Franco’s body being moved today

As I understand it from the news on Spanish TV, one of the main reasons for moving Franco's body was the stark contrast of that ostentatious mausoleum to the mass graves of 100s of unidentified Republican dead, also buried there. Another irony is that the monument was built mainly by the forced labour of Republican prisoners.
There is of course the danger of reigniting old enmities, already visible in the sudden upsurge of support for the far-right Vox party in the recent elections. The movement for Catalan independence has also contributed to this, and is sharply divisive among the actual Catalan population (not far off 50:50 - a bit like Brexit.

Isn't it sad there so many countries out there have a history of an evil dictator? Hitler? Khmer rouge? Etc.

It's undoubtedly true that Victoria Hislop does impeccable research as background to her novels, but the stories within those scenarios are often thin and the characters one-dimensional. Of all those I have read, 'The Return' had the least convincing plot and characters; the best was, perhaps, 'The Thread' but Jura, if you want to know more about the history of the expulsion of Greeks from Turkey and vice-versa, I'd recommend a much better novel, 'Birds Without Wings' by Louis de Bernieres.

I haven’t read that one but did read Captain Corelli’s Mandolin while holidaying on kefalonia many years ago. It has hard going in parts but I persevered and have re-read it once I saw the film.

Thanks anno. Yes, I think I did mention earlier that the plot in The Return, about Franco in Grenada, was far fetched and very predictable. The Thread was about the persecution of Jews in Thessaloniki- and The Sunrise, about the partition of Cyprus.

I will get the book 'Birds without wings' when in the UK over Christmas, thanks.

I've only read The Thread and thought it was OK. My first thought was - having a long holiday and claiming a lot of travel and accommodation expenses against her profits. My second thought was that the research was apparent.