Five women from vastly different worlds create a literary society that leads them to confront sexism, power, and a mystery capable of changing everything.
Madrid, 1917. Pola Martínez, a young woman passionate about books, dreams of opening her own bookstore. To achieve it, she reluctantly agrees to a marriage of convenience with Héctor Palacios, an arrogant doctor, in order to secure the financial support of her father, Beltrán, also a physician. With the help of Iván, Héctor’s progressive-minded brother and a talented architect with whom she shares a close friendship, Pola opens La Pluma, a bookstore on Carretas Street.
Inside the premises, owned by a man named Diego de Ariza, she discovers a diary filled with passionate letters addressed to a mysterious woman named Isabel. Written by a doctor stationed in Africa, the pages tell of the horrors of war and an impossible love affair. The diary soon becomes the center of a mystery that will shape all of their lives.
The bookstore quickly evolves into a haven for women struggling against the limitations imposed by society. Lorea Garmendia, a medical student from Vitoria, arrives in Madrid fleeing her past with Héctor. Secretly pregnant by him, she carries the burden of betrayal and shame. Iris Pertierra, a celebrated Andalusian performer known on stage as La Bella Azucena, hides her true identity while pursuing her dream of writing a play. Violet Darcy, Pola’s English cousin, escapes scandal after her involvement in the suffragette movement; although engaged to Conrad, a soldier at war, her true love is a woman named Ivy. Finally, Marga, a local woman trapped in an abusive marriage, finds among them the support she needs to start over.
Together they found The Society of the Feather and the Rose, a reading circle and mutual support group where they share secrets, build solidarity, and challenge the expectations placed upon them.
Their lives are soon threatened by the men who seek to control them. Upon discovering Lorea’s pregnancy, Héctor drugs her and takes her to a clandestine clinic in an attempt to force an abortion. In a dramatic rescue, Pola, Iván, and Diego manage to save her. Lorea survives, chooses to marry Iván, and decides to raise her daughter with him, while Pola finally breaks off her engagement to Héctor. Shortly afterward, Héctor dies in a car accident, seemingly closing one chapter of the story—though not the dangers surrounding them.
Meanwhile, the diary gradually reveals the truth about its author: Nicolás de Ariza, Diego’s brother, who had a secret romance with Isabel Braum, the daughter of one of Madrid’s most influential families. Their relationship resulted in the birth of two children, although one reportedly died during childbirth. The Braum family, aided by the sinister Dr. Ortés, concealed the truth. Isabel was told that both children had died, when in reality one survived and was secretly placed in a convent. The conspiracy was designed to preserve the family’s reputation and silence Nicolás, whose death was officially attributed to typhus but was, in fact, murder.
The revelation ultimately drives Isabel to take her own life.
At the same time, the protagonists experience their own powerful love stories. Pola and Diego grow close through their shared investigation. Iris defies social convention through her romance with the Marquis Adrián. Violet and Marga embark on a courageous forbidden love affair. Lorea finds in Iván the possibility of security, respect, and a future she thought impossible.
After Isabel’s death, the Society becomes determined to finish uncovering the truth. They discover that the surviving child, Alfonsito, remains alive under the watch of Sister Francisca, a nun working with Dr. Ortés. Their investigation culminates in a Civil Guard operation targeting the Braum family and Ortés. During the raid, both villains are killed, and Alfonsito is finally rescued, finding a safe home with Rosa, the mother of Diego and Nicolás.
The epilogue, set in December 1918, finds the women united and victorious. Pola, Iris, Lorea, Marga, and Violet celebrate the strength of friendship and the certainty that, bound together by books, solidarity, and courage, they are unstoppable.
RELEVANT INFORMATION: Zahara C. Ordóñez is a Spanish author of fantasy, romance, and historical fiction. She has published more than twenty novels across different genres and has contributed to several literary anthologies.
The Society of the Feather and the Rose is a vibrant and emotionally rich historical novel that transports readers to Madrid in 1917, a period shaped by World War I, profound social change, and the emergence of modern feminism. Combining the intrigue of a thriller—filled with secrets, conspiracies, investigations, and dramatic twists—with romance, passion, and friendship, the novel offers a compelling ensemble cast in which each protagonist undergoes a powerful personal journey.
The result is a sweeping historical story with exceptional audiovisual potential, blending mystery, romance, and female empowerment into a cinematic narrative ideally suited for adaptation.
AUDIOVISUAL POTENTIAL: TV Series, Miniseries, Film, TV Movie
AVAILABLE LANGUAGES: Spanish.
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