I have been to El Valle de los Caídos, the Valley of the Fallen. That was 19 years ago. Tonight, I sit here on my bed with tears streaming down my cheeks as I process the novel I just finished reading. Nineteen years later, I’m thinking back to what I can remember of the Valley of the Fallen, and all I can think of is the giant cross and the eerie quiet.
Nineteen years later, Ruta Sepetys has introduced a harsh reality to a moment in my life that previously didn’t have much context. I knew of Franco and the general gist of the Spanish Civil War, including Orwell’s involvement and its influence on Animal Farm, but Sepetys puts a human face on my vague knowledge. She paints these characters’ portraits thoroughly and gut-wrenchingly. She has a gift for making you cry for fictional people, even in 3rd person omniscient with shifting character lenses. She threads the suspense across the chapters, making you hunger for another tidbit to be revealed.
I have been to El Valle de los Caídos. Thank you, Ruta Sepetys, for this, my second journey to Spain. Your ability to reach deep inside me and tear me apart from the inside out with your stories is certainly a gift. I cannot wait to buy this novel, both for myself and for my library, so I can share copies with family, friends, colleagues, and students.
Nineteen years later, Ruta Sepetys has introduced a harsh reality to a moment in my life that previously didn’t have much context. I knew of Franco and the general gist of the Spanish Civil War, including Orwell’s involvement and its influence on Animal Farm, but Sepetys puts a human face on my vague knowledge. She paints these characters’ portraits thoroughly and gut-wrenchingly. She has a gift for making you cry for fictional people, even in 3rd person omniscient with shifting character lenses. She threads the suspense across the chapters, making you hunger for another tidbit to be revealed.
I have been to El Valle de los Caídos. Thank you, Ruta Sepetys, for this, my second journey to Spain. Your ability to reach deep inside me and tear me apart from the inside out with your stories is certainly a gift. I cannot wait to buy this novel, both for myself and for my library, so I can share copies with family, friends, colleagues, and students.