The New York Times Book Review - Sarah Harrison Smith
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…Though Ana and her family endure traumatic, tragic events, The Fountains of Silence offers a lighter reading experience than the gut-punch Sepetys delivered in her award-winning previous novel, Salt to the Sea…The Fountains of Silence speaks truth to power, persuading future rulers to avoid repeating the crimes of the past.
From the Publisher
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*
* "A stunning novel that exposes modern fascism and elevates human resilience." —Kirkus, *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*
* "With The Fountains of Silence, Sepetys has once again written gripping historical fiction with great crossover appeal to adult readers, combining impeccable research with sweeping storytelling." —BookPage, *STARRED REVIEW*
* "[A] far-reaching narrative . . . As usual Sepetys has done her homework [and] brings a brutal authenticity." —BCCB, *STARRED REVIEW*
* "In a gut-wrenching YA novel about the terrible destructiveness of secrets untold, master storyteller Ruta Sepetys reveals the dark underbelly of 1950s Spain under dictator Franco." —Shelf Awareness, *STARRED REVIEW*
"This well-crafted story sheds light on a disturbing chapter of 20th century history." —SLJ
"Readers who enjoy historical fiction will find that Sepetys has once again brought history to life." —VOYA
Praise for Salt to the Sea:
"Ruta Sepetys is a master of historical fiction. In Salt to the Sea the hard truths of her herculean research are tempered with effortless, intimate storytelling, as her warm and human characters breathe new life into one of the world's most terrible and neglected tragedies." —Elizabeth Wein, New York Times bestselling author of Printz Award Honor Book Code Name Verity
“A rich, page-turning story that brings to vivid life a terrifying—and little-known—moment in World War II history.” —Steve Sheinkin, author of Newbery Honor and National Book Award finalist Bomb
"Brutal. Beautiful. Honest." —Sabaa Tahir, New York Times bestselling author of An Ember in the Ashes
* "Sepetys excels in shining light on lost chapters of history, and this visceral novel proves a memorable testament to strength and resilience in the face of war and cruelty." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
* "This haunting gem of a novel begs to be remembered, and in turn, it tries to remember the thousands of real people its fictional characters represent. What it asks of us is that their memories, and their stories, not be abandoned to the sea." —Booklist, starred review
* "Artfully told and sensitively crafted, [this] will leave readers weeping." —School Library Journal, starred review
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2019-07-21
The pitiless dictatorship of Francisco Franco examined through the voices of four teenagers: one American and three Spaniards.
The Spanish Civil War lasted from 1936-1939, but Franco held Spain by its throat for 36 years. Sepetys (Salt to the Sea, 2016, etc.) begins her novel in 1957. Daniel is a white Texan who wants to be a photojournalist, not an oilman; Ana is trying to work her way to respectability as a hotel maid; her brother, Rafael, wants to erase memories of an oppressive boys' home; and Puri is a loving caregiver for babies awaiting adoption—together they provide alternating third-person lenses for viewing Spain during one of its most brutally repressive periods. Their lives run parallel and intersect as each tries to answer questions about truth and the path ahead within a regime that crushes any opposition, murders dissidents, and punishes their families while stealing babies to sell to parents with accepted political views. This formidable story will haunt those who ask hard questions about the past as it reveals the hopes and dreams of individuals in a nation trying to lie its way to the future. Meticulous research is presented through believable, complex characters on the brink of adulthood who personalize the questions we all must answer about our place in the world.
A stunning novel that exposes modern fascism and elevates human resilience. (author's note, research and sources, glossary, photographs) (Historical fiction. 15-adult)
