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No Second Chance
In 1947 Anna arrives in New Zealand bringing an old suitcase, a tattoo, and a secret.
The past casts a shadow over her first steps towards happiness. Dogged by memories and loss, she tries to begin a new life. Having survived, she must now embark on the present.
Des is a Wellington waterside worker, easy-going and laconic, but he also has been damaged by the war.
It should be simple for two young people in love to marry and start a family. So why does Anna feel terror at the prospect? Her struggle to overcome her fears and put the past behind her comes at a cost.
Their son, Brent, grows up in peacetime but something is missing. Protected from the crucial knowledge of his mother’s past, how can he understand her? Seeing her love as rejection, he feels forced to flee her controlling ways.
Later in life, their health failing, Anna and Des are dependent on each other. Estranged from her son, she longs to see more of her beloved grand-daughter, Lena, growing up in America. Her love for the child could be the catalyst for reconciliation, but how can she bring it about, and will she be in time?
'No Second Chance' spans a lifetime, crossing continents and cultures in a tale of cruelty, survival and redemption, from pre-war Austria, through the social upheaval and industrial unrest of New Zealand in the 1950s, to the modern day.
It explores the tension between the anchors of the past and the will to start anew. Brutality, guilt and secrecy affect not only an individual, but the generations to come.
This is the story of one woman’s choices, a woman with the courage and strength, finally, to face her demons.
In the end, only a special love can heal the wounds of the past.
The past casts a shadow over her first steps towards happiness. Dogged by memories and loss, she tries to begin a new life. Having survived, she must now embark on the present.
Des is a Wellington waterside worker, easy-going and laconic, but he also has been damaged by the war.
It should be simple for two young people in love to marry and start a family. So why does Anna feel terror at the prospect? Her struggle to overcome her fears and put the past behind her comes at a cost.
Their son, Brent, grows up in peacetime but something is missing. Protected from the crucial knowledge of his mother’s past, how can he understand her? Seeing her love as rejection, he feels forced to flee her controlling ways.
Later in life, their health failing, Anna and Des are dependent on each other. Estranged from her son, she longs to see more of her beloved grand-daughter, Lena, growing up in America. Her love for the child could be the catalyst for reconciliation, but how can she bring it about, and will she be in time?
'No Second Chance' spans a lifetime, crossing continents and cultures in a tale of cruelty, survival and redemption, from pre-war Austria, through the social upheaval and industrial unrest of New Zealand in the 1950s, to the modern day.
It explores the tension between the anchors of the past and the will to start anew. Brutality, guilt and secrecy affect not only an individual, but the generations to come.
This is the story of one woman’s choices, a woman with the courage and strength, finally, to face her demons.
In the end, only a special love can heal the wounds of the past.
329 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 24, 2018
A beautifully written book about a young Jewish woman post world war 2 who ends up living in Wellington. The writing style was perfect for the main character. It’s what wasn’t ever spoken that summed up her character. I loved it!
November 11, 2011
Beautifully written short novel about an Austrian jewish woman who escapes the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp and starts a new life in Wellington, New Zealand. She gradually learns to adjust, and marries a local man, but the echoes of her past haunt her and her family. The story unfolds in flashbacks as we learn more about what actually happened to her. It's terribly sad but very moving.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews