Cover Image: The Fountains of Silence

The Fountains of Silence

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Member Reviews

“I clung to books and words because, unlike people, they’d never abandon me.”

The book is set in Madrid in 1957, it talks about the life people had and how women were not allowed to certain things under General Francisco Franco. It also talked about a few dark secrets. Anna and her family are struggling and trying to make money. Anna works at the American Hotel where she met Danial. Danial is from Texas and came to Spain for the first time with his parents. Daniels is a photographer and wants to capture the life of Spain. But the USA and Spain are not the same. Things aren't what they seem and Danial has so many questions.

“Silence has a voice of its own.”

I enjoyed the starting when we were getting to know about the world and characters but the pace was slow, It felt like the book was going nowhere. I started to lose interest in a different track. Rafa's track never interested me, with time Puri's track also became too slow and boring. I only enjoyed Anna and Dan's track but here the problem was Anna, I didn't like her character development. Overall the slow-paced killed the book.

“Sometimes the truth is dangerous… But we should search for it nonetheless.”

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I love reading a historical novel that is built upon solid research. The fountains of silence by Ruta Sepetys is one story that I feel has been thoroughly researched, to provide the foundation and backdrop to this epic tale.

The scene is set in 1957 Madrid, where Spain is ruled by General Franco, a fascist dictator. The people of Spain are reminded at every turn that they should honour their country and its Catholic values that men and women should know their place, if they don’t then the Guardia Civil will be hot on their tail.

Daniel is the young son of an American oil tycoon who despite his father wanting him to take on the family business, Daniel’s heart lies in photography. His Spanish mother is supportive of Daniel’s pursuits and encourages him.
The family are in Spain to secure an oil deal with General Franco, but Daniel’s mother is longing for something while they are visiting her homeland. Daniel though is captivated by the maid Ana, who is drawn to the lifestyle and freedoms Daniel has. Ana and her family have little money, live in a ramshackle village and generally struggle to make a living.

Ana and Daniel wrestle with their feelings for each other the more time Daniel and his family stay in Spain. Why? Because can Daniel ever truly understand the hardships of living in a dictatorship, where Ana’s very individual identity is suppressed?

The secrets and lies that Spain has hidden are slowly uncovered through the photography of Daniel, but is this enough to expose Spain’s darkness and unite Daniel and Ana?

The writing is lovely and tells the story well from different views. The pace seemed a little slow, but it needed to be steady to give a full picture of what was happening with the people in Spain at that time. Although the scene is set within the dictatorship of General Franco, the heart of the story is the people, its characters and how they are dealing with living under the General’s rule. This provides a more heart warming insight into the period. What I enjoyed most were the snippets of quotes from people who experienced 1950’s/1960’s Spain.

Ruth Sepetys has written a novel that exposes Spain’s dark past and is something that we all should read. Not to judge, but to learn and realize that history is important in how we shape our future.

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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 promise of sunshine and wine. Among them is eighteen-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.

The Fountains of Silence plays out like a mystery. But rather than trying to solve a crime, you, the reader, are tasked with uncovering what happened to the characters before the book began. And just like any good mystery, there are twists and reveals down every alleyway and in every whispered secret. This book is as much about life under Generalissimo Franco as it is about young love, bullfighting, swaggering Americans abroad, and family obligations.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

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My thanks to Penguin Random House Children’s UK and NetGalley for a review copy of this compelling and heart-rending read.

Spain in the 1950s, the Spain of General Franco provides the setting for this young adult novel. This was a regime where Franco ruled supreme, those that conformed could get by but those that ‘dared’ to hold their own views, to question, were repressed, subjected to torture, even killed while their families would live in fear for the rest of their lives. Women in particular had harder rules to follow from what they could wear to their right to love (and duty to be chaste) or even travel. And Franco ruled for 36 years. In the period our story is set, Americans were allowed in, as tourists but mostly as investors. In this place and time, we follow multiple characters and multiple threads.

On the one side we have siblings Ana, Rafa, and Julia Moreno, whose parents were killed by the regime for trying to run a school otherwise than as prescribed by Franco. Ana who is eighteen works at the Castellana Hilton, Madrid as a maid. Here she sees tourists, visitors from outside who bring with them pictures (magazines, papers) of a way of life where women can be free, where material things or at least a basically decent life is not out of reach. Rafa her brother works two jobs at a butcher’s and at a cemetery, while alongside training his friend Fuga as a matador (if they succeed, they might have a chance at a better life). Julia is married with a baby, and she works as a seamstress, making clothes for matadors. Life is a struggle for the family who is back together after being separated as children, and they must hold on to their jobs to be able to simply survive while moving to a slightly better home is a dream they are working towards (for which they much pinch and give up even the tiniest of luxuries). But as children of people who opposed Franco, they must always be on their guard for one wrong step can spell doom. But all three have dreams, and Ana and Rafa in particular also want to stand up to the restrictions they are living under but must tread carefully. Alongside we also have their cousin Puri who works at an orphanage. Puri believes in Franco’s regime, lives by the rules, but when she witnesses certain things and begins to have questions, she has nowhere to turn and must struggle between her ‘duty’ and her questions.

On the other side, we have Daniel Matheson, also eighteen who has come to Madrid with his Dad, an oil baron from Texas and his mother who is Spanish. Daniel speaks Spanish and finds himself at home in Spain. Like the Moreno siblings, he too has dreams, of being a photographer, attending journalism school—in fact he is a photographer and in the finals of a photography contest. But at a different level, he too is restricted for his father does not take his dreams seriously, and wants him to join his business. In the hotel, Daniel meets Ana and a friendship, even inklings of love develop. Ana finds Daniel to be different from other Americans she has met but is scared both because of her position and past experience. Daniel young, naïve, does not quite realise the truth of the country. Still his interest in Ana, and attempts at getting photographs for his contest (encouraged by journalist Ben Stahl who he meets in Madrid) lead him to uncover faces of the country that are not known outside, stumble upon secrets, and also bring him to the brink of danger as well.

This book drew me in right from the start and kept me reading throughout. In fact, I was reading well past bedtime and then again first thing in the morning to see what would happen to the characters.

As I wrote, this one has multiple characters and storylines—while we follow the perspectives of the characters I’ve mentioned, there are also others including Daniel’s parents, Nick, the son of a US embassy official who is dissipated and always in trouble, Miguel who runs a camera shop and develops Daniel’s pictures, Ben Stahl the journalist, and Fuga, the aspiring matador besides others at the hotel, embassy, and orphanage. Each of the storylines are interesting in themselves and there is never the feeling that one would rather be reading or getting back to another. One feels for most of the characters, and often has one’s heart in one’s mouth when any danger looms. Sepetys weaves these threads together masterfully, and one never loses track of where one is or who one is following.

This is a heart-wrenching read in many ways. Honestly I knew very little about Spain in Franco’s time before reading this book, and the conditions and constant fear that people had to live in can’t but be upsetting, and in fact make one feel rather exasperated. It is worse to think that this was a world at a time around and just after the Second World War, when the rest of the world was making pronouncements of equality, freedom and human rights. But all of these seen to have proved hollow and paper protections for so many in reality.

I loved the inclusion of historical material in the book—newspaper reports, extracts from letters and government reports, interspersed between chapters, and giving one a sense of the real while not interfering with the flow of events.

This was a really gripping and moving read, and I highly recommend it!

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4.5 Stars

Family…love…silence…secrets…

Thank you, #NetGalley @PenguinUKBooks @The_WriteReads for my complimentary e arc of #FountainsOfSilence upon my request. All opinions are my own. I’ve previously published a review for the U.S. release, and this review is for the U.K. paperback edition which has a different cover.

In 1957, Madrid, Spain is under the control of the fascist dictator General Francisco Franco. While citizens endure harsh conditions of the dictatorship after the Spanish Civil War, tourists experience another version of life in Spain as they enjoy parties and wine at the Hilton Hotel. Eighteen-year-old Daniel is a hotel guest, a photographer, and the son of a Texas oil tycoon; his mother was born in Spain and Daniel is eager to visit her homeland. Ana works at the hotel as a maid. Daniel and Ana meet and fall in love. While Ana is simultaneously intrigued by American life and concerned for her family, Daniel sets his mind to capture the real Spain in photos and finds himself investigating the plight of stolen children. The circumstances surrounding their love story are difficult for them to navigate.

After reading previous works by Ruta Sepetys (Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray), I know that she’s an author I can trust to take me anywhere. Her descriptive writing is beautiful! Sepetys is known as a cross-over author because adults enjoy her YA titles. I never feel like I’m reading a typical YA selection when I read one of her stories. Sepetys is highly respected for the impressive amount of research she invests in her historical fiction work. Readers will not be disappointed with the research, the quality of her writing, or the multilayered family drama. At the beginning of the story, The Fountains of Silence has quite a few characters to navigate. Even though you might feel challenged with the multiple points of view, you can trust her to bring it all together. I think the setting descriptions and historical situation will engage you until you are completely comfortable with the characters. Candidly, I think the cast of characters could have been trimmed a bit. I wonder if the YA audience will be engaged by the multitude of characters. SPOILER AHEAD: I’m not too thrilled with the gap of time that occurred in the Daniel/Ana relationship. However, I am happy with how everything turned out!

Daniel and Ana are memorable and likable! Daniel is a rugged and “I’ll fix it” cowboy type who has lived a privileged life and Ana is a courageous, brave, and beautiful working girl who is completely devoted to her family. Their relationship is harrowing, heartfelt, and complicated. As mentioned above, there is quite a large cast of characters which might be difficult to track for some readers.

The plot of The Fountains of Silence is compelling and complex on a personal and historical level. I didn’t know anything about Spain during this time period and I feel like I learned a lot….and more after Googling! I even peppered my husband with questions and then we both Googled! The plot will reveal the significance of the title and I won’t spoil that for you here. I love the multilayered aspect of the story!

In addition to a love story, The Fountains of Silence includes thoughtful themes of family, friendship, found family, adoption, injustice, risk-taking, secrets, and walls of silence.

I highly recommend The Fountains of Silence for fans of well-written and well- researched historical fiction, for readers who might have lived in or visited Spain, for those who love feisty, independent, risk-taking main characters, and for book clubs. Mature YA readers and adults will appreciate this story. In a nod to the YA genre, there is a wee bit of “insta love”!

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Historical-fiction, Spain, Ruta Sepetys. Enough to make me want to read this. And I have to say....I have been in slumber when it comes to Ruta Sepetys, and now I'm deeply sorry for it. 5 minutes ago, I put my Kindle down and I'm trying to find the right words to describe the whirlwind in my head. It was absolutely brilliant, overwhelming and poignant.

Daniel and Ana meet in Madrid, Spain. It's 1957. Spain is led by the fascist dictator General Franco Ana is the daughter of Republicans, which in this dictatorship is very dangerous. She lives in poverty but is a bright, young woman with dazzling eyes and a warm heart. Daniel is a rich Texan, who lives for photography and manages to capture the situation in Spain through the lens of his camera. And with the discrete and secretive help of Ana. Of course, love blooms between them, while everything around them is in silent chaos.

General Franco is the leader, but, who's the master in Spain? Fear.

''Estamos más guapas con la boca cerrada.'' We are prettier with our mouths shut.

People have no hope. They live in fear and silence. Fear makes people obey, but they are also emotionally exhausted. Fear creates silence. But the silence is so loud and has a voice of its own. ''Silence warps everything.'' We transcend the simple and obvious look at emotions and embark on a delicate and very detailed exploration of emotions.

''There is a tension that exists between history and memory, Señor. Some of us are desperate to preserve and remember, while others are desperate to forget.''

Remembering and forgetting are conditioned by silence.

''When should a secret be kept and what should be kept a secret? If I see something that troubles me, that doesn't feel correct, do I have the right to question it? Should I say something?''

When do we speak, and when is it right? Who determines this? Is there always the right choice in every situation, or does the internal moral compass go on standby as means of self-preservation? Is there really an answer, and can it be found in one of the quotes in this book?

''When you discover the truth, you must speak it aloud and help others do the same, Señor Matheson. Truth breaks the chains of silence.''

The author paints a picture of a devastating political state, but beneath the first layer of paint, we also see brushstrokes of love, family, perseverance, which softens the dark tones and adds a delicate light to the story. Heartbreaking, devastating, tender and moving, this is a story that won't leave you indifferent.

Who would love it? Fans of historical fiction with a thread of romance in it, books set in Spain, books about hardship, books that pose a lot of questions outside of the topics discussed.

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This is a long review, but ultimately my message here is this - you must read this book. Historical, heartbreaking and hopeful it is a story of love, loss and loyalty; of secrets, of strength and of silence.

For those of you prepared to wade in with me, I hope I can do some justice to this fantastic book...

I read Ruta Sepetys' Salt to the Sea in 2017, when it won the Carnegie medal, and it blew me away. So when I was offered the chance to read her most recent book (also on the Carnegie longlist this year) and take part in this blog tour for it, I absolutely jumped at the chance.

Fountains of Silence is set in Madrid,1957. The Spanish Civil War is over, but Franco's dictatorship most certainly is not.

After twenty years almost entirely cut off from other nations, Spain is just beginning to reopen its doors to outsiders, notably Americans with money. The Hilton Castellana opens, formerly a palace and now the place to be for travelling businessmen, politicians, musicians and stars.

But just beyond the parties, cocktails, glamour and wealth lies a Spain devastated by the fascist regime.
Poverty reigns. Women are powerless - no passports, no property, no bank accounts, no say. Republican 'reds', or more likely their left-behind children, live in silence, desperation and fear.

And from these two worlds come our main characters, Daniel - son of a wealthy Texan oil tycoon, and Ana - a maid at the Hilton whose family feel the effects of the civil war and Franco's regime daily.

However, rather than focusing solely on their narratives, Ruta skilfully uses multiple perspectives to bring together the stories of those around Ana and Daniel too, thereby delivering a much broader, deeper and more complex view of the experiences and difficulties faced by the many different people caught up in Franco's regime.

I loved the characters in this (even poor misunderstood Nick, who I hated at first but really warmed to and who became one of my favourites by the end!) I rooted for them so deeply.

Their stories are so cleverly and effectively woven together, and I loved how it was predominantly through their interactions and encounters that we really saw the stark contrast between life for Daniel and for Ana and her family.

Daniel's misjudged trip to Ana's home in Vallecas, for example is one of my standout moments in the book. It has stuck with me so intensely since reading and I continue to revisit it and think about it for so many reasons and on so many levels; from Daniel's doing the unthinkable and turning up there to his gifts of expensive wine and chocolates to Vallecas itself and the people who lived there.

It felt so real; I felt like I was there, seeing it firsthand. Indeed, this is true of the book as a whole, and one of my favourite things about it was the use of Daniel's photography to tell the story. I've always loved photography as an art form and I'm a sucker for a photo exhibition, so this worked so well for me.

Some of the shots he takes are so powerful - the nun, the Crows, his father... - and I couldn't help but be reminded of Robert Capa, who is indeed referenced in the book. The images felt so vividly painted, and when Ana adds captions to them this only adds to their impact (and even more so the way in which she does this and the events that follow). I could see them, taped up on that hotel wall as clearly as if I'd walked round them in exhibition.

I was lucky enough to listen to Ruta talk about her writing, and she spoke there about the people she'd met during her research, both incidentally and as part of her interviews, and I think this comes across so strongly in the book.

In the main characters, yes, but equally in the absolutely stellar supporting cast and in those we pass just briefly - the girl with no shoes or the old lady in Vallecas, Lorenza, the crowd at the amateur bull fight (and indeed in Fuga himself), Paco Lobo and Buttons (two of my favourite characters, despite being 'bit parts' - I loved hearing on the zoom call where Buttons had come from, and I would love to see Paco Lobo heading up a book of his own!)

In the same vein, the setting and Ruta's ability to take us there, is second to none. I was absolutely transported. Thanks in no doubt to the extensive research Ruta does.

When I saw her talking about the book, the sheer joy she conveyed as she talked about the items and artefacts she'd found in her research for this was nothing short of infectious.

Likewise, she talks of trying to visit the places she's writing about, to get a feel for them, and this really comes across too.

I lived in Madrid for three years and, despite being set many decades earlier, this really took me back there - the shutters going down for siesta, the streets and the places and their feel, the food, the lives, the culture... Immersive, evocative and, for me personally, very nostalgic too.

Aside from visits and artefacts, Ruta's research is extensive - the wonderful real-life excerpts from reports, newspapers and interviews of the time at the start of each chapter, the photos at the end and the lengthy bibliography will all attest to that - and it has clearly paid off, as everything in the book feels so absolutely authentic.

I feel like I've talked very little about so many of the key events and themes of the book here - the barbaric homes for orphaned republican children, the oppression, the empty coffins and stolen babies, the sheer imbalance of power, the censorship, the fear and the secrets...

It's safe to say this isn't an easy book at times, there is great hardship, great sadness and great suffering here. But there is also great community, great hope and great resilience.

Full of grit and courage, this is a powerful and moving story, helping to bring to light some of the very real stories which for so long were shrouded in silence. I can't recommend it enough.

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This is my first Ruta Sepetys novel and it definitely inspired me to read her other works. I'm always wary about historical fiction because, to be honest, I often get bored pretty quickly. This was not the case with "The Fountains of Silence". I really liked this multi-perspective story set in a time and place that I actually haven't read about in novels before. Sepetys paints a rich and very detailed picture of Franco-era Spain, filled with atrocities that I heard about before but never paid that much attention too.
I do admit that I wasn't invested in all of the characters and their perspectives, but that's typical for books with many different perspectives. My personal favorite was Puri, whose voice and story were simply the most interesting to me. I do think that the novel as a whole would have worked better with fewer perspectives and a sharper focus on two or three characters at most. Some of the characters aren't really fleshed out, and the romance between Daniel and Ana would have needed some more room, too, to really win my heart. Most of the side characters didn't manage to win me over either because there's just not much meat to them.
The pacing is rather slow and apart from some bull fighting, there's not much actual action happening. It's a very character-driven little story, though I happen to like those a lot - if the characters have time to actually breathe and come alive, which, as I said, is something that is hindered by the amount of different perspectives.
There is a pretty big time skip later on that I didn't like much, mostly because everything that happens after that skip reads more like a quick afterthought. It wasn't as fleshed out as the events before the skip so the ending left me a little meh.

All in all, I did like the book and will look into Sepetys' other works, and I really appreciate how much research went into this. It didn't live up to its potential, but I'm pretty hard to please when it comes to historical fiction so take my personal opinion with a grain of salt. I recommend the book for the setting alone, though! I genuinely didn't know a lot of the things that happened during the Franco regime, and it did make me google the time period afterwards which is always a big plus.

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Beautifully written and with incredible historical research. I difficult subject, sensitivity handled. I always learn from and enjoy Ruta's books and will take pleasure in recommending this to our history department as well as English and students in general.

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Spain in 1957 is firmly under the dictatorial control of Franco with fear and secrets ruling and ruining people’s lives. Daniel Matheson is an 18 years old Texan visiting Spain with an oil tycoon father who hopes to do business in Spain – and a Spanish mother who ensured that he speaks fluent Spanish. Daniel is a talented photographer and wants to study photo journalism in university, against his father’s wishes; he also wants to understand the real Madrid, not just the version shown to American tourists.

Ana is the hotel maid in charge of looking after the Matheson family at their posh Madrid hotel. She and her siblings had a traumatic youth because of the continuing Fascist persecution of Republicans; she lives with her brother Rafa, who works in a slaughterhouse and a graveyard, and her sister Julia and her family. Together they try to eke out an existence. But there are secrets which the family needs to keep hidden.

Pura, Ana’s cousin, is a devout Catholic who works at the Inclusa Orphanage. She loves the children, the Church and El Caudillio (Franco); but she sees strange things at the orphanage. Fearless Fuga, Rafa’s friend who wants to be a bullfighter, is disturbed by the number of tiny coffins needing to be buried at the cemetery.

As Daniel explores Madrid through the lens of his camera and develops a relationship with Ana, he peels away some of the hidden layers of the Fascist society.

This is a mesmerising book which is perfectly paced to build tension. I intended to read only a few chapters and finish it over the course of the next week, but was completely drawn in by the plot and the intricate portrayal of Madrid in 1957 and finished the book in a day. I was intrigued by the ways that the individual narratives began to connect and was left surprised by several twists.

The Fountains of Silence feels authentic because it is incredibly well-researched and based on real events in the 36 year post-Spanish Civil War Fascist rule; it includes declassified memos/letters from achives at the end of chapters, an extensive bibliography and a lengthy author’s note explaining her research process. Sepetys is superb at uncovering hidden corners of history, and this book is a worthy addition to her brilliant collection of historical fiction. I’m now really keen to find out more about the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War and Spain’s dark history under the Franco dictatorship.

From an educator’s perspective, this would be a superb novel to read with a class in year 8 or 9. It is structurally complex with rich description while simultaneously being completely gripping with themes and history that will engage and empower students.

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I don't usually read historical - or any YA outside of fantasy and thrillers - but I'd heard so many amazing things about this book that I requested it when it became available in the UK ahead of UK publication.

It was utterly stunning. Heart-breaking, but stunning (the amount of procrastination I did ahead of writing this review in the hopes it would help me get past incoherent "ahhhh it is wonderful" stage of loving a book!) It's one of those "gentler" books in terms of pacing (at least, compared to my usual fantasy) and more immediate to the characters with that's at stake, but it works so well for the story.

I know very little about this period of Spanish history, something I need to correct, so I had no idea what sort of story to expect going in. I though it was going to be a historical romance based off the blurb, but instead (well, alongside, but it's me, so the romance was not the most important bit for me as a reader), it's a tale about the secrets wrapped around people under Franco's dictatorship that threaten to strangle.

The topic at the heart of the book (the abduction, abandonment, and selling of children under Franco's rule) is rather bleak, but, thanks to the two hopeful, somewhat naïve main protagonists, there is a firm thread of hope throughout. I don't read grimdark fantasy because I need hope and lighter moments in a book, or it's just too unrelentingly grim for me. THE FOUNTAINS OF SILENCE has plenty of light in it, without compromising the nature of what is discussed.

There are four protagonists, with two other characters getting one chapter each to narrate. It allows the book massive scope and able to show various aspects of life in 1950s Madrid. There is the glamour of the American tourists, the struggle of the working class, and the dark secrets of the state-sanctioned orphanages.

The balance between those secrets, and their weight, as the protagonists learn more and more about the world they're living in/visiting and their optimism for the future was well done. It gives the book room to give the topic the space and weight it deserves, while also giving you a reason to read on because you want to see how they'll handle the news - and what they'll do about it.

THE FOUNTAINS OF SILENCE falls firmly into the crossover category, with 19 year old protagonists, and then the final act/section set after the death of Franco (when they're in their 30s). That was the bit that really brought the hope out, as the end of the 1957 section was really sad.

Overall, it's stunning and I don't feel like my review did this book justice!

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Here's two major reasons reviewers give for not liking Ruta Sepetys' books:

1. Short chapters which can be difficult because of jumping between characters or situations quickly, creating a feeling of detachment from the key characters.
2. Limited time with each character due to a large cast, cementing that feeling of detachment from key characters.

But I love the way Ruta Sepetys writes. I love the short chapters, they build so much tension for me. I love the number of characters, personalities and fleeting moments with them forcing me to piece together future events about to unfold. And I really love the seamless writing; I think Ruta Sepetys is an incredible historical fiction writer and has an "x-factor" that other authors really lack when telling tales like this; she creates horrible characters sometimes with complexities that make me still care to read about them. Or maybe it's a degree of authenticity, a degree of respect for the people and countries she shares the history of. I don't know...

What I do know is that this book didn't work very well for me.

In post-civil war Spain, under the fascist rule of Franco, many of Spain's people are impossibly poor and grieving for lost family and friends. Tourists flock to Spain, desperate to see bull-fighting and Spanish Matadors, but Texan Daniel has other aspirations. His parents, holidaying in Madrid, have big dreams for Daniel, but those dreams don't mesh with his love of photography. As Daniel tries to capture powerful footage of the people of Spain in an effort to win a photography scholarship behind his parents back, he stumbles across Ana - his parent's personal assistant in the hotel. Ana's family are poverty-stricken, in jobs they despise, and have lost their parents to the civil war; Daniel is a welcome distraction Ana could really use.

The pacing of this novel was all wrong; it felt slow, in a way that the pacing of her previous books were too but somehow this was painfully noticeable where Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray just weren't. I didn't feel compelled to keep reading, the characters didn't feel complex as they did in her previous novels, and there was really only one direction this story could ever progress.

Not for me this time; I'd been toying with the idea of reading Out of the Easy, but based upon The Fountains of Silence I think I'd better stick with Sepetys' World War novels for the time being.

ARC provided free from the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

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This book helped solidify for me. That I really enjoyed historical fiction if it’s not based on the world wars. I learnt a lot I didn’t know before. Enjoyed the romance plot line. Loved the photos at the end.

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