The Fountains of Silence

In 1957 Madrid, a young photographer uncovers dark secrets beneath a sunny facade, risking everything for truth and love.

4.3/5 Goodreads · 86,297 ratings

512 pages· 100,174 words· Est. 9.5 hour read

$18.99Save 7%

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Bookroo's summary

In 1957 Madrid, Daniel Matheson, an aspiring photographer, seeks to connect with his heritage. His lens captures more than just the vibrant city; it reveals the haunting shadows of Franco's dictatorship. Meeting Ana, whose family bears the scars of the Spanish Civil War, Daniel is drawn into a web of secrets and danger. As his photographs raise unsettling questions, Daniel faces a perilous choice: protect those he loves or expose the truth. In a city where silence hides violence, can love and courage illuminate the darkness? Discover a gripping tale of identity, love, and the echoes of war.

From the publisher

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray comes a gripping, extraordinary portrait of love, silence, and secrets under a Spanish dictatorship. Madrid, 1957. Under the fascist dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, Spain is hiding a dark secret. Meanwhile, tourists and foreign businessmen flood into Spain under the welcoming promise of sunshine and wine. Among them is eighteen-year-old Daniel Matheson, the son of an oil tycoon, who arrives in Madrid with his parents hoping to connect with the country of his mother’s birth through the lens of his camera. Photography–and fate–introduce him to Ana, whose family’s interweaving obstacles reveal the lingering grasp of the Spanish Civil War–as well as chilling definitions of fortune and fear. Daniel’s photographs leave him with uncomfortable questions amidst shadows of danger. He is backed into a corner of difficult decisions to protect those he loves. Lives and hearts collide, revealing an incredibly dark side to the sunny Spanish city. Master storyteller Ruta Sepetys once again shines light into one of history’s darkest corners in this epic, heart-wrenching novel about identity, unforgettable love, repercussions of war, and the hidden violence of silence–inspired by the true postwar struggles of Spain. Includes vintage media reports, oral history commentary, photos, and more. Praise for The Fountains of Silence Spain under Francisco Franco is as dystopian a setting as Margaret Atwood’s Gilead in Ruta Sepetys’s suspenseful, romantic and timely new work of historical fiction . . . Like [Shakespeare’s family romances], ‘The Fountains of Silence’ speaks truth to power, persuading future rulers to avoid repeating the crimes of the past. –The New York Times Book Review “Full of twists and revelations…an excellent story, and timely, too.” –The Wall Street Journal A staggering tale of love, loss, and national shame. –Entertainment Weekly [Sepetys] tells a moving story made even more powerful by its placement in a lesser-known historical moment. Captivating, deft, and illuminating historical fiction. –Booklist, STARRED REVIEW This gripping, often haunting historical novel offers a memorable portrait of fascist Spain. –Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW This richly woven historical fiction . . . will keep young adults as well as adults interested from the first page to the last. –SLC, STARRED REVIEW Riveting . . . An exemplary work of historical fiction. –The Horn Book, STARRED REVIEW

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