Csilla's parents were ardent communists, and they supported the Soviet takeover of Hungary following the Second World War. As Jews, the whole family took refuge in the Danube, the river that runs through the capital city of Budapest following the German invasion in 1944. However, revolutions have a habit of devouring their own, and her parents were soon accused of crimes against the state and were executed by Soviet authorities. Now 18 in 1956, Csilla lives in a paranoid society where everyone spies on everyone else, and one wrong word can get you arrested or worse.
For the last year, Csilla has been planning her escape out of Hungary. As the daughters of two enemies of the state, she is under constant surveillance, and she cannot let her guard down even for one moment. Ready to leave, Csilla suddenly finds herself in the middle of a convulsion that threatens the Hungarian Communist party as student protests escalate into something dangerous. Her parents are publicly exonerated, clearing her pariah status, but also revealing that her father was not the hero she thought he was.
As Hungary drifts into chaos, with Soviet tanks massing on its borders, Csilla has a choice. She can escape as she planned, and look to a new life away from the painful memories of her youth, or she can stay and fight for a new future for her country, with the real possibility that the result will be violence and death. Can Csilla learn to trust again?
Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this deep dive into a little known part of European history, and will appreciate Csilla's resilience and determination to survive no matter the obstacles in her path. For a similar perspective, this time from the other side of the Berlin Wall, be sure to grab A Night Divided.
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