The echo of women screaming and children crying could be heard in the streets of Madrid as bombs fell crushing building and leaving torn and disfigured bloody bodies hanging from the ruins. It was 1930 and a Civil War had started in Spain. Breaking the Silence is a vividly realistic and powerful story of a 6 year old little girl trying to understand and survive in a world where fathers kill sons, sons kill fathers and brothers kill each other. The little girl's name is Mari, and her world is fi lled with fear and confusion as she imitates the marching steps of soldiers using their descriptive language and names given to the enemy. Much tragedy occurs in the life of this little child during the long years of war and post war years under and mind altering dictator. But there are also moments of comedy, tenderness and compassion in her life during those terrible days. The reader's eyes may sometimes fi ll with tears, but also will sometimes there will be bursts of laughter. The end of Breaking the Silence is both unexpected and electrifying.