Friday, September 14, 2007

The Spanish Bow by Andromeda Romano-Lax

Feliu Aníbal Delargo Domenech was named wrong. He should have been named Feliz. So from then on he works on being who he is named. The gift of a Spanish bow from his dead father sets things in motion. He is able to learn to play the cello with the help of getting lessons. But it means he will have to leave the small town of Campo Seco to get the help he really needs. Yet it seems like one thing or another always gets in his way. He gets a break under the tutelage of Alberto Mendizábal. It is hard work but he is finally getting somewhere. He joins a school under Don José and that is where his life begins. He goes many places and has many experiences. But the man who changed his life Justo Al-Cerraz is in and out. Feliu goes through many things as he looks back on his life. Yet he seems to be able to survive the all. He has a completely different outlook on it but one that is worth telling.

Ms. Romano-Lax creates a world from history that captivates you. There are a lot of details and it takes time to get through them all. I was impressed with her story telling and to see things through Feliu’s eyes. It is quite the journey.

I really felt for Feliu. He never seemed to understand what was going on but he worked through it. It took a lot of soul searching and figuring out what he truly wanted. But it did seem like he got there. Aviva was quite the love interest and I really enjoyed her as a character. She had some hard times she had gone though. But once she met up with Al-Cerraz and Feliu, things seemed to go better for her.

There is a lot I don’t want to give away but it is a wonderfully told story. I cannot say enough at how much I was impressed. You get to see history through the eyes of a man who does not want to go home. It is quite the long book but well worth it if you love historical novels with some romance and drama thrown in for good measure. This is a book I do recommend and hope that someone else enjoys it as much as I did.

Andromeda Romano-Lax/Historical/ 4 out of 5/ 554 pages

Working as many hours as I do now. My book reading will come to a little bit of a halt. But I will post as often as I can but will not be able to go look at other's blogs as much as I would like. I hope all will understand.