Rebecca Pawel, Death of a Nationalist

Death of a Naturalist

Rebecca Pawel

Soho, 2003, $12.00, 262 pp.

ISBN: 1569473447

In 1939 Madrid shows the impact of the deadly civil war with few willing to walk the streets unless necessity forces them to do so. The two sides loathe one another encouraging and participating in inhuman abuses. While the Nationalists and the Republicans sporadically fight, the Guardia Civil tries to keep law and order. In a world gone loony, there is only one way to keep the peace and that is commit even nastier atrocities then the fighting factions. Thus the Nationalists, the Republicans and Guardia Civil share in common terrorizing the citizenry

Sergeant Tejada Alonzo y Leon of the Guardia Civil sees a woman in red standing over the murdered body of his heroic best friend Paco Lopez. He assumes she is a communist killer. He asks no questions as he murders the woman, but quickly realizes his mistake. Driven by guilt he searches for the real culprit. Meanwhile when Gonzalo Llorente learns that a Guardia murdered his beloved Viviana; he vows vengeance

Though a crime story at its heart, DEATH OF A NATIONALIST is much more as Rebecca Pawel showcases the impact on various people from the Spanish Civil War. The story line is graphic as it describes the horrors of war on the armies and the atrocities fostered by both sides on the civilian populace. The lead duo and the support cast seem genuine representing various factions with the key players enabling the audience to see the impact of violence on everyday people as well as on fascist and communist zealots.

Harriet Klausner