Winner of The People’s Book Awards 2013
‘Malby navigates these difficult waters with ease. Brilliantly done.’
‘Great insight into the human condition and subtlety shown in her writing.’
‘Lovely portrayal of people dealing with massive national and personal change in Eastern Europe…difficult to put down at times and I keep thinking about the characters, even now!
‘Only a few amazing stories like Eyes of the Dragon, by Stephen King, and Captain Corelli’s Mandolin have had me similarly engrossed enough for a single-day read through.’
‘Malby masterfully draws you in deeper to their world and their lives; like slowly peeling layers off to reveal a masterpiece.’
‘A wonderfully addictive book with beautiful characterisation and imagery.’
‘You find yourself building connection and empathy with every page turn.’
‘Elaborate interweaving of historical events with personal stories.’
‘Totally captivates you from start to finish.’
Imagine a world where your every move is monitored, every contact scrutinised; a world where your mail arrives mysteriously opened and your movement restricted. What would you do if there was a knock at the door in the early hours of the morning and you knew that you would be faced with the secret police? Imagine being imprisoned for believing in freedom of speech, risking losing everything: your job, your family, your life.
What would you do to secure your own freedom?
This is the story of Jana, a young Czech girl navigating her way through a harsh communist regime, who encounters loss, betrayal and fear. Watching the fall of the Berlin Wall on her television screen in Prague, and marching in the crowds of the Velvet Revolution in 1989 with her father, are some of the experiences which shape her life. But how will she deal with the changes once the borders are opened up, and a new life awaits?
F.C. MALBY 
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