A historical fiction novel set in Chechnya during the Second Chechen War, following the intertwined lives of an eight-year-old girl named Havaa, her kind neighbor Akhmed, and a doctor named Sonja. After Russian soldiers abduct Havaa's father, Akhmed shelters her at an abandoned hospital where Sonja works, and over five days, their interconnected pasts and the brutal circumstances of their present are revealed. The novel explores themes of love, loss, and resilience against the backdrop of war, using shifting timelines and multiple perspectives to uncover the complex relationships and humanity that persist even in the face of immense conflict.
A historical fiction novel set in Chechnya during the Second Chechen War, following the intertwined lives of an eight-year-old girl named Havaa, her kind neighbor Akhmed, and a doctor named Sonja. After Russian soldiers abduct Havaa's father, Akhmed shelters her at an abandoned hospital where Sonja works, and over five days, their interconnected pasts and the brutal circumstances of their present are revealed. The novel explores themes of love, loss, and resilience against the backdrop of war, using shifting timelines and multiple perspectives to uncover the complex relationships and humanity that persist even in the face of immense conflict.
