Honors World Literature

Romania, 1989. Communist regimes are crumbling across Europe. Citizens who lived under the oppression of Communist rulers are starting to get a taste of freedom. Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu, a Romanian teen, dreams of becoming a writer, but Romanians aren’t free to dream; they are bound by rules and force.  Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer.  He quickly learns that anyone he meets could be an informer, and his life could be changed in an instant.  He lives by the motto trust no one, tell no one, spies are everywhere.  As he gets deeper into his deception and the paranoia he feels because of it, he’s left with only two choices: betray everyone and everything he loves—or use his position creatively to undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe.  Cristian risks everything to unmask the truth behind the Ceausescu regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is truly happening in his country. He eagerly joins the revolution to fight for change when the time arrives. But what is the cost of freedom?  Find out in this historical thriller that examines the little-known history of a nation defined by silence, pain, and the unwavering conviction of the human spirit.

(336 pages)

Trailer 

Brief History of Communist Romania 

Map of Eastern and Western Block 1989 

Current Europe Map 

Encyclopedia Link for Romania

Discussion Questions from the publisher 

*Source: Amazon.com

Do you ever wonder why people in countries like Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania are so concerned with the current Russian aggression in Ukraine?  This book explains their fear.  During World War Two, while Hitler was exterminating millions of innocent people, Joseph Stalin, dictator of of the Soviet Union, was quietly doing something similar to the people of the Baltic nations.  Even in the modern world, very few people know the stories of struggle and horror faced by the Lithuanian people.  Fifteen year old Lina gives voice to that struggle.  In 1941, she was preparing for art school, first dates, and all that summer has to offer.  Then one night, the secret Soviet police barged violently into her home.  They deported her entire family to Siberia.  She is separated from her father, speaking for the last time with him through a hole in the side of a train. Lina, her mother, and younger brother must survive a Soviet work camp in the hopes of being reunited with their father.  Lina finds solace in her art, documenting the horrors of daily events by drawing. Risking everything, she imbeds clues in her drawings of their location and secretly passes them along, hoping her drawings will make their way to her father's prison camp. She continues to fight for life, vowing that if she survives, she will honor her family and thousands of families like hers whose lives were destroyed by Stalin's secret terror.

(384 pages)

Trailer 

Holocaust in Lithuania 

80 Years Later. . . .  

Lithuania Map 

Discussion Questions from the publisher 

*Source: Amazon.com and back of book

This novel is an extraordinary, true account of the enormous tragedy of the Syrian civil conflict.  Since the revolution (turned-civil war) in Syria which began in 2011, over 500,000 civilians have been killed, and more than 12 million Syrians have been displaced. Rania Abouzeid, one of the foremost journalists on the topic, follows two pairs of sisters from opposite sides of the conflict to give readers a firsthand glimpse of the turmoil and devastation this war has brought. Sunni Muslim, Ruha, and her younger sister, Alaa, withstand constant attacks by the Syrian government in rebel-held territory. Alawite sisters, Hanin and Jawa, try to carry on as normal in the police state of regime-held Damascus. Both pairs of girls grow up in a world where nightly bombings are routine, and shrapnel counts as toys. The sisters bear witness to the arrests, killings, demolished homes, and further atrocities endured by the Syrian people. Still, the war does not dampen their sense of hope for the future of their homeland.

Through the stories of these sisters, which are told as alternating chapters, Abouzeid presents a clear-eyed and page-turning account of the complex conditions in Syria that led to the onset of the war. With Abouzeid's careful attention and remarkable reporting, she crafts a story that transcends borders and illustrates the shared humanity of all people. 

(288 pages)

Author's Trailer 

Author Written Comments 

Author Interview, November 25, 2020 

Syria in 2021 from Voice of America 

Syria Map 

*Source: Amazon.com

Paulo Coelho's enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. Along the way, he meets a Gypsy woman, a man who calls himself a king, and an alchemist, all of whom point Santiago in the direction of his quest. No one knows what the treasure is or if Santiago will be able to surmount the numerous obstacles along the way. But what starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a journey to discover the treasure found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transformational power of dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.

With more than two million copies sold around the world, The Alchemist has established itself as a modern classic that is  universally admired.

(208 pages)

Trailer / Summary 

10 Life Lessons from The Alchemist 

Paulo Coelho Biography 

Discussion Questions 

*Source: Amazon.com

The Wall Street Journal calls this novel, “A gripping and painful portrait of modern-day child slavery in the cacao plantations of the Ivory Coast.  Kirkus Reviews says the novel is "a tender, harrowing story of family, friendship, and the pursuit of freedom."

Fifteen-year-old Amadou counts the things that matter. For two years, what has mattered to him is the number of cacao pods he and his younger brother, Seydou, can chop down in a day. The higher the number, the safer they are. The higher the number, the closer they are to paying off their debt and returning home. . . . Maybe. 

The problem is Amadou doesn’t know how much his family owes, and the bosses won’t tell him. The boys only wanted to make money to help their impoverished family; instead, they were tricked into forced labor on a plantation in the Ivory Coast. With no hope of escape, all they can do is try their best to stay alive—until Khadija comes into their lives.  She’s the first girl who’s ever come to camp, and she’s different.  She is educated. She fights bravely every day, attempting to escape again and again.  She reminds Amadou what it means to be free. The three children band together as family and try just once more to escape the horrors of the plantation.  Inspired by true-to-life events, The Bitter Side of Sweet grabs readers and reveals the horrors faced by children half a world away.

(368 pages)

Book Trailer 

Ivory Coast Map 

Discussion Questions from the Author 

Fair Trade International Article 

*Source: Amazon.com

Anastasia “Nastya” Romanov was given a single mission: to smuggle an ancient spell into her suitcase on her way to exile in Siberia. It might be her family’s only salvation. Her father, Czar Nicholas II, abdicated the throne after years of chaotic rule.  He gave Nastya a set of matryoshka dolls, but the leader of the Bolshevik army knows about the magic dolls, and he is after them. Nastya’s only chance for saving herself and her family is either to release the spell and deal with the consequences, or to enlist help from Zash, the handsome soldier who doesn’t act like the average Bolshevik. Nastya has only dabbled in magic, but it doesn’t frighten her half as much as her growing attraction to Zash. She likes him. She thinks he might even like her.  That is, until she’s on one side of a firing squad . . . and he’s on the other.

This novel is the perfect blend of history and fantasy. Romanov takes a historically accurate look at the days leading up to the family’s tragedy, while also exploring the legends surrounding the last days of the Romanov family that have long intrigued history buffs everywhere. Nadine Brandes weaves a brilliant and intricate saga of love, loss, and the power of forgiveness. It is a novel of poignant prose juxtaposed with epic enchantment that will leave the readers as spellbound as the characters.

(352 pages)

Trailer 

Article: Romanov Family Last Days  

Video: Romanov Family Last Days 

Russia Map 1914 

Matryoshka Dolls 

*Source: Amazon.com