His followers fared well, but he punished families who resisted him in the Spanish Civil War for generations. Sepetys intrigued me when she began speaking of exactly how hard life was for most Spaniards during Franco’s reign.

I learned enough to know that it was a pretty dark time, but I didn’t actively pursue any further knowledge. I’m a huge guidebook nerd, so I started learning a bit more about the history of Franco’s rule while I was researching our visit. My husband and I visited Spain ourselves in 2010 and loved every minute of our visit. I’m not denying the validity of their perception, but as expatriates, I thought their reality was probably very different from that of native Spaniards. I sensed that there was an element of American privilege in their experiences. His parents speak fondly of their time there and how safe they felt even though (and maybe because) Franco was still in power. My husband lived as a very small child in Spain for a couple of years with his family. Of course she primarily spoke about her newest book, The Fountains of Silence, and what she had to say intrigued me.

I went to see author Ruta Sepetys speak at the Texas Book Festival in 2019 because I loved her book Between Shades of Gray so much. 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. Lives and hearts collide, revealing an incredibly dark side to the sunny Spanish city. He is backed into a corner of difficult decisions to protect those he loves. Daniel’s photographs leave him with uncomfortable questions amidst shadows of danger.

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. 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. Meanwhile, tourists and foreign businessmen flood into Spain under the welcoming promise of sunshine and wine. Under the fascist dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, Spain is hiding a dark secret.

Ruta sepetys the fountains of silence