Synopsis
Madrid 1957-- Under the oppressive dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, Spain is hiding a dark secret. Meanwhile, tourists and foreign businessmen flood into Spain under the welcome promise of sunshine and wine.
Among them is 18-year-old Daniel Matheson, the son of an oil tycoon, who arrives in Madrid with his parents hoping to connect with the country of his mother's birth through the lens of his camera. Photography- and fate- introduce him to Ana, whose family's interweaving obstacles reveal the lingering grasp of the Spanish Civil War, as well as chilling definitions of fortune and fear. Daniels' photographs leave him with uncomfortable questions amidst shadows of danger. He is backed into a corner of difficult decisions to protect those he loves. Lives and hearts collide, revealing an incredibly dark side to the sunny Spanish city.
Master storyteller Ruta Sepetys once again shines light into one of history's darkest corners in this epic, heart-wrenching novel about identity, unforgettable love, repercussions of war, and the hidden violence of silence- inspired by the true postwar struggles of Spain.
Includes vintage media reports, oral history commentary, photos and more.
Madrid 1957-- Under the oppressive dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, Spain is hiding a dark secret. Meanwhile, tourists and foreign businessmen flood into Spain under the welcome promise of sunshine and wine.
Among them is 18-year-old Daniel Matheson, the son of an oil tycoon, who arrives in Madrid with his parents hoping to connect with the country of his mother's birth through the lens of his camera. Photography- and fate- introduce him to Ana, whose family's interweaving obstacles reveal the lingering grasp of the Spanish Civil War, as well as chilling definitions of fortune and fear. Daniels' photographs leave him with uncomfortable questions amidst shadows of danger. He is backed into a corner of difficult decisions to protect those he loves. Lives and hearts collide, revealing an incredibly dark side to the sunny Spanish city.
Master storyteller Ruta Sepetys once again shines light into one of history's darkest corners in this epic, heart-wrenching novel about identity, unforgettable love, repercussions of war, and the hidden violence of silence- inspired by the true postwar struggles of Spain.
Includes vintage media reports, oral history commentary, photos and more.
Loved
- SPAIN! Okay, I am very biased when it comes to Spain. I did religious service in Spain- so I got to live there for a year and a half eating their food, learning their customs, walking their streets, and loving their people. So, naturally, as soon as I saw a book about the Spanish Civil War, it was in my cart faster than you can say Francisco Franco. I loved the references to Spanish culture in this story, such as eating churros and chocolate (yes, it's a real thing- churros dipped in a warm chocolate sauce- so yummy). Even if you don't already have half your heart in Spain, I think anyone would enjoy learning more of its history and culture, which are both fascinating.
- Seeing Franco's influence. I think many people have learned so much about Hitler and Mussolini, that they forget how brutally Franco's fascist regime changed Spain. The Spanish Civil War was horribly bloody and Franco's subsequent dictatorship didn't end until the 70s- so Spain is still recovering. It was intriguing and horrifying to read about what Franco's regime was like for the people of Spain- women being told "not to try to be equal to men," people's children being trafficked, orphans being beaten in "homes," and people getting shot for any subjective reason. The Civil War gets quite a bit of attention, but a lot of us are ignorant of the post-war lifestyle and how oppressed these people were until fairly recently.
- The vibrant characters. Wow, I fell so hard for these characters, especially Daniel and Ana. I love Daniel's sincerity in wanting to uncover the sadistic mysteries happening around him, and Ana's constant battle between her heart and her safety, home and family. These characters were so believable, real and relatable as they tried to navigate the horrors and oppression of Franco's Spain.
- The love story. Wow, I definitely went into this book expecting to learn about history and possibly find some lovable characters. I was not expecting to be completely wrapped up in a heartbreaking, but beautiful love story quite literally bridging time, history and politics. I was left breathless by the depth of this romance and the hope it brought during devastation, fear, and oppression. This is truly one of the most beautiful romances I've read about in YA fiction (and I don't say that lightly- I take YA romance very seriously ;)
- The mysteries. Ruta Sepetys did a fabulous job of creating mystery after mystery as each character discovers odd and frightening secrets. I loved how the mysteries all tied together in the end. It's always so satisfying to get all the pieces of the puzzle and watch it make an intriguing and complex picture that makes sense in the end.
- The writing. I loved switching back and forth between multiple points of view, especially since the chapters were short, which provided more intensity and momentum. The writing was also short and straightforward, which added to the suspense and had me turning those pages as fast as I could.
Didn't Love
- I absolutely loved this book. I have no complaints, except that there was one mystery I wish had been explained more fully. We get a passing comment that explains who did it, but I wish we got more of an explanation.
Content
- Language:
- A few "damns" and "hells."
- Sexual content:
- A few kisses, no sex. A maid in the hotel sneaks into a guest's room and they have dinner. It mentions them kissing at different times during the night, but nothing sexual happens.
- Spanish women who are caught with a man unchaperoned are given a "yellow card" which indicates prostitution.
- A character has a shady past of taking advantage of young girls and asking sexual favors (nothing described, just implied).
- Mention of raising a teenage girl during the "free love" period in America.
- Violence:
- Much of the plot of this story revolves around the mystery of dead infants, so the idea of baby corpses and deaths is a major theme in the story. A character sees a nun carrying a dead baby in her arms, and that picture is referenced many times in the story. Another character finds the corpse of a baby in a freezer of the nursery.
- References to prisoners being beaten and tortured. Many references to the Spanish Civil War violence and how many people were killed.
- A character is shot in the heart and dies as another character holds him.
- A fist fight described with broken noses and blood.
- Many threats of violence and overall oppression of fear throughout the story due to the fascists.
- Two characters recall memories of being in a "home" where children were beaten, abused, and essentially tortured. The two characters punch each other to forget the memories.
- A character watches his father get shot and killed by the fascists and has frightening dreams/memories of this.
- Multiple mentions of bodies being "cut up" or "exhumed" in front of the families who can't pay to have their loved ones buried.
- Two characters find a human hand covered in blood and eaten by gangrene.
- Other themes:
- The author includes real clippings from Spanish documents, and the sexism is hard to read about. Spanish women were seen as less than men and were told "not to try to be equal to men." They are also seen as the lesser part of God's creation and to be used for childbearing.
- A few "damns" and "hells."
- A few kisses, no sex. A maid in the hotel sneaks into a guest's room and they have dinner. It mentions them kissing at different times during the night, but nothing sexual happens.
- Spanish women who are caught with a man unchaperoned are given a "yellow card" which indicates prostitution.
- A character has a shady past of taking advantage of young girls and asking sexual favors (nothing described, just implied).
- Mention of raising a teenage girl during the "free love" period in America.
- Much of the plot of this story revolves around the mystery of dead infants, so the idea of baby corpses and deaths is a major theme in the story. A character sees a nun carrying a dead baby in her arms, and that picture is referenced many times in the story. Another character finds the corpse of a baby in a freezer of the nursery.
- References to prisoners being beaten and tortured. Many references to the Spanish Civil War violence and how many people were killed.
- A character is shot in the heart and dies as another character holds him.
- A fist fight described with broken noses and blood.
- Many threats of violence and overall oppression of fear throughout the story due to the fascists.
- Two characters recall memories of being in a "home" where children were beaten, abused, and essentially tortured. The two characters punch each other to forget the memories.
- A character watches his father get shot and killed by the fascists and has frightening dreams/memories of this.
- Multiple mentions of bodies being "cut up" or "exhumed" in front of the families who can't pay to have their loved ones buried.
- Two characters find a human hand covered in blood and eaten by gangrene.
- The author includes real clippings from Spanish documents, and the sexism is hard to read about. Spanish women were seen as less than men and were told "not to try to be equal to men." They are also seen as the lesser part of God's creation and to be used for childbearing.
Overall Thoughts
Wow. Usually I talk about how I devour stories, but this story devoured ME. I absolutely loved it from the first paragraph. I was fascinated learning about Franco's regime and the post-civil war period of Spain. I was thrilled to be in sunny Madrid and experiencing the charm of Spanish culture. The mysteries and secrets were gripping and the writing poignant. But what floored me was the powerful love story between two people with completely different backgrounds, but who both shared vision, hope, courage, and loyalty. Theirs is a timeless love story and its contrast against a background of oppression and horror only makes it more beautiful and moving. I recommend this book to anyone, even if you don't know a thing about Spain or if you don't like historical fiction. It's worth reading just to fall in love with these characters and experience their stories (but I dare you to not fall in love with Spain in the process :)
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