Background : World War II
Story 1 :
Marie - Laurie Le Blanc, is a French girl who looses her eye sight at the age of 6. She lives with her locksmith father in Paris. Her father makes a wooden replica of the neighbourhood, so that Marie-Laurie can easily walk around. In the museum where her father works, she hears a story of a very rare and costly diamond which is cursed. Anyone who possesses the diamond will never die but misfortune will hover around him. The museum takes enough precaution to hide this diamond and also makes replicas of the same. When Germany attacks Paris, Marie-Laurie and her father take refuge to her great uncle's house in the walled city of Saint-Malo. Her initial days in Saint-Malo is full of anxiety as she wants to go back to Paris. As a thirteen year old, who does not understand the complications of the war, not being allowed to go outside to the beach, makes her angry. But when she finds out that her father is making a wooden model of the neighborhood in Saint-Malo, she realizes that their dream of going back to Paris is far fetched. The war takes a more devastating turn and she has to do things which is nerve racking for someone like her.
Marie - Laurie Le Blanc, is a French girl who looses her eye sight at the age of 6. She lives with her locksmith father in Paris. Her father makes a wooden replica of the neighbourhood, so that Marie-Laurie can easily walk around. In the museum where her father works, she hears a story of a very rare and costly diamond which is cursed. Anyone who possesses the diamond will never die but misfortune will hover around him. The museum takes enough precaution to hide this diamond and also makes replicas of the same. When Germany attacks Paris, Marie-Laurie and her father take refuge to her great uncle's house in the walled city of Saint-Malo. Her initial days in Saint-Malo is full of anxiety as she wants to go back to Paris. As a thirteen year old, who does not understand the complications of the war, not being allowed to go outside to the beach, makes her angry. But when she finds out that her father is making a wooden model of the neighborhood in Saint-Malo, she realizes that their dream of going back to Paris is far fetched. The war takes a more devastating turn and she has to do things which is nerve racking for someone like her.
Story 2:
This story is of a German boy Werner. Werner and his sister, Jutta, lives in a children's home in Germany. Werner has an acute knack for science specially in mending old radios. He repairs an old radio and listens to a broadcast by someone from France. The person mostly talks to kids about the wonders of science and the Universe. Werner and his sister loves that broadcast but as war progresses the broadcast stops. Werner's prodigy catches the eye of a German Commander who gets him admission in the infamous Hitler Youth Academy. For Werner it was his only way out from the children's home and pursue his dream of becoming and engineer. Werner does well in the academy, but the horrific events in the academy makes him realize that he will have to bury his emotions and his sense of right and wrong.
All through the book we get to learn about the war and how it changes people's lives on both sides. Marie-Lauri's anxious wait for her father, her eagerness to go out and her frustration in not being able to do so. Werner's shock and disgust at the sight of people being killed at the slightest of doubt, not even sparing kids. The author has been able to portray these feelings extremely well and it would seem as if you can visualize the war right in front of you.
The way these two stories have been brought together at the climax is something that makes this book worth reading. Inspite of the war and all the devastation around at the end the book talks about how goodness and selflessness triumphs over the evil and makes life worth living.
It took me first 10 chapters to actually get a grasp of what is happening, but once you get that, the book is unputdownable!! The chapters are very small, which makes it easy to comprehend and not loose track of the story. Though Marie-Laurie and Werner were the two main characters and the story revolves around them, there are other important characters in the book, and the author has woven stories with them as well. And, all these characters are brought back at the end of the story, thus giving conclusion to each story. Author's strong command over the language will make you smile and cry along with the characters.
Overall. this is the kind of book, whose effect will linger on for quite sometime.
This story is of a German boy Werner. Werner and his sister, Jutta, lives in a children's home in Germany. Werner has an acute knack for science specially in mending old radios. He repairs an old radio and listens to a broadcast by someone from France. The person mostly talks to kids about the wonders of science and the Universe. Werner and his sister loves that broadcast but as war progresses the broadcast stops. Werner's prodigy catches the eye of a German Commander who gets him admission in the infamous Hitler Youth Academy. For Werner it was his only way out from the children's home and pursue his dream of becoming and engineer. Werner does well in the academy, but the horrific events in the academy makes him realize that he will have to bury his emotions and his sense of right and wrong.
All through the book we get to learn about the war and how it changes people's lives on both sides. Marie-Lauri's anxious wait for her father, her eagerness to go out and her frustration in not being able to do so. Werner's shock and disgust at the sight of people being killed at the slightest of doubt, not even sparing kids. The author has been able to portray these feelings extremely well and it would seem as if you can visualize the war right in front of you.
The way these two stories have been brought together at the climax is something that makes this book worth reading. Inspite of the war and all the devastation around at the end the book talks about how goodness and selflessness triumphs over the evil and makes life worth living.
It took me first 10 chapters to actually get a grasp of what is happening, but once you get that, the book is unputdownable!! The chapters are very small, which makes it easy to comprehend and not loose track of the story. Though Marie-Laurie and Werner were the two main characters and the story revolves around them, there are other important characters in the book, and the author has woven stories with them as well. And, all these characters are brought back at the end of the story, thus giving conclusion to each story. Author's strong command over the language will make you smile and cry along with the characters.
Overall. this is the kind of book, whose effect will linger on for quite sometime.
No comments:
Post a Comment