What We Tried to Bury Grows Here: A Novel

by Julian Zabalbeascoa

A Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist

A masterly crafted and haunting tale of survival, longing, and empathy, set during the Spanish Civil War, now in a new paperback edition.

“Julian Zabalbeascoa is the real deal, a major talent, and the story he’s telling here is both riveting and terrifying.” —Richard Russo, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Empire Falls

In late 1936, eighteen-year-old Isidro Elejalde leaves his Basque village in Northern Spain, spurred to join the fight to preserve his country’s democracy from the insurrectionists by the rousing words of a political essayist. Months earlier, Spanish generals launched a military coup to overthrow Spain’s newly elected left-wing government. They assumed the population would welcome the coup, but throughout the country people like Isidro remained loyal to the ideals of democracy, and the Spanish Civil War began in bloody earnest.

In Bilbao, Mariana raises her two young children while, with her writing, she decries the fascist-backed coup attempt and their German and Italian allies, imploring the world to support democracy. As the Nationalist forces assault the country, Mariana and Isidro’s lives intersect fleetingly, yet in meaningful and lasting ways.

What We Tried to Bury Grows Here is a remarkable feat of research and imagination, as well as a transcendent literary accomplishment.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Novels, War, Historical, Book Club, Spain

305 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 12, 2024

Reviews

[Elizabette Guéçamburu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haunting. Human. Raw. Julian Zalbalbeascoa’s novel of the Spanish Civil War pulls at the gut in a wrenching, beautiful way. The medley of characters highlight the wide scope of the carnage across the diverse region— each life forever changed by the war that brought out some of the worst in humanity. Zabalbeascoa’s narrative also serves as a warning— of the price that is paid by ordinary people when a nation indulges its darkest impulses in a quest for power, status and domination.

We mustn’t forget these stories.
We mustn’t repeat them.

[Alli Lance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julian has taken on the near impossible task of narrating war and from so many perspectives. I am Basque and reading this novel provides necessary ancestral recognition. It serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining language, dance, food, etc. and all who fought to avoid our erasure.

Zorionak Zabalbeascoa! On the first of (hopefully many) novels to come!

[Erik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very powerful and original work that shows the horrors of war, and of the people who go along with fascism by complying or not making waves so things just "go back to normal" by turning on their fellow citizens. The book manages to do this while also not lionizing those who fight fascism as always having clean hands in a very unique and engaging structure.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am perhaps a biased reviewer; Julian was a college professor of mine and of whom I have fond memories. Nevertheless, the triumph of What We Tried to Bury Grows Here is quite apparent. Zabalbeascoa's book asks a lot of the reader, both in terms of its subject matter and its frequently shifting perspectives, but those willing to see the narrative through will be richly rewarded. The decision to write each chapter from the perspective of a different character enables Zabalbeascoa to craft a portrait of the Spanish Civil War that is strikingly multifaceted, at once rich in both psychological and political depth. Although I do not share the author's Basque heritage, I was particularly pleased to see the authentic incorporation of Basque cultural elements, highlighting a side of the conflict not as often discussed. An excellent piece of writing, sure to be followed by many more.

[Karen Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll keep this simple. Buy this book. Read it. That’s all.

Especially if your experience of the vital, complex, horrific 1936-1939 Spanish Civil War is limited to Picasso’s painting “Guernica” and Ernest Hemingway’s novel “For Whom The Bell Tolls”. You need more.

This really is a book everyone should read, given the global political recent past, present, & near future.

Julian Zabalbeascoa’s extraordinary “What We Tried To Bury Grows Here” will make you care, think, and remember his story forever.

[Jeffrey Bonilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wholly original novel deserves a wide readership. Twenty chapters, twenty narrators tell their stories--an entire country (Spain) and time (the Spanish Civil War) is packed in here--while we follow Isidro, a Basque soldier, and Mariana, a single mother and political writer, as they fight to keep their country from falling into the hands of the fascists. We know how this story will end, and maybe they do, too. It doesn't keep them from fighting for democracy and for others. 

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most haunting line-
“The image I kept returning to was of the women smiling victoriously atop tanks in that decimated city, their arms out, saluting like Germans. They’d rather destroy their country than share it with those on the beach.” Those on the beach, refers to the hastily constructed razor ribboned beach on the French border holding the Spanish refugees.

[Guy Choate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had only a vague awareness of the Spanish Civil War, so this book was a sort of introduction for me in that regard. But in a lot of ways, war is war, regardless of the area of operations. Zabalbeascoa's accomplishment is his ability to share various perspectives on the same events through the experiences of characters with different ideologies, and he does it without stagnating time. The real stories of war -- on all sides -- belong to the people, and he lets the people tell those stories here.

[Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a unique reading experience, really had a hard time putting this one down. My only reference point for the Spanish Civil War were the lyrics to “Spanish Bombs” by The Clash, but even if you don’t want to open a Wikipedia page for a summary of events, Zabalbeascoa lays it out very well without losing the humanity or making it feel like a classroom history lesson. I loved this and everyone should read it.

[Geoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best novels about the Spanish Civil War. Each chapter is a new narrator who sees or engages with the other narrators. Intricate and moving.

[Guina Guina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just excellent.

I really took my time reading this one. Each chapter of this haunting book has its own narrator, so we get so much perspective. I have read Spanish Civil War stories before (particularly Hemingway's) but never one from the Basque perspective. Through a series of first-person vignettes, Zabalbeascoa (you know what, I worked with the dude--super-cool guy--many moons ago when we both started teaching, so I'm going to stick with Julian) introduces a chorus of characters, each providing a unique perspective on the complexities of Basque Country during this tumultuous period. From this, we can see the war from both sides of the conflict, from the perspective of regular people caught in the crossfire, soldiers, priests, sons, daughters.

One of my favorite tricks Julian employs is to have the main character's, Isidro's, story told through all of those different sets of eyes. He shows up somewhere in every chapter, and seeing that through the eyes of people who either know him or have no idea who he is worked really well. I have not read another story that does that. It was rad (compelling, if you are feeling highbrow).

I'm not sure who is responsible for nominating books for all of the awards, but someone in the know should get on this one. Seriously.

I eagerly await your next book, sir.

[Blaze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just excellent.

I really took my time reading this one. Each chapter of this haunting book has its own narrator, so we get so much perspective. I have read Spanish Civil War stories before (particularly Hemingway's) but never one from the Basque perspective. Through a series of first-person vignettes, Zabalbeascoa (you know what, I worked with the dude--super-cool guy--many moons ago when we both started teaching, so I'm going to stick with Julian) introduces a chorus of characters, each providing a unique perspective on the complexities of Basque Country during this tumultuous period. From this, we can see the war from both sides of the conflict, from the perspective of regular people caught in the crossfire, soldiers, priests, sons, daughters.

One of my favorite tricks Julian employs is to have the main character's, Isidro's, story told through all of those different sets of eyes. He shows up somewhere in every chapter, and seeing that through the eyes of people who either know him or have no idea who he is worked really well. I have not read another story that does that. It was rad (compelling, if you are feeling highbrow).

I'm not sure who is responsible for nominating books for all of the awards, but someone in the know should get on this one. Seriously.

I eagerly await your next book, sir.

[Chris Schafer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a hauntingly sad book about the Spanish Civil War and the devastating impact it had on those involved, particularly the Basque. It forced me to think about the war’s currently happening in Ukraine and Gaza…..the destruction of families. It is beyond comprehension and yet, I am fearful of the direction humanity is heading. The prose Zabalbeascoa writes is absolutely beautiful. One of those books you put down and then “stare at the wall” pondering.

[Steve B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This amazing, intense novel brings to life how individual Basques and non-Basques (and society as a whole) suffered fighting for a legitimate democratic government against fascists and fascism. Julian Zabalbeascoa's vivid descriptions leave an indelible impression within you - as if you were standing next to each narrator. What we Tried to Bury Grows here stands on par with Picasso's Guernika (Gernika) for its honest portrayals and emotional effects! One of the best books of 2025!

[Meagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creative, also raw, and really well done. It felt more brutally honest than For Whom the Bell Tolls, which I also love. Probably because it’s written through a mostly Basque set of narrators. Really moving piece of literature.

[Luke Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A vivid heartbreaking look at an all to often ignored conflict. Some of the characters povs got confusing but this was a people's tragedy skilfully rendered

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set during the Spanish Civil War, What We Tried to Bury Grows Here follows a Basque soldier, Isidro, after he enlists to fight for the Republicans after reading the writings of an anonymous Basque woman writing under the pen name Erlea. Isidro's story is told through a chorus of characters, with each chapter standing on its own while also giving us insight into Isidro's journey.

This was dark. I loved it. It is propulsive, beautifully written, and ominously feels very much in conversation with our current moment. It is a meditation on the horrors of war, the death of a person's ideals, and the varying ways people can become complicit in horrific acts. I want more people to read it so that I have people to talk with about it. This was really good.

[Tophe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm tired of fighting.

Who couldn't go for a little rest? But that's not the world in which we find ourselves.

This may be the novel that compels me to read more fiction. It was a bit of a tricky read with each chapter corresponding to a different narrator -- with subtle mentions of previously introduced characters throughout -- but it was an extremely well-written narrative of the Spanish Civil War. Very much recommend.

[Tallon Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its unbelievable that like no one knows about this masterpiece. A panoptic view of the Spanish Civil War told through these heartbreaking vignettes -- what a stunningly ambitious novel that executes on all it sets out to do.

"The fight against fascism continued, would continue, for as long, at least, as I drew breath. It was the only one way to reclaim what was mine."

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

learned a lot from this book and really enjoyed the writing style. although I liked the changing perspectives conceptually, they did make it a slower read for me during the first half.

[Euzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly exceptional. Did occasionally require a little work to remember who everyone is, but this is a must read

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A debut novel examining the Spanish Civil War. While revealing the terrors of the civil, he brings people trying to survive.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

[Mitchell Pickett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliantly crafted novel that everyone should read. I can’t recommend this book enough.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5. “This country that had demanded we sacrifice our one glimpse at life to destroy each other…”

Incredible how war contains multitudes, and simultaneously that one not-even-complete-sentence captures civil war in a nutshell. (LITERATURE!)

I am ashamed of how little I knew about the Spanish Civil War (especially considering I read For Whom the Bell Tolls in high school) before picking this up. And what a genius way for an author to make an introduction.

Each of the twenty chapters is from the perspective of someone new, but they all connect, particularly through one Basque soldier. Though it took awhile to get oriented, it was worth the effort.

This is a breathtaking debut achievement. I’ll definitely be reading whatever Zabalbeascoa comes up with next.

[Wanda B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall a fine book, if not boring at times. I enjoyed the structure of the book but found the writing to be dry.

[Nicole Sackin · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing first novel about a time in history that is not widely represented.
The author does a great job portraying the time of the Spanish civil war through a series of chapters each at a different, time, location, and from a different person's voice. You get to see both sides of the battle and there are reoccurring characters that emerge as you read.
At times it is difficult to keep the timeline straight and I did have to look up towns and cities throughout which pulls you out of the story.
A fast read and easy to read 1 chapter at a time or several in one sitting.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a masterpiece.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was always going to like this book. The Spanish Civil War is my Rome. I think about it all the time, and have make horrible comparisons to it constantly, ever since I read The Spanish Civil War by Hugh Thomas as a teen. Too often it gets romanticized, especially the left of all political stripes. What We tried to Bury Grows Here is a novel that mostly resists the romantic. Here the novel is told in a series of interrelated short stories, each from the perspective of someone who is not actively fighting in a battle, from close to the beginning through to the end of the war. Many of these perspectives are Basques. It is a book that traces loss. Losing to fascism, losing humanity, losing homes, and losing people. It's brutal most of the way through. It's timely, but also a reminder that sometimes evil just wins, both politically and also within individuals. Not a fun read, but felt necessary.

[tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love learning about the spanish civil war and i love interconnected short stories! will def read whatever comes next from this author!

also, i hated the last book i read from this publisher and thought it was horribly edited so i was nervous about the quality of this one. happy to report it was great 👍🏼