{"product_id":"9781922253392","title":"When the Sky Fell Apart","description":"\u003ci\u003eShe turned to look at the sea. Flat stretch of water, blank and blue as the sky above. Pretty as a picture, except with black and grey craters where the bombs had fallen: as though some thuggish child had scrawled all over the picture out of spite alone...\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cp\u003eJersey, June 1940. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e It starts with the burning man on the beach just after the bombs land, obliterating the last shred of hope that Hitler will avert his attention from the Channel Islands. Within weeks, 12,000 German troops land on the Jersey beaches, heralding a new era of occupation. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e For ten-year-old Claudine, it means a re-education under German rule, and as she befriends one of the soldiers, she inadvertently opens the gateway to a more sinister influence in her home with devastating consequences. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e For Maurice, a local fisherman, it means protecting his sick wife at all costs—even if it endangers his own life. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e Edith, the island’s unofficial homeopath, is a Jerriais through to her bones. But even she can’t save everyone, no matter how hard she tries. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnd as for English doctor Tim Carter—on the arrival of the brutal German Commandant, he becomes the subject of a terrifying regime that causes the locals to brand him a traitor, unaware of the torment he suffers in an effort to save them. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eWhen the Sky Fell Apart \u003c\/i\u003eis a heartbreaking chorus of the resilience of the human spirit. It introduces an exciting new voice in literary fiction.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCaroline Lea was born and raised in Jersey.  She gained a First in  English Literature and Creative Writing from Warwick University and has  had poetry published in \u003ci\u003eThe Phoenix Anthology\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eAn Aston Anthology\u003c\/i\u003e, which she also co-edited.  \u003ci\u003eWhen the Sky Fell Apart\u003c\/i\u003e is her first novel. \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e ‘An ambitious portrayal of the German occupation of Jersey during the Second World War…Lea’s fondness for Jersey brings the landscape to life with vivid descriptions, which are one of the novel’s highlights. An intriguing depiction of life under nazi occupation, the book explores a time and place rarely covered in fiction. It is an engaging narrative, and Lea should be applauded for a successful portrait of resilience and the strength of friendships during the challenges of wartime.’ \u003ci\u003eLady\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e‘[A] strong debut...A moving and chilling portrait of life under Nazi heel.’ \u003ci\u003eSunday Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e ‘Haunting…Through her characters’ struggles, Lea explores the unlikely  affinities that arise between humans during violent times and questions  how far we might go to protect those we love.’ \u003ci\u003eAustralian Women’s Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e‘This is a strong and lyrical first novel, that moves adroitly from the  obscenity of war to the complexities of marriages, children, loss and  loneliness.’ \u003ci\u003eOtago Daily Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e‘Debut author Lea evokes the land with the lyrical fondness of a native… A finely detailed exploration of life during wartime.’  \u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e‘Prepare for your heart to break…Deserves to be read, not only for the blast of reality from the past, but also as a warning for the future.’ \u003ci\u003eLovereading\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e ‘\u003ci\u003eWhen the Sky Fell Apart\u003c\/i\u003e is exceptional…one of those books that is difficult but nevertheless important.’ \u003ci\u003eWormhole\u003c\/i\u003e   \u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Text Publishing Company","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47154243961072,"sku":"9781922253392","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781922253392_p0.jpg?v=1763633105","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781922253392","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}