{"product_id":"9781526657145","title":"Last House Before the Mountain by Gillian Davidson","description":"`Beautiful and heartbreaking ... I absolutely loved it' MONICA ALI`A poignant, captivating, beautifully woven family saga. As honest as Elena Ferrante, with the folkloric intensity of T?a Obreht' CHRISTINA BAKER KLINE`The final moving paragraph strikes the reader like a knife to the heart' OBSERVERMaria 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 propulsive, haunting story about love, family and the hidden wages of war.   `A masterclass in literary compression. Helfer brings a whole world of wonder, loss and deep, deep longing to indelible life' LAIRD HUNT\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Paperback \/ softback","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43204552753330,"sku":"9781526657145","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/products\/9781526657145.jpg?v=1692367915","url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/products\/9781526657145","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}