The Fountains of Silence Hardcover – October 1, 2019

I thoroughly enjoyed Between Shades of Grey and Salt to the Sea. In fact they are two of the novels I most often recommend, so I had high expectations for the latest book by Ruta Sepetys. I'm happy to say it met them.Like those other two books, this one sheds a light on a hidden part of history, but it does so more gradually.Like in Salt to the Sea, there were multiple narrators. I felt they were all necessary for the telling of this story, and I liked them all, though initially I found one less sympathetic than the others.The danger the characters faced here was not as overt as in the other books, but there was a tension, a sense of it lingering in the air. And while I'd describe the other two novels as being about a struggle to survive, I'd describe this one as being about a struggle to live, for what kind of life is it if you can't ask questions or even hope for anything better?I enjoyed this and have already recommended it. I'm thankful for the early read from BookishFirst, and I liked it so much that I've purchased the hardback.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review for The Fountains of SilenceI can tell a book will be good when I lose track of time while reading it or savor each page before turning to the next one. I didn’t speed read one portion of this historic tale. The author pinned me to the setting and revealed the characters in such a way that drew my interest and almost made them real.I know next to nothing about Spain’s civil war or Franco’s reign as dictator. Before I started reading, I was a bit worried if I would be able to relate to the setting, but my worries were unfounded, the story gripped me from the first page.A tall Texan, Daniel, travels to Spain with his family. His mother has Spanish heritage and Daniel grew up speaking Spanish. His father, an oil big-wig, brushes elbows with men in high places. Daniel, whose interest lies in photography not oil, snaps shots which speak louder than words: a young bullfighter in his suit of lights, hardworking Spaniards, his own face covered in blood, dead babies, and the smiling face of the woman he can’t keep his mind off of—Ana, the hotel maid seeing to the needs of his family.Ana plays by the strict rules of her society and social rank, but Daniel draws her attention. He slowly gets her to relax her guard and allow room for friendship and maybe something more.In this rich, cultural story a bevy of characters will weave its way around you and make you emphasize with the plight of the Spanish people at that time in history.This is by far the best book that I’ve read in over a year. If you enjoy historical fiction, The Fountains of Silence is a must read.

After reading Salt to the Sea awhile back, and just finishing Out of the Easy, I eagerly began reading The Fountains of Silence. This story is told from multiple perspectives, like Salt to the Sea, and maybe for that reason, it took awhile to really get going. About halfway through the book, though, I couldn’t put it down. Historical fiction may be my new favorite genre, and I loved learning about Spain during Franco’s rule, post-civil war. Part mystery of sorts, part love story, set against the backdrop of 1950s Spain, this novel is a must-read.

Binge-read this book in one weekend. I love anything that explores the Spanish Civil War era. This book was so well-written. I can't wait to read more from this author.

I liked The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys. This is the third book I have read by R Sepetys. My favorite book of her is Salt to the Sea.R Sepetys does a great job of researching, writing and developing the plot and characters. The story didn't grab me like her others books did. I didn't like the ending - I didn't feel like the story was wrapped up. I felt like the book just ended, I was expecting more.I would recommend The Fountains of Silence by R Sepetys to readers who like: historical fiction, stories about Spain and Franco.

I love historical fiction, so when my book club (of English teachers) picked this one, I was really excited to read it.The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys is about a boy named Daniel Matheson who travels to Spain in the 1950s. The leader of Spain, Franco, is ruthless and has an iron hold on his people. Daniel's father is an oil tycoon who wants his son to take over the business, while his mother is from Spain. Daniel doesn't want to join his father's business. He wants to become a photographer. His goal while in Spain is to take pictures worthy enough of a contest that he's working on. While there, Daniel meets Ana, a maid at the Hilton Hotel he's staying at. Ana is assigned to Daniel's family and attends to their every need. Ana's family is poor and this is an incredible job opportunity for her. Ana's family needs this job. Ana and Daniel become friends and start to fall in love with each other, something Ana seems hesitant about and Daniel knows his parents won't like. Will this forbidden love go anywhere? Will Daniel find out the dark secrets of Franco's Spain?Some things I really enjoyed about this book:I enjoyed that it rotated through perspectives. That's something that I really enjoy in a lot of novels that I've read, and this one was no different. I loved that it rotated through the various members of Ana's family as well as Ana and Daniel. It was good to see the story from each perspective.I loved the historical insight into Spain post-WWII. I love history, but my knowledge of world history is a little lacking. This was a really fascinating read for me because I had no idea of the problems and the oppression in Spain. My mom and grandparents lived in Spain in the late 1960s, so it was interesting to talk about how they saw it.Sepetys also included some secondary source documents in this: speeches, and interviews with officials who helped determine American policy toward Franco in the 1950s. These little interludes were interesting and helped give some perspective into the events of the story.I loved the descriptions and the characters. I loved that Daniel stood up for what he wanted and didn't cave in to what his dad wanted.Some things I didn't love about this book:I hated the ending. I felt that Sepetys tried to rush to a conclusion and only haphazardly answered questions.In particular, I felt that the story with Daniel's adopted sister is also Ana's niece wasn't tied up well and didn't actually conclude.Ana also pulled this really interesting 180 shift. I didn't hate it, but this was an issue in my book club. I felt that I had to do some analytical gymnastics to fully connect Ana's old self with her new self. She ignores the status problems at the end that she was hyper-aware of at the beginning.I got really tired of everyone having a secret. I felt the middle of the book dragged with a lot of set-up of problems that would semi-resolve later, but not enough new information to keep me interested in the novel.Overall, I rate this book:⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5 based on the reasons above.I rate this book PG-13 for violence and some sexual innuendo.

This is an extraordinary, eye-opening novel that reveals the appalling consequences of Franco's victory in the Spanish Civil War. While Daniel, the young, honest but initially naive Texan tourist is a most sympathetic protagonist, it is the Spanish characters who truly catch our imagination, especially the enigmatic Fuga, an impoverished orphan and would-be matador. His courage is inspirational. The love story is heart-rending, especially as it is set alongside the corruption and self-interest of politicians and oil magnates. This is a powerful work and, at times, a harrowing read. At least at Young Adult level, if not older, it is beautifully written. I loved Ruta Sepetys's 'Salt to the Sea', but this is even better.

Aside from being a very poignant love story - this book has ignited my curiosity to find out much more about the hidden history of Spain during and in the aftermath of the Civil War. I will be reading plenty of Hemingway and other history books in the coming months.

This book is just brilliant. Wonderful characters, superbly researched history and a beautiful use of language. What presents as a simple tale is full of richness, truth and complexity.

Every country has its own pain...story is just awesome... I was mesmerized while reading the book...

MUY BIEN.