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Sonsoles Ónega, 48: “I come from a family of very humble grandparents and a father who rose very high and fell very low in this profession”

From Clarín · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Sonsoles Ónega has built a career in Spanish journalism, television and literature, including five seasons of Y ahora Sonsoles and eight published novels.
  • Her 2023 novel Las hijas de la criada won the Planeta Novel Prize and became a major commercial success, despite harsh criticism from some literary commentators.
  • Ónega says she wrote her new novel Llevará tu nombre with anger and determination after criticism made her question her literary vocation.

Sonsoles Ónega has spent years moving between journalism, television and literature. At 48, the Madrid-born journalist presents Y ahora Sonsoles on Antena 3, now in its fifth season, while continuing a writing career that includes eight novels.

I come from a family of very humble grandparents and a father who rose very high and fell very low in this profession. And at home we do not praise our virtues much.

· Sonsoles ÓnegaÓnega described her family background and the modest way achievements were treated at home.

She began in the CNN+ newsroom and later worked for much of her career as a parliamentary correspondent at Telecinco before becoming a presenter of successful magazine programs. Her literary career took a decisive turn in 2023, when Las hijas de la criada won the 72nd Planeta Novel Prize, worth one million euros. The novel follows a Galician family in the canning industry during the first half of the 20th century.

The feeling of ridicule is suffocating. Because of the plot, the style, the prudishness, the old-fashioned quality, the simplicity.

· Jordi GraciaThe Spanish literary critic sharply criticized Las hijas de la criada.

According to figures from Planeta, the book became Spain’s best-selling work of fiction in 2023 and continued to lead sales lists in 2024. It reached more than 20 editions and sold half a million copies. Its success did not prevent severe criticism. Spanish literary critic Jordi Gracia described the novel by saying, “The feeling of ridicule is suffocating. Because of the plot, the style, the prudishness, the old-fashioned quality, the simplicity.” Readers, however, embraced the book and called for a screen adaptation. An eight-episode miniseries, produced by Buendía Estudios Canarias for Atresmedia, premiered on Antena 3 on Sept. 3, 2026.

With anger, to prove to myself and to prove that the Planeta Prize was not a coincidence, as a form of protest.

· Sonsoles ÓnegaÓnega explained why she wrote her new novel Llevará tu nombre.

Ónega is now presenting her new book, Llevará tu nombre, in Madrid. She told El País that she wrote it “with anger, to prove to myself and to prove that the Planeta Prize was not a coincidence, as a form of protest.” She said criticism of her earlier novel had deeply hurt her and questioned her identity as a writer. “You can say that the novel is rubbish. But that I am a product? No and no,” she said. The new story begins in 1882 and is set in Spain at the end of the 19th century.

You can say that the novel is rubbish. But that I am a product? No and no.

· Sonsoles ÓnegaShe rejected criticism that reduced her literary career to a commercial product.
About this summary

Originally published by Clarín in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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