Tautly atmospheric, this novel resurrects a little-known chapter of history, bringing timely questions about how individuals can resist and endure the atrocities they face. Characters have real depth in this utterly compelling novel which challenges us to question how we might react in similar circumstances and whether we would find ourselves the deceiver or the deceived.įreedom was obscure and families lived impoverished and starved under these awful circumstances who's not to give in to the Securitate (secret police)? At times brutal, but always compassionate, the story sees Cristian struggle under the pervasive surveillance and oppression of Ceausescu’s Romania. Short chapters and documentation create tension and danger and transport readers to the world of Romania in the 1980s. Trust and mistrust are a thematic tug-of-war for the characters in this book, who are forced by their government to lie, steal and inform on their friends and family. Dare he take part in a revolution and risk losing his individual freedoms or even his life?

Cristian learns that outside his country people have greater freedoms than he experiences. Ceausescu’s regime is a repressive one characterised by betrayal, fear and suspicion. Romania, 1989, seventeen-year-old Cristian is working as an informant for his government. Please consult our group leader information for guidance on taking part in shadowing.

Hodder Children's Books (13+) 9781444967616 (Paperback)ĭownload activities and reading resources

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