Jacob Todd is abroad on his own for the first time,visiting his grandfather's grave at the annual commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem in Amsterdam. There,he meets Geertrui,a terminally ill old lady,who tells an extraordinary story of love and betrayal,which completely overturns Jacob's view of himself and his country,and leads him to question his place in the world. Jacob's story is paralled in time by the events of the dramatic day in World War II when retreating troops were sheltered by Geertrui's family.An intensely moving and richly layered novel,spanning 50 years,which powerfully evokes the atmosphere of war while brilliantly interweaving Jacob's exploration of new relationships in contemporary Amsterdam.
MEDIA REVIEWS
Publisher: Penguin Random House Children's UKISBN: 9781862302846Number of pages: 336Weight: 233 gDimensions: 198 x 129 x 22 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
"The type of serious teenage fiction that should be cherished" Independent "A dramatic and moving novel,destined to become a classic" Carousel "Clear-eyed self reflection that also characterises The Diary of Anne Frank and the Rembrandt portraits which Jacob so admires" TES "Seriously good and compulsively readable novel that spans fifty years and two interwoven stories of love,betrayal and self-discovery" Lyn Gardiner "Writing and literature at its best" The School Librarian
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