mthierheimer's review against another edition
5.0
I have fallen in love with Ruta Sepetys writing. She is a wonderful historical romance fiction writer. She can pull at your heartstrings while also simultaneously teaching you a little about a time in history. I really enjoyed the setting of this story and time period. Most historical fiction books are set in either London or America during WWII so I found this story a nice refreshing change of pace.
julieanncordero's review against another edition
5.0
Such a good book! I learned so much about Spain and I couldn’t stop wanting to find out more about all of the characters, but especially Ana and Daniel.
I would highly recommend this book!
I would highly recommend this book!
jennifervu's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted to like this book since I loved Between Shades of Grey & Salt to the Sea. The historical background of the story is important to share as I had no idea about Spain's history of the aftermath of the Civil War and the countless children lost to their biological parents. Kudos to Ruta Sepetys for the years of research that went into the book. However, I had some issues with the story itself. I had a lot of issue connecting to the characters or caring for them at all, and the romance felt forced. The time jump towards the end of the novel took away a lot of growth that I would have loved to see in both main characters. Overall, I wouldn't recommend :(
(Loved the shoutout to TMC Houston, that was very unexpected)
(Loved the shoutout to TMC Houston, that was very unexpected)
cd1310's review against another edition
4.0
It's been too long since I've read one of Ruta's books. I remembered how much I loved her books, forgot how sad she makes them! Learned so much about Spain. This one took longer than I expected, but I think the way she tried to make it a bit of a mystery and tie so many characters together slowed me down rather than kept my attention.
happiestwhenreading's review against another edition
4.5
Hold on a second while I pick my jaw up off the floor...
This book was full of history I have never heard about! After the Spanish Civil War, fascist dictator General Francisco Franco took over. He held power for the next 37 years, ruling the Spanish people by fear. Roman Catholicism is the only religion allowed to be practice, the Spainards live in poverty, and there is little freedom. There is also a very dark secret - parents are being lied to and children are disappearing.
Through well-developed characters, Sepetys gives us a historical lesson that will break your heart and teaach you new information. It was hard for me to think about how mnay of these atrocities were happening up until the 1980s...so very recent history. While many of us are aware of the dictatorships of leaders like Hitler, Mousillini, and Putin, I think many of us are naive to the leadership of Franco.
This is a quick read with short chapters and a quick moving timeline. I won't soon forget all the stuff I learned in this book!
This book was full of history I have never heard about! After the Spanish Civil War, fascist dictator General Francisco Franco took over. He held power for the next 37 years, ruling the Spanish people by fear. Roman Catholicism is the only religion allowed to be practice, the Spainards live in poverty, and there is little freedom. There is also a very dark secret - parents are being lied to and children are disappearing.
Through well-developed characters, Sepetys gives us a historical lesson that will break your heart and teaach you new information. It was hard for me to think about how mnay of these atrocities were happening up until the 1980s...so very recent history. While many of us are aware of the dictatorships of leaders like Hitler, Mousillini, and Putin, I think many of us are naive to the leadership of Franco.
This is a quick read with short chapters and a quick moving timeline. I won't soon forget all the stuff I learned in this book!
bookwormer2's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This book takes place in Spain during the Franco dictatorship. I didn't have much prior knowledge about this time period and I think the book gave me a much better understanding of what the Spanish people went through - similar to other countries ruled by a long time dictator unfortunately. It also includes information about another atrocity that occurred during that time that hadn't come to light until fairly recently. The characters were well developed and honest. I recommend it highly.
selilabude's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kthomas4415's review against another edition
5.0
Holy smokes, this book was incredible. From start to finish, I didn't want to put it down and kept thinking about it throughout the day. While it is a bit daunting sitting at almost 500 pages, this was such a quick read. I've already told my mom she is reading this, and hope to recommend it to many other people.