The Map of Longing, originally titled El mapa de los anhelos, is a six-episode Spanish Netflix limited series about grief, identity and learning how to build a life after loss. Alícia Falcó stars as Greta, a young woman whose life has always been shaped by her sister Lucy’s leukemia. After Lucy dies, Greta receives a game her sister created before her death. The challenges lead Greta toward self-discovery and toward Will Tucker, a young man carrying grief and secrets of his own.
The series premiered on Netflix on July 17, 2026. It is adapted from Alice Kellen’s 2022 novel of the same Spanish title. The adaptation preserves the book’s emotional core while changing names, locations and parts of the supporting story for a Spanish television setting.
The Map of Longing at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Platform | Netflix |
| Release date | July 17, 2026 |
| Format | Limited series |
| Episodes | 6 |
| Original title | El mapa de los anhelos |
| Country and language | Spain, Spanish |
| Based on | The 2022 novel by Alice Kellen |
| Lead cast | Alícia Falcó, Pablo Álvarez and Georgina Amorós |
The Map of Longing cast
| Actor | Character | Role in the story |
|---|---|---|
| Alícia Falcó | Greta Álvarez | A grieving young woman challenged to discover who she is outside her sister’s illness |
| Pablo Álvarez | Will Tucker | A mysterious young man who joins Greta’s journey and carries a painful past |
| Georgina Amorós | Lucy | Greta’s sister, whose game continues to guide her after death |
| Laia Marull | Supporting family role | Part of Greta and Lucy’s family story |
| Mario de la Rosa | Supporting family role | A member of the family and adult support network |
| Ramón Barea | Supporting family role | An older family figure whose history adds emotional context |
| Nicolás Illoro | Supporting character | Part of Greta’s wider personal world |
| Candela González | Supporting character | A character connected to the family and healing journey |
| Oscar Kapoya | Supporting character | Part of the ensemble surrounding Greta |
| Marta Aledo | Supporting character | An adult figure in the family and community storyline |
Netflix confirms the full ensemble above, although not every supporting character name is consistently listed across official English-language materials. The three central roles are Greta, Will and Lucy.
Alícia Falcó as Greta Álvarez
Greta has grown up believing that her purpose was tied to keeping Lucy alive. She was conceived as a possible genetic match for her sister and spent much of her childhood inside a family organized around illness, treatment and fear. When Lucy dies, Greta loses not only a sister but also the role that had defined her.
The map forces Greta to make choices for herself. Each challenge asks her to confront a part of life she has postponed, avoided or never believed she deserved. Her journey is not presented as a quick cure for grief. The series shows that healing includes anger, guilt, setbacks and the difficult work of imagining a future that does not depend on someone else’s needs.
Pablo Álvarez as Will Tucker
Will is the enigmatic young man who becomes Greta’s partner in completing the Map of Longing. He is charming and supportive, but he is not simply a romantic reward waiting at the end of Greta’s journey. He has his own unresolved past and reasons for understanding loss.
Their relationship develops through shared challenges and emotional honesty. The series repeatedly asks whether two hurting people can love each other without using romance to avoid the work they need to do separately.
Georgina Amorós as Lucy
Lucy dies before the main journey begins, but she remains essential to the series through memories, recorded messages, letters and Greta’s emotional imagination. The game is Lucy’s final attempt to help her sister live beyond the boundaries created by illness.
The story avoids presenting Lucy only as a tragic symbol. Her planning, humor and understanding of Greta allow her personality to continue shaping the plot. At the same time, Greta eventually has to stop treating every instruction as a command and decide what she wants for herself.
What is The Map of Longing about?
Before her death, Lucy creates a game called the Map of Longing. The game contains tasks designed specifically for Greta. Rather than offering a simple bucket list, the challenges push her toward situations that reveal how little space she has given to her own desires.
Will becomes involved in the game and accompanies Greta through much of the journey. Their growing connection gives the series its romantic dimension, but the central question remains personal: can Greta build an identity that is not defined by being the sister who was supposed to save Lucy?
How many episodes are there?
The limited series contains six episodes. Netflix released all six on July 17, 2026. The episodes follow the progress of the map while gradually revealing more about Lucy’s intentions, Will’s past and the history of Greta’s family.
| Episode | What it focuses on |
|---|---|
| Episode 1 | Lucy’s death, Greta’s emotional paralysis and the arrival of the game |
| Episode 2 | The first challenges and Greta’s uneasy partnership with Will |
| Episode 3 | Growing trust, family memories and questions about Greta’s identity |
| Episode 4 | Deeper revelations about Will and the emotional cost of the journey |
| Episode 5 | Greta pauses the map after Will’s confession and begins choosing herself |
| Episode 6: Go Back to Start | Lucy’s final letters, Greta’s decision about Will and a future shaped by her own wishes |
The ending explained
The final episodes make it clear that completing the map is not the same as obeying Lucy forever. After Will’s confession, Greta takes a break from the game and works on herself. That pause is important because it is one of the first times she chooses a direction that does not come from Lucy, her parents or Will.
Lucy’s final letters give Greta emotional permission to continue living, but they do not solve every problem. Greta must decide what she wants from Will and what kind of future belongs to her. The closing journey, including a trip with deep personal meaning, shows that Greta can carry Lucy’s memory without allowing grief to make every decision.
The ending is hopeful rather than magically complete. Greta’s loss remains part of her, but it is no longer the only part. The map succeeds because it eventually teaches her to stop following a map written by someone else.
How is the Netflix series different from Alice Kellen’s book?
The adaptation keeps the novel’s central idea but makes several visible changes. The protagonist is called Greta in the series rather than Grace, and the setting is moved from Nebraska to Spain. The television version also condenses the story into six episodes, expands the roles of family members and reveals parts of Will’s past more directly.
These changes make the story more local to its Spanish production and allow the family’s grief to become a larger part of the screen narrative. Readers will recognize the core relationship and the game, but they should not expect every event to unfold exactly as it does in the novel.
Is The Map of Longing based on a true story?
No. The limited series is a fictional adaptation of Alice Kellen’s novel. Its portrayal of leukemia, grief, family pressure and survivor identity may feel realistic, but Greta, Lucy, Will and the Map of Longing are fictional elements.
Will there be a second season?
Netflix labels The Map of Longing as a limited series, and the six episodes adapt a complete standalone novel. That makes a direct second season less likely than it would be for an open-ended drama. Netflix had not announced a continuation as of July 20, 2026.
Why this guide can become a strong content hub
The pillar page can link to separate posts about the ending, episode summaries, the book-versus-series differences, the filming locations, the soundtrack, Lucy’s game, Will’s secret and the possibility of another season. Individual actor profiles can also link back here, particularly for Alícia Falcó, Pablo Álvarez and Georgina Amorós.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Map of Longing on Netflix?
Yes. All six episodes premiered on Netflix on July 17, 2026.
What is the original title?
The Spanish title is El mapa de los anhelos.
Who plays Greta?
Alícia Falcó plays Greta Álvarez.
Who plays Will Tucker?
Pablo Álvarez plays Will Tucker.
Who plays Lucy?
Georgina Amorós plays Lucy, Greta’s late sister.
How many episodes are there?
The limited series has six episodes.
Is it based on a book?
Yes. It adapts Alice Kellen’s 2022 novel El mapa de los anhelos.
Will there be Season 2?
No second season had been announced by July 20, 2026, and Netflix presents the story as a limited series.