Sexism and Patriarchy

Moreno-Garcia quickly announces the novel's interest in the issue of sexism by choosing to foreground Montserrat's experiences at Antares, a studio run almost entirely by men, in the novel's opening chapter. The novel investigates the casual instances of sexism and discrimination that Montserrat faces in her day-to-day life in the 1990s because of her lack of conformity with both social standards and beauty standards for women. It also looks at the longer history of sexism within the context of the film industry, drawing on the stories of Alma and Clarimonde to display the industry's effort to pit women against one another.

Montserrat's failure to achieve stable work as a sound editor is self-evidently a product of her womanhood and her outspoken defense of feminism. Although Montserrat is demonstrably more talented than the male audio engineers who surround her, she is frequently passed over for...