First published 2017
In an unnamed country at the dawn of the twentieth century, a peasant couple desperate for a child turns to gypsy remedies and old folk cures. On a frigid winter night, their prayers are answered, but the baby's birth is met with ominous silence. Pavla grows into a child who strikes fear into strangers and sends villagers hurrying past with their own children in tow. She is different in ways that make people uncomfortable, unable to speak in her presence. Only Danilo, a young man from the village, sees past what others find disturbing. He becomes devoted to Pavla's protection, finding beauty where the rest of the world sees only something to fear. This tale weaves together elements from folklore and fairy tales to create a story that follows the unlikely bond between Pavla and Danilo. Their connection becomes the heart of a love story that unfolds against the backdrop of a community's prejudice and misunderstanding.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, fantasy, fairy-tale-retellings
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, lyrical
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, social-outcast
Setting: Unnamed Country
Period: Dawn of 20th Century
354 pages · Kindle Edition · Oneworld Publications