Book: The Fountains of Silence
Author: Ruta Sepetys
Publisher: Philomel Books
Publication Date: 10/22/2019
Interest Level: 789Y

Blog Entry by Sara Mantia

Summary: Set in Madrid in 1957 during under the dictatorship of Generalissimo Francisco Franco young lives clash together during a time of turmoil and suspense.

Our Thoughts: What is so special about this story is not that is just a love story that takes place between a good guy and a girl from the other side of the tracks. It is that and it is beautiful but it is so much more. Sepetys has managed to layer this story in so many wonderful, profoundly thoughtful and beyond important ways. Not only are there an incredible assortment of characters, each major character has a powerful story, you get to know them and go on their journey alongside them. It is not just Ana and Daniel, you meet Ana’s siblings who have been through so much, you meet Miguel a tormented grave digger determined to be the matador of the century, you meet the elderly man that runs the photography store, every character you come across has a very special role and a very special story to tell. This is not as overwhelming as it sounds, Septys has very purposely designed every single detail so that it flows so beautifully. Then you meet the most essential character of them all, Spain. 

The setting in this book is so much more then a setting, it is a living, breathing person full of so much life and history. You have been warned, by the end of this book you will have moved Spain to the top of your travel wish list. By intricately weaving Spanish history, culture and passion throughout the story you can’t help but travel back in time to 1957 in Madrid. You see the sights, hear the sounds and learn so much about the history. But this is not just a lesson in armchair travel. This is a story of profound heartbreak and ultimately a lesson in history, to uncover a part of Spain that the government has tried to keep hidden for so long. Francisco Franco has left such a devastating mark on the country itself and somehow managed to remain in power for so long, Spain in turn has done its best to move forward but history is not something that can stay silent for very long. Septys has done so much research and so much homework and it really shines through in her prose. It is definitely a must read and a must have for your shelves!