Albi

"A wonderfully drawn portrait... utterly convincing." Chris Stewart, author of Driving Over Lemons

"I was entranced by this novel, hooked in by the practical details, t he voices, colours, weather and smells of a hill village in civil war Spain. Hilary Shepherd uses imagery like a poet... It is with a shock that thereader too returns to the present after this unforgettable read." --Christine Evans (winner of Roland Matthias Prize for poetry)

A poignant, compassionate glimpse into the life of a child caught in a country at war with itself.Albi is nine years old when Franco’s soldiers arrive in the village and his life begins to change in confusing ways. It’s not clear quite who should be trusted and who should not. Some neighbours disappear not to be seen again, others are hidden from view in cellars and stables – like his brother, Manolo, who left long ago to join the resistance. Albi is charged with shepherding not just his own sheep, but also those of El Ciego who sends him on errands requiring a good memory and the ability to keep his mouth shut at all times.Alberto, at 88, is haunted by what he did and what he may or may not have said. And then the daughter of his old friend Carlos turns up wanting stories of old times. Albi’s day of reckoning may be at hand...