Refugee

This is the story of three refugees in three different times. Josef, fleeing from Hitler, Isabel, fleeing from Castro and Malmoud, fleeing from  Syria. Each of these characters face life changing dangers as they try and get somewhere safe. It isn't an easy trip for any of them. They all lose someone on the way but to stay where they were was not a possibility.  The story is told in alternating chapters that follow the harrowing journeys each face. While none of the refugees are real, they are based on a mixture of real people. I cannot imagine what it would be like to leave everything and everyone you love to face an unknown future, not knowing where you would be laying your head down that night. Or not being able to trust anyone as these situations bring out the con artists and criminals to take advantage of those in peril. Not all the stories end well, but they are weaved together in the end. I can't say I enjoyed the book as the subject matter is depressing in that it is a current problem for so many people. We must learn from the past to hopefully prevent these situations in the future but I don't hold much hope for that. This novel put a face on the stories in the news every day. I will not look at it the same. Happy reading my friends.