While many may have heard of Guernica as the Basque town that suffered the horrific bombing that decimated its population and inspired Picasso's haunting work, this book attempts to show what the lives of these people may have been before that event. Their lives, loves, struggles and the day to day interactions that were rent apart by war are represented in captivating detail.

At the heart of the book is Justo Ansotegui who is forced into the role of parent after the death of his mother and his father's inability to overcome his grief. Justo single handedly raises his brothers with one becoming a fisherman and the other a priest. Justo is also lucky to find love in a neighborhood girl by the name of Mariangeles. Their daughter Miren is just as lovely as her mother and she too would eventually settle into a happy marriage with her husband Miguel. These are simple people who go through life meeting and facing challenges and enjoying a life full of love, family and the daily grind. But their happiness is to be destroyed by the rumblings from the outside. Franco and his supporters everyday pose new threats to the Basques and all attempts for independence or even recognition from the Spanish government are met by repression and reprisals. Any grievances they may have felt toward the government pale in comparison to what follows. On April 26, 1937, their village would face near extinction as the German Luftwaffe bombs the town mercilessly. Boling describes this scene in such vivid and heartrending detail that it feels like we are witnessing it for ourselves. The burning buildings, burning flesh, bombs falling all around even as one tries to rescue trapped loved ones, the people in the bomb shelters wondering if they will ever see the light of day or if the shelter they sought would become their graves are all described in tear inducing details. The loss of life and property is mind blowing and the sheer devastation of the people makes one question man's humanity.

But with loss comes grief, acceptance and the inevitable rhythm of life which forces you to move on whether you want to or not. As one sinks back into the routine of survival, cooking, cleaning, catching fish for dinner, milking the goat, the pain remains ever present but just a little more bearable. This is what the survivors of Guernica must do as they try to make sense of this new phase of their life.

One of the greatest weaknesses of the book was the author suddenly introducing elements that seem to come out of nowhere. For example, one minute the town is going about its business, happy and normal and next thing we hear of food scarcities and people are said to be drastically loosing weight. What precipitated this event is never explained and one is just left to guess and wonder. The bombing of the town of Guernica while horrific seemed to come out of nowhere as well. What really led to its choice as a target for the German Luftwaffe?I did not realize until I did my own research that at the time Guernica is bombed, Spain is in the middle of a civil war. I spent a sizable portion of the book confused about which faction was which and never really understanding what was going on in that respect. I realize that the Spanish civil war and the politics that surrounded it must have been very complex, but a bit of explanation on its key facets would have greatly helped in my appreciation of the book. Also, (and I hate myself for saying this) I sometimes felt like there were too many happy coincidences. Its like the author was afraid to leave us with sadness.If you are writing about such horrifying events, its okay not to make everyone get a happy end. But despite these criticisms, I really enjoyed this book and was pleased to have read it. Also not being a connoisseur of the art world, it was nice to finally know what that Picasso painting that I have seen in passing but never bothered to research set out to depict. A very good read that I would recommend. ( )

Not being one of my usual kind of reads, this novel was an absolute pleasure to read. The setting is beautifully laid out and the characters are deep and developed, giving one a sense of familiarity as each new chapter unfolds. ( )

A fantastic and compelling read. The story of the Basque characters and the culture and geography of the Basque regions is warm and absorbing, and consequently, when Guernica is bombed, it is heartbreaking. The story is given further dimension by the inclusion of snippets of narrative concerning Picasso and colonel von Ricter. It is hard enough to know from the very beginning of the story that Guernica will be bombed, but what is particularly chilling, is being privvy to von Ricter's preparations for the bombing. This part of the book is a harrowing read whch enables us to share Picasso's own shocked response.

It is good however that the narrative continues beyond this event, Not only does it place it within the context of the Second World War but it also covers other events such as the evacuation of the children to Britain. It also answers the question of how you rebuild after such a tragedy, and how life can continue. I've learnt so much from reading this and have researched Guernica further as a result. ( )

Absolutely loved these very real people and now that I'm done, I miss them. Justo, Miguel, Xavier et al offered a great counterpoint to-- and reason to dread--the coming of known history. Their stories provide the heart of this marvelous read. Guernica reminded me of Corelli's Mandolin in the parallels between wonderfully drawn characters and war hanging over them and making me care.

I've been raving about this read to everyone who will listen, wanting to share it. While it won't affect my view of the world, as say The Sparrow did, my time with it was extremely rewarding and I'll be looking for more books from Dave Boling. ( )

Guernica is set around the bombing of a small Basque town in 1937.. a bombing that was described by Winston Churchill as an “experimental horror”. It incensed the painter Picasso so much that it became the subject of his mural, displayed that year at the Paris International Exposition.

To gain a sense of the extent of the bombing, there is well written article, which appeared in The Times... http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news...

However, the book is about far much more than that, and in fact, half of the story takes place prior to the bombing. It tells the story of two families, their marriages, friendships and love, as they live through the approach of war. This half of the book did seem a little slow, but it’s certainly worth it, as I found myself pulled further and further into their lives. By the time the planes approached, these people had become real to me, making the needless destruction that followed even more heart breaking.

In addition, the story does not end with the destruction, but continues on, as the war takes hold. It shows how lives changed, and also introduces some extra characters in England, offering yet another angle on the story.

Despite the subject matter, this is a book full of hope and love - it lays before you the horror of the bombing, but the focus is on the people.

I have read some negative reviews of this book, which mainly seem to be from people used to the subject matter. For me, it introduced me to a whole new area.. I had to go and read more about the Basque people, the bombing, and Picasso’s mural, and it has opened my eyes to yet another horror of war. For anyone with limited knowledge of this area, like myself, I would recommend some reading before starting the book, as it will probably help put everything into perspective.

You can read my interview with Dave Boling here.. http://authorinterviews.wordpress.com...