The Shadows of Seville

by David Canford

A gripping and moving story of loss and love, of hatred and passion, and of horror and hope, set in Spain’s most evocative city during the turmoil of the Spanish Civil War and the following decades.
Ramon flees rural Andalusia for the apparent safety of Seville. In the city’s Triana district a flamenco dancer, Beatriz, faces a heart rending choice. And in northern Morocco, Izil reluctantly joins Franco’s invasion army to save his family from hunger.
When a wealthy landowner becomes a key figure in Seville's oppressive government he seeks revenge, bringing despair. It seems all hope is lost until a young mother discovers a shocking secret, yet if she reveals the truth she risks her children being taken from her.
Lose yourself in vibrant ‘Sevilla’ where the shadows of the past are around every corner.

274 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2023

About the author

Writing historical fiction, David Canford is able to combine his love of history and travel in novels that take readers on a rollercoaster journey through time and place with characters who face struggle and hardship but where resilience, love and forgiveness can overcome hatred and oppression.

He has also written two novels about the future, and a travelogue.

David has three grown up daughters and lives on the south coast of England with his wife and their dog.

For news about new releases and more visit www.davidcanford.com or visit him on Facebook or Instagram.

Reviews

[Caryl Chacey-guba · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a difficult time getting into this book. It kept taking me into the dark corners of Civil War Spain, (hence the title), but then leave that character for another character and incident. The writing also put me off a bit, for it seemed a little elementary to me. But I persisted, and I grew to appreciate the author’s style and the story. I think there was just so much to tell that it necessitated the lack of development of some of the situations.

In the end, I feel very positive about this book, and will try others by this author.

[Conrad Samayoa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haunting

The description of life in Spain under Franco is described brutally. Two people rise from the ashes of a bleak future. Their fact save them from such horrible fate. At the end, they find the love that eluded them for long. Conrad SAMAYOA.

[Sue · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes about this book because there aren’t many HF stories about the Spanish Civil war.
The writing seemed very basic and the historical angle felt incomplete.

3.5

[Jane Hadfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating story set in the Spanish Civil War and afterwards. I liked the fact that it brought in several perspectives that I personally had previously not heard of such as enlisting Moroccans. The fact that I have visited most of the places mentioned and seen the Valley of the Fallen from trains helped to make this even more interesting for me. Definitely recommend if you are interested in a novel based in this period.