Isabel Allende wins Planeta Prize for long-awaited sequel to La casa de los espíritus

At a gala in Barcelona’s Montjuïc venue, Isabel Allende was presented with the Planeta Prize by King Felipe VI. Writing as Luz Ventura, she secured the award for La hora antes del alba, a sequel that extends the story begun in La casa de los espíritus. Allende noted the novel’s relevance amid a resurgence of fascist and authoritarian tendencies.

She is the fifth Latin American author and the first woman from the other side of the Atlantic to claim the prize. The book returns to the Del Valle lineage, following earlier prequels and a 2025 tangential entry in the saga. The jury included Luz Gabás, Carmen Posadas, and other noted writers, while political figures such as the Spanish Culture Minister and the Catalan president attended the event.