Last House Before the Mountain

In Last House Before the Mountain, Maria is left to provide for her family alone when Josef is drafted into the army during World War I. When a stranger with red hair arrives in the village, Maria finds happiness again and faces a difficult choice that will have consequences for her family for generations. Based on the author's own family history, the book is a powerful and haunting story about love, family, and the hidden costs of war.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 09 November 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

‘‘A poignant, captivating, beautifully woven family saga. As honest as Elena Ferrante, with the folkloric intensity of Téa Obreht.’‘

CHRISTINA BAKER KLINE
‘‘The final moving paragraph strikes the reader like a knife to the heart.’‘

OBSERVER

Maria and Josef live with their children in a valley in westernmost Austria. When the First World War breaks out and Josef is drafted into the army, Maria is left to provide for her family alone. Every day is a struggle against starvation, the harsh alpine climate, and the hostile nearby villagers who see Maria as little more than a beautiful temptress out for the men left behind. But when a red-haired stranger arrives in the village, Maria feels happiness seep back into her life, and she faces a choice whose consequences will affect the lives of her family for generations to come.

Based on the internationally bestselling and award-winning Austrian novelist Monika Helfer’s own family history, Last House Before the Mountain is a propulsive, haunting, multi-layered saga about love, family, and the hidden wages of war.

Maria and Josef live with their children in a valley in westernmost Austria. When the First World War breaks out and Josef is drafted into the army, Maria is left to provide for her family alone. Every day is a struggle against starvation, the harsh alpine climate, and the hostile nearby villagers who see Maria as little more than a beautiful temptress out to seduce the men left behind. But when a red-haired stranger arrives in the village, Maria feels happiness seep back into her life, and she faces a choice, with consequences that will affect the lives of her family for generations to come.

Based on the award-winning Austrian novelist’s own family history, this is a powerful and unforgettable tale of resilience, survival, and the enduring power of love.

Weight: 140g
Dimension: 198 x 160 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781526657145