From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Salt to the Sea
and Between Shades of Gray comes a gripping, extraordinary portrait of
love, silence, and secrets under a Spanish dictatorship.
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. Daniel's 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.
Praise for The Fountains of Silence
"Spain under Francisco Franco is as dystopian a setting as Margaret
Atwood's Gilead in Ruta Sepetys's suspenseful, romantic and timely new
work of historical fiction . . . Like [Shakespeare's family romances],
'The Fountains of Silence' speaks truth to power, persuading future
rulers to avoid repeating the crimes of the past." **--**The New York
Times Book Review
"Full of twists and revelations...an excellent story, and timely, too."
--The Wall Street Journal
"A staggering tale of love, loss, and national shame."
***--Entertainment Weekly
* "[Sepetys] tells a moving story made even more powerful by its
placement in a lesser-known historical moment. Captivating, deft, and
illuminating historical fiction." --Booklist, *STARRED REVIEW*
* "This gripping, often haunting historical novel offers a
memorable portrait of fascist Spain." --Publishers Weekly, *STARRED
REVIEW*
* "This richly woven historical fiction . . . will keep young adults as
well as adults interested from the first page to the last." --SLC,
*STARRED REVIEW*
* "Riveting . . . An exemplary work of historical fiction." --The
Horn Book, *STARRED REVIEW*
