What’s the book about?
Europe, 1940
With war on their doorstep, German classmates Klara and Rachel, and French brothers Lucien and Paul, are forced to leave their homes. They are taken to Gurs, a French detention camp in the south-west of France. It’s a crowded place, with little comfort and even less food.
When Klara and Rachel are promised safe refuge in a remote French village, Lucien and Paul are anxious to join them — and will risk their own lives to get there.
Filled with adventure, danger and intrigue, this is the story of four unlikely friends desperate to escape from a war that keeps coming closer.
Recommended for:
Ages 10+
Three reasons to read it:
- Set in Europe in 1940, The Year We Escaped doesn’t just show war, it brings it to life through the eyes of four brave children. Klara, Rachel, Lucien and Paul aren’t soldiers or spies, they’re just kids, like the reader, facing impossible circumstances. Their courage in the face of danger shows young readers that even in the darkest times, hope and heroism can shine through.
- The Gurs detention camp was a real place and Leal brings it to life in vivid, unforgettable detail. Cramped, cold and full of fear, it’s a setting that makes you appreciate your warm home and full plate. But it’s also a place where courage grows, where kids like Klara, Rachel, Lucien and Paul fight for their future. The Year We Escaped is for young history buffs or readers who love learning through story.
- If your family has enjoyed books like Hitler’s Daughter or We Are Wolves, The Year We Escaped will be your new favorite. Leal blends fact, fiction and feeling so beautifully, crafting a story that’s deeply emotional and brilliantly paced. It’s historical fiction done right: full of heart, action and unforgettable characters.
Buy a copy of The Year We Escaped here.
About the author:
Suzanne Leal is the author of novels The Teacher’s Secret, Border Street and The Deceptions, for which she won the Nib People’s Choice Prize and was shortlisted for the Davitt Awards, and the Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award. A senior member of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal and facilitator at community, corporate and literary events, Suzanne is the host of Thursday Book Club, a relaxed, friendly book club connecting readers online. www.suzanneleal.com
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