this author is a journalist who wrote this as his first book. His wife is Basque heritage and was inspired to read about terrorism after the 911 attacks.good historical fiction, on a topic I knew very little of.the one thing different about this attack was how the survivors dugg with their hands in the rubbel looking for loved ones and sustained horrible injuries and mutilations to their hands. the town had little doctors and the NUNS worked as makeshift nurses and doctors in convents.the children of Guernica were sent to Britian on a ship with a few adults by their parents or family surviors.they were hoping they would come back, but many never did. Some Basques were able to flee Europe and settle in the Usa in midwest. and California.there is plenty of U TUBE videos to review, about the bombing and the remaining survivors and the children who were sent to Britian. if you care to a truely remarkable inspiration...easy to read. Historical fiction set in WWII, a story of the Basque people of Guernica which was heavily bombed and led to Picasso capturing its destruction in his painting "Guernica." The majority of the book focuses on life in the family of three brothers Justo, Xabier and Josepe and their extended families as the three brothers age. I felt the story lacked character development and Justo and Miguel became stuck in time with their loss. Boling may have accurately captured the simple agrarian life and the importance of family in the Basque culture. Yet for the reader, the story wasn't compelling and the prose not complex.
Loved this so much, read it just before I went to Spain which made it even more special.
—cliff
Dull prose. And dull portrayal of characters. Gave up which was very unlike me!
—RayRAy
Beautiful book. I could see the Basque Country so vividly in my mind.
—lalagirl000
4 1/2 stars. A bit sad. Would re-read.
—Sarah
Great read...
—Casey
