This is such a horrifying story, and I commend the author for telling it. However, I felt she took too much artistic license, which detracts from the story itself, and it always disappoints me when authors do this.

A deeply disturbing and horrifying account of Uruguay’s disappeared children and their families during the political events and subsequent repression in both Uruguay and Argentina in the 1970s and 80s, that terrible era of military dictatorship, crackdowns on opposition and widespread use of torture, plus the abduction of the children of the arrested. It’s a shameful story and needed examining, and the author is to be congratulated on the depth of her research. However, I found her decision to recreate conversations and dialogue sat uncomfortably with me, detracting from the seriousness of the subject matter and I would have preferred a straightforward historical narrative rather than this novelistic approach. Nevertheless, this is an important book and deserves a wide readership.

I actually started reading this a while back but only managed to finish now because of the heavy content. It took me longer to finish this because there were alot of names and events that happened so I took my time reading and understanding the story.

This focuses on the deep portrayal of the tragic political unrest disappearances of Uruguayan citizens and mainly children. It traces three generations of grandparents, parents and children who tried to locate their lost loved ones after the violent political events in Uruguay and Argentina in the 1970s-80s. Dictators and the military were regularly making people who caused trouble “disappear”. This is a firsthand account of families who have experienced the loss of their children and grandchildren, and who are still suffering the repercussions today.

There is Sara, a committed revolutionary who was captured and tortured by the military while not knowing the fate of her son and there is Ester, who thought her daughter had died in the hands of the military and instead focus on searching for her missing granddaughter. They refused to be silenced amidst the turmoil. They refused to give up. Told in a timeline that spans decades, the voices of those who survived and who didn’t, breathe life into these oppressive regimes.

This was definitely very insightful. I must admit, I didn’t have very much knowledge of the political unrests in South America but taking a glimpse through this book, I am saddened that so many children has to suffer because of gains in political power and ultimately for selfish reasons. Many children lost their identities and are displaced not knowing who or where their families were. The scenes Bridal wrote were very detailed, she did not shy away from the emotional turmoil, the physical torture and violent killings and also all the trauma faced by the victims’ families. She also showed the after effects of nations that were thrown into opposite factions. You are never safe no matter which side you take.

Despite this being so information heavy, my heart definitely goes out to these victims who are just looking to live a normal life, looking to live a better life and seeking for peace. Thank you Netgalley and Invisible Ink for the arc.

A deeply moving, credible account of multi-generational trauma and the impact of events which are all too recent. The author cleverly presents information in a way which balances fact and a sense of story-telling, making it all the more accessible to the reader who has an interest in the subject matter.