Bound by the Scars We Share

Book excerpt: In 1930s Antwerp, having fled a pre war Poland with her family, Zoshia, a young Jewish girl, battles to survive intense persecution from the Nazis and bravely endangers her own life in order to help save others. During the war years, Grace, a young teenager, suffers severe personal abuse at the hands of her family in Lyme Regis, England and courageously tries to overcome the repercussions. As adults, both Zoshia and Grace face personal struggles as they try to recover from their traumatic experiences. This unique and exquisite tale of two women from different backgrounds, juxtaposes both their lives as they each journey through the decades, over coming tragedy and anguish from World War II onwards. This gripping narrative chronicles the injurious plight of women in an age of gender inequality, demonstrates the disastrous effects of war, human cruelty and exploitation, and dynamically showcases the power of female friendship.