Paper Spurs

Many writers have tried to capture the mood of the post-civil war era in Spain and Olga Merino does so without pretension. Her story centres on Juana, a young girl growing up in humble surroundings in rural Andalusia. When tragedy strikes, she has no choice but to leave everything she knows and holds dear behind as her family is forced to move to Barcelona in search of employment.

Taken under the wing of the enigmatic Señora Monterde, she soon discovers that appearances can be deceiving. As her distrust grows, she finds it virtually impossible to believe in anything, even in the veracity of love.

Although this is in one sense a novel about one girl's plight, Merino also cleverly weaves stories from the past and present into the narrative to provide the reader with an overall picture of familial life across three generations.

Her careful use of imagery makes the novel's emotional intensity all the more effective. The stormy weather and continual rain mirror the despondency which dominates Juana's existence. The line 'Rain is cyclical and returns from the past,' speaks volumes, laconically and lucidly exemplifying the mood which has afflicted past generations and tragically, continues to permeate the present.

Manguel is an artful storyteller, letting the reader piece together the story bit by bit to decide for his or herself who - if anybody - is telling the truth.