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Elizabeth Lutzeier

Auteur de The Coldest Winter

6 oeuvres 96 utilisateurs 3 critiques

A propos de l'auteur

Comprend les noms: Elizabeth Lutzier

Séries

Œuvres de Elizabeth Lutzeier

The Coldest Winter (1991) 23 exemplaires
Bound for America (2000) 23 exemplaires
Lost for Words (1993) 20 exemplaires
No Shelter (1984) 16 exemplaires
The Wall (1991) 7 exemplaires
Crying for the Enemy (2004) 7 exemplaires

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Partage des connaissances

Date de naissance
1952-11-08
Sexe
female

Membres

Critiques

Very detailed account of a young girl's move to England from Bangladesh. In the novel, the main character, Aysha, struggles to learn English, adjust to a new culture and country and relate to her formerly absent father. Aysha's character is well developed, but her father and mother are less so. But perhaps the author intended to keep it this way to stay true to how little Aysha knows and relates to her parents.She comes to live in England, where everyone treats her like an idiot because she cannot speak English. They do not realise that she is clever and determined.
This book really hooked me because I felt part of Aysha. When things went wrong for her, it upset me as well. When I had finished the book I felt glad that Aysha had become respected and popular. I was moved by the part where she sticks up for another new girl from Bangladesh.
I understood more about how children from other countries might feel when they come to England, and also about people who find it hard to communicate.
The places the Begum family lived in are well described, and the characters are full of life and colour. The dialogue is realistic, and the story flows well.
I enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to girls age 10 and over who like stories about people's lives. It has a good title, but the cover is not very bold so it might not stand out in a bookshop.

My comment to somone who read the same book as me:-
As readers of the same novel we both might agree that this book expresses a child's deep feelings about the relationship between her and her grandpa, her village, her cousins and all relating her hometown Jamdahar, Bangladesh. The story can have an impact on oneself probably an encouraging note. Aysha struggles to learn English, adjust to a new culture and country and relate to her formerly absent father. Aysha's character is well developed and self disciplined It gives us all a picture of the problems face d by children living in this country (London) where English is not their first language. As readers we are shocked at the way Aysha was branded as having 'no language' and therefore put in the bottom group when, in fact, she was very intelligent. In my opinion you can’t buy respect neither you are not born with it you earn your respect through self discipline and willingness to achieve and this rebirths hope and develops a strong character, i believe after we read this book we gained confidence and learned to always approach thing with a positive manner no mater and never give up despite your age and that's what drove Aysha to her sucess.
… (plus d'informations)
 
Signalé
Batatahead | May 26, 2014 |
When their mother fails to return from fire-fighting duty in the midst of a bombing raid on Berlin, 7-year-old Johannes takes on the responsibility for getting his 3-year-old sister to a place of safety. "Both a riveting adventure and a sensitive, frank story of two children seeking shelter and growing up in the hostile environment of Second World War Germany." - dust jacket. Won the Kathleen Fidler award.
 
Signalé
muumi | Sep 7, 2007 |
The Coldest Winter
By Elizabeth Lutzeier

The novel is set in Ireland in 1846-the period of the Potato Famine. It’s about the tragic life story of eleven-year-old Eamonn and his family.

The Kennedy’s used to live in a cabin in Ballinglas, Ireland. They were never rich, but had enough money not to suffer from hunger and felt comfortable living there with their friends. However, one summer the whole potato harvest goes rotten due to the blight and suddenly everything changes for them.

Their landlady decides that it would be more lucrative for her not to grow potatoes any more, but to keep cattle. So she has soldiers turning the families out of their homes and makes them tumble down every last one of the cabins.

So, Eamonn, his parents, his baby-sister, his two brothers and his grandmother have to find a new place for living soon, since it’s a very cold winter. It’s very hard to get new work for Eamonn’s father and so they starve nearly all the time, because the workhouses don’t provide enough food for the floods of poor people.

After all, they find a place to live in Tullamore, but also in this big city it’s nearly impossible for Eamonn’s father to find a job. Luckily, Eamonn gets to know a girl from a reach family who tries to support them as far as possible. Still, it’s hard for them to survive, because the prices rise dramatically and because of the outbreak of typhoid fever.

While the English don’t do too much to help the Irish people, the richer Irish set out for America. In Ireland only the poor people stay struggling for survival. Eamonn and his family have to suffer a lot until they raise hope.

It’s a really touching story and gives an insight into life back in 1846. Anyone who likes this book will be glad to hear that there is a second book telling about how live goes on for the Kennedy family that is much smaller by then.
… (plus d'informations)
 
Signalé
birgit | Jan 4, 2007 |

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Prix et récompenses

Statistiques

Œuvres
6
Membres
96
Popularité
#196,089
Évaluation
½ 3.4
Critiques
3
ISBN
21
Langues
1

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