An act of desperation divides a mother and her child. Only an act of faith can reunite them. Trudy Hulst has no idea if her husband survived his attempted escape past the newly constructed Berlin Wall, but she knows too well the consequences of his actions. Now branded the wife of a defector, she faces a life in prison. With no real choice, she is forced to follw, praying she can find a way to claim their child once she's in West Berlin. Surviving her harrowing break for freedom, Trudy learns the truth about her husband. Left to wander the wall like a ghost, she lives for brief glimpses of her son, stranded behind barbed wire and surrounded by armed soldiers. And Trudy knows she will do anything to get him back.

 This is a fiercely gripping story that will have the reader anxiously turning the pages to discover what will happen to Trudy and her son, Stefan. Full of realistic detail about all aspects of life in post-war Berlin, Trudy's desperation and dogged determination to be reunited with her son will engage even the hardest of readers. One criticism I would make is that the plot takes a somewhat glamorous twist when Trudy is swept off to the United States of America to attempt to enlist the help of the President. While this was obviously intended to incorporate detailed reference to the assassinatation of JFK, it came across as being rather detatched and ingenuine compared to the rest of the story. Further on in the book, however, I was moved to tears and few books have the ability to provoke this reaction from me.

 Worth reading from a historical perspective as well for pleasure; the edition I have included questions for a reading group to discuss but these could be adapted for use in a classroom situation. For readers over 16, but perhaps very mature younger readers may appreciate and enjoy this book.

Buy this Book

2008-07-13