The narrative follows tenacious protagonist [Eva] through fifty years of her harrowing, yet resilient, life and the devastating historical periods of Communism, the Holocaust, and the oppression of Nicolae Ceausescu, the cruel secretary general of the Romanian Communist Party. Shea’s elegant, pared-down prose . . . takes a significant slice of history and adroitly contains it into a tight, intimate story, where Eva collects bits and pieces of her shattered self, and stitches together a life of new possibility and humanity.” Boston Globe
"[Written] in poetic and emotionally restrained language . . . Evocative . . . Lyrical . . . An engaging read . . . Shea demonstrates her mastery of physical description and realistic detail."Washington Indepdent Review of Books
"Shea does an excellent job of capturing the individuality at the heart of a war that most readers know only from textbook summaries. . . . A satisfying read." Kirkus Reviews
"Compelling . . . Affecting . . . Reveals how history can impact individual lives." New York Journal of Books
Delivers a sure sense of . . . totalitarianism’s capacity to grind down the soul. . . . With a luminous ending.” Library Journal
"Surprising yet realistic . . . Shea's often painful chroncile is conveyed in beautifully sculpted language, alive with vivid prose and intricately layered metaphor. . . . But what might be a grim tale rises above its brutal context on delicate wings. Eva's indomitable spirit provides the message of hope that gives this honest account the sheen of magic every story needs. When I had finished reading the book, I had the urge to pres it on someone else. It is a book to love and to share. Pass it on." Belletrista blog
