First published 1979
The three young men arrive on British soil with nothing but their desperation and the weight of their failed escape attempt. Branded as dissidents by the Soviet system they tried to flee, these Ukrainian Jewish students now face an uncertain future as asylum seekers in a foreign land. Their hijacking plot has landed them in international headlines, but freedom comes with its own complications. British authorities must decide their fate while the students grapple with the consequences of their dramatic bid for liberty. Each carries the scars of persecution that drove them to such extreme measures, yet their arrival in England offers no guarantee of the sanctuary they desperately seek. Their story unfolds against the backdrop of Cold War tensions, where political refugees become pawns in larger geopolitical games. The students must navigate not only the asylum process but also their own fractured relationships and the psychological toll of their harrowing journey from oppression to an uncertain hope for freedom.
Genres: historical-fiction, adventure, political-thriller
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, political-intrigue
Setting: Britain, England, Ukraine
Period: Cold War
Paperback · Avon Books