Avoid silence with "The Fountains of Silence"

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I'm a big fan of historical fiction and Ruta Sepetys is a master of the genre. Her storytelling and combined research skills are something that this librarian envies, so I will devour anything that she creates. What I love most is her tendency to write about historical periods that are found in the dusty corners of textbooks or otherwise swept under the rug and "The Fountains of Silence" is no exception. Concentrating on General Franco's dictatorship of Spain, this is a book that I would gladly hand to any of my students studying world history or who may be fascinated by politics to provide a deeper narrative into daily life. The plot focuses on a tourist who is on a mission to chronicle Spain in photographs, but ends up falling in love with a local girl. While this could be done in a cheesy fashion, it's not and wraps up quickly by novel's end. I highly recommend for anyone who enjoys reading about Spanish culture or historical fiction.