Fresh Reads, Honest reviews, Educator-approved
A secret history is waiting in the wings. A modern-day search for a bone marrow donor unlocks a buried WWII past in Amsterdam. Through a haunting mix of historical photography and illustration, a blackbird narrates the tale of a resistance fighter whose bravery saved a family line. A unique, visually striking exploration of history that proves the past is never truly gone.
Marta lives quietly in the attic of the Hotel Balzaar while her mother works as a maid. One day a mysterious countess arrives with a parrot she claims was once a general. She promises Marta seven stories, each told in order. As Marta listens, she begins to sense that the tales might be connected to her missing father. Each unfinished story leaves her wondering what is real and what is imagined as she searches for answers hidden within the countess’s words.