Nuria Barrios’ novel Todo arde (2020) provides a "disturbing retelling" of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth.
Fire is often seen as a purely destructive force that levels everything to ash, leaving no trace of the previous order. Todo arde
Unlike traditional "lone wolf" thrillers, Gómez-Jurado focuses on a collective of three women. Their survival suggests that while the individual is easily consumed by the "fire" of the system, a community built on shared trauma can withstand and eventually direct the flames. 2. The Mythological Descent: Orpheus and Eurydice Nuria Barrios’ novel Todo arde (2020) provides a
Conversely, in many cultural contexts, "everything burning" is a necessary stage of purification. For something new to grow, the old, decayed structures must be cleared. In both Barrios' and Gómez-Jurado's works, the "burning" is not the end of the story, but the painful prerequisite for a new, albeit scarred, beginning. Comparative Structural Summary Nuria Barrios' Todo arde Juan Gómez-Jurado's Todo arde Primary Genre Literary Fiction / Mythological Retelling High-Stakes Thriller The "Fire" Social marginalization and addiction Corporate and legal corruption Human Element Familial bonds and sacrifice Revenge and female solidarity Ending Tone Melancholy and tragic Triumphant but radical Their survival suggests that while the individual is
The "burning" here is the hellscape of drug addiction and the marginalized spaces of society (the poblados ). The protagonist's descent is not into a literal Hades, but into the social fringes where everything—hope, health, and dignity—is in a state of incineration.
The narrative often centers on individuals who have been failed by the legal and economic systems. When these systems fail to provide justice, the characters resort to burning them down—metaphorically or physically—to seek a new form of equilibrium.
In Juan Gómez-Jurado’s thriller series, "Todo arde" signifies the literal and figurative dismantling of power structures.