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9780547524900

9780547524900

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A WWII-era Welsh barmaid begins a secret relationship with a German POW in this "beautiful, ambitious novel" longlisted for the Man Booker Prize (Ann Patchett). Set in the stunning landscape of North Wales just after D-Day, this critically acclaimed debut novel traces the intersection of disparate lives in wartime. When a prisoner-of-war camp is established near her village, seventeen-year-old barmaid Esther Evans finds herself strangely drawn to the camp and its forlorn captives. She is exploring the camp boundary when an astonishing thing occurs: A young German corporal calls out to her from behind the fence. From that moment on, the two begin an unlikely -- and perilous -- romance. Meanwhile, a German-Jewish interrogator travels to Wales to investigate Britain's most notorious Nazi prisoner, Rudolf Hess. In this richly drawn and thought-provoking "tour de force," all will come to question the meaning of love, family, loyalty, and national identity ( The New Yorker ). "If you loved The English Patient , there's probably a place in your heart for The Welsh Girl ." -- USA Today "Davies's characters are marvelously nuanced." -- Los Angeles Times "Beautifully conjures a place and its people, in an extraordinary time ... A rare gem." -- Claire Messud, author of The Woman Upstairs "This first novel by Davies, author of two highly praised short story collections, has been anticipated -- and, with its wonderfully drawn characters, it has been worth the wait." -- Booklist , starred review.