"Indiscretion" transports us to 1950ties Franco Spain - book review

Alexandra de Falla is half English and half Spanish.She has lived quite a sheltered life in London. She has been raised by her English aunt as her mother divorced her Spanish father and died and then the war happened.

When the novel starts has Alexandra already written two novels that made her financially independent and when her father asks her to come and at last meet her Spanish family she sees it as at least an opportunity to do background research for a novel.

And that is how the writer of this book works as well. She has experienced Spain and weaves with her own travelmemories the background for this story. Resulting on us - while safely tucked in bed with a cold in my case - experiencing the Semana Sancta in Seville, going to a masked ball or attending a bull fight.


Although the book as far as I know never says it is 1950 the writer tells that in an included interview. We can deduct it by the fact that rationing in England just ended, it is 20 years after the Spanish civil war and Brigitte Bardot is an up and coming movie star.

Spain in 1950 is a lot more conservative than England in those days. Still one is supposed to be chaperoned for instance.

While the book is about the love affair between Alexandra and her adopted cousin Salvador it is even more about discovery of her cultural background.

The writer paints Spain vividly. The family members are colourful though one dimensional people but that does not matter that much apart from an in my opinion a very absent father.

With a title like indiscretion you would expect a book full of hot scenes but that is not the case. However the smouldering love between the two cousins is palpable even when there is only a stolen kiss once and awhile.

It is a very believable story and you really root for Salvador and Alexandra. You can feel the despair.

A really good book that I can also recommend to people who normally do not read a book around a love story, Because it is so much more. But you have to be interested in reading a lot about Spain and Spanish  culture.


***** 5 stars!


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