A review by stephanieam
The Fountains of Silence by Ruta Sepetys

dark emotional hopeful informative mysterious reflective sad 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

5.0

Books by Ruta Sepetys are treasures. Whenever I get a new one from her, I wait to read it for as long as I possibly can because I know it takes time in between her releases. I held off reading this book for years for this reason. Now that I have finally read it, I am sad to be done but also honored to have engaged with such a story. There were so many layers, and the blending between fiction and real historical events was seamless. The characters were wonderful. I loved how varied they were in their personalities and life experiences and how each chapter or so was told by a different one. The shifting perspectives helped to flesh out and give a better sense of what it was like to live in Spain at the time. I was captivated regardless of the viewpoint or plot line. I feel a little more educated about another part of the world now. Both during and after reading, I conducted research to learn additional information about the period along with the specific people and places discussed. Another thorough and beautifully written book!