Late 1930’s Madrid
Mario Escobar knows how to pull us into moments in history and has a way to mesmerise us with his rich and active narrative. His favourite topics bring us to Spain usually when the world is upside down. His latest is factional but the story is woven against a background of real people, places and events.
“The Bookseller in Madrid” pulls us into the world of Barbara Spiel, a German woman who fled Nazi Germany after witnessing the chilling Nazi book burnings events. She ended up in Madrid smack in the middle of political chaos to open a bookshop, a haven for free thinkers. She soon gets caught up in the politics between Franco’s fascists, Stalinist, republicans, communists and others fighting to maintain or gain political control. She also married Juan, a mid-level government official in the Second Spanish Republic at the time.
Just as Germany seems to be leading Europe toward a Second World War, Spain appears to be headed toward a brutal Civil War.
This is her story…
This story grabbed me from the start although slow moving at first with lots of insights of political atmosphere at that time, all the information can be overwhelming but I urge you to be patient the time is worth it. The last half is a real page-turner. It provides the challenges those who flee their own countries to live in unfamiliar places had to face, it was even tougher when the environment is unsafe.
In his notes, the author state that he made every attempt to accurately portray the primary setting and the political reality of Madrid at the time, a Madrid controlled by the checas that terrorized a vast number of citizens. I think he achieved his goal…
Interesting and captivating at the same time. Excellent read: well said and well done.
I received this ARC from Harper Muse via Netgalley for my thoughts: this is the way I see it.
“The Bookseller in Madrid” pulls us into the world of Barbara Spiel, a German woman who fled Nazi Germany after witnessing the chilling Nazi book burnings events. She ended up in Madrid smack in the middle of political chaos to open a bookshop, a haven for free thinkers. She soon gets caught up in the politics between Franco’s fascists, Stalinist, republicans, communists and others fighting to maintain or gain political control. She also married Juan, a mid-level government official in the Second Spanish Republic at the time.
Just as Germany seems to be leading Europe toward a Second World War, Spain appears to be headed toward a brutal Civil War.
This is her story…
This story grabbed me from the start although slow moving at first with lots of insights of political atmosphere at that time, all the information can be overwhelming but I urge you to be patient the time is worth it. The last half is a real page-turner. It provides the challenges those who flee their own countries to live in unfamiliar places had to face, it was even tougher when the environment is unsafe.
In his notes, the author state that he made every attempt to accurately portray the primary setting and the political reality of Madrid at the time, a Madrid controlled by the checas that terrorized a vast number of citizens. I think he achieved his goal…
Interesting and captivating at the same time. Excellent read: well said and well done.
I received this ARC from Harper Muse via Netgalley for my thoughts: this is the way I see it.
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