This felt like reading All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. That was one of the most beautiful books I've read in a while, and I enjoyed this one equally as much. The details about the city of Madrid and surrounding towns were beautiful and I felt fully immersed in the time period and was invested in the story of the characters.\n\nThings I liked:\n\nI really enjoyed the intro to each chapter with transcripts of interviews from real life political figures who were in Spain during the time period that the novel takes place in. They helped to make the novel feel realistic and relevant.\nI really enjoyed the stories told through Daniel's photographs and the references to prominent photographers of the time period. It helped me to understand the important narrative that journalistic photography tells and understand the risks that those professionals take on a daily basis.\nI loved the theme of family that runs throughout the book. Some key ones are Daniel's relationship with his mom and his father and how those relationships change and grow and his relationship with his adopted sister. The family bonds in Ana's family and how they've been shaped by their past and the tragedy around them are well developed. Nick and Shep's relationship is interesting, and I really enjoyed how a change in perspective about Nick's behavior helps you to understand that dynamic a bit more.\nThe way the hardships of those living and suffering under Franco's rule are starkly juxtaposed with the extravagant and indulgent lifestyle of the American tourists in Spain.\n\nThings I didn't like:\n\nThe pacing was off. While I liked the story and the short chapters, it felt slow in a lot of parts, and rushed in others. I can't pinpoint why, it just felt off.\nThe romance at the end was a bit soap-opera like and melodramatic.\nI wish the "surprise" ending was more of a surprise and that we got to see more of the present day storyline.\nPuri's character change made me really upset. I had higher expectations.\nDaniel's noble sacrifice was annoying. I think young readers would find his decisions and the choices he makes in his future to be highly unlikely in reality. While this is supposed to be a cross-over book that can appeal to both adults and young adult readers, Daniel's decisions are definitely written from an adult viewpoint and I think teens might find fault with this and possibly be turned off of the book.\n\nOverall, I enjoyed this book. I have heard great things about other books by this author, and reading this one makes me more likely to choose her other books. I would also like to state that this is one of the books on the list that teachers who only recommend "highbrow and intellectual" books would not hesitate to recommend. It is a very well written book that deals with "important" topics. I think this would qualify as "literature" for teachers who judge books based on literary quality. Despite all of that, I do think it is a book that teens would simply enjoy. Daniel and Ana's story is compelling, the mystery of the orphans is intriguing, and the supporting characters are interesting.