Winter in Madrid, by C.J. Sansom

Verónica gives us this great review in an email to Manuela. She's persuaded me to read this one. What about you?

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Hello Manuela!

Nice to hear from you. It’s been ages since the last time you contacted me, it was through Fb, right? I hope you’re fine and that we can meet soon for a coffee or so. Although the lads and me myself miss you a lot in our German lessons (you were always so lively and amusing) I’m glad that the reason why you decided to put off your German’s learning was to improve your English.

  

Regarding me, the family is still grieving the dead of granny, but I hope we’ll be able to get over the loss soon. Anyway I’ve been really busy these last weeks, you know, besides the usual load of work at the office, I’ve had to deal with tests, exams and tons of tasks at the EOI, but it’s worth working hard if you feel you’re making progress, isn’t it?

You’re asking me for an interesting book to read in English; I would like to suggest   the last one I’ve read. It’s an unabridged novel called Winter in Madrid, written by the British author C.J. Sansom. It’s the story of three boys who were fellows at a public school in England, whose paths happen to cross again years later in a bleak Spain, after the Spanish Civil War and in the midst of the Second World War.

The main character of the book is Harry Brett, a middle-class boy whose family can afford to send him to Rookwood, an exclusive public school that ‘gives him his identity’; it’s the kind of institution that educates the future rulers of the country. During the Second World War Harry is recruited by  the British Intelligence to spy on an old schoolmate of his, Sandy  Forsyth, who was always a black sheep both for his family and for the school, but who always had a soft spot for Harry. When Harry is in Madrid acting as a spy, yet pretending to be an interpreter for the British Embassy, he discovers that his best friend at Rookwood, Bernie Piper (one of the scholarship boys) who fought for the Spanish Republica, and who was declared  missing and believed to have been killed in the Jarama Battle, is still alive.

What I liked the most about the book was its language, absolutely current, full of idiomatic expressions and adjectives related to people’s movements, gestures and characters, that will greatly help you  improve your vocabulary and reading comprehension. It’s been a bit strange for a Spanish reader like me to face a piece of our history narrated through foreign characters that give a sharp, objective view on how things happened during that period of time. This is a story that combines friendship, love, greed and betrayal, in which the topic of knowing a foreign language also plays a role! Although its pace is a bit too slow in some chapters, the ending of the book is amazing but coherent, logical afterwards. I’m sure you won’t be frightened of its 535 pages: after the Millenium trilogy we both have already read, this must be a piece of cake for you!

Take care,

Verónica.

SOME IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS I’VE LEARNT:

TO LIVE OVER THE BRUSH: used to describe an unmarried couple who live together.

Sandy and Barbara pretend to be a married couple in front of the Spanish authorities, but in fact they are living over the brush.

TO GIVE SOMEBODY THE (OLD) HEAVE-HO:to dismiss sb From their job. To end a relationship with sb.

Sebastián De Salas is considering giving his English girlfriend Jenny the heave-ho, mainly because she drinks a lot.

IN FOR A PENNY, IN FOR A POUND: used to say that since you started to do sth it’s worth to invest as much money or time as it is needed, in order to complete it.

In order to get more information, Harry puts a risky proposition to Sandy’s colleagues.

TO BE OUT OF THE SULKS: the end of a period of not speaking and being bad-tempered because you’re angry about sth.

Some time after they had had a row, Sandy asks Barbara ironically if she’s out of the sulks yet.

TO KEEP (CLOSE) TABS ON SB/STH: to watch sb/sth carefully in order to know what is happening so that you can control a particular situation.

Barbara says she doesn’t think the British government is keeping tabs on her any more.A while back she used to find her mail opened and her telephone to be making strange noises.