Lives Before Us

In 1939, Esther and Kitty are forced to flee Europe and travel to Shanghai, where they find a city of extremes and political instability. Kitty is lured there with promises of luxury, but when her Russian fiancé reveals his true intentions, she is left to scrape a living in the city's nightclubs and dark corners. Esther and her daughter take shelter in a house of widows until the protection of Aaron offers new hope of survival. When the Japanese military enters the fray, violence mounts, and the two women are thrown together in the city's most desperate times. They must fight for a future for the lives that will follow theirs.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 400 pages
\n Publication date: 28 March 2019
\n Publisher: Black and White Publishing
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In 1939, Esther and Kitty, two women from different backgrounds, find themselves in a desperate situation as the threat of war looms over Berlin and Vienna. With their lives at stake, they are forced to make a heart-wrenching choice: flee Europe or face the ghetto, incarceration, and death. They hear rumors of Shanghai as a haven, a place where they can escape the harsh realities of their circumstances. Determined to find safety, they secure passage to the other side of the world, hoping to find a new beginning in this mysterious city.

What they discover in Shanghai is a city of extremes. Wealth and poverty coexist side by side, as does decadence and disease. The political instability is palpable, with the Japanese military entering the fray and violence mounting. Kitty, lured by promises of luxury and love, finds herself in a vulnerable position, scraping a living in Shanghai's nightclubs and dark corners. Esther, on the other hand, seeks shelter in a house of widows until the protection of Aaron, her former lover, offers a glimmer of hope for survival.

As the war unfolds, Kitty's dreams of escape are dashed, and Esther's relationship becomes tainted. The two women are thrown together in the city's most desperate times, facing the challenges and hardships that come with wartime. Together, they must fight for a future for the lives that will follow theirs, navigating the treacherous waters of a city torn apart by war.

The Lives Before Us is a captivating novel that transports readers to a tumultuous period in history. Author Conlin brings wartime Shanghai to life with a wealth of fascinating detail, creating strong and relatable characters who face impossible choices and endure unimaginable hardships. The novel explores themes of love, loss, survival, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

With its vivid portrayal of a city on the brink of chaos, The Lives Before Us offers a fresh perspective on a war that has been studied and commemorated for many years. It sheds light on the experiences of ordinary people caught in the crossfire of history, reminding us of the human cost of conflict and the importance of compassion and understanding.

In conclusion, The Lives Before Us is a must-read for anyone interested in history, literature, and the human experience. It is a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the strength of love and friendship in the face of adversity.

\n Weight: 380g\n
Dimension: 198 x 129 x 29 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781785302305\n \n