Latest news with #María
Daily Mirror
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
I read every day — these are 10 of the best books I would recommend to anyone
There's no feeling quite like sitting down after a long day and diving into a good book. But with countless reads to choose from, finishing one book and selecting another isn't always as easy as it sounds. While I do try to make time for the classics, as well as books published in previous years, I do always find myself gravitating towards the new releases, eager to find a new favourite I know I'll return to again and again in the future. If you're in need of some inspiration for your summer reading list, here are 10 of my absolute top reads of 2025 so far, with picks across all kinds of different genres. For more book recommendations, reviews and news, click here to subscribe to our free weekly newsletter, The Bookish Drop, on Substack. It's officially Love Island season, with both the UK and US versions airing right now. While I don't religiously watch dating shows anymore, I still gravitate towards any fiction inspired by or based on the world of reality TV. The Compound sees 20 contestants trapped in a remote desert compound and filmed 24/7 as they compete for luxury prizes and basic necessities - while also trying to find love. I don't want to give anything away, but this is a brilliant debut, with some unexpected twists, a simmering uneasiness and an ending I've thought about since I finished reading it. It's out on July 3, and I'd definitely recommend adding it to your summer reading list! Some books need to be read in one sitting, and Make Me Famous is one of them. The book revolves around Cléo, an aspiring singer who is obsessed with becoming famous. We see her rise to fame, as well as her present day, where she jets off on holiday to a remote island to focus on writing her fourth album in peace. Cléo is one of the most dislikeable protagonists I've ever read, which can sometimes be a recipe for disaster, but not in this case. The book is so immersive, so addictive and so twisted. Bonus points for an ending that literally made me gasp aloud. You know a book is good when it's over 500 pages long but you get through it in a matter of days. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil tells the story of María, Charlotte and Alice, three very different women from very different worlds. V. E. Schwab's signature atmospheric, lyrical writing style transports you across the centuries, with a perfect mixture of obsession, yearning and Sapphic love. It's another addictive read, and once it sinks its teeth into you, you won't be able to put it down. Park Avenue follows Jia Song, a junior partner at a prestigious law firm who takes on a hush-hush case working for one of the most famous Korean families in the world. As Jia travels the world finding answers, contending with feuding siblings and uncovering dark secrets, she finds herself starting to fall for the family. When I saw Park Avenue described as 'Crazy Rich Asians meets Succession', I knew it had the potential to be a five-star read for me. I was hooked all the way through; it's so messy and brings has elements of mystery, romance and thriller. It's also a perfect travel read. I read this while on a weekend away and felt like I was watching a (very entertaining) film in my head the whole time! Sometimes you know before reading that you're going to love a book. But other times, a book you weren't so sure about just blows you away. I am someone who tends to steer clear of anything even remotely scary, so Make a Home of Me by Vanessa Santos has been one of the biggest revelations of the year for me. This collection of short stories, all set in houses that should provide protection but instead turn on their inhabitants, is unsettling yet inviting. The collection opens with a dinner party with a gruesome twist and goes on to tales of people driven to despair by a neighbour's crying baby, a family torn apart by strange notes and a woman's relationship with her new partner's strangely shy daughter. I ate every single story up, and would recommend this book to anyone, horror fan or otherwise. If you'd told me last year that some of my favourite reads of 2025 would be young adult novels, I wouldn't have believed you. But after falling in love with Rebecca Ross' Divine Rivals duology, I went on to Immortal Consequences, the first book in a new YA dark academia series following students at a boarding school on the fringes of the afterlife. In Immortal Consequences, the students must compete in the Decennial - a series of magical trials held once a decade. We follow six different students, all with their own motivations and hidden agendas. With chapters from so many characters' perspectives, I was initially worried they wouldn't be fleshed out enough, but I needn't have worried. I was so invested in each and every one of the characters, and cannot wait to see where the series goes next. I clearly have a thing for books with chapters from lots of different points of view, because My Other Heart has been another favourite read of the year for me. In 1998, Mimi and her baby daughter Ngan are on the way home from Philadelphia to Vietnam when Ngan suddenly goes missing. Seventeen years later, best friends Kit and Sabrina plan trips to Tokyo and China respectively to find out more about who they are. This is a beautiful coming-of-age story, spanning decades and several different continents. And with universal themes of identity, friendship, love and motherhood, everyone will see a little part of themselves in the characters. Sunstruck follows a working-class Black man as he attempts to navigate the lavish world of his university friend Lily's affluent family. Over the course of a summer spent holidaying in the south of France, the man finds himself drawn to Lily's charming brother Felix. But when they return to London, things shift and the cracks in the Blake family's facade begin to show. As the winner of the #Merky Books' 2022 New Writers' Prize, I knew it was going to be good, but it surpassed all expectations and I can't wait to see what the author does next. Sunstruck is an intoxicating read, and one I finished in one sunny weekend earlier this year. Don't just take my word for it though; it's also one of the shortlisted titles for Waterstones' 2025 Debut Fiction Prize and would be a worthy winner. Saraswati is another of my stand-out reads that has also been nominated for the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize. Gurnaik Johal's debut novel sees the lives of seven individuals changed as an ancient sacred river springs back to life. Part political satire, part ecological parable, this is a great novel to sink your teeth into if you want something that will both entertain and make you think. As a lover of short stories, I really appreciated the format and pacing of Saraswati; each chapter introduces us to a new character, with each of the seven strangers getting their own moment in the spotlight before everything comes together. I was enthralled, and will definitely be reading We Move, the author's collection of short stories, soon. Atmosphere is a love story set against the backdrop of the 1980s space shuttle program. It follows Joan Goodwin, an astrophysics professor who finds love, friendship and rivalry while training to become an astronaut. But then, on a mission in December 1984, everything changes in an instant. As a big fan of both romance and science fiction, I had high expectations going into this. Luckily, it did not disappoint. Joan's relationships are complex, and the side characters are so fleshed out they actually feel like real people. I'm not someone who tends to cry a lot while reading, but this book had me in tears on multiple occasions, and I couldn't stop thinking about the ending for weeks.
New York Times
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
A Thrilling Lesbian Vampire Novel You'll Want to Sink Your Teeth Into
BURY OUR BONES IN THE MIDNIGHT SOIL, by V.E. Schwab I don't think I'll ever tire of vampires. I do, however, have my preferences. I like my vampires to be old and sexy and inhuman. I like when their immortality is still a kind of death. To me, a vampire should be a little miserable. Living forever sounds awesome until you remember that living is a long slog of repeated maintenance tasks. What is life but a continuous search for sustenance and then dealing with the aftermath of your consumption? So I was pleased by the vampires in V.E. Schwab's new novel, 'Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil.' They are very hungry, and very mad about it. The novel follows three women across three different timelines. In 1530s Spain, María chafes at her family's control over her life. She's a wild child with red hair so bright that no dye or mud they use can cover it. María doesn't want to get married or have children, as is expected of women of her time, but figures if she must, it should take her away from her small-minded family. She engineers her own marriage to a rich viscount in a bid for freedom, but finds herself bound further by his domineering nature. She's eventually shipped off to her in-laws, held as a vessel for her husband to impregnate. Her only escape is visits to a mysterious, ageless widow who runs an apothecary. 'I want to be free,' María says, as she is finally seduced into vampirism. 'By any means necessary.' Nearly 300 years later in the English countryside, Charlotte lives an idyllic life enjoying nature and literature and the company of her childhood friend Jocelyn, whom she is in love with. But when her brother catches the two young women kissing, he arranges for Charlotte to be sent to London to become a proper lady and find a husband. Though she is bound in corsets and trapped in manors to wait for men to fill her dance card, she eventually finds excitement in a glamorous widow who takes the impressionable Charlotte under her wing, seduces her and changes her in more ways than one. In 2019, Alice has chosen her own exile, leaving her small town in Scotland to attend Harvard University. Growing up, Alice was a shadow to her more feral sister, Catty, and now away at college, she wants to form her own independent identity. Alice seems to get her wish when she meets a beautiful, magical girl at a party. But after a dreamy one-night stand, Alice finds herself transformed in ways she hadn't imagined possible — and didn't agree to. Alice, confused and tortured by an insatiable hunger, goes in search of answers, and finds herself drawn into a centuries-old drama. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Time Out
22-05-2025
- Time Out
The best restaurants to dine by the river
María Luján, a family restaurant founded in 2005, is named after grandmother María, who passed down her passion for gastronomy to the whole family. Since María was a very common name at the time, they added 'Luján' referring to the Luján River, which surrounds the restaurant and adds its natural charm. The place offers views that complement the gastronomic experience, providing a sense of relaxation and harmony. Their proposal fuses Mediterranean cuisine with local products, highlighting dishes like salmon trout, risotto, and river fish. They also offer gluten-free and vegetarian options. Insider tip: Once a month, they host a tasting series to enjoy a unique experience alongside prestigious wineries.
Time Out
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The 'theater' sisters who are all the rage in the off scene and on Corrientes Avenue
The first thing that distinguishes María and Paula Marull is that they are twins, used to doing everything in pairs, and that feels natural to them. Then comes their slow, calm way of speaking, and further back, their deep gaze and virtuoso pen to tell, direct, and act out stories that seem small but are actually giant. 'The Marull sisters,' as everyone already knows them, have become the theatrical revelation of recent years. Playwrights, actresses, directors: they wear all the hats and currently have three plays running that receive applause both on Corrientes Avenue and in the off scene. La Pilarcita, Lo que el río hace (What the River Does), and Yo no duermo la siesta (I Don't Take Naps) share a style that evokes small-town life, rooted traditions, siestas, and freshly baked food. With a touch of nostalgia, emotion, and humor, they weave small memories that are at the same time universal. María and Paula agreed to an intimate conversation (almost as intimate as their creations) to talk about childhood, memories, theater, nostalgia, play, and much more. Welcome to the wonderful world of the Marulls! What was your childhood and adolescence like? Did you imagine yourselves in the world of theater? Our childhood was in Rosario. We spent many hours playing; we lived on a very quiet cul-de-sac where people would put chairs out on the sidewalk and we played in the street with the neighbors. We shared a room and time. We also traveled to Esquina, where our father lived, and to Chaco and Río Cuarto, where our grandparents were. Our paternal grandmother was one of the owners of the La Comedia Theater in Rosario, so we often went to see plays for children and adults alike. Theatricality was very present in all our games, as it was for most kids our age, since back then, without technology, imagination was right at hand. Theatricality was very present in all our childhood games Your plays carry a nostalgic tone of small inland towns, and when you look back to the beginnings, to the roots, María admits: 'I think we are nostalgic by nature. Since I was little, I remember being aware that things end or leave. Feeling that emptiness in the morning and needing to write it to fill it; to transform it. For example, I wrote a poem for Banco Italia, which closed, where my grandfather was the manager. It's a viewpoint independent of the geographical location.' Paula adds: 'In our plays, small-town settings appear because they are part of our imagination and DNA. It's not a conscious effort to reinterpret the interior, but it's the backdrop that usually presents itself when we sit down to write because that's where we grew up.' I think we are nostalgic by nature What made you lean towards theater over other artistic disciplines? It's a mystery. Honestly, sometimes you don't know exactly why you choose one activity over another. It's about listening to desire. We studied acting, theater directing, and playwriting. Theater has the group component. The solitary task of writing is complemented by the group experience of bringing a work to life, both in acting and in the creative team for music, set design, costumes, and lighting. It also has the magic of the live ritual: what's happening now cannot be edited or exactly repeated. It's a practice that, in this technological age, invites disconnection in order to connect with bodies, feelings, and to live an experience in the present—something that is somehow being lost or transformed. Theater has the magic of the live ritual They say when creating, they don't divide roles; they share, exchange, comment, and both take care of everything. First comes writing, which they approach starting from an image, where memories, landscapes, and characters appear—always as if someone else were going to direct the play. Then come rehearsals, and later the premiere, where the material continues to be polished and reinterpreted based on what happens with the audience. About this, they clarify: 'After the premiere, if you can accompany the material, there's a unique possibility for growth and consolidation.' Your plays have family, past, roots, old wounds... What themes do you feel always resurface even if you don't look for them? That's always a surprise. We never think about the plot when we write. We let the theme present itself, and many times we realize what we're talking about through the play. We also continue discovering thematic axes the material has through the audience's responses and observations. Liberation, finding one's own voice, returning to origins are recurring themes. The transformation of characters toward a better version, the release from what oppresses us, certain relationships or labels placed on us. Small everyday heroes who find meaning in life by returning to themselves. We never think about the plot when we write. We let the theme present itself You have worked together forever and share a creative universe. You say it 'helps to have the same approach to rigor, demand, and passion' when tackling a play. Paula sums it up simply: 'When I imagine a green door, it's very likely María is seeing the same door I am.' And although, like any relationship, there are light and shadows, they don't find anything that strains their creative duo. When they think differently, they test the material because they are convinced 'the play is always right.' How was the transition from the off scene to becoming creators of 'cult' theater? We're still off! La Pilarcita is on every Friday at El Camarín de las Musas, as well as at the Astros theater. Independent theater is a very precious place: it allows you to fulfill your dreams; you are your own producer, you do what the play needs. These are very high-quality shows where the artistic prevails, and it's beautiful that people see them. It's also important that this theater is popular on Corrientes Avenue, because it means people choose it for what it is: for its uniqueness and particularity. We work the same way off, on Corrientes, or in the official circuit. The only 'cult' we practice is the cult of work: attention to detail, writing the best possible version of the script, guiding the actors to the most tuned sound of their instrument, and putting our heart into what we do—this is the only formula we know. Independent theater is a very precious place They say they often ask for help, especially from their teachers Javier Daulte, Mauricio Kartún, and Ricardo Monti, and that through that collective perspective, they can overcome their own insecurities, trust, and reach the best possible material. They also agree they enjoy contact with the audience and it moves them emotionally. 'The miracle of feeling we can share our universe with others. That something so small and ours can be felt in the same way by so many people—that's magic. In the applause, it's as if they tell us: 'I was there too.' Connecting with people through love and feeling is something we don't usually do. We walk around the street fighting everyday battles, often angry, defending ourselves, alienated. Maybe the same person we argue with in the morning about a doctor's appointment is the same one who gets emotional at night, and afterward, we talk about childhood. In every show, we receive twice what we give, and that fills us with gratitude.' In every show, we receive twice what we give, and that fills us with gratitude You are mothers, actresses, directors, playwrights… and on top of that, sisters. How do you avoid going crazy and keep creating with passion? A little crazy, we are! It's impossible not to be with daily logistics and life at this pace. But what centers us is precisely creation, because it's a space where you can connect with something deep, playful, and sacred. It's like meditation; you open a door to go play. It's true there are many fronts, but these roles feed and compensate each other. Being artists makes us better mothers, and vice versa. Children, like art, give you strength and help you understand many things. Creating is like being a mother; sometimes it has more challenging phases than others—some days you have to row hard, other days you have to let yourself go. It's a journey. These roles are intrinsically woven into a braid representing the deepest part of our being. Making plays, being a mother, being a sister—these roles demand a lot but certainly give more than what you invest. And besides, you can't give up any of them, so you have to learn not to drop any of the oranges in this juggling act that life has become. It's not easy, but at the same time, it's the easiest thing in the world because we can't imagine life any other way. Being artists makes us better mothers, and vice versa The future? They don't know what awaits them, and although they feel like trying something new and are two enthusiasts always creating, they also can pause, enjoy, and savor the present that applauds them standing at the end of every show. THE MARULLS' PICKS Best play you've seen recently PAULA – With so many performances, I don't get to the theater as much as I'd like, so I pick three classics: Nunca estuviste tan adorable by Javier Daulte, Terrenal by Mauricio Kartun, and Juegos a la hora de la siesta by Emiliano Dionisi. MARÍA – I really like those by Mauricio Kartun and Javier Daulte. Best place to eat after a show PAULA – Lo de Lalo, half a block from Teatro San Martín. I recommend the creamed spinach. MARÍA – I agree! They make the best entraña (skirt steak) with creamed spinach! Favorite neighborhood in Buenos Aires MARÍA – Palermo, near the river and everything. PAULA – Abasto. There are many beautiful theaters: Espacio Callejón, El Camarín de las Musas, plus bars and restaurants. It's a neighborhood with a unique life. It's nice to visit those theaters and eat around there. Favorite dish PAULA – Asado (barbecue), because it has the ritual of fire and wine. MARÍA – I love asado because it's outdoors; I like the ceremony of making it and sharing a glass of wine. Recommended plan in Buenos Aires for visitors BOTH – Go to the theater! Buenos Aires has the largest theatrical offer in the world, with unique quality in independent, official, and commercial productions. Favorite book PAULA – Claus and Lukas by Agota Kristof, because she writes a raw story like the gods, without sugarcoating. MARÍA – Turistas by Hebe Uhart. It's very funny and deep. I love how Hebe writes. I also liked The Brotherhood of the Grape by John Fante.
The Guardian
01-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Losing its sparkle: Colombia's emerald capital weighs the cost of its precious stones
The small town of Muzo, nestled deep in Colombia's emerald-rich valleys of Boyacá province, is a place where the soil holds great wealth. Brick-red homes and tin-roof shacks cling to the mountainside, their bases resting on black sand and dark mud. Below, the Río Minero weaves through the valley, its waters tainted by the silt and debris of continuous excavation. The region's natural beauty is marred by scattered waste and discarded mining materials, evidence of an industry that supports the town's economy – but also harms its environment. Muzo, known by local people as the emerald capital of the world, has been at the centre of Colombia's tumultuous, profitable and frequently perilous trade in the precious stones for decades. Colombia is a global leader in emerald production. According to Colombian authorities, it is the world's largest producer and reportedly accounts for 55% of the global market. Muzo's emeralds are highly prized for their quality and intense colour, generating approximately $150m (£113m) in annual sales. Yet, the valleys surrounding Muzo are grappling with the environmental cost of mining: polluted water and dangerous erosion. In a region exploited by authorised mining companies and informal operators, the two parties blame one another. Informal emerald mining is widely practised by local people in search of a livelihood. By the river, older men and women wade knee-deep in the water, their shovels driving into the sand in search of the green gems. This type of mining is known locally as guaquería, which typically entails sifting through the leftover soil and debris that mining companies leave behind. 'We toil with the hope of discovering an emerald during our journey or amid the land supplied by the companies,' says María (not her real name), a guaquera who lives in Muzo. 'That's how we make a living.' Many guaqueros rely on a traditional event called 'la voladora', during which, several times a month, a small, caged corridor is filled with discarded mining debris that people rush to sift through in search of hidden gems. 'It's unregulated work,' María says. Still, researchers suggest that blaming environmental devastation exclusively on the guaqueros might be a mistake. Quantifying the damage is challenging due to a lack of data, but a 2018 study from El Bosque University in Bogotá found that 29% of the environmental burden of industrial emerald extraction is down to deforestation, while the use of explosives accounts for about 22%. Deforestation and use of explosives are widespread among mining companies. 'Compared with other types of mining, underground mining in general does not generate much impact,' says Roger Buitrago, the manager for health, security and environment at the Puerto Arturo mine in Muzo, run by the Colombian company Esmeraldas Mining Services (EMS). 'Our main [environmental] impacts are basically deforestation and water management.' Relentless extraction has transformed Muzo's landscape. Along the riverbanks, hollowed-out pits dot the hillsides, and improvised tunnels extend into the dark rock – signs of artisanal mining. Further uphill, industrial-scale mining carves a path through the rolling mountains across the valley. Local people say the most evident effect of mining – whether industrial or subsistence – is the pollution of their rivers. A 2020 study led by the Pontifical Javeriana University revealed alarming pollution levels in local water bodies, including the Ítoco River and Las Ánimas creek. This contamination stems mainly from the unregulated disposal of mining byproducts and the authorities' neglect of the problem. Studies indicate that water pollution in Muzo mainly arises from sediment runoff, explosive residues, and potential mining-related hydrocarbon leaks. Although modern operations tend to avoid harsh chemicals, it is likely that past practices degraded water quality through waste disposal and the use of explosives. Buitrago says that local rivers are 'very polluted'. Yet, Colombia's national emerald federation – Fedesmeraldas – claims the industry is mindful of its environmental obligations, as companies 'must operate under strict mining and environmental standards'. 'Formal mining in Muzo demonstrates that it is possible to extract high-value resources such as emeralds in a sustainable way, when environmental standards are respected and the wellbeing of communities and ecosystems is prioritised,' Óscar Baquero, president of Fedesmeraldas, said in a statement. 'This approach contributes to a greener and more inclusive economy in Colombia.' Baquero and Buitrago identify guaqueros as the leading cause of contamination in the region. 'Informal or illegal mining has a major negative impact on the environment and on the people who carry out the activity, as they do not have environmental impact studies nor management plans, and do not avoid, mitigate or compensate for the effects of their activity,' Baquero adds. Sign up to Global Dispatch Get a different world view with a roundup of the best news, features and pictures, curated by our global development team after newsletter promotion Nonetheless, Buitrago also acknowledges that the regulations set out for the mining companies are mostly bureaucratic, and says he has never seen any representatives or state authorities policing the company's environmental protection systems. 'It is very important that [the state] defines and controls natural resources, because now we literally only have paper,' he says. María, the guaquera, used to work at EMS's Puerto Arturo mine. She spent two years in the sorting room, filtering through rocks and soil looking for emeralds. She alleges the mine mismanaged wastewater, dumping it into local streams. 'I saw that there was a lack of filtration to treat the water that came out of the mine. The water came out of the mine and went through a tank. We used that water to wash the earth that contained emeralds, and it was poured into the stream,' she says. Buitrago denies this. 'We have our duly authorised disposal points and have domestic wastewater treatment plants which are approved and authorised to be able to carry this out,' he says, adding that the company performs weekly and monthly internal checks, with external reviews every six months. Local people have also accused the mining companies of deliberately shutting off their water treatment facilities when checks on operations are not being carried out, and as a cost-cutting measure. The Guardian was unable to verify such allegations independently. The Guardian visited the mine but was denied access to the treatment facilities and mining operations and photography at the site was not permitted. As illegal mining persists, usually with little oversight or environmental protection measures, guaqueros acknowledge their part in it. 'We as guaqueros do a lot of damage to the environment, we generate a lot of waste,' María says. 'As we don't have anyone to regulate us, we don't mind throwing plastics, tarps, lids and other things that end up in the river.' While the responsibility for environmental destruction is disputed, the devastation is undeniable, as Muzo's emerald industry has contributed to deforestation and soil erosion. Demand for new mining sites has resulted in forests being cleared, and tunnel digging destabilises the land. A 2024 report from the National University of Colombia stated that underground excavation causes soil cracking, allowing surface water to seep into aquifers, which decreases water availability, destabilises the land and raises the risk of landslides. Residents say such incidents are becoming increasingly common. On 5 April, two miners died in a tunnel collapse in the neighbouring town of Maripí. While enforcement of regulations remains patchy, awareness of environmental challenges is increasing. As such, la voladora is now on hold, and local authorities plan to shut it down permanently to reduce pollution. As the future of Muzo's economy and environment depends on how policymakers, companies and communities address the challenges presented by the emerald industry, unchecked mining could inflict long-term harm on people and nature. 'We should not ignore that we have duties,' María says. 'And one of our greatest duties is to protect water and the environment.'
