The Fountains of Silence
Books | Young Adult Fiction / Historical / Europe
4.4
(2.9K)
Ruta Sepetys
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*
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More Details:
Author
Ruta Sepetys
Pages
512
Publisher
Penguin
Published Date
2019-10-01
ISBN
0698174518 9780698174511
Community ReviewsSee all
"This book took me a while to get through and it was worth it. I was interviewed in some so the time is a little off but I really enjoyed it. It was weirdly twisty and mysteriously that I wasn’t expecting."
Abby
"I just finished this book and oh my gosh, to say this book was my favorite book I've read all year would be an understatement. It's just so amazing and I didn't want it to finish. My friend gave it to me in a book swap and I was a little nervous to read it because I haven't read a ton of historical fiction. I was honestly scared to jump into 472 pages of a genre I hadn't really read before especially because I was in a reading slump. It took me way too long to get about 100 pages in just because I got super busy but the last two days I've flown through it and I would 1000% recommend it. It was absolutely amazing and I don't think I will ever forget this story."
Mainely Books
"Soooo good! Time to go buy a copy."
Azelyn Klein
"A deep and lovely novel. The best of historical fiction, inviting the reader into Franco's Spain through a story of secrets and true love. "
Liz Marshall
"I didnt know much about Spain after WWII, so this was a good read for me. The ending left me wanting more but Ruta is still one of my favorite authors. Enjoyed. "
Amanda Leigh
"Wow. This book was absolutely amazing! I love historical fiction books like this one. I had no idea of the events that took place in Spain during this time in history. We often hear about the dictatorships from the 1930's and 40's, but rarely the one that took place in Spain for almost forty years. The book was very interesting to read. I will be anxiously waiting for another book by this author."
Where's Waldo
"Even tho it’s YA, this story is so captivating. I can’t wait to read her other books "
Annabelle Gardiner
"SUCH. A. GOOD. BOOK! Perfectly matched with secrets, alluring mystery, and a whirlwind romance. Didn’t focus too much on romance though there was a certainly part of it. There was secrets, the past, the war, truly good. "
Callie Ravan
"<i>OUCHIE MY FEELINGS!!!!!!</i> This is DEFINITELY a Ruta Sepetys novel because she always teaches me about some part of history that isn't talked about, in a way that makes me cry!!!!! I had never heard of the baby trafficking done by Francisco Franco before this book, and now I keep looking up more and more about it!!! This is such a Horrible topic, and yet Ruta discusses it with such Grace and Respect!!! This is why she is one of my All time FAV authors!!! While obviously the exact events of this book are not real, many similar stories Did happen, and it's good that there's some sort of light being shone on them now!!! I really REALLY loved this, and I definitely HIGHLY recommend to anyone who likes historical fiction!!!!!"
Rook
"Ruta always paints such a vivid picture of history! This book will transport you to post Civil War Spain and suck you into the struggles and secrets of the people living there there. I loved following these characters as they confront the devastating consequences of war and the reality of living under a dictatorship."
B Noelle
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