Translator's Afterword
Twentieth-century Spanish political history is extremely complex and the following is an attempt to give readers a brief outline of some of the background to parts of this novel.
Spain was declared a Republic, for the second time, on 14 April 1931 when King Alfonso XIII abdicated after monarchist parties were defeated in key municipal elections. The country was extremely polarized with vast numbers belonging to ideologically committed trade unions and parties across the political spectrum. National elections were held in November 1933, resulting in a right-wing government which collapsed a little over two years later. The elections of February 1936 were contested by two broad coalitions: the Frente Nacional and the Frente Popular.