The World That We Knew

* LONGLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL * ‘Oh, what a book this is! Hoffman’s exploration of the world of good and evil, and the constant contest between them, is unflinching; and the humanity she brings to us – it is a glorious experience. The book builds and builds, as she weaves together, seamlessly, the stories of people in the most desperate of circumstances – and then it delivers with a tremendous punch. It opens up the world … in a way that is absolutely unique. By the end you may be weeping’ Elizabeth Strout, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Olive Kitteridge   In Berlin in 1941 during humanity’s darkest hour, three unforgettable young women must act with courage and love to survive, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Dovekeepers and The Marriage of Opposites Alice Hoffman.  In Berlin, at the time when the world changed, Hanni Kohn knows she must send her twelve-year-old daughter away to save her from the Nazi regime. She finds her way to a renowned rabbi, but it’s his daughter, Ettie, who offers hope of salvation when she creates a mystical Jewish creature, a rare and unusual golem, who is sworn to protect Lea. Once Ava is brought to life, she and Lea and Ettie become eternally entwined, their paths fated to cross, their fortunes linked. Lea and Ava travel from Paris, where Lea meets her soulmate, to a convent in western France known for its silver roses; from a school in a mountaintop village where three thousand Jews were saved. Meanwhile, Ettie is in hiding, waiting to become the fighter she's destined to be. What does it mean to lose your mother? How much can one person sacrifice for love? In a world where evil can be found at every turn, we meet remarkable characters that take us on a stunning journey of loss and resistance, the fantastical and the mortal, in a place where all roads lead past the Angel of Death and love is never ending. Praise for Alice Hoffman: 'A major contribution to twenty-first century literature' Toni Morrisonon The Museum of Extraordinary Things ‘A great atmospheric storyteller… Her books are a real pleasure’ Kate Atkinson  'Hoffman reminds us with every sentence that words have the power to transport us to alternate worlds, to heal a broken heart, and to tie us irrevocably to the people we love' Jodi Picoult 'Miss Hoffman heals wounds with the gentle touch of an angel' Joseph Heller ‘Hoffman… writes with heartbreaking clarity’ The Times ‘Alice Hoffman is simply brilliant’ Daily Mail 'Hoffman knows how to tell a good story' Sunday Times 'Monumental… magical, moving… beautifully written... A genuine masterpiece' Daily Mail on The Dovekeepers 'One of the finest writers of her generation' Newsweek

About the Author :
Alice Hoffman is the author of thirty works of fiction, including Practical Magic, The Dovekeepers, Magic Lessons, and The Book of Magic. Visit her website: AliceHoffman.com.

Review :
‘Oh, what a book this is! Hoffman’s exploration of the world of good and evil, and the constant contest between them, is unflinching; and the humanity she brings to us – it is a glorious experience. The book builds and builds, as she weaves together, seamlessly, the stories of people in the most desperate of circumstances – and then it delivers with a tremendous punch. It opens up the world … in a way that is absolutely unique. By the end you may be weeping’  ‘A hymn to the power of resistance, perseverance, and enduring love in dark times…gravely beautiful…Hoffman the storyteller continues to dazzle’ ‘With the dream-like feel of a fairy tale, this is the story of a young Jewish girl who is sent away from Berlin during the Second World War… this classic fairy tale of good versus evil is wonderful. The storytelling is lush and vivid, and it stayed with me for a long time’ ‘This fable of love and sacrifice blends magic realism with brutal history to devastating effect . . . a spellbinding testament to resilience in the face of evil’ ‘A whirlwind, multi-strand plot honours real-life atrocities and everyday heroism . . . the emotional power of Hoffman’s storytelling is rarely in doubt’ ‘Will break your heart, and then stitch it back together piece by piece. It’s about love and loss, about history and the world today, about what happens when man goes against the laws of nature for good and for evil’ ‘Hoffman’s fictional world is one of violence and terror, in which the angel of death is a menacing presence; it is also one that celebrates the redemptive power of love and sacrifice. Infusing the real events of the Holocaust with Jewish mysticism and folk tales, she has created an original, deeply moving novel’ ‘Three unforgettable women, Lea, Ettie and Ava, escape the Nazi regime in Berlin in 1941. During humanity’s darkest hour, where evil can be found at every turn, they must find hidden courage and love to survive against all odds. A magical read from a wonderful writer’ ‘Breaching the space between reality and mysticism . . . the battle between evil and love, and myth and truth is so powerfully woven into the evocative narrative it will take your breath away’