Books like The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys

In 1957 Madrid, under General Francisco Franco’s oppressive dictatorship, a surge of tourists and investors arrives. Eighteen‑year‑old Daniel Matheson, son of a prominent oil businessman, travels with his parents to explore the country of his mother’s birth—capturing the city through his camera. While photographing Madrid’s streets, Daniel meets Ana, whose family’s hardships echo the lingering trauma of the Spanish Civil War. His images begin to reveal unsettling truths about Spain’s hidden violence and the lingering shadows of war. Daniel is drawn into a web of danger, forced to confront difficult decisions to protect those he loves, while the city’s bright façade hides a darker reality. The novel examines identity, love, and the repercussions of conflict in postwar Spain, amplified by authentic photographs, oral histories, and archival material.

First publish date: 2019