Extraordinarily powerful and emotional, this debut fictional tale, based around a true event that occurred during the Second World War, is one that shouldn't be missed. On the brink of war, clouds are gathering in a small French village, a young boy tries to weather the storm, a couple fall in love and we discover that for one person the tempest has already passed and is now buried in silence. Time doesn't run sequentially, allowing a feeling of disquiet, concern and dread to steal across the pages as worlds and lives collide. This story feels very personal, the author shows us ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, living life as best they can. If you aren't already aware of the incident that occurs towards the end of the book, don't research it further until you've finished, instead connect to the people, let them become a part of you, experience their dreams and feel their emotions, in this eloquently moving and thought provoking novel. ~ Liz Robinson
1952 A woman waits. She does not speak. Her past haunts and she cannot contemplate her future. She is watched over by nuns at a convent in south west France. Mute ever since she turned up at their door in the weeks following the defeat of Germany, her name is Adeline and she has a secret. 1940 Sebastian, a young Jewish businessman living in Limoges, has fallen in love with a local girl. But as the mood in the country darkens it seems their future is threatened. Ten-year-old Tristin and his family leave Paris for the safety of the French countryside. They settle in a quiet village in the unoccupied zone where life appears unaffected by war. Adeline and her family run the small shop on the high street. As the war progresses their stories become entwined. And when a horrifying event rocks their peaceful village nothing will ever be the same...
Cesca Major read history at Bristol University. She went on to work in television as a researcher and presenter for four years before becoming a history teacher. Her first real writing success came in 2005 when she was runner up in the Daily Mail Writing Competition for the best opening paragraph to a novel. She has won, or been placed, in some short story competitions since then including the annual competitions for: Women and Home, Wells Festival of Literature, Grace Dieu and has also had a short story published in the Sentinel Literary Magazine. She reads widely and has written regular reviews and features for the popular women's fiction website www.novelicious.com. She currently works as a housemistress at a secondary boarding school in Berkshire. She lives in Bradfield with her husband and their brood of ex-battery chickens.
Click here to read more about her journey to getting published.
