Tears of Amber
Published on 1. May 2021
Book
Paperback/Softback
494 pages
978-1-5420-2791-5 (ISBN)
Description
From the bestselling author of The Murmur of Bees comes a transportive novel of two families uprooted by war and united by the bonds of love and courage.
With war looming dangerously close, Ilse's school days soon turn to lessons of survival. In the harshness of winter, her family must join the largest exodus in human history to survive. As battle lines are drawn and East Prussia's borders vanish beneath them, they leave their farm and all they know behind for an uncertain future.
But Ilse also has Janusz, her family's young Polish laborer, by her side. As they flee from the Soviet army, his enchanting folktales keep her mind off the cold, the hunger, and the horrors unfolding around them. He tells her of a besieged kingdom in the Baltic Sea from which spill the amber tears of a heartbroken queen.
Neither of them realizes his stories will prove crucial and prophetic.
Not far away, trying and failing to flee from a vengeful army, Arno and his mother hide in the ruins of a Koenigsberg mansion, hoping that once the war ends they can reunite their dispersed family. But their stay in the walled city proves untenable when they find themselves dodging bombs and scavenging in the rubble. Soon they'll become pawns caught between two powerful enemies, on a journey with an unknown destination.
Hope carries these children caught in the crosshairs of war on an extraordinary pilgrimage in which the gift of an amber teardrop is at once a valuable form of currency and a symbol of resilience, one that draws them together against insurmountable odds.
With war looming dangerously close, Ilse's school days soon turn to lessons of survival. In the harshness of winter, her family must join the largest exodus in human history to survive. As battle lines are drawn and East Prussia's borders vanish beneath them, they leave their farm and all they know behind for an uncertain future.
But Ilse also has Janusz, her family's young Polish laborer, by her side. As they flee from the Soviet army, his enchanting folktales keep her mind off the cold, the hunger, and the horrors unfolding around them. He tells her of a besieged kingdom in the Baltic Sea from which spill the amber tears of a heartbroken queen.
Neither of them realizes his stories will prove crucial and prophetic.
Not far away, trying and failing to flee from a vengeful army, Arno and his mother hide in the ruins of a Koenigsberg mansion, hoping that once the war ends they can reunite their dispersed family. But their stay in the walled city proves untenable when they find themselves dodging bombs and scavenging in the rubble. Soon they'll become pawns caught between two powerful enemies, on a journey with an unknown destination.
Hope carries these children caught in the crosshairs of war on an extraordinary pilgrimage in which the gift of an amber teardrop is at once a valuable form of currency and a symbol of resilience, one that draws them together against insurmountable odds.
Reviews / Votes
A New York Times Globetrotting Pick!"Readers will quickly bond with the families and secondary characters, as Segovia, author of the acclaimed The Murmur of Bees (2019), makes each individual memorable. The variety of background stories and voices allows for greater understanding of shared experiences and creates deeper emotional engagement...Segovia's novel provides the domestic perspective of those caught in conflicts they have no power to change. Book groups and individual readers will find plenty to appreciate and discuss." -Booklist (starred review)
"Ably translated into English for an American readership by Simon Bruni, Tears of Amber is a deftly crafted and inherently engaging novel that fully showcases author Sofia Segovia's genuine flair for eloquent originality and the kind of narrative storytelling style that is memorably entertaining and holds the reader's rapt and riveted attention throughout." -Midwest Book Review
"Segovia's vivid descriptions of how refugees do whatever necessary to survive compels readers to be sympathetic with human struggles, rather than simply taking sides in a conflict. This story demonstrates the staggering toll war takes, especially on women, left to carry on..." -Authorlink
"Translated from Spanish, this breathtaking novel follows the stories of three children caught in the midst of war. In the middle of Prussia's harsh winter, Ilse and her family must take part in the world's largest exodus in history if they want to survive. While fleeing the Soviet army, she has only the folklore stories of Janusz, her Polish friend, to keep her spirits up. Not far away, Arno and his mother hide in an abandoned mansion, hoping to stay out of the clutches of war. But all of their lives will collide in this story of war, hope, and resilience." -BuzzFeed
"A skillfully rendered tale, at once heartbreaking and heartwarming." -The Washington Post
"Inspired by real events and published in English for the first time, Tears of Amber is an extraordinary and inspirational story." -Ms. Magazine
"The novel provides thought-provoking information on the demise of the Prussian state...Interestingly, the famous real-life Aleksander Solzhenitsyn, who was imprisoned for criticizing the violence against Prussian civilians, makes an appearance in the novel. The story continues after the ending of WWII for, as Segovia says, history never ends." -Historical Novel Society
"[An] achingly beautiful page-turner." -Women's Writers, Women's Books
"Segovia's newest novel, one sure to warm your heart, is Tears of Amber (Peregrinos is the Spanish version), focuses on two families from different regions of Prussia who flee their villages in an exodus provided by the horrors of World War II. It is hope that carries Ilse Hahlbrock and Arno Schipper, children caught in the crosshairs of war, on an extraordinary pilgrimage in which the gift of an amber teardrop is at once a valuable form of currency and a symbol of resilience. It draws them together against insurmountable odds." -Brooklyn Digest
"This is the type of book that you need to take your time with. It is a gripping read that grabs hold of your heart and doesn't let up. The characters come alive on the pages and you feel as if you are living the struggles, and some moments of joy, that they are going through right along with them. It truly is an atmospheric, all-encompassing read that it so hard to describe." -Always With a Book
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Seattle
United States
Publishing group
Amazon Publishing
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 210 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 32 mm
Weight
499 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5420-2791-5 (9781542027915)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Sofia Segovia was born in Monterrey, Mexico. She studied communications at Universidad de Monterrey, mistakenly thinking that she would be a journalist. But fiction is her first love. A creative writing teacher, she has also been a ghostwriter and communications director for local political campaigns and has written several plays for local theater. The Spanish edition of her bestselling El murmullo de las abejas (The Murmur of Bees) was an Audie Award winner and named novel of the year by iTunes, and the English translation by Simon Bruni and narrated by Xe Sands and Angelo Di Loreto was one of Audible's Top 10 of 2019 and a Voice Arts Award winner. She is also the author of Peregrinos (Tears of Amber), Noche de huracan (Night of the Hurricane), and Huracan (Hurricane). Sofia likes to travel the world, but she loves coming home to her husband, three children, two dogs, and cat. She writes her best surrounded and inspired by their joyous chaos. For more information visit www.sofiasegovia.com.
Simon Bruni translates literary works from Spanish, a language he acquired through total immersion living in Alicante, Valencia, and Santander. He studied Spanish and linguistics at Queen Mary University of London and literary translation at the University of Exeter. Simon's many published translations include novels, short stories, video games, and nonfiction publications, and he is the winner of three John Dryden translation awards: in 2017 and 2015 for Paul Pen's short stories "Cinnamon" and "The Porcelain Boy" and in 2011 for Francisco Perez Gandul's novel Cell 211. His translations of Paul Pen's The Light of the Fireflies and Sofia Segovia's The Murmur of Bees have both become international bestsellers. For more information visit www.simonbruni.com.
Simon Bruni translates literary works from Spanish, a language he acquired through total immersion living in Alicante, Valencia, and Santander. He studied Spanish and linguistics at Queen Mary University of London and literary translation at the University of Exeter. Simon's many published translations include novels, short stories, video games, and nonfiction publications, and he is the winner of three John Dryden translation awards: in 2017 and 2015 for Paul Pen's short stories "Cinnamon" and "The Porcelain Boy" and in 2011 for Francisco Perez Gandul's novel Cell 211. His translations of Paul Pen's The Light of the Fireflies and Sofia Segovia's The Murmur of Bees have both become international bestsellers. For more information visit www.simonbruni.com.