A gothic-tinged novel inspired by an incredible true story that took place in early 20th-century Galicia. A young woman possessed by the spirit of a priest—an unrestful soul—in a story where the supernatural intertwines with a stark portrayal of a cruel society. From the pen of acclaimed author Cristina Sánchez-Andrade comes a tale steeped in folklore and mystery that leaves no reader untouched.
Based on a true story: in a small Galician village in the early 20th century, a 22-year-old woman named Manuela has been confined to her home, tied hand and foot, for a year. No one agrees on how to cure her, but everyone believes they know the cause: she suffers from corpo aberto, a supposed possession by a soul that cannot rest. Manuela speaks in a deep voice with a Cuban accent and displays knowledge of Latin, religion, and philosophy that an illiterate girl could not possibly have… Everyone believes the body of Manuela houses the spirit of a clergyman who died in Havana.
The novel begins with the moment when, upon drinking water, Manuela is possessed by the priest’s spirit. From that moment on, the girl retraces everything that led her to this point. The Galicia of the novel is a mysterious place, wrapped in a disconcerting, strange and disturbing atmosphere, filled with the sounds of forest animals and villagers plagued by beliefs in meigas (witches) and religious superstitions…
Orphaned of her mother and raised in poverty, Manuela starts working at the manor house of the local landowner, Don Diego, on recommendation of the abbot, and is soon abused by the master. Not long after, she is forced to marry another man who mistreats her. In these circumstances, the young woman finds solace only in the healing remedies taught by the local meiga, but this leads some villagers to call her a witch.
Increasingly, Manuela begins to lose touch with reality: she searches the forest for the babies she lost to miscarriages and clings to a scarecrow she names after her mother. She feels more and more the calling of voices coming from the woods…
But one day, as she drinks from the stream, the priest’s spirit possesses her, and everything changes. Her voice turns deep, her body grows hair, and she denies being Manuela. She is a man, a priest who has returned from death to change the fate of that community.
Doctors from across Spain come to examine her, applying techniques derived from psychoanalysis to understand how this can be possible. Meanwhile, the villagers gather outside the house, waiting for Manuela/priest, calling her “the Enlightened One.”
In these sessions, Manuela reveals a terrible truth: she confesses that she turned her husband into a bird and killed him. With no evidence, the judge has no choice but to set her free.
And then the revenge begins. Manuela—or the priest dwelling inside her, or perhaps both—leads the villagers to the manor. They hang Don Diego in the forest. The abbot is thrown into the stream.
They even cross the threshold into the world of the dead. But at dawn, the priest hears a voice that is not his. It’s Manuela. And she has come back to reclaim her body.
RELEVANT INFORMATION: Inhabited is a novel based on real events surrounding the so-called “Spirit-possessed Woman of Moeche.” The true case dates back to 1925 and took place in Galicia and Brazil. Author Cristina Sánchez-Andrade draws on Galician folklore and tradition to craft this novel that walks the line between magical realism, horror, and psychological/fantastic drama.
In audiovisual terms, clear references include The Witch and The Lighthouse by Robert Eggers, for their blend of horror and poetic tone.
Cristina Sánchez-Andrade is a Galician author widely praised by critics. She won the 2005 Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Prize and the XVII Setenil Prize for best short story collection. Her work has been translated into several languages, including English.
Critical acclaim:
“Remember this name: Cristina Sánchez-Andrade. She is, quite simply, one of the most powerful female voices in Spanish literature.” – La Razón
“A narrative that is both a haunting portrait of possession and a sharp critique of patriarchal and religious oppression.” – Anika entre libros (literary blog)
“An author with a unique, uncanny world and a style that astonishes.” – ABC
AUDIOVISUAL POTENTIAL: TV Series, Miniseries, Film, TV Film.
AVAILABLE LANGUAGES: Spanish, Galician.
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