Day 93 The Frozen Heart by Almudena Grandes

This is an epic book in every sense of the word. Nearly 800 pages in English translation; probably more than 1000 pages if you read it in Spanish. The title refers to the idea that everyone has a frozen heart in Spain as a result of the civil war and the Franco years. One needs a frozen heart in order to be able to try and kill one’s brother because he was on the opposite side from you.

More specifically, the book is about two families and how they were affected by the last 70 or 80 years of Spanish history. As I said, Grandes book is epic in scope — in addition to the civil war and its aftermath, a considerable amount of the plot describes Spanish soldiers who fought alongside the Russians/Soviets during the Second World War. One could describe the book as a melodrama, and, I suppose it is. But just bear in mind that Casablanca is also a melodrama with its plots about Nazis, concentration camps, romantic affairs, and dramatic deaths; but Casablanca is rightly considered one of the great movies by many.

If you have the time and inclination to read a long and sometimes meandering book, then I suggest you find a copy of the Frozen Heart.

May 13, 2025. kindle. 796 pages.