Ever Since reading Hislop's first novel about the Greek island of Crete and it's former leper colony of Spinalonga I have been a fan of her work; her second novel, The Return, is just as much of a fascinating read as her first.
It centres around the Ramírez family during the Spanish Civil War and takes you through their journey of life under General Franco's dictatorship while painting the scene of the rest of Spain at this time in all it's colours. It follows the family's ups and downs and what every family in Spain had to go through at that time when no one was safe from persecution. It follows Spain's history eloquently all the way from its dark and turbulent past through to a better present and a hopeful future for its people.
Below is the blurb for the book...
Beneath the majestic towers of the Alhambra, Granada’s cobbled streets resonate with music and secrets. Sonia Cameron knows nothing of the city’s shocking past; she is here to dance. But in a quiet café, a chance conversation and an intriguing collection of old photographs draw her into the extraordinary tale of Spain’s devastating civil war.
Seventy years earlier, the café is home to the close-knit Ramírez family. In 1936, an army coup led by Franco shatters the country’s fragile peace, and in the heart of Granada the family witnesses the atrocities of conflict. Divided by politics and tragedy, everyone must take a side, fighting a personal battle as Spain rips itself apart.
...Art Inspired...
After reading this novel it got me inspired to paint again, thinking about the pain and the suffering of Spain's people and all the devastation the had to endure...
...I see it as a representation of the whole of that era, the yellow and the blue are Spain as it was before the military coup.
The red represents Spain's blood being spilt in and amongst itself, all the people pitted against each other; family, friends and generally those who used to be close on opposing sides fighting each other.
The black represents Franco's hold over Spain and his nationalist party and all those who fell under his regime, while the white symbolised hope for the future...
...War...
The Spanish Civil War lasted for three years and half a million people perished fighting against Franco and as many went into exile, some, like those in the novel were never to return to Spain again. Many of those imprisoned by Franco we held captive in prisons and faced execution by the firing squad and burial in unmarked mass graves.
In October 2007 a new law was passe under the Socialist Prime Minister.
The Law of Historical Memory, which condemns Franco's dictatorship and bans symbols of him and his regime in public and orders the removal of monuments of him.
Among other things, the law is supposed to enforce an official recognition of the crimes committed against civilians during the Francoist rule and organize under state supervision the search for mass graves.
