Spanish novel for me to read?

[matroyshka]

So, I finally got off my duff and went to my Spanish conversation group. It's only been 2 years. It was great fun, and makes me realize I need a new Spanish novel to read. Any good recommendatios?

I've read the greater part of Isabel Allende's work (and am kind of tired of her at this point, honestly), Como agua para chocolate, El beso de la mujer araña, El amor en los tiempos de cólera, and a number of plays by García Lorca, to rule those out. I've got Don Quijote and Cien años de soledad on my shelf mocking me- I've started both without getting far - they both give me a Moby Dick kind of vibe, if ykwim.

Any awesome books/authors out there I should look into?

[jld]

Did you ever read La Regenta? I read it in English in college, because reading in Spanish was so hard for me. (Yes, that's terrible, but that's how it was.) Gosh, I really enjoyed that book! I can't tell you how many times it has sprung to mind over the last 20 years!

And I hear you on Cien Anos.

[matroyshka]

Awesome, thanks! And I can get it ILL! (It's great having a town with a huge Spanish-speaking population in our library system!)