Under a Fire-Red Sky
A Novel
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- 89,00 kr
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- 89,00 kr
Utgivarens beskrivning
From award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Geraldine McCaughrean, an utterly immersive and unforgettable novel set during the London Blitz, inspired by the author’s father
With World War II on their doorstep, the children of Greenwich, England, are being evacuated. But on the train meant to take them to safety, four of them decide they aren’t ready to leave home. They climb out the carriage window just in time, forging an unlikely friendship.
With their school taken over by the fire service, they spend their days trying to be useful. Lawrence is building a secret machine. Gemmy searches bombed-out homes for things of value—only to find an adorable mutt she can’t even give away. Franklin wants to join the fire service, even if it means lying about his age. Olive looks after her father, haunted by the deaths of his fellow firemen.
Together, the four friends roam the streets of London, discovering their resilience amongst the secrets of the city. But as the Blitz unleashes a barrage of bombs, turning the sky ragged with flame, can they keep one another safe?
Beautifully researched and full of both heartbreak and hope, Under a Fire-Red Sky is a celebration of friendship during even the darkest times.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Four English teens struggle to navigate the beginning of WWII in this moving accounting by McCaughrean (Where the World Ends). As war looms, children are evacuated from London homes and sent to the countryside for their safety. Just as her train is scheduled to leave Greenwich, however, teenage Gemmy disembarks, prompting three other teens in her railcar—Olive, Lawrence, and Franklin—to follow suit. Each one has their own reasons for remaining in London. Though resolute Gemmy is eager to escape her physically abusive father, she fears being under the guardianship of a stranger with a similar temperament; Olive worries about leaving behind her fireman father; posh Lawrence wants to return to the airplane he's building in his garage; and brave Franklin yearns to do something for his community. Upon finding an abandoned van for shelter, Gemmy resolves to make a living on the streets alongside Franklin, while Lawrence and Olive head home to continue their own responsibilities. But as the Blitz begins, the four friends must rely on one another to survive. Assured prose details harrowing yet exciting adventure, while thoroughly researched worldbuilding and thoughtful characterizations round out this engaging, teen-centered look at an important slice of British history. Ages 12–up.
