Suzanne
Rating:
Review
This tale of two families in Guernica during the time of its devastation by Franco and his German allies flows very well – I found myself reading long segments at a time, unaware of how late it was getting. Miguel, a former fisherman turned wood worker, and Miren, the beautiful daughter of Guernica's larger-than-life strong man, Justo, fall in love and bring the two main families of the story together. Their lives begin in an era of simpler times and Basque folk life, when the Spanish Civil Guard is increasingly oppressive and Franco's fascist rebel party is coming to power, and continue through the Spanish Civil War and into WWII. When the bombing of Guernica takes place, I was struck by how long it lasted – an overwhelming rain of bombs and firepower crushing such a small town of no military significance. One character evolves into a smuggler in the resistance movement at this point, helping Allies cross the mountainous border between France and Spain on their way to safety, as well as carrying food and other goods in short supply. The only context in which I'd heard of Guernica before this book was in terms of Picasso's wrenching depiction of the annihilation after the bombing, so I'm glad Picasso is mentioned in the story, but this is also my only complaint – his appearance seems artificial, instead of being woven in well. Other than this one small part, history and fiction come together well here.
Best Line:
"Forgive me, father, for I have sinned… It has been a week since the last time I got drunk with my priest." (pg. 158)
Kim
Rating:
Review
Spanning 47 years and set mostly in Spain, Guernica is a city on the brink of disaster in the mid 1930s, due in large part to the Nazi's and WWII. Caught up in the turmoil of impending doom are a few key residents of Guernica: Justo and Mariangeles, along with their adult daughter, Miren, her husband, Miguel and their child, Catalina, along with Justo's brothers, Josepe, who is a fisherman, and Xabier, a priest and confidant of the exiled president of Spain. Pablo Picasso also plays a part in the story, which, at least initially, I thought was preposterous, but after a little research I came to understand his connection to Guernica. Anyhoo, when the Nazi's nearly obliterate Guernica during an air bombing campaign, some live and some die, and some are shuttled off to neighboring cities to wait out the war. This is a fictional story based on actual events, and while the story, and the writing, are good and descriptive, the whole thing fell a little flat for me, mostly because I never cared much about the characters.
Best Line:
"This was a woman, he was certain, with whom a man could raise infinite amounts of hell."
