As Mark continues to deteriorate, Elena's grandfather sweeps onto the scene. Joaquin is the last person from whom Elena wants to accept help; once very close to him, she ended all contact after learning of his role in "purifying" conscience-stricken officers after the Spanish Civil War. In treating Mark, Joaquin sees a way back into his granddaughter's life, and, despite Elena's disapproval, the two men begin to forge an extraordinary relationship. Eventually, all three travel to Joaquin's manor home in southern Spain so that Mark can find a safe haven in which to heal. It is in this romantic and haunted Spanish valley where both men's secrets surface with life-altering force and where Mark and Elena attempt to know and love each other again.
Reminiscent of the work of Tim O'Brien and Philip Caputo, this stunning novel is informed by Scott Anderson's experiences reporting on combat around the globe. A literary page-turner about the aftermath of war in the lives of survivors and their loved ones, "Triage" introduces a major new voice in American fiction.