Susan Meissner - A háború utolsó esztendeje

A heartwarming story about friendship, family, fear and the difficulties of children of immigrant parents.
- Publishers Weekly

The Last Year of the War tells a little-known story from the Second World War that raises questions that are still relevant today about who we really are and whether we can remain ourselves under any circumstances.

Elise Sontag is a typical American teenager in 1943. He knows about the war raging in the world, but he thinks that the events are happening far away from him. Soon his father, who has been in the United States legally for nearly two decades, is suddenly arrested on suspicion of being a Nazi sympathizer. The family is sent to an internment camp in Texas, and behind the barbed wire, Elise feels stripped of everything that has been important to her in her life, including her own identity. Only one thing makes camp life somewhat bearable: meeting Mariko Inoue, the Japanese-American teenager. Mariko's friendship gives Elise the strength to believe she can regain her pre-war life. In the desert wilderness, Elise and Mariko dream together about their future together in America, which awaits them on the other side of the fence.

However, when the Sontag family is exchanged for American prisoners of war and resettled in Germany, Elise is forced to face the fact that the fate of the war will not escape her either. In the ruins of destruction, he must find out if he has the strength to rise above prejudice and hatred and regain control of his own destiny; or disappear forever in a life imposed on him by others.

"The Last Year of the War dissects the complexities of love, friendship, and belonging. With vividly drawn characters and elegant prose, Meissner shines a light on a dark, forgotten corner of American history. This very timely story will stay with the reader for a long time."
- Kristina McMorris, The New York Times bestselling author

"A beautifully constructed, wonderfully written novel, yet as real as a real photo album. It shows the deep friendships, moments of bravery, love, life-changing decisions and heartbreaking tragedies experienced by millions of innocent people during World War II."
- BookTrib

"Vivid historical detail and elegant prose characterize this heartwarming story of friendship, family, fear, and the hardships of American-born children of immigrant parents."
- Publishers Weekly