Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
Cry, Mother Spain
Cry, Mother Spain | Lydie Salvayre
8 posts | 1 read | 8 to read
Aged fifteen, as Franco's forces begin their murderous purges and cities across Spain rise up against the old order, Montse has never heard the word fascista before. In any case, the villagers say facha (the ch is a real Spanish ch, by the way, with a real spit). Montse lives in a small village, high in the hills, where few people can read or write and fewer still ever leave. If everything goes according to her mother's plan, Montse will never leave either. She will become a good, humble maid for the local landowners, muchsimas gracias, with every Sunday off to dance the jota in the church square. But Montse's world is changing. Her brother Jos has just returned from Lrida with a red and black scarf and a new, dangerous vocabulary and his words are beginning to open up new realms to his little sister. She might not understand half of what he says, but how can anyone become a maid in the Burgos family when their head is ringing with shouts of Revolucin, Comunidad and Libertad? The war, it seems, has arrived in the nick of time.
LibraryThing
Pick icon
100%
quote
charl08
Cry, Mother Spain | Lydie Salvayre
post image

Not the church's finest hour...

quote
charl08
Cry, Mother Spain | Lydie Salvayre
post image

...gossip was like television in those days...

blurb
cajunsyd
Cry, Mother Spain | Lydie Salvayre
post image

While in the Basque Country, I have been enjoying this read.

Abailliekaras This was great! I read it in Barcelona. 😎 6y
cajunsyd @Abailliekaras I am really enjoying it so far!! I loved Barcelona too! 6y
31 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
Abailliekaras
Cry, Mother Spain | Lydie Salvayre
post image
Pickpick

A strong, lyrical work about the Spanish civil. Montse is now an old woman but tells of her youth in the village & her summer of splendour in Barcelona 1936, joyful with anarchist dreams. Interspersed with the writings of Bernanos, the playful observations of village life & gossip are overtaken by the #toxic horrors of civil war. Moving & well-written, Montse is a spirited, memorable character. #witmonth #Spain #Augustgrrrl #Readaroundtheworld

Cinfhen #multitasking nicely done 💚🙌🏻😀 7y
Abailliekaras @Cinfhen thanks! 😜 7y
44 likes5 stack adds2 comments
quote
Abailliekaras
Cry, Mother Spain | Lydie Salvayre
post image

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
#firstlineofcurrentread #anditsaugust

quote
Abailliekaras
Cry, Mother Spain | Lydie Salvayre
post image

Love this!

quote
Abailliekaras
Cry, Mother Spain | Lydie Salvayre
post image

"probably more precious than his wife, even though he'd chosen her with the same care as he'd chosen his mule."

Loving the tone of Lydia Salvayre's writing. #ironic #Augustgrrrl day 26 catch-up ? #womenintranslation #witmonth #Spain

blurb
Abailliekaras
Cry, Mother Spain | Lydie Salvayre
post image

Packing for 2 weeks in Spain. I *may* have a book problem... 😬📚

TheKidUpstairs 1. Books are never a problem 😉 2. I totally read the Toibin title as Fromage to Barcelona, so now I'm craving cheese. 3. Have a great trip! 7y
Izai.Amorim You might not have much time left to read, so much to see.. 7y
Abailliekaras @TheKidUpstairs fromage 😂 (toibin's book was great though even without the cheese). @Izai.Amorim you were right! I'm still working my way through this stack... 😬 7y
Izai.Amorim @Abailliekaras I'd be very surprised if you had found the time to read that much once in Barcelona! The books are good, will try a few of them. 7y
36 likes4 comments