Page turner. Well, I read it on my Kindle so it was the matter of pressing a button not turning pages actually, but I cannot call a book a button-presser can I? The book cost me £0.20 on Amazon - well-spent 20p. Read it in three days (this week). Just couldn't put it down.
The story is based in Madrid after the Civil War - shows the damage, poverty, misery and suffering of the Spanish people during Franco's dictatorship. It's a bit of a spy and love story set during those horrible times. Harry , the main character, wounded in Dunkierk still suffering with some panick attacks, is spying on Sandy, his former school friend who is an important but shady businessman in Spain. Barbara, Sandy's lover, still in love with Bernie who was believed dead in the battle of Jarama during the Civil War. However, Bernie, communist, Harry's best friend from school, is still very much alive and imprisoned in a work camp. And then the story develops. Harry falls in love with a Spanish girl Sofia, Barbara finds out Bernie is alive and plans to help him escape. And so he does but it is not all a happy happy ending.
Quotes:
"But thats what happens with revolutions, the scum always rises to the top."
"Sandy nodded: Like I said in the cafe, the future belongs to people who can reach out and seize life. We should never let the past hold us back. And there is no such thing as fate."
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| Music CD cover |
The book reminded me of my favourite Spanish tv series/soap opera I followed till it finished in 2012 - 'Amar en Tiempos Revueltos' (on Spanish TV on line). Watched it almost religiously for a year and a half as a listening excercise to keep up with my Spanish - cought up with all the seven seasons (not all the episodes though as there are about 1700 of them - would be impossible in one and a half year). It is really wonderful that TVE Espana stores all the episodes on line and it is possible to watch them anywhere in the world. The story is based in Madrid (en la Plaza de los Frutos) and starts just before the Civil War and continues on until late 50's with different love and family dramas - portraying the suffering of the madrilenians, the suppresions, the killings, the fascism, dictatorship rules and how they affected every day life of Spanish people, the role of women as wifes and mothers only, resistance, spy stories, escapes, tortures - it coveres it all - you name it. I learnt a lot about what was happening in Spain after the Civil War thanks to the series. Shame they decided to discontinue it. Lack of money I guess. Well, actually antena 3 of Spanish tv sort of continues it with a different name 'Amar es para siempre', but it is impossible to watch it online outside Spain.
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