A Valley of Betrayal (Chronicles of the Spanish Civil War, Book 1) (Paperback)

by Tricia Goyer (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Goyer has stumbled upon the Spanish Civil War, which has seldom, if ever, been treated by romance writers. Her heroine, Sophie Grace, is an American inadvertently drawn into the conflict as she tries to join her fiance in Madrid. He proves unfaithful but conveniently dies, allowing Sophie to observe the war as a reporter and unofficial nurse. Unable fully to sympathize with the anti-Fascist Loyalists, Goyer never grasps why the war so affected a generation of liberal idealists--Ernest Hemingway and George Orwell, to name just two. On the other hand, her explication of history is unaffected and clear, and Sophie's slow identification with suffering Spain seems hard-won.

John Mort
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Description

For reasons beyond her control,

Sophie fi nds herself alone in the wartorn

Spanish countryside. What was

once a thriving paradise has become

a battleground for fascist soldiers and

Spanish patriots. She is caught up in

the escalating events when the route to

safety is blocked and fi ghting surrounds

her. On her darkest night, Sophie takes

refuge with a brigade of international

compatriots. Among these volunteers,

she pledges to make the plight of the

Spanish people known around the world

through the power of art.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Moody Publishers (February 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802467679
• ISBN-13: 978-0802467676
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #118,483 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent! Couldn't put it down!, December 2, 2007

By	Karen Buschman (Nashville, TN USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Little is known about the Spanish Civil War by the average American. When I studied abroad in Spain for a semester in college, I learned so much about that beautiful country and its history. Spain will always occupy a space in my heart! I am a fan of international fiction - stories that make me feel like I've traveled to another country. This book was amazing. It took me back to my time in Spain and it really opens your eyes to another country's history. I finished it last night and am back today to order the 2nd book in the series. I can't wait to find out what happens!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Marvelous Must Read!, September 9, 2007

By	Stacey - See all my reviews

Tricia Goyer has a way of weaving a host of intriguing characters and chronicling the Spanish Civil War and tying it all together within a "page-turning book". I love the romance, the history, the story of Sophie who is caught up in the drama showing both sides of the heartache of war. And who along the way discovers that it's her passion that holds the key to so much!

5.0 out of 5 stars Novel set in an unusual war shows characters' humanity, May 25, 2009

By	E. J. (Shenandoah Valley) - See all my reviews

The Spanish Civil War, though a mere regional conflict, drew world attention and served as a dress rehearsal for World War II. But since one side was Fascist (and actively backed by the Nazis) and the other was Marxist (backed by the Soviet Union), the average American has difficulty sympathizing with either. Nevertheless, in "A Valley of Betrayal" Tricia Goyer blazes past her readers' uneasiness with the conflict through vivid characters who merit our understanding, though not necessarily our approval.

Ritter Adler joined the German forces in Spain to win a woman's love. But he finds severe competition for her hand in a man named Xavier--and in the brutal war itself.

Sophie Grace, a young artist from Boston, came to Spain in hopes of finally wedding her fiance, Michael. But is Michael as trustworthy as he claims?

Boycotting the German-sponsored Olympic games, Philip Stanford's longtime best friend, Communist sprinter Attis Brody, means to run in the socialist International Workers' Games in Barcelona, Spain--with Philip along as his trainer. When the war breaks out, can protective Philip see that Attis makes it home alive?

Deion Clay, an African-American from Mississippi, has experienced racial discrimination--and even racial violence--firsthand; so for him the Communist rallying cry of "Equality!" holds a special appeal. But after he travels to Spain to fight for his Marxist beliefs, will he regret his choice?

Father Manuel Garcia, a native of the independent-minded Basque region in northern Spain, only wants to minister to his people, though some of them see him as a coward. When the war converges on his hometown of Guernica, will he, like the other characters, be forced to prove his courage in a way he never wanted?

This book is amazingly superior to Goyer's (good) World War II series, despite--or perhaps because of--the Spanish Civil War's complicated nature. Goyer includes a felt historical and cultural tapestry that is very impressive. Perhaps Deion's background is a bit exaggerated--I haven't done enough studying on the day-to-day realities of segregation to be certain whether one person could have seen as much as he apparently did--but his background does allow us to see the person beneath the Communist armband. That seems to have been Goyer's goal: to prove the humanity of those involved in the Spanish Civil War to an American audience. And, in my opinion, she has succeeded.