The novel is set in Russia, 1905, after a pogrom against the Jews in the village of Koritz. Leah Peretz is left alone to care for her two young children and must find her own way to survive in the midst of chaos.
Leah Peretz survives a pogrom in the area, the Settlement of Pale, where the Jews are required to live. She must find a way to care for her two young children. Her life is complicated by the unexpected attentions of the Russian officer, Captain Vaselik. Her journey to her self-discovery in the midst of the beginnings of revolution in Russia is filled with drama, heartache, romance and challenges.
Excerpt
"Leah and Morris held their hands over the mouths of the children to keep them from crying out. They crept out of the house, then saw riders on horseback coming closer, wielding knives which gleamed in the cold, white moonllight."
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"He sat next to her and slowly laced his fingers with hers. Leah shivered as the fire burned itself out and Vaselik put his arm around her shoulders. Staying was dangerous, but she made no effort to leave, as he brushed his lips lightly across the palm of her hand."
