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Books : The Return
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The Return by: Victoria Hislop List Price: £17.99 Childrens Toy Shop Price: £10.51 You Save: £7.48 (42%)Prices subject to change. |
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Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
Binding: Hardcover EAN: 9780755332939 ISBN: 0755332938 Label: Headline Review Manufacturer: Headline Review Number Of Pages: 432 Publication Date: June 26, 2008 Publisher: Headline Review Studio: Headline Review Sales Rank: 1008 Related Items: Related Items:      see moreBrowse for similar items by category:
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
 Rating:  - Gripping account of the Spanish Civil WarThe body of this book consists the story of the Ramirez family of Granada during the Spanish Republic, the Civil War and the ensuing years. It is a tremendously powerful narrative and cannot fail to stir the emotions. The detail reflects the huge effort that the author must have put into her research. The vehicle for the main story, which is the journey of Sonia, as she tries to fill the gap left in her life by her empty marriage with an adventure into flamenco dancing in Andalucía in the company of her old school friend, is just too improbable to be believable. It is even more incredible that the reader is expected to believe that Sonia hears the whole story of the Ramirez family from the waiter of a back-street Grenadine café ... Read More: Rating:  - Hidden and heavy depths to a light readThe reasons I chose this book to read were firstly because I enjoyed "The Island" by the same author, and secondly because I wanted to find out more about the Spanish Civil War, after visiting Spain several times recently and being fascinated by the film Pan's Labyrinth. It is a perfectly readable story of Mercedes and her family, and how they are destroyed, along with millions of other innocents, in the civil war, which like other civil wars, divided even close family members. I find it shocking and frightening that the events described happened so recently; but that the name of Franco is not spoken of as frequently and with such loathing as that as Hitler. Also, that the thousands of tourists who visit Spain every year, myself among ... Read More: Rating: - I love Victoria Hislop!The Island was a fab read, and actually inspired me to visit Crete(and Spinalonga),and The Return has done the same thing..Im off to Granada next week!!I just love the way Victoria Hislop transports you to where the story is set in a most realistic way and I was so engrossed in the whole story.It was interesting to find out about the attrocities that happened within the civil war and how it affected normal families. The Ramirez family story was touching, how they were all so different in their views and lifestyles,as would be in any family,but that these differences led to tragedies!Mercedez story showed how her love of dancing helped her through everything during her life,all the sadness and heartache,but she also had happiness.I enjoyed this book ... Read More: Rating: - Enjoyabloe, intriguing and interestingI was eagerly looking forward to this book, and, unlike other readers, was not disappointed at all. The book is based around the Spanish Civil War, and is incredibly well researched. The 'flashback' sections are very revealing, and echo many of the facts that i have read before about this incredibly traumatic time - whatever side of the war you were on. These fit fairly comfortably with the 'modern day' events, which come together to help us to further understand the traumas inflicted by a civil war. (One only has to hear Michael Portillo or any other Spanish family on the subject to know how families were affected) One or two events in the story are a little 'contrived', and the final twists are anticipated by all but the ... Read More: Rating: - The ReturnI found it quite difficult to get into this novel but I was glad I persevered. I only had a small knowledge of the Spanish Civil War but this novel starkly illustrated the horrors of the conflict for me. The problem with the book really lies in the way it's structured. Starting in the present day and going back in history really doesn't work-it made the whole thing very clumsy. It's stretching credibility that Sonia would have happened upon the cafe in Granada where her mother lived by chance. Also would Merceds really have gone wondering around Spain in the middle of the war?. Any why did she go to Bilbao?-there was no real reason to suppose that Javier would be there-this was just a device to get her on the boat to England I think. I found much of ... Read More: |
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