Forgotten Women by
Freda Lightfoot is the story of the brave women of the International Brigade of
the Spanish Civil War. It opens in Scotland, summer 1986, when an art gallery
opens an exhibit featuring Spanish artist Ramón Peña Barros. Jo is the young
curator when she is confronted with someone claiming that one of the paintings
is a forgery. Anton Quintana Mendez has come to Scotland in the search of
friends his grandmother knew during the Civil War and wants to see again before
she dies. She learns that her grandmother, Libby, was a Scottish member of the
International Brigade and when she confronts her grandmother with Anton’s
claim, Libby refuses to speak about it. Jo is intrigued about the painting and
her grandmother’s connection to the Spanish Civil War that she joins Anton in
Spain to see his grandmother, Rosita. As Rosita tells her story, Jo and Anton
learn about the horrific beginnings of the Civil War, the International Brigade
who fought against the rising power of General Francisco Franco and fascism in
Spain. The prison conditions, the daily reading of names who were facing the
firing squad, and the fight for freedom. Will Jo learn who the painter Barros
was? Will she learn her grandmother’s role in the war? Will there be parts of
herself, of her family that she will uncover?
Forgotten Women is
an interesting story about a part of history many do not learn about. The
Spanish Civil War began July 17, 1936 and ended April 1, 1939 with General
Franco in power of the Spanish government. The story was filled with suspense
and little clues as to the identity of the artist Barros and the roles that
these brave women accomplished during a turbulent time in Spanish history. The
ending was surprising and enjoyable. I highly recommend Forgotten Women.
Forgotten Women
is available on
Amazon in paperback and on the Kindle
and
at Barnes and Noble
in paperback
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