Britannia Road 22

The Polish Silvana and her husband Janusz are separated by the war: he is called up for military service and she tries in vain to return to her family. For six years she survives with her son in miserable conditions in the woods. Finally, in 1946, the family is reunited in England. In their new home at 22 Britannia Road they try to build a new life, but both Silvana and Janusz are haunted by secrets from their past that they try to keep hidden from each other. `A fascinating novel about a Polish couple who, scarred by war and love, find each other again.' - Oprah Magazine `A brilliant, compelling book that shows the forces, disappointments and choices that a traumatic situation can unleash in ordinary people.' - Marie Claire `Hodgkinson's description of the primal bond between mother and child, her understanding of the enormous, frightening weight of love that mothers have to bear, war or no war, leaves an indelible impression. The New York Times Books Review `A remarkably well-told, moving book.' - The Times