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A review by remilauren
The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys
5.0
Civil War has ended and Franco has established himself, El Caudillo. Children have lost their parents, those who are alive are impoverished. Spain is reeling from the effects of the war while subject to the oppressive rules of the regime and under the constant watch by the Guardia Civil.
In this backdrop, we follow the lives of Daniel and Ana among several characters. Daniel, a passionate photographer, is the son of an oil magnate from Texas. Ana, a bright girl, is the daughter of Republicans, who were slain fighting for education during the Civil War. She lives in Vallecas with her sister and brother. Ana works at the Hilton, where Daniel is staying and she is assigned to help his family. Daniel wants to unravel Spain through his lens and Ana helps him understand the context of pictures he's taken. This brings them closer stirring a passionate romance.
Rafa is brooding and wants justice for his parents. After his father's death, he was forcefully put through Boys Home, where he met Fuga. He is working hard to make a Matador of his friend. But doing this, they stumble upon empty coffins.
Puri is Ana's cousin who works at the Inclusa. She firmly believes in Franco's rules for the land. But her faith is questioned when she discovers babies being reported dead and being sold off at a price under the guise of adoption.
Each story evolves separately and finally is interwoven to form the story of Spain. All of them are suffering due to a past in which they played no part. With them, we discover the deeper secrets of the land, the misdoings of the regime. Through them, we follow the journey of Spain through this tumultuous period. As Spain finally sheds its shackles and becomes free, everyone is set free to live at their own will.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Daniel and Ana had very few intimate scenes but they were done in such a beautiful manner, I loved them. I rooted for them and cried at their romantic reunion. I liked how the author dropped hints and pieces that would make sense at a later point in the book. This was my first historical fiction and I am definitely looking to read more :)
In this backdrop, we follow the lives of Daniel and Ana among several characters. Daniel, a passionate photographer, is the son of an oil magnate from Texas. Ana, a bright girl, is the daughter of Republicans, who were slain fighting for education during the Civil War. She lives in Vallecas with her sister and brother. Ana works at the Hilton, where Daniel is staying and she is assigned to help his family. Daniel wants to unravel Spain through his lens and Ana helps him understand the context of pictures he's taken. This brings them closer stirring a passionate romance.
Rafa is brooding and wants justice for his parents. After his father's death, he was forcefully put through Boys Home, where he met Fuga. He is working hard to make a Matador of his friend. But doing this, they stumble upon empty coffins.
Puri is Ana's cousin who works at the Inclusa. She firmly believes in Franco's rules for the land. But her faith is questioned when she discovers babies being reported dead and being sold off at a price under the guise of adoption.
Each story evolves separately and finally is interwoven to form the story of Spain. All of them are suffering due to a past in which they played no part. With them, we discover the deeper secrets of the land, the misdoings of the regime. Through them, we follow the journey of Spain through this tumultuous period. As Spain finally sheds its shackles and becomes free, everyone is set free to live at their own will.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Daniel and Ana had very few intimate scenes but they were done in such a beautiful manner, I loved them. I rooted for them and cried at their romantic reunion. I liked how the author dropped hints and pieces that would make sense at a later point in the book. This was my first historical fiction and I am definitely looking to read more :)