narrative that remains relevant today.