by Arturo Perez-Reverte, translated by Margaret Sayers Peden

The Painter of Battles is a departure from Reverte’s usual writing style though no less crisp in detail or less fascinating. According to the Spanish author, a one-time war journalist, this is close to an autobiography in which the main character, Andres Faulques, has retired from photographing war to hermit himself in a crumbling tower. Faulques is in the process of painting a mural, a commentary and reimagining of war, inside the tower when someone he once photographed appears out of the blue calmly stating Faulques owes the stranger his life. I was less entranced with the tale and more with the philosophical and social commentary that really made me think. The entire novel is held together by Faulques’ mural — this imaginary painting still lives in my mind today.

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