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‘Sad and funny, this is a wonderful book. I didn’t want it to end’ WOMAN’S WEEKLY
‘An enthralling saga, set in Sweden, about the lives of two boys before, during and after the war … impossible to put down’ THE TIMES
As a child, Simon was always aware that there was something different about him, something that caused late-night quarrels and sometimes tears. With the rise of Hitler in Germany and the coming of war to Sweden’s neighbours, the tensions increase.
Befriending a young Jewish boy, Isak, who is quickly taken under his mother’s wing, enriches Simon’s life, but makes it more difficult too – for Isak seems to fit in much better at home than Simon does.
With the war’s end comes the day when Simon must be told the truth. The truth about his affinity for the lake and its surrounding oak trees; for the strange dreams of an old man beneath the ways – and the truth about his past.
‘An enthralling saga, set in Sweden, about the lives of two boys before, during and after the war … impossible to put down’ THE TIMES
As a child, Simon was always aware that there was something different about him, something that caused late-night quarrels and sometimes tears. With the rise of Hitler in Germany and the coming of war to Sweden’s neighbours, the tensions increase.
Befriending a young Jewish boy, Isak, who is quickly taken under his mother’s wing, enriches Simon’s life, but makes it more difficult too – for Isak seems to fit in much better at home than Simon does.
With the war’s end comes the day when Simon must be told the truth. The truth about his affinity for the lake and its surrounding oak trees; for the strange dreams of an old man beneath the ways – and the truth about his past.
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Reviews
An extraordinary book operating on a multiplicity of levels. It has a magical quality of transcendence, combining psychoanalysis, mythology and compassion in an unforgettable read
A vivid and powerful story told with passion
The novel contrasts the human capacity for suffering with a heartfelt optimism: these sentiments, along with the Swedish setting, enhance the story's appeal
Sad and funny, this is a wonderful book. I didn't want it to end
An enthralling saga, set in Sweden, about the lives of two boys before, during and after the war ... impossible to put down
Her absorbing and tautly constructed narrative propels both characters and reader through a series of close and illuminating encounters ... Fredriksson is gifted with both the insights of maturity and the art of the storyteller