Saturday, January 4, 2020

Review: The Fountains of Silence

Title: The Fountains of Silence
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Narrator:
Audio Length: 12hr 24min
Rating: 5/5
Synopsis (Found on Goodreads):
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 1
8-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. 

Thoughts:

Barnes and Noble chose this novel as their YA book club pick. I`m so glad I was
able to join in at my local store. I devoured this audio then proceeded to research all
about the illegal adoption ring of Franco's reign. This was never something that was
taught in my school and I feel like it should be something people outside of Spain
should be educated on.
Loved how a portion of the story is told by Daniel a Texas oil-tycoon`s son. Daniel
is a photographer and wants to be a journalist. At first I thought his growing relationship
with Ana was the main story but I slowly realized the orphan babies being adopted was
the primary story. I do believe their growing relationship made the horror of the babies a
little more palatable.
Ana is the main female character and she has one of the hardest of tasks...hiding
her real identity. Do not befriend the Americans who stay at the hotel she works at.
Both of these tasks are easier said than done. Daniel has a way of drawing Ana out
of her shy ways.

To be honest my favorite part was the epilogue eighteen years later. There is
something about how time and lost loves really grow on a person. 

TTFN,
Ashley

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