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A Place Not Home

by Eva Wiseman

This novel begins in Budapest, on the night of October 23, 1956, as 13-year-old Nelly and her family huddle for safety amid the sounds of gunfire. The blasting in the streets marks the beginning of the Hungarian revolution; we learn this fact, along with the date, from Nelly’s father who announces it rather stiltedly from underneath the table where the family has taken cover. An awkward narrative introduction, to be sure, but the story evolves rapidly from this point into a gripping adventure.

Nelly and her family soon discover that they have more to fear than revolutionary crossfire. Under the threat of a pogrom, they board a train with several other Jewish families and escape from Hungary. Their final destination turns out to be Canada, but what happens in between forms the main substance of this book. In part, the family’s journey is emblematic of the experience of all refugees who have had to redefine their notions of home; but it is equally about Nelly’s personal journey toward a stronger sense of self. Nelly remains in the care of her parents throughout the novel, but it is often her own combination of cunning and compassion that ensures their safe passage.

Although its dialogue and narrative style may fall short of eloquence, this novel succeeds in chronicling profound and disturbing human experiences with both grace and verisimilitude. The juxtaposition of a broad historical perspective with the narrower, individual focus of the adolescent heroine is what will make this account poignant and relevant for young readers.

 

Reviewer: Bridget Donald

Publisher: Lester

DETAILS

Price: $6.95

Page Count: 192 pp

Format: Paper

ISBN: 1-895555-91-4

Released: May

Issue Date: 1996-5

Categories:

Age Range: YA