Fugitive Pieces
By Anne Michaels
McClelland & Stewart
Such an interesting piece of storytelling in this debut novel that moves between war-torn Greece and Toronto. It’s not widely known that the Nazis invaded as far south as Greece, and decimated the Jewish population all across the country, even its islands. Jakob, the story’s protagonist, is hiding under a cabinet as he hears his family, including his beloved older sister, murdered. Jakob is eventually rescued and taken under the wing of a bachelor who protects Jakob until the war’s end, and ultimately becomes a father figure. As Jakob grows older, he continues to search for more news about his family while fighting his own demons. The book moves slowly, but ultimately becomes rewarding as we follow Jakob through the remainder of his life.