A paperback edition (2016, Chatto & Windus) in Good condition — covered in protective plastic, enhancing resale appeal.
It is 1939 in Germany, and two children — Erich and Sieglinde — grow up under the shadow of the Nazi regime. As propaganda infiltrates every corner of their lives, they cling to fragments of truth and imagination. Narrated by the mysterious "Wish Child," this haunting novel explores innocence, complicity, and survival in a world where lies are more powerful than reality.
Rated 4.0/5 on Goodreads from 1,500+ ratings — "Lyrical and unsettling — Chidgey captures the atmosphere of wartime Germany with chilling precision."
Admired for its haunting child's perspective, themes of propaganda and truth, and poetic prose. Readers highlight the fragility of innocence in times of war and the deeply moving emotional payoff of Chidgey's shifting narration.
Perfect for fans of Markus Zusak's The Book Thief or Anthony Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See. Pairs beautifully with Zusak, Doerr, or Pat Barker's The Silence of the Girls for a Prize-Winning Historical Fiction bundle.
