Antonio Soler: El nombre que ahora digo (Soldiers in the Fog)

The latest addition to my website is Antonio Soler‘s El nombre que ahora digo (Soldiers in the Fog). The novel is set in the Spanish Civil War and follows the story of Gustavo Sintora. He had fled, like many others, from his hometown of Malaga, as Franco approached and after a few adventures ends up with an entertainment troop in Madrid . They entertain the troops, distribute uniforms and kidnap hostages for ransom. While there he sees Serena Vergara and falls for her despite the fact that she is old enough to be his mother. He also learns that she has a daughter and is married to the thuggish chief hostage-taker, Corrons . However the war is getting nearer and the troop has to go and fight at the Battle of the Ebro. it does not go well and they slowly make their way back to Madrid, knowing that the war is lost. In Madrid things are getting worse as Franco approaches and then Corrons finds out about the affair and all hell breaks loose. This is a superb novel of the Spanish Civil War mixed in with an unwise love affair, with Soler sparing us none of the horrors of that war.

Leave a comment