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Average rating3
I was attracted to this one because I really enjoyed the author's previous novel
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23346800-creative-truths-in-provincial-policing
which was a light hearted and surreal farce set in the exotic climes of Vietnam. This one isn't any of those things, but is instead the story of a woman having a terrible time during the WWII occupation of Poland. An afterword explains that it's very close to home for the author, being inspired by the experiences of her grandmother. While it's uncomfortably vivd in the depiction of misery, there is also hope and endurance here, alongside a cast of engaging and believable characters. The contrast with her earlier book demonstrates that Lichtarowicz has a considerable range and taking the two together she should really be better known than she is.