Even though she has lived in Barcelona from the 1960s onward, the literary world of her early work as an author concentrates on the
Pallars county of her childhood and adolescence, a rural surrounding observed by a critical eye. Her first novel,
Pedra de tartera [‘Stone from a boulder’], fully set in that space, was praised by the public and critics alike. Her first novel has been translated into English as
Stone in a Landslide. Later works take up more urban environments. She also is the author of short stories, juvenile novels, and a theatre play. Barbal's work has been translated into Asturian, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch. Throughout her career, Barbal has received numerous accolades, including the
Creu de Sant Jordi in 2001, one of Catalonia's highest honors. In 2021, she was awarded the
Premi d'Honor de les Lletres Catalanes in recognition of her significant contributions to Catalan literature. ==Literary work==