The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys
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Web ID: 11774559NOT MUCH HERE
I'll make this short because I find no joy in writing negative reviews. This is one of very few books that I could not finish. The pace is agonizingly slow without substance. It is clear that the author did extensive research, however, it did not result in an interesting story. While I am a Ruta Sepetys fan, this book is below her norm and disappointing. Slow, slow, slow. The only thing that kept me going in the book were her short chapters. Not worth the time or money.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
deeply impactful
i loved this book so much! i am not typically a big historical fiction reader, and even when i do pick them up, i usually only give them about a three star. however, i picked this one up on a whim, and i loved every moment of it. it was a devastating, harrowing read, that touches on a lot of touch, important topics that i had very little awareness of prior to reading it. i originally read this book from the library, and loved it so much that i purchased a hardback copy for myself. the characters were so complex, flawed, and well-developed. the plot had twists and turns, and was alternately devastating and hopeful. there was so much emotion and honesty packed into the pages of this book, and i could tell the topics covered where close to the heart of the author. i would recommend this to everyone, i think it's so important, well-written, and impactful.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Powerful and Compelling Story of Franco's Spain
THE FOUNTAINS OF SILENCE is a powerful volume of historical fiction about the after effects of the Spanish Civil War (1936-9) during the brutal, decades-long dictatorship of Francisco Franco (1936-75). But it's not full of battles and government decrees. Instead it's about the lives of ordinary people, many poor, powerless, and afraid. Central to the novel is a true story that only came to light about 10 years ago. For 60 years, beginning early in Franco's Fascist reign and continuing until the 1990s, as many of 300,000 Spanish babies were stolen from their parents and trafficked, through a complex network involving nuns, priests, and doctors. Thousands of mothers, who had recently given birth, were then told their babies died when, in reality, these children were passed on to adoptive parents, sometimes at exorbitant costs. Franco's government supposedly sponsored this trafficking, in part to punish parents who advocated Republicanism and in part because the government believed ALL children NEEDED to be raised by individuals loyal to the Fascist regime. Otherwise, they too might grow up to become Republicans. Author Ruta Sepetys is ingenious with the construction of the book, which covers a period from the mid 1950s to 2018. Central in the plot is Texas-born Daniel Matheson, an 18 year old would-be photojournalist who travels to Madrid with his parents, as his father works to win oil-related business contracts from Franco's government. Daniel and his camera wind up coming into contact with a wide variety of people from vastly different strata of Spanish society: wealthy Americans from his own social circle, a handful of diplomats, members of the Guardia Civil (Franco's national police force), desperately poor workers employed by his hotel, even a seasoned journalist. Using the interplay of these different characters is how Sepetys weaves her story, slowly and carefully, leading to an intense, page-turning finale. The extensive research Sepetys incorporates (explained in the Author's Note) is impressive. She offers pages and pages of resources (at the end of the novel) that she read. She visited slaughterhouses, orphanages, and a large Madrid hotel wealthy Americans frequented - all to capture details needed to create convincing settings in the book. She interviewed diplomats, photographers, healthcare providers, survivors who were haunted by memories and others who were desperate to speak. And she spoke with people involved in the myriad of agencies now working to heal the wounds from Spain's past. The book is an original, compelling AND devastating tale of Spain, war, dictatorship, family, friendship, and love. And the devastating effects of silence. All brought home by the stories of individual Spaniards. It's also an excellent example of why I love reading historical fiction.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Spain after WWII
The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys is about a time in history I didn't know anything about. Just blown away by this story! Set in Spain in 1957 during the rule of General Franco. You don't hear much about what happened in Spain after WWII. You know a book is good when you start searching for more information. Really enjoyed this book!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Historical Beauty
This was my first Ruta Sepetys book and I'm so blown away. The historical background made for such an emotional and impactful setting, really displaying what Spain was experiencing during this time. Daniel was my favorite character and I loved his dream of becoming a photojournalist. As a potential career choice for me, I relate to his struggles and dilemmas as a character. This was such a beautiful and alarming story. I also loved how brave Ana and her family was even though they had a tough upbringing and even tougher present life. The connections and woven history was really nice to read about. I loved the characters, I loved the mix of Spanish and English and like I said I loved the nod to photojournalism. This was such a great read and I honestly didn't want to put it down. I probably could have read it in one sitting if I had the time!!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com