It takes something truly special for a book to move a reader to tears, and it’s only in the final pages that the full weight of this story lands. Knowing it’s a debut novel makes the achievement all the more remarkable.
Throughout, the author leads you on an epic journey of resilience against all odds, prompting a confronting question - could any of us have endured the horrors of WWII, let alone faced them as young teenagers?
Max and Hans, childhood friends, having been forced to become soldier trainees, escape the clutches of their youth regiment, to embark on a journey homeward bound. We follow them across Germany, on train and on foot. They both display a strength of character that you cannot help but be in awe of, using comedic imagination to uplift their spirits and help them to navigate through each horrific encounter. Told from the perspective of a German child, the story offers a rare and deeply human glimpse into another side of war.
As a parallel story, Max’s mother is forced to work for the very German institution she has vowed to betray. And as the war nears its final days, we realise that the end is really only just the beginning. When life is turned upside down and the line between captor and captive switches, is it ever possible to set things right again?
This is an unforgettable book that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading. It leaves you with a sense of wonder and a reminder to not judge other’s actions too readily. Unless you walk in their shoes, you can’t possibly understand the choices made to get from point A to point B.
Sharron
