“The emotion in this book will catapult you into a world with complex characters, vivid dialogue, perfect pace and a story so beautiful, you weep” – Michelle Riscardo, author of The Long Shadow and reviewer 

“So well written–and researched–that I felt like I was there with them!” Audrey S, reader 

Behind the Iron Curtain live four very special children. Each of them born to women oppressed by the Communist regime, and each of them has special needs. There are the twins, Alina and Auner. Alina is sightless, but spirited. She fiercely longs to be independent and free, no matter the cost. Auner’s mission is to protect Alina; he’s loyal and a charming thief who happens to be without an arm and struggles with shrieking and flailing due to a bout with polio as a baby. Ekko is sullen and strategic. Ghosts chase him because his father tried to kill him: he makes a solemn promise to himself that, despite a deformed hand and a speech impediment, he will exact revenge. And then there’s Alizabet, the quietest of the group, yet the most creative. During their time in Romania’s worst, most abusive home “for the unsalvageables”, she regales them with stories of a magical place: a place where the animals talk, birds have healing powers, where you can ride on the back of majestic, mythical creatures and where, most of all, you’re safe. As they embark on a perilous, uncertain journey to escape the orphanage and find Taramul Viselor, they’ll find epic quests, a heartbreaking betrayal and the importance of believing in tomorrow. 

From the best-selling author of Dance For Me, The Character and The Storyteller, comes an unforgettable story of life behind the Iron Curtain with all its heinousness… and its greatest triumphs.