RUPTURES

BREAKS

Book Summary

A work of fiction that interweaves the present of a young Parisian woman with the silenced past of her grandmother. Maria, 17, travels to Barcelona to care for her grandmother, who has become disoriented after a hospital stay. While going through her apartment in the Gràcia neighborhood, they discover old correspondence that unearths a dark secret: in the 1950s, the grandmother was imprisoned at Les Corts prison while pregnant. What happened to that child? Why did they never know of its existence? The work addresses the search for truth and the tragedy of stolen babies during the Franco dictatorship.

What is it about?

The story follows Maria, a Parisian teenager who must interrupt her preparations for her university entrance exams to travel to Barcelona. There, her grandmother has just been admitted to the Hospital del Mar in a state of disorientation that worries the family. Together with her father, Maria takes on the task of clearing out her grandmother’s apartment in the heart of the Gràcia neighborhood. That is when they find old correspondence that reveals a hidden past: during the 1950s, the grandmother was imprisoned at Les Corts prison while pregnant. This discovery prompts them to wonder what became of that child and why its existence was never spoken of. The graphic novel explores the possibility that this is one of the cases of babies stolen during the Franco dictatorship, a historical wound that remains open.

Main themes

• Historical memory and the Franco dictatorship in Spain.
• The tragedy of babies stolen during the Franco era.
• Intergenerational relationships and family secrets.
• The search for identity and the truth about the past.
• The weight of silence and the transmission of memory.

Who is it recommended for?

This work is recommended for readers interested in historical fiction graphic novels, especially those addressing historical memory in Spain and the cases of babies stolen during the Franco dictatorship. It is also suitable for a young adult and adult audience who appreciate stories of family discovery, personal dramas with a social background, and narratives that connect the present with a traumatic past.

What this book offers

• An immersion into a painful and real chapter of Spain's recent history through an accessible and moving work of fiction.
• A plot that combines family mystery with historical investigation, keeping the reader engaged.
• An intergenerational perspective that shows how secrets of the past affect new generations.
• A reflection on the importance of memory and historical justice, presented in an approachable and human way.

Technical specifications

• Author: FERNANDEZ, LAURI; SIRIEIX, LAURE
• Publisher: BANG EDICIONES
• Language: Catalan
• Subject: GRAPHIC NOVELS
• Collection: CATALAN
• Binding: Hardcover
• Publication date: April 2022
• Number of pages: 160
• Weight: 570 g

Editorial review

Ruptures is a graphic novel that addresses a complex and painful historical subject with sensitivity. The work succeeds in connecting the present of a teenager with a silenced family past, offering an accessible narrative that invites reflection on historical memory and the crimes of the Franco regime. Its focus on the search for truth and the impact of family secrets makes it a recommended read for those seeking stories with social and emotional depth, presented in an attractive and high-quality visual format.