Hana by Alena Mornštajnová, a bestselling novel based on real events with the pace and drama of a gripping film is now available in English.
This novel contains two storylines that take place on two different spatial-temporal planes. In a Czech town, nine-year-old Mira’s family succumbs to an outbreak of typhoid in the 1950s. She ends up in the hands of her strange aunt Hana. Later on, she discovers hidden facts about Hana’s past and the tragic story of Mira’s own family, which is revealed to be Jewish.
The second storyline of the novel is from World War II and shares Hana’s story. It takes place in Auschwitz and Theresienstadt and explores the guilt motif that Hana felt over the death of her parents.
A page-turner, Hana is narrated in a traditional manner, with skilled realism, a flair for dramatic rhythm and composition, and deep knowledge about the time and circumstances of the story.
The novel is translated by Julia Sherwood and Peter Sherwood.