First published 2005
As WWII rages, Jewish refugees Claudette and her father flee across the Alps to Italy, hoping for safety. But the country is a battleground of Nazis, Allies, and resistance fighters. Caught in the crossfire, the Blums and other Jews must rely on a clandestine network of Italian citizens willing to risk everything to shelter them. Through this little-known true story, Mary Doria Russell's sweeping historical novel explores the courage, humanity, and moral dilemmas of ordinary people in extraordinary times.
Genres: historical-fiction, war, world-war-ii, jewish
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, moral-dilemmas
Setting: Italy, Alps
Period: World War II
430 pages · Hardcover · Random House
Content warnings: war