The World That We Knew: A NovelNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * LONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL On the brink of World War II, with the Nazis tightening their grip on Berlin, a mother’s act of courage and love offers her daughter a chance of survival. “[A] hymn to the power of resistance, perseverance, and enduring love in dark times…gravely beautiful…Hoffman the storyteller continues to dazzle.” —THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW At the time when the world changed, Hanni Kohn knows she must send her twelve-year-old daughter away to save her from the Nazi regime. Her desperation leads her to Ettie, the daughter of a rabbi whose years spent eavesdropping on her father enables her to create a mystical Jewish creature, a rare and unusual golem, who is sworn to protect Hanni’s daughter, Lea. Once Ava is brought to life, she and Lea and Ettie become eternally entwined, their paths fated to cross, their fortunes linked. What does it mean to lose your mother? How much can one person sacrifice for love? In a world where evil can be found at every turn, we meet remarkable characters that take us on a stunning journey of loss and resistance, the fantastical and the mortal, in a place where all roads lead past the Angel of Death and love is never-ending. |
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ALICE HOFFMAN alive angel ARDÈCHE asked Auschwitz Ava's Azriel barn beautiful Beehive House bees Berlin birds blue Bobeshi breath brother called Cazales clay creature dark daughter doctor door dream dress Ettie Ettie's everything eyes face farm father felt garden gaze German Girard girl golem gone grandfather grass hair hand Hanni happened HAUTE-LOIRE heard heart Hebrew alphabet Henri Girard heron inside Izieu Jewish Jews Julien kitchen knew laughed LE CHAMBON-SUR-LIGNON Lea's leave Lévi lived look Madame Marianne Marta Monsieur Félix morning mother superior murdered never night nodded numbers once Paris perhaps professor pulled rabbi's wife rose rutted road shook sister slept soldiers someone soul speak stay stood stop tall tell things thought told took trees turned Victor VIENNE village waiting walked wanted watch window wished woman woods young