I love the cover of this book because the image was strong enough to push Picasso's painting out of my mind. The famous painter does appear in the story, but he is by no means central to the plot. He just pops in here and there to give some historical context, which works nicely without being overdone.The mix of perspectives works beautifully, from bystanders to perpetrators, giving just enough outside details to strengthen the family's story.By the halfway point, I was completely absorbed in the characters' lives, which made the story of Guernica's fate overwhelming, as it must have been for those who were there. I was reminded of Vonnegut's stories of Dresden, and his disbelief that humans could visit such atrocities on one another.
