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London, 1939
As war breaks out in Europe, two families face their own conflicts. Two Quaker brothers, Paul and Charlie Lamb, sign a pledge of peace. Jewish crystallographer Mrs Morningstar sleeps restlessly, unable to bear the guilt of her work. And her daughter, Miriam, comes home with her stockings inside out but can't confess where she has been.
By the end of the war, they will each have to make impossible choices. Lines will be crossed, secrets will out, and lives will be lost.
'Poignant without ever being sentimental, morally complex and deftly woven - this is a book that gets better and better with every chapter' Gavin Extence
'Tender and absorbing. An intriguing glimpse into the pacifist's world' Esther Freud
About the author
Sophie Hardach is the author of three novels, The Registrar's Manual for Detecting Forced Marriages, about Kurdish refugees, Of Love and Other Wars, about pacifists during World War Two, and Confession with Blue Horses, about the repercussions of the division of Germany on the lives of individuals. Also a journalist, she worked as a correspondent for Reuters news agency in Tokyo, Paris and Milan and and has written for a number of publications including the Guardian, BBC Future and The Economist. Her first non-fiction book, Languages Are Good For Us, was published by Head of Zeus in 2021.
Summary
The story of a Quaker family and a Jewish family in love and at war during WWII.
Report
'oignant without ever being sentimental, morally complex and deftly woven - this is a book that gets better and better with every chapter' Gavin Extence
