I lept into "Room of Lost Steps" immediately after finishing "Palace at the End of the Sea, " the two book in SImon Tolkien's Theo Stirling duology. I would love to see it become a trilogy because Theo's story is transfixing. He's an interesting character, a New York-born son of a lapsed Jewish father and an ardent Catholic Mexican mother who is traumatized by her parents' murder during Mexico's Cristero Revolution. The complete story begins in 1929, and "Room" begins in 1936, with the Spanish Civil War heating up. Theo's English stepfather and mother have brought him to Spain, where he stays in school holidays.

He's always been concerned about inequality, going back to working at his father's garment factory, and that concern only gets stronger as he gets older. But Theo is easily lead. One friend pulls him toward Communism and another toward the Spanish Anarchists. His stepfather warns him that if he's impressed by someone's beauty or arguments and follows them blindly. "You have to start thinking for yourself before it's too late," he notes.

That's what makes Theo interesting. He follows people he admires with his whole heart, giving his all until he learns from experience what he believes. It's also what makes him exasperating. He falls hard for Maria, an Anarchist who has made it clear that she wants to be free after a stifling conservative Spanish childhood. Theo joins the Lincoln Brigade to fight the Fascists, buy finds he's engulfed in a horror show too much like WW1. He's been forged by fire and the question is who will he be as the world heads toward another World War?

Simon Tolkien's writing about the Spanish Civil War is vivid and shocking. He understands the differences between the factions and what would draw certain people toward each one. The novel is enlightening and engrossing.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital review copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

ROOM OF LOST STEPS by SIMON TOLKIEN
FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THAT I HAVE READ ALL OF SIMON TOLKIEN’S BOOKS AND THEY ARE ALL SO, SO GOOD. THE FIRST BOOK OF THE SERIES PALACE AT THE END OF THE SEA WAS VERY GOOD. ROOM OF LOST STEPS IS THE SEQUEL ABOUT THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR. TAKES PLACE IN 1936 WHERE THEO GETS INVOLVED IN THE WAR TRYING TO SEEK OUT MARIA WHO HE FELL IN LOVE WITH IN THE FIRST BOOK. BUT HE DID GET INTO MORE THAN HE BARGAINED FOR. HE IS CERTAINLY NOT PREPARED FOR WHAT OCCURS TO HIM AND HIS FRIENDS. HE DID MEET UP WITH AN OLD FRIEND WHO HELPED HIM GET OUT OF THE QUAGMIRE HE WAS INVOLVED IN. DOES HE FIND MARIA? IS HE ABLE TO BE WITH HER? I DID ENJOY THE FIRST BOOK MORE THAN THE SECOND BUT THEY WERE BOTH VERY GOOD STORIES AND I DID LEARN ABOUT THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR. THANK YOU TO @NETGALLEY AND @LAKE UNION PUBLISHING FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO READ THIS GREAT BOOK.