Set in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War and the beginning of the German invasions that set the Second World War on fire, Winter in Madrid is a novel in which characters deal with the context of hunger and discontent while pursuing their lives and being trapped by their surroundings. Sansom is a new author for me and apparently he specializes in crime novels. Well, then, this was the perfect book to get to know a writer.
Part thriller, part romance, part historical, this novel was quite grabbing, but not at first. I had a hard time attaching to the characters, maybe because they were all so gloomy. Everything was, really. It's hard to think about happy times when it comes to the Spanish Civil War. The little details, like starving dogs and mistreated children, were all haunting. They stay with you throughout the story and even beyond.
I felt this was a quick read, though. Once the story developed, until the climax, everything seemed sudden and a little bit rushed. The conclusion was also bittersweet in the sense that there was a time jump and then you get to know everyone's fate once the dust settled. I wanted to know more, I guess.
I also had a hard time following the historical details and characters. I was not involved in it, I guess. Everyone related to Spain's history seemed so brutal and cruel. For those who do not know much about history, I feel this book would not spark any interest. It's hard to follow political plots when there's no background information and characters keep being added with no development. I wanted to know more in that field too.
I did like the book, but felt I was left hanging for all of the above reasons.
6/10
Vanessa
Part thriller, part romance, part historical, this novel was quite grabbing, but not at first. I had a hard time attaching to the characters, maybe because they were all so gloomy. Everything was, really. It's hard to think about happy times when it comes to the Spanish Civil War. The little details, like starving dogs and mistreated children, were all haunting. They stay with you throughout the story and even beyond.
I felt this was a quick read, though. Once the story developed, until the climax, everything seemed sudden and a little bit rushed. The conclusion was also bittersweet in the sense that there was a time jump and then you get to know everyone's fate once the dust settled. I wanted to know more, I guess.
I also had a hard time following the historical details and characters. I was not involved in it, I guess. Everyone related to Spain's history seemed so brutal and cruel. For those who do not know much about history, I feel this book would not spark any interest. It's hard to follow political plots when there's no background information and characters keep being added with no development. I wanted to know more in that field too.
I did like the book, but felt I was left hanging for all of the above reasons.
6/10
Vanessa
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