Tears of Amber

By: Sofía Segovia, Simon Bruni - translator

Narrated by: Will Damron, Angela Dawe

From the bestselling author of The Murmur of Bees comes a transportive novel of two families uprooted by war and united by the bonds of love and courage.

With war looming dangerously close, Ilse’s school days soon turn to lessons of survival. In the harshness of winter, her family must join the largest exodus in human history to survive. As battle lines are drawn and East Prussia’s borders vanish beneath them, they leave their farm and all they know behind for an uncertain future.

But Ilse also has Janusz, her family’s young Polish laborer, by her side. As they flee from the Soviet army, his enchanting folktales keep her mind off the cold, the hunger, and the horrors unfolding around them. He tells her of a besieged kingdom in the Baltic Sea from which spill the amber tears of a heartbroken queen.

Neither of them realizes his stories will prove crucial and prophetic.

Not far away, trying and failing to flee from a vengeful army, Arno and his mother hide in the ruins of a Königsberg mansion, hoping that once the war ends they can reunite their dispersed family. But their stay in the walled city proves untenable when they find themselves dodging bombs and scavenging in the rubble. Soon they’ll become pawns caught between two powerful enemies, on a journey with an unknown destination.

Hope carries these children caught in the crosshairs of war on an extraordinary pilgrimage in which the gift of an amber teardrop is at once a valuable form of currency and a symbol of resilience, one that draws them together against insurmountable odds.

©2018 Sofía Segovia. Translation © 2021 by Simon Bruni. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

One of Audible's Best of 2021

“Readers will quickly bond with the families and secondary characters, as Segovia, author of the acclaimed The Murmur of Bees (2019), makes each individual memorable. The variety of background stories and voices allows for greater understanding of shared experiences and creates deeper emotional engagement…Segovia’s novel provides the domestic perspective of those caught in conflicts they have no power to change. Book groups and individual readers will find plenty to appreciate and discuss.”—Booklist (starred review)

“Ably translated into English for an American readership by Simon Bruni, Tears of Amber is a deftly crafted and inherently engaging novel that fully showcases author Sofia Segovia’s genuine flair for eloquent originality and the kind of narrative storytelling style that is memorably entertaining and holds the reader’s rapt and riveted attention throughout.”—Midwest Book Review

“Segovia’s vivid descriptions of how refugees do whatever necessary to survive compels readers to be sympathetic with human struggles, rather than simply taking sides in a conflict. This story demonstrates the staggering toll war takes, especially on women, left to carry on…”—Authorlink

Fresh perspective from WWII

This is heavy content but beautifully writen and narrated. I'm glad I read it and will definitely recommend others do as well

Wow

This book was just wow amazing, more than I expected. it was soo good!!

WAR IS HELL

Beautiful, upsetting and agrand epic. This novel makesreal the destructivechanges wrought upon all people in war.

An All-Time Favorite

THIS! Without a doubt, is one of my top reads of the year. Beautifully written. Poetic. Breathtaking. Sofia Segovia uses the magic of language to tell the story of the lives and survival of German (Prussian) civilians during WWII, based on the first hand account of Ilza and Arno, both children during the war. This book just blew me away.

The narration was masterful. I loved everything about this book. I highly recommend.

Moving, brilliant and a unique perspective on WWIi suffering

Excellent pace; plot, character development and historical research. Fantastic narration. I couldn’t stop once I started. The children and all the characters presented in the book will color how I see WWII