"Inés and the joy" by Almudena Grandes

Europe raged in the autumn of 1944, bloody battles, wrestle to fascism. The German troops were forced to retreat, the end was in sight. Among the opponents of the Spanish Francoism hope to be able to overthrow this dictatorship also grew. In May, the Allies Spain had pressured to terminate its support of Germany. But after that they let the “Caudillo” Francisco Franco unmolested: Stable conditions in Spain were to leave them rather communist as the country rebels

That’s why fighting the militant Franco-resisters pretty hopeless against their powerful, well-organized.

enemy. Many were members fled the (since 1939 pursued) Communist Party of Spain (PCE) and into exile in France, others came from the French Resistance to. Their daring operations were, as expected Allied air support failed to materialize, doomed to failure. The dictator kept until 1975 in power. The freedom fighters and their actions are now largely forgotten.

The popular Spanish writer Almudena Grandes want to refresh the memory of the time. Nothing less than a six-part series of novels, “episodes of an endless war”, it has set out to do and already four volumes completed (see compilation at the end).

In the now published in German second volume of the extensive six-packs describes Almudena Grandes on an epic scale and along the same three love stories, what was happening to the fall of 1944 as part of the “Operación Reconquista of Spain”. Since September men were already four thousand came from France across the border; End of October followed by other four thousand.

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Their goal was (about 50km west of Andorra in the Pyrenees) set in Catalonia’s Aran Valley an enclave wanted to organize from which you can share with Spanish guerrillas and allied help the resistance against Franco and provoke a popular uprising. The “Generalísimo” feared the invading forces who had already liberated France, could now make him off, and sent a powerful team, which drove back the first invaders after a short time on the French side.

This dramatic scenario may Grandes however, did not spread in detail, especially as the source material for operation in the Aran valley is dire. Of the few surviving political and ideological backgrounds, the exciting conflicting considerations strategy of resistance and of the armed conflicts in the mountains we know little. Instead invents the author the lovers Inés and Galán, both as the most important popular figure from the tell-person perspective and may make the act and joined them to a few historical figures and lovers. A third, impersonal narrator (the author herself) controls from off the real historical background and context for.

There is no doubt. “Inés and Joy” is more of a love than a historical-political novel. Whopping eleven times returns as a motto of the (somewhat pompous constructed) motto again: “The immortal story up at crazy things when she meets the love of mortals.” ( “La Historia inmortal hace cosas raras cuando se cruza con el amor de los cuerpos mortales”) And so things go: Inés Ruis Maldonado Castro Soto Suárez was born in 1914 in a wealthy of Madrid citizens family. With the older sister Matilde and his brother Ricardo it grows well protected in a “world of white lace” on. After his father’s death (1933) Ricardo takes over its role; Inés looks after the sinking into depression mother. While Ricardo joins the new fascist Falange party and quickly makes a career, is interested in a fine young lady as Inés not in the least in politics. With the mother in the house left alone, they, however, is bored almost to death.

Until an invitation to her neighbor freed. Aurora, 25, enjoys the full life and takes Inés with the previously unknown world of her poetry readings, musical performances, discussions and free love. Ricardo learns is that his sister just in the establishment amused, in which the left Popular Front celebrated its election victory, he forbids her any further handling of the suspect fun-loving Aurora.

Whether Inés’ political awareness has awakened or they just react out of spite, remains open; In any case it is directed at the family home an office of “International Red Aid” and funded it with money, the brother Ricardo has deposited for emergencies in the safe of the family.

After Franco took power at the end of the Civil War Inés arrested in 1939 and has as many others caught Communists expect daily with their shooting. Ricardo, now a leading officer and went up to delegates of the Falange in Lerida, his sister has to distribute the family fortune to the soldiers of the People’s Army, never forgave the betrayal; only at the urging of his wife Adela, he brings them out of prison and bring them in a convent. As it is no longer acceptable after a suicide attempt for the nuns, Adela takes them full of understanding, trust and love in the country house in the Pyrenees, in the Ricardo his wife and children to safety.

Inés heard on 18 October 1944 by the invasion of Aran valley. Horse and five kilos of sugar cookies – romantic? adorable? naive? – in the luggage she joined the guerrilla force. Their commander is Captain Galán, succumbs to Inés instantly (which is again unclear whether she is alone a hearing her passion in the course or is also inspired by ideological solidarity).

Moving to unsuccessful invasion and to the absence Volkssolidarität the fighters to Toulouse back, but come in the underground again in Spanish territory before, and of course also includes Galán to those who risk their lives for the liberation of their country at risk. In any case, the novel is with the failed operation in the Aran Valley not far from over – some storylines are now using only really.

“Inés and Joy” is an epic of escalating width. Certain keywords trigger new narrative loops about roll up the career of a person, the CVs of the children of the sister or the like to get along in the end again with Inés and continue the original thread. the ramified secondary lines, the associated jumps in the chronology and some repetition strain concentration and patience at the expense of the overall effect.

Fortunately, allows the author not lead to black-and-white in spite of their commitment to the resistance fighters , Do not gloss over the historical reality that the high-aiming concept of “Operación Reconquista of Spain” would not open. It was not nearly entrain the population against Franco and the communist ideals, let alone inciting the whole Spanish people to an uprising. So the Franco’s troops were able to demonstrate their superiority freely.

The extensive staff of the novel is quite well differentiated case-sensitive citizens, brave and figs, fighters and indifferent, idealists and careerists. women alone are decent through and through, and they are the focus of this sumptuous drama about a great love under perilous circumstances, to oppression, hope, persecution, mistrust, betrayal, fear, deprivation and death in an unknown period of Spanish history.