È in un letto dell'infermeria del kibbutz di cui era segretaria che viene trovata morta Osnat Harel, una bella donna sulla quarantina, le cui idee innovative e progressiste avevano dato uno scossone ai tradizionali principi di gestione della comunità. L'indagine, affidata a Michael Ohayon, un ispettore di polizia capace di leggere nel cuore delle persone, scava a fondo nella vita del kibbutz e ne fa emergere aspetti inquietanti e molti, inimmaginabili, segreti.
A new novel from an acclaimed Israeli writer presents a haunting tale of love and loss set against the backdrop of the Holocaust. In a ghetto being liquidated by the Nazis, eleven-year-old Hugo is taken by his mother to a local brothel for refuge. There, he encounters Mariana, a deeply unhappy prostitute who resents her life choices. Night after night, Hugo listens to her anguished rants against the Nazi soldiers. Despite her bitterness, Mariana becomes fiercely protective of the bewildered boy, while Hugo, in turn, tries to lift her spirits, offering comfort during her moments of despair. As memories of his family fade, Hugo develops a deep affection for Mariana, who, in her own turmoil, seeks solace in the boy on the brink of adulthood. When the Russian army arrives, the prostitutes flee, but Mariana, known to the Germans, is arrested as a collaborator. As the story unfolds towards its poignant conclusion, the author masterfully explores themes of tragedy, resilience, and the essence of humanity. **Winner of the 2012 Independent Foreign Fiction Prize**
Rina en haar zusje Josefa groeien op in een joods-Roemeense familie die in het begin van de jaren vijftig naar Israël emigreerde. Josefa is intelligent en mag studeren, terwijl de mooie Rina voorbestemd is om een rijke man te trouwen. Maar Rina droomt ervan om net als haar zusje slim te zijn.
