by Rose Tremain
First published 2007
Lev boards a bus bound for Britain, leaving behind his Eastern European homeland and the ghosts of his past. His wife is dead. His young daughter waits at home. His friend Rudi dreams of Western wealth while tending to his old Chevrolet. Lev carries these memories as he enters a foreign world that bewilders him at every turn. British streets feel unwelcoming. The pubs seem closed to outsiders. Everyone talks about celebrities he has never heard of. Yet London offers tantalizing prospects. He might find genuine friendship among strangers. He could discover romance again. Money and meaningful work await somewhere in this vast city. Most importantly, Lev hopes to build a new identity in this strange land. The question becomes whether an immigrant can truly belong in a place so different from everything he has known.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, new-identity
Setting: Britain, Eastern Europe, London
Period: contemporary
451 pages · Paperback · Plon