Zermano's letters were received under duress, but it turns out that Louise never mailed her responses. That Zermano kept writing to this woman is a testament to his love and admission of her power over him as a muse. Working for the Resistance, Louise feels that silence is necessary to protect both her country and Zermano. The painter enters old age uncertain and tortured by Louise's unresponsiveness, never fully understanding the tragedy of her heart, her influence on his painting, and the desolation he endures while imprisoned within Franco's Spain. I'm not joking.
Bad books come in all shapes and sizes.
Day of the Bees , while earnest and articulate, is such a mess that I don't even know where to start. Apparently, neither did Mr. Sanchez. Proof that integrity, talent, and time are not enough. The novel is bookended by a prelude and postlude narrated by the Professor. How he initially finds the letters, what they mean to the arts community in general, and the academic's desire to return them to the one person he believes deserves the truth.