The Fountains of Silence Book Review

It's easy to fall into the trap of reading historical fiction where the history propels the characters. In this critically acclaimed novel about the postwar struggles of Spain, the characters take control of the world they're living in, while also being run by the silence that world demands of them. Enter into Madrid, 1957, where silence is the norm, and censorship demands that the true story never be told. But also, welcome a photojournalist who doesn't care about those rules, and a girl who is fed up with keeping secrets. Ruta Sepetys once again crafts a beautiful, heartbreaking portrait of a Spain still struggling after the Spanish Civil War, with characters who continue to inspire long after the pages are closed, and with a rallying cry to never forget those who might not even know who or what they are. 

Ruta Sepetys is an internationally acclaimed, #1 New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction published in over sixty countries and forty languages. Sepetys is considered a "crossover" novelist, as her books are read by both teens and adults worldwide. Her novels Between Shades of Gray, Out of the Easy, and Salt to the Sea have won or been shortlisted for more than forty book prizes, and are included on more than sixty state award lists. Winner of the Carnegie Medal, Ruta is passionate about the power of history and literature to foster global awareness and connectivity. She has presented to NATO, to the European Parliament, in the United States Capitol, and at embassies worldwide. Ruta was born and raised in Michigan and now lives with her family in Nashville, Tennessee. You can visit Ruta Sepetys at rutasepetys.com or follow her on Twitter @RutaSepetys and on Instagram @rutasepetysauthor. 

Madrid, 1957. Under the oppressive 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. 

More than anything, this novel is a study of secrets and silence within the history of this moment in time. Readers are introduced to a multitude of characters (Rafa, Fuga, Julia, Ana, Puri, and Daniel) who are all in Madrid, 1957, and who are all on the point of discovering something huge. Readers are trying to uncover the secrets of the characters, while also trying to understand what drives each character, making for a very interactive reading experience. Why? Because the characters are doing everything in their power to keep their secrets to themselves, to keep their secrets off the page. Ana is definitely the character who does this the most, as well as her brother Rafa. From the beginning, we understand their financial hardships, their family hardships, and their desires to keep their jobs -- all of these things drive them. But these characters also have big dreams, and big secrets. We don't really understand Rafa's past, but he does a great job of not dwelling on it, or giving us many hints about what he went through. Ana clearly has some history with some members of the hotel, but what kind of history? with what members, exactly? Daniel, as the eyes for the readers, is determined to find all of this out. Then, the novel becomes a complex dance between revealing or keeping secrets, and the path to understanding and empathy. The characters are the most important part of this novel, because they're the way we try to understand exactly how horrific this time period was, especially for the people like Ana's family. 

Daniel is the character I empathized the most, since I admit to not knowing much about Spain's history, and to thus being an outsider while trying to understand the experiences depicted in this novel. I think Daniel was a great character, as a way for readers to get that outside-looking-in lens. Like the reader, he wants to uncover everyone's secret. He's a great lens to look at through because while the other characters are hiding secrets we don't know, he's hiding secrets of his own that we do know about (Laura Beth and the telegrams, for example). Daniel doesn't hide anything from readers, while suggests that we trust him as he works his way into the lives of Ana and her family to uncover their secrets, and thus the secrets of Spain. Daniel, being an outsider and a curious photographer, culminate in making a character who has a lot to learn and a lot to lose by exploring Spain. Photography was also a great outlet for Daniel to explore Spain -- it added dimension to his character, but also to the novel and the history. In a way, it felt more personal as I looked at the real photographs at the end of the novel, depicting what life was truly like in Spain during Franco's dictatorship. It also allowed Ruta to expand and continuously use the power of images through words -- she often described the photos Daniel took on his outings as way to explore and try to understand things we can never experience. And, by the end of the novel, those were the images that stuck with me when I explained to others what this book was about. 

Puri was another character I enjoyed reading. Her character changed and grew a lot, possibly more than Daniel's. She starts off as this pure and perfect Catholic girl -- not quite a woman, not yet. Her motives are a bit unclear at first, but could be described as being the perfect Catholic and remaining true to her faith. But as the story advances, Puri's innate desire to ask questions about the world around her leads to some confusing discoveries. Puri's storyline is full of puzzle pieces that eventually lead us to the greatest mystery in the whole novel, involving all the characters. But because Puri seems very "in the dark" and "forgettable" in a way, her questions and curiosity go mostly unnoticed by the rest of the characters in the novel. Puri continues on her own quest, despite other characters urging her to leave well enough alone. I admire that about Puri, because she's on the brink of something huge, and she still perseveres to the truth. Unlike the other characters, though, her story is a study in how one can go backwards. After all the heart-wrenching discoveries of the novel, Puri still doesn't get as beautiful an ending as the other characters. Instead of starting off silent and working her way free, Puri works backwards. She was already pretty free at the beginning of the novel, or considered herself to be that way in her faith. But after all the discoveries she makes, she reverts back to silence. I have a lot of hope for Puri, though, after that last page of the novel. Her and Daniel have a magnificent conversation, and I hope that Puri finally finds peace I know she deserves. 

Ruta Sepetys always focuses on histories that have long been forgotten or overlooked, and these histories become the subjects for her work. I admire that about her, because it means her research process spans years -- in her author's note, Ruta describes how the research process for The Fountains of Silence lasted for eight years. The novel is so immersive, and so rooted in the history, that the eight-year long process was well worth it for the story we received. Kudos to all who helped Ruta uncover the history of Spain so she could write this beautiful and magnificent story! Some of my favorite parts about the historical fiction aspect of this novel was the introductions to chapters and sections of the novel. These introductions, which are actually real accounts about Spain and what's happening in the political sphere under Franco's rule, add another layer of reality to the fiction. This makes the novel more believable, while also highlighting how well-researched Ruta is. Ruta takes every detail seriously, from Fuga's costume to the inner working of the Castellana Hilton, from Daniel's pictures to Julia's family home. This is part of what makes the reading experience so immersive, which in turn is what helps readers fully begin to comprehend the living experiences in Spain at this time. Overall, Ruta paints a very detailed story of secrets and history that we might never fully understand, but that we can start to comprehend and put into words so that these experiences will never truly be forgotten. 

Thankfully, Ruta continues to be a champion for stories long-lost to history. She's announced that she's currently hard at work on a historical fiction novel set in Romania, which studies the history of the millions of innocent Romanians who suffered under the Ceausescu regime. Even though there's no title or release date yet, you can bet that once it's released I will be getting my hands on it, and I highly suggest that you plan for the same!

*This review can also be found on my Goodreads page*