Madrid, 1957. Under the fascist dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, Spain is hiding a dark secret. Meanwhile, tourists and foreign businessmen flood into Spain under the welcoming guise of sunshine and wine. Among them is eighteen-year-old Daniel Matheson, the son of a Texas 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. Daniel's photographs leave him with uncomfortable questions amidst shadows of danger. He is backed into a corner of 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 post-war struggles of Spain.
I received a copy of this book via Bookish First
I'm having difficulty organizing my thoughts for this book. This is a fantastic book, but it also is a difficult book to rate.
This book primarily takes place in Madrid, 1957. It showcases Spain in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War and during the Franco dictatorship. It follows five characters. Ana, Rafael, and Julia are siblings. Their parents died after the Spanish Civil War for fighting against Franco (for believing in education free from the church). Rafael works two jobs, a butcher and a gravedigger, and is helping his friend become a bullfighter. Julia works as a seamstress and cares for her infant daughter. Ana works at a hotel, primarily making visiting rich Americans comfortable. Their cousin, Puri, works at a Catholic adoption center caring for the babies there. Unlike her cousins, she did not encounter loss from the Spanish Civil War and believes in the Franco regime. The last viewpoint is Daniel's. Daniel is an American. His family are oil tycoons from Texas, although his mother was originally from Spain. Daniel wants to become a photographer. The book primarily focuses on Daniel and Ana as they strike up a relationship, with occasional short chapters featuring the other characters.
One of my favorite things about Ruta Sepetys' writing is how she captures individuals. The book follows multiple perspectives, but each voice and perspective is unique to that person. She also writes the characters in such a way that they feel authentic and real. Their different perspectives also show how experience affects the viewpoint. Daniel sees the romanticized version of Spain at first, while Ana sees the hardship. Likewise, Puri firmly believes she is doing the right thing and that the nuns are right because of what she is taught.
Sepetys' books are always interesting because they focus on historical events that many Americans know little about--and this book is no different in that case--but the book is never just about the event or the time period. She does a great job of showing both, but by and large, this is about the people living in this situation, and that is what I love. I love being about to see the human aspect of history and humanity in these heart-wrenching situations.
Yes, this book does get heart-wrenching. I expected that going into this book. This book feels like it captures snapshots of what it was like living in this dictatorship as a young person (an apt description considering Daniel's aspirations). The pacing of this book is difficult to place. On one hand, I felt like very little was happening, which is true. The book is made up of small moments that build and build upon one another. Yet, the book did not feel like a slow read. I was drawn into these characters and even when very little was happening, I wanted to read more.
The division of the book was also very interesting. I don't want to give any what happens to divide the book, but I can say that it was done very well and I have not seen a YA book do this in quite the same way.
IN CONCLUSION
Overall, this is a wonderfully written book. I loved how Sepetys wrote the characters and explored this setting. This would not be my favorite book of hers, but that's only because she's written so many other fantastic books that the competition is tough! I'm still trying to organize my thoughts about this book, though, and I'll likely be thinking about this book for a while.
I hereby give this book
4 Stars!
Meaning: I really liked this book!
This was a great review. Thank you for sharing it with us.
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