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Anna and the Swallow Man

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Anna and the Swallow Man

By: Gavriel Savit
Narrated by: Allan Corduner
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Anna and the Swallow Man is a stunning, literary, and wholly original debut novel that tells a new WW2 story.

Kraków, 1939, is no place to grow up. There are a million marching soldiers and a thousand barking dogs. And Anna Lania is just seven years old when the Germans take her father and suddenly, she’s alone.

Then she meets the Swallow Man. He is a mystery, strange and tall. And like Anna's missing father, he has a gift for languages: Polish, Russian, German, Yiddish, even Bird. When he summons a bright, beautiful swallow down to his hand to stop her from crying, Anna is entranced.

Over the course of their travels together, Anna and the Swallow Man will dodge bombs, tame soldiers, and even, despite their better judgement, make a friend. But in a world gone mad, everything can prove dangerous . . .

 Historical Fiction History & Culture Literature & Fiction Fiction
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Critic reviews

An astonishingly accomplished debut about war, survival and humanity . . . this is very much in the territory of The Book Thief and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas with all the potential that such a comparison suggests (Fiona Noble)
A beautifully haunting and thought-provoking story of friendship that lingers long after the last page
Like the characters in his debut novel, author Gavriel Savit has harnessed the power of language. He’s a talented wordsmith, wielding words and sentences with a precision that allows them to wriggle deep into this reader’s heart, leaving me both enchanted and brokenhearted. (Sara Grochowski)
One of those all ages and no age stories . . . told by a genuine wordsmith . . . And it's a story of generosity in the worst of times. Of friendship and loyalty and yes, of love despite all the horror. We won't forget how it felt to read it. Ever. (Jill Murphy)
A beautiful and stunning read . . . It creeps slowly into your heart just like Morris Gleitzman's Once, and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas did.
All stars
Most relevant
I’m not sure what age audience this book was written for, maybe it was written to be read by older teenagers, up to adults. I am in my sixties and I have to say that I really enjoyed listening to every single word and I can’t say that about anything else I have ever read, apart perhaps from when reading poetry. Words are used in a very beautiful way in this gripping novel. The mystery surrounding the actual story continues throughout, making you want to keep listening. I believe the book could be interpreted on many levels and could become a classic.

I’ve never read anything quite like this, a new genre?

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This is a heart warming, gut wrenching, thought provoking book. It deserves many accolades. If you read only one book about WW 2, make sure it is this one.

Beautifully read by allun corduner

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This is a literary novel, beautifully written and narrated and well worth a listen even if you are far removed from the labelled 'Young Adult' audience. C.S. Lewis wrote, 'No book is really worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally – and often far more – worth reading at the age of fifty and beyond.” And, of that, Anna and the Swallow Man is a perfect example; I expect most adult readers will take more away, read more into the subtlety of this story and its characters, than most of the YA genre's intended age group.

If the summary and sample at all grab you, I'd recommend the listen. I know it'll be on my re-read/re-listen list in the future.

Nuanced literary novel, don't let the YA tag deter

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