When Czechoslovakia relinquishes the Sudetenland to Hitler, the powerful influence of Nazi propaganda sweeps through towns and villages like a sinister vanguard of the Reich's advancing army. A fiercely patriotic secular Jew, Pavel Bauer is helpless to prevent his world from unraveling as first his government, then his business partners, then his neighbors turn their back on his affluent, once-beloved family. Only the Bauers' adoring governess, Marta, sticks by Pavel, his wife, Anneliese, and their little son, Pepik, bound by her deep affection for her employers and friends. But when Marta learns of their impending betrayal at the hands of her lover, Ernst, Pavel's best friend, she is paralyzed by her own fear of discovery--even as the endangered family for whom she cares so deeply struggles with the most difficult decision of their lives.
Born in Toronto in 1975, Alison grew up in Kitchener, Ontario and in Quebec’s Eastern Townships. She has a BA in Psychology from the University of Guelph and an M Phil from Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador. Currently on faculty in the Humber School for Writers' Creative Writing by Correspondence program, Alison Pick in Toronto where she is at work on a memoir. For more information visit http://www.alisonpick.com
This book left me a bit disappointed and I am not sure why. The point of view in the book is changing on a regular base. Though the effort has been made to make clear who is talking it is confusing at points but not to disturbing. I found it difficult to connect to Martha though she was supposed to be the sympathetic person in the book. There where to many things going on with her to get a clear view of the woman she was supposed to be. In a way she was behaving like a scared abused person but her thoughts where very strong at points not fitting in that characteristic. Easier was it to connect to Pavel and Pepik almost as easy as it was to get angry with Anneliese at points. Still I cannot escape the feeling there was so much more story behind all these characters that was left out.
The story of the journalist is very nicely woven into the whole situation. I like the way that is set up.
Still I cannot be very enthusiastic about the book, I enjoyed it enough but am not sure I would recommend it to other people.
Donderdagskind (Far to Go)
Author: Alison Pick
Publisher: Orlando Uitgever
ISBN-10: 902296003X
ISBN-13:9789022960035
Pages: 320
Format: Paperback
Orlando Uitgever: Paperback | eBook
Harper Perennial: Trade Paperback
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