First published 1988
Rudi Matt lives in the shadow of the Citadel, the unconquered Alpine peak that killed his father. The sixteen-year-old Swiss boy works as a dishwasher while dreaming of becoming a guide like his father once was. When a team of English climbers arrives in Kurtal to attempt the Citadel, Rudi sees his chance. He joins their expedition despite his mother's fears and the village's doubts about his readiness. The mountain tests Rudi with avalanches, storms, and treacherous ice walls. His climbing partner falls into a crevasse. The weather turns deadly. Rudi must choose between his own safety and saving his companion. Each step up the Citadel forces him to confront what his father's death means and what kind of man he wants to become. The summit waits above, but the real challenge lies in proving he has the courage to honor his father's memory without repeating his father's fate.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, coming-of-age, mountaineering
Vibes: emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, redemption
Setting: Kurtal, Citadel, Switzerland
Period: 20th-century
256 pages · Hardcover · HarperCollins Children's Books