The Long Shadow

by Gaynor Gabriel

Sarah, nine years old, endures yet another air-raid in the street shelter in Blitz-torn England. At the same time nine-year old Claude is practising an escape should their house in occupied France be raided by the Gestapo. Sarah and Claude, Jews, and their families experience the devastating effects of Nazi Germany. The children are deeply traumatised, Sarah by the fate of her mother during an air-raid and Claude by the 'disappearance' of his family. The effects of their tragic experiences are played out very differently. The early lives of the children, though in different cultures and different circumstances, manifest very similar parallel experiences. It is only when the two central characters meet as adults that the effects of the trauma show themselves clearly and very dramatically. The novel traces four generations of the two families through to the final powerful and moving outcome.

204 pages, Hardcover

First published August 13, 2013

Reviews

[Gail Wylde · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. This was a story that really got under your skin. As I began I did think this wasn't the book for me as the beginning seemed very fast in the build up. But once the scene was set the characters were beautifully handled and you came to really care about them. A very emotional story of a very painful subject. I would recommend this book

[AprilFalls · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wrote a whole coverage on this

[Myra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this book as a giveaway and I'm sure glad that I did. It helps that I love historical fiction around WWII. When I first started this book I felt confused and found it hard to follow, it felt a little disjointed. However that was only for the first chapter. After that it captivated me and I was drawn in to the characters worlds. My heart ached for all of the characters, especially Sarah and Claude. I wanted it to be a love story and feel good story for them, but instead was taken into a dark place that sheds light on how each person deals with grief differently. It either consumes them and everything in their life or is simply a part of them. I enjoyed the journey in a way that saddened me greatly for these characters and opened my eyes up to how survivors of WWII could have suffered or lived. A great story that is heart wrenching and beautiful all at the same time.

[Keith Dixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

really enjoyed this. Shows how society can easily turn on others.