Leo, Max, and Elsa are best friends in Austria in 1936. They spend hours playing together including one perfect day that ended with a Ferris wheel ride and a photo taken by Max's father that captures their joy. But the world is a dangerous place in 1936, and Hitler's army soon invades Austria.
Elsa's family quickly decides to leave the country in the hope of finding safety else. It is not good to be Jewish in a country controlled by the Nazis. They hope Prague will be safer, but it isn't long until Hitler's army follows them there, too.
Leo's family decides to say in Vienna, but life becomes increasingly difficult for them as his father loses his photography business and his family is stigmatized for their Jewish heritage. But that stigma quickly leads to something more dangerous and terrifying.
Max's father always hated his son's Jewish friends, and he becomes a rising star in Hitler's army. His rhetoric of hate and violence quickly takes root in Max's heart, and he begins to wonder if his father was right about his friends all along.
Through the years, the three friends are separated, but they each hold onto the memory of that perfect day on the Ferris wheel even as they struggle through harrowing events.
Liz Kessler's story is inspired by her own family history of escape from the holocaust. It is a thoughtful and heartbreaking exploration of friendship and memory set against the background of one of history's greatest atrocities. Some parts, especially in Max's sections, are difficult to read as you watch his turn from a loving friend to an adherent of Naziism. There are definite parallels to circumstances in our modern world as we see people turn to extremism and hate when faced with adversity. The story is beautiful, painful, and perfectly written. Highly recommended.
No comments:
Post a Comment