Soldiers of Salamis

This has become one of my favorite novels after having read it for a Spanish class during our Spanish Civil War unit. I find the writing style very straightforward and appealing, and the fact that there are autobiographical elements incorporated into the character of the aspiring novelist creates an incredibly interesting, almost meta-novelistic read. The plot line is excellent and almost like a detective case, weaving both present and past in order to uncover the identity of the mysterious soldier in the forest. Great details and poignant moments -- an excellent and recommended read.

Reimagining human generosity and history. A novel, already a classic in Spanish Literature with a very original structure.

De lo mejor que se ha publicado en la última década: un trabajo puntilloso y aparte conmovedor. Una maravilla de novela y punto. Que nadie se la pierda.

I want to say that I loved the book, I was born in Girona and I was delighted to read how Cercas described the city and surroundings in a magnificent way. Besides I was surprised about the two bad reviews down there, I think the novel it is a tribute to all the people who fought in the Spanish Civil War and that are often forgotten. I must say that it is very recommendable to read this book in order to understand present spanish politics. I hope this helps to some people.Jordi

I just had to weigh in when I saw that this book had received two negative reviews, because I absolutely loved it. I read it first in Spanish, so I won't comment on the style (except to say that I thought the translation was fine), but as to the rest...what are these guys thinking? The best I can come up with is that the previous reviewers were looking for a straight historical novel...the kind of thing that spends fifty pages describing what kind of cufflinks people wore and using outdated slang to show how much research the author did. This is NOT that kind of book.Seriously (and I dearly love GOOD historical novels), Soldiers of Salamis is more about contemporary Spain than about the Civil War. It talks about the war, sure, but the main characters (the narrator, his girlfriend, the old man Miralles, and the late Chilean author Roberto Bolano) exist in the present. They talk about the war because it's important how the war affects PRESENT DAY Spain. The closest parallel I can think of is calling Josephine Tey's novel "The Daughter of Time" a "historical" novel because it talks about Richard III. Like "The Daughter of Time," "Soldiers of Salamis" is a novel about doing historical research (and about looking for the truth, so maybe the parallel isn't so bad). And news flash: research involves "just talking to people" as one of the reviewers below put it.Anyway, if you're interested in a novel set in Spain during the Spanish Civil War, this isn't the book. But if you're interested in a story about modern Girona, with humor, grace, and a great deal of emotion, buy this book.