1.

Main Characters

English-

Emilia Matamoros - Es hija de Lorenzo el sastre. Ignacio la ama. Es tímida, llora mucho,
trabaja en la tienda y tiene la piel clara.

Lorenzo Matamoros - Es el papá de Emilia y fue líder en el ejército republicano. Se

escondió en un sótano de Francia y se puso muy enfermo.

Camila Matamoros - es la hermana menor de Emilia. Tiene solo seis años y es una niña
muy entusiasta.

Diana Matamoros - Es la madre de Emilia y tapa las trampillas cuando los soldados
entran a su casa.

Rosaria - the woman who warned the Matamoros' that the soldiers were coming

Pablo - married to Rosario, has been a prisoner of the army before

Sofia - the grandmother, attacks soldier, very feisty

Coronel Antonio Cordero Negro - highest ranking official in Franco's fascist army in the
area, boss of Ignaci1o, wants to find lorenzo

Sargento Ignacio Florido Pena - soldier, wants promotion, acts as a spy, begins to love
emilia, hides in truck, is helped by a friend of his father

Republican vs Fascist - Lorenzo vs Coronel Negro and Ignacio

Spanish -

Emilia Matamoros - Es hija de Lorenzo el sastre. Ignacio la ama. Es tímida, llora mucho,
trabaja en la tienda y tiene la piel clara.

Lorenzo Matamoros - Es el padre de Emilia y fue líder del ejército republicano. Se

escondió en un sótano en Francia y se enfermó gravemente.

Camila Matamoros - es la hermana menor de Emilia. Tiene solo seis años y es una niña
muy entusiasta.

Diana Matamoros - Es la madre de Emilia y tapa las escotillas cuando los soldados
entran a su casa.
 Rosaria - la mujer que avisó a los Matamoros que venían los soldados

Pablo - casado con Rosario, ha sido prisionero del ejército antes

Sofía - la abuela, ataca al soldado, muy luchadora

coronel antonio cordero negro - oficial de mayor rango en el ejercito fascista de

franquismo en la zona, jefe de ignacio, quiere encontrar a lorenzo

Sargento Ignacio Florido Pena - soldado, quiere ascender, actúa como espía, comienza
a amar a emilia, se esconde en camioneta, es ayudado por un amigo de su padre

Paulino - el primo falso

Republicano vs. Fascista - Lorenzo vs. Coronel Negro e Ignacio

1. Important Things from Each Chapter

Chapter 1:

Emilia (the main character) wakes up because she thinks she hears soldiers outside.
Her father is Lorenzo Matamoros, a former captain of the republicans, and the current
leader Franco was trying to capture those of the old regime. She was afraid and wanted
to go to her parents' room even though she is 17 years old. She stopped outside of their
door because she heard her parents arguing. They were arguing over whether or not to
tell her something. She ran back to her room when she heard someone approach the
door.

Emilia, the main character, hears her arguing if they should tell her a secret during a
brutal war.

Chapter 2:
The next morning, Emilia woke to the sound of voices in the kitchen. Rosario was the
wife of Pablo, a former colleague of Lorenzo's. He had been questioned even after
serving a year in jail. The soldiers had asked about other republicans and Lorenzo, but
he had refused to tell and was taken away. Emilia heard the conversation and was
shaking with fright when the woman left and her father found her. He told Emilia of the
plan to pretend he had fled to France and actually stay in a secret basement. Emilia and
her mother Diana prepared food and water for Lorenzo and stored it in the secret
basement under the bed. Lorenzo packed a suitcase and left the house.
Lorenzo is planning to hide in the basement but lies and says he went to France.

Chapter 3:
Camila, Emilia's younger sister, and Sofía, the grandmother, returned home. Diana told
them that he had fled to France. Camila, who was very young, ran crying and looking for
her father. The grandmother (Lorenzo's mother) also cried. Soldiers came to the house
looking for Lorenzo. Diana told them that he ran away to France, but they didn't believe
her. Emilia and her grandmother hid with Camila in the tailor shop. Camila began to cry,
and the soldiers discovered them. They grabbed and threatened Emilia, and when Sofía
tried to make them let her go, they pushed her and she hit her head. After the soldiers
left, Diana and Emilia cleaned Sofía's cut. She stayed with them that night and slept
with Camila. Emilia and Diana stayed awake to wait for Lorenzo's return. He slipped in
the back. When he saw the disorder, he was upset and believed himself to be a coward.
He entered the basement, which was covered by a blue rug.

Camilia and Sofia begin to cry after Lorenzo left and then soldiers attacked their home
and Lorenzo felt as if he was a coward.

Chapter 4:
It had been a month since the soldier's last visit. Lorenzo had gotten sick from the
humid air and darkness of the basement. When the soldiers finally returned, she had left
the basement door. She hurried up the stairs and got Emilia to help her move the bed
back. Emilia was confronted by the soldiers, whom she told that her father was a
coward and had fled to France. They still didn't believe her. They checked the bedroom,
where a corner of the basement door was still showing. The soldiers were about to find
it when they heard a shout in the kitchen. When they ran to find what it was, Diana fixed
the rug to cover the door. Camila was crying in the kitchen because a picture had fallen
and cracked. The soldiers threatened them all one more time. The girls slept in the
same bed as their mother.

Loreno is now sick and the soldiers visited once again and threatened all of them.

Chapter 5:
Sargent Ignacio Florido Peña was the personal assistant to Colonel Antonio Cordero
Negro, the most important official of General Franco in Lérida (the "city"). The Colonel
mentioned the tailor Matamoros, and the Sargent realized that he knew Emilia from
when he was picking up his sister from school. He had noticed her because she
seemed weak and vulnerable. He took a risk and told the Coronel his plan: he could
become her friend or boyfriend and gain her trust for information. The Colonel was
happy with this idea and decided to call it Operation Revelation. The Sargent believed
that is might be his chance for a raise/promotion.

Chapter 6:
In the tailor shop, Emilia and her grandmother had to do most of the repairs and suits
because her father did not have enough light in the basement to work on anything more
than very simple sewing. Ignacio went into the shop with the pretense that he needed a
new suit because his gray one was old. Emilia's heart went crazy when she saw him
because he was very tall, dark, and handsome. She took his measurements, and he
picked a fabric that was black with white stripes. Ignacio began his flirtation by saying
the fabric was pretty like the seamstress (Emilia). They introduced themselves to each
other. It would take two weeks to make the suit, but he was to return after one week for
measurements. When her grandmother came, she was very happy but didn't say why.

Chapter 7
The next week, she awoke thinking of Ignacio. She was very happy during the morning
but again didn't say why. She felt bad for being so happy and thinking just of Ignacio
because her father was dying (they couldn't take him out of the basement and didn't
have the medicine). She couldn't concentrate during the day waiting for Ignacio and
avoided eating so that her mouth wouldn't be full when he walked in. At 4, she usually
went home to help her mother, but today she stayed. Her mother came to see where
she was because she was worried, but Emilia pretended that she had more work to do
and stayed until 8 when they were going to eat dinner. The next day she was depressed
and worried about her father. She didn't want to go to work, but she went anyway. At
4:15, Ignacio came in. He apologized for not coming the day before, when in reality, he
had been watching her to see her reaction. When Diana came in, she had almost said
something aloud about Emilia's father but changed it instead to something about her
cousin. They talked, and Ignacio was invited to dinner. He lied that he worked in a bank
and wanted the suit to impress the owners for a raise. Ignacio made up the story of his
republican father dying in prison after being captured. He said his family wanted
revenge. The story made Emilia cry.

Chapter 8:
Ignacio visited more frequently to eat with the family and walk in the park with Emilia.
They talked of the past, the future, and life. She wanted to tell him the secret but also
wanted to protect him, so she didn't. When he noticed her eating very little during
dinner, he asked what was wrong. She said that she was upset that her father fled.
Ignacio said that he wished his father had fled. The Colonel was getting impatient, but
Ignacio was no longer sure that the family was hiding something.
Chapter 9:
Ignacio didn't visit for three days. He was worried because he heard that the Colonel
was thinking of just arresting the whole family. Ignacio wanted his raise but also had
begun to like the family. Ignacio thought about lying or making up evidence that Lorenzo
had fled but realized that the Colonel already knew that he hadn't. Emilia was crying
when he found her, and she told him that a soldier threatened her and her family again.
Ignacio said that he would protect her and her family from being killed but that she had
to tell him the truth. Sofía really didn't know the truth, but Emilia was left with a tough
decision to make.

Chapter 10:
The next afternoon, Ignacio went to the shop to see Emilia, who was crying and had lost
weight. Ignacio was worried that if he found information they would probably kill the
women, as well, and if he didn't find anything, they would probably arrest him. He
thought about inventing a lie. He found that his father, actually a decorated soldier of
Franco, had had the wrong ideas. Republicans weren't all bad people and enemies.
Emilia sadly revealed the truth to Ignacio about her father's hiding place and sickness.
He left after reassuring her that they would find a solution.

Chapter 11:
Ignacio walked the streets thinking about what his decision would be. He cared for
Emilia very much and worried that he was in love with her. He thought about it all night,
but in the morning, he decided that he had no choice and told the Colonel what he had
found out. The Colonel was very happy and told Ignacio that he had a bright future with
the military. He showed him his sword (that he would use to kill Matamoros and his
entire family). Ignacio went very pale and almost fainted then threw up once he got
outside.

Chapter 12:
Since Ignacio had told the Colonel that he had discovered the door on his own, the
Colonel felt that he was justified in capturing and killing the family, too, as enemies of
Franco. He called his men to go to the house. When they got there, they realized that
no one was there and that many of the clothes were missing. Once the Colonel realized
what had happened, he ordered the men to go find the Sargent to help him find the
family.

Chapter 13:
Ignacio was worried that they would suspect that he had warned the family, so he was
quickly packing his things to leave. When a soldier came by to look for him, he noticed
that Ignacio was packing. Ignacio tried to run but ended up struggling with the soldier.
He hit the soldier with a lamp and ran away, but before that he had been hit on the head
with a pistol (and was injured). The soldier lost Ignacio and ran through the streets
looking for him, worried for his own safety at the hands of the furious Colonel Cordero
Negro.

Chapter 14:
The family sat down to rest briefly in the woods. Emilia had helped her family escape,
and they had been walking for a long time. She had received a note from Ignacio with
the money that he had and a map of the route they were to take. The note begged for
her forgiveness and told her the truth about his mission to find out information by getting
close to her. He told her about his dilemma of danger for her and himself. He had given
her a secure route by which to escape to France. He asked that if she could ever forgive
him and he could find her that they be married.

Chapter 15:
Ignacio had left without anything and was injured badly. He had run, fallen, and then run
again trying to escape. He hid in the back of a truck filled with boxes for carrying fruits
and vegetables. When the truck finally stopped, he heard the voices of men. He tried to
run away but was too weak from the injury and loss of blood. When he woke up, the two
men were by him and told him they had called the military police because he had had
an accident. He told them that he didn't remember what happened, when suddenly the
military truck appeared. When he told the official his name, the man recalled Vicente
Florido (Ignacio's father). He had promised to take care of the man's family, so he gave
Ignacio a bag with different clothes and left with his soldiers.

Chapter 16:
Ignacio took a very difficult journey but made it to France. He wondered what had
happened to Emilia and her family and if he would find them. He remembered that
Emilia had said that they had friends in Toulouse, and he had followed the exact same
path as he had given her. He decided to walk to Toulouse from Lourdes (175
kilometers). He hoped to walk about 35 km a day. He had walked about 11 km when he
noticed some people in the distance. He began to run towards them and counted 5 of
them. It was Emilia and her family.

Book Summary:
Se trata de la vida en España bajó Francisco Franco después de la guerra civil, un
tiempo de tensión y represión. Es importante que tengamos la perspectiva de la gente
común y no solo hechos históricos.
Emilia era la hija del sastre. Su padre, Lorenzo Matamoros era un ex-capitán de la
fuerza republicana, ahora trabajando como un sastre. Emilia lo ayudaba en el taller de
sastrería. Emilia tenía miedo por su padre porque Franco seguía persiguiendo a los
republicanos. Estaba buscando a todos los ex-oficiales. Quería eliminar a todos.

Una noche Emilia escuchó sus padres hablando sobre un secreto. La madre no quería
que el padre dijera nada a Emilia pero su padre insistió en que Emilia pudiera mantener
el secreto porque ya era grande y responsable. Así Emilia aprendió del plan de sus
padres: fingir una huida a Francia y realmente esconderse en un sótano secreto en la
casa. La visita de una amiga, Rosario, informó a la familia que Lorenzo estaba en
mucho peligro. Rosario recomendó que huyera a Francia urgente. Entonces pusieron
su plan en marcha. Solo Diana y Emilia sabían la verdad. La abuela Sofía y hermanita
Camila no tenían información. Era mejor así – cuando los soldados llegaron a buscar
Lorenzo ellas no tenían que mentir.

Los soldados fueron a la casa a amenazar las mujeres Matamoros varias veces.
Amenazaron Lorenzo. Amenazaron Emilia. Todo el tiempo Lorenzo estaba en la casa
pero no lo encontraron. El sótano era un lugar bueno para esconder pero no para vivir.
Lorenzo no tenía luz ni aire. Estaba enfermándose en el sótano secreto.

El Coronel Cordero Negro era muy impaciente. Quería que sus soldados encontraran
urgente a Lorenzo. Un sargento joven le propuso un plan: acercarse a Emilia, hacerse
amigos y aprender la verdad. Al Coronel le gustó.

Ignacio Florido Peña se acordaba de Emilia cuando llevó su hermanita a la escuela. Se

acordó de una joven bonita pero insegura. Entonces él se vistió de civil y fue al taller a
pedir un traje nuevo porque quería un ascenso en el banco. A primera vista Emilia se
sentía atraída. Era un hombre joven, guapo, fuerte y hablaba con Emilia como si fuera
mujer.

Emilia solo pensaba en Ignacio. Él era una distracción muy positiva en su vida diaria.
Cuando Ignacio no volvió a tiempo para las medidas del traje Emilia se puso triste. Era
imposible que ella comiera o durmiera. Ella quería que él volviera.

Ignacio le contó muchas mentiras a Emilia y su familia, los más importante: que
trabajaba en un banco y que su padre era un republicano. A Emilia le preocupaba su
padre. Ignacio trató de aprender el secreto pero Emilia no decía nada. Pasaron unas
semanas, después meses. Ignacio comió con la familia, pasó tiempo con todas las
mujeres. Se llevaron bien. Después de casi tres meses hubo un día que Emilia estaba
mas preocupada que lo normal porque la salud de Lorenzo estaba muy mal y era
probable que el muriera. Ignacio dijo que el deseaba que su padre hubiera huido. Pero
no, y ahora estaba muerto. Esto impactó mucho a Emilia.

El Coronel estaba cada vez más impaciente. Ignacio tenía miedo de que si no hiciera
un buen trabajo lo arrestara. También tenía miedo que si aprendiera el secreto algo
malo pasara a Emilia y su familia.

Justo ahora Emilia confió en Ignacio y le dijo la verdad. Pero ahora Ignacio no quería
escucharlo. Ignacio estaba enamorado de Emilia. Ignacio no sabía que hacer. ¿Ayudar
a Emilia? ¿Cumplir su misión? Estaba entre la espalda y la pared.

Ignacio dijo la verdad al Coronel. El Coronel mandó soldados a buscar la familia. Pero,
cuando llegaron no había nadie. La familia había desaparecido. Ignacio sabía que no
tenía mucho tiempo y que el también tenía que escaparse. Otro soldado lo vio
empacando una maleta y pelearon. Ignacio escapó pero estaba lastimado. Se escondió
en un camión de fruta. Cuando el camión paró, él quiso correr pero no podía. Los
campesinos llamaron los soldados. El capitán reconoció el nombre Florido Pena. Era
un amigo de su papá. Por eso le ayudó pero le dijo que no quería saber nada de
información.

La familia de Emilia había salido caminando para Francia. Después de varias horas
descansaron en un bosque. Emilia pensó en ese día largo. Ignacio había llegado
vestido de soldado fascista. Le dio un beso y un sobre y salió corriendo. En el sobre
había unas pesetas, un mapa y una carta. La carta decía la verdad. También Ignacio
dijo que estaba enamorado de Emilia y que quería casarse con ella cuando llegara a
Francia. Era obvio que Emilia tenía muchas emociones contradictorias. Era difícil que
ella pensara en todo.

Ignacio siguió la misma ruta que él había marcado en el mapa. Quería que la familia lo
perdonara. Quería que Emilia le dijera que sí. Tenía miedo. Estaba inseguro. Pero tenía
que encontrarlos. En Francia vio un grupo que parecía la familia Matamoros. Corrió
atrás de ellos.

2. Moral

If you love someone do not hurt them and be careful who you are talking to. In the book
Ignacio loves Emilia but feels conflicted and tells the Colonel the truth. However, he
realizes that was wrong. Emilia should have been more smart about what she was
doing, even if she loves Ignacio, she has only known him fo r 3 months and should have
been more careful.

3. Climax
When Ignacio turns the Matamoros family in. The Colonel was very happy and
told Ignacio that he had a bright future with the military. He showed him his sword
(that he would use to kill Matamoros and his entire family). Ignacio went very
pale and almost fainted then threw up once he got outside.

4. Theme

The themes are love, war, conflicted sides, and family. The theme is love because
Ignacio loves Emilia after spending time with her during the brutal war that split apart
everyone. After spending time and learning the truth he felt conflicted and told the truth
which he realized was a mistake and began to feel sick about what he did. However, the
family had already run away after Ignacio told the truth.

Resolution:

Ignacio took a very difficult journey but made it to France. He wondered what had
happened to Emilia and her family and if he would find them. He remembered that
Emilia had said that they had friends in Toulouse, and he had followed the exact same
path as he had given her. He decided to walk to Toulouse from Lourdes (175
kilometers). He hoped to walk about 35 km a day. He had walked about 11 km when he
noticed some people in the distance. He began to run towards them and counted 5 of
them. It was Emilia and her family. He sent them a map with a love letter.

Symbols:
Some symbols are the basement, the sword, and his uniform.

Algunos símbolos son el sótano, la espada y su uniforme.