A Constellation of Vital Phenomena: A Novel [B2032]

2014 french-flap PB in nice clean condition. LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD • A searing debut about the transcendent power of love in wartime, hailed as "an absolute masterpiece" (Sarah Jessica Parker, Entertainment Weekly)-from the renowned author of Mercury Pictures Presents "Extraordinary . . . a twenty-first century War and Peace."-The New York Times Book Review. NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE JOHN LEONARD AWARD WINNER • ONE OF THE TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Chicago Tribune, NPR.

In the final days of December 2004, in a small rural village in Chechnya, eight-year-old Havaa hides in the woods when her father is abducted by Russian forces. Fearing for her life, she flees with their neighbor Akhmed-a failed physician-to the bombed-out hospital, where Sonja, the one remaining doctor, treats a steady stream of wounded rebels and refugees and mourns her missing sister. Over the course of five dramatic days, Akhmed and Sonja reach back into their pasts to unravel the intricate mystery of coincidence, betrayal, and forgiveness that unexpectedly binds them and decides their fate.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Damn. I mean...damn. This one hit. Stick with it."; "I hated that this book told a true story that fully displays all the heartbreak and savagery of war. I loved this book because it also displayed the kindnesses and courage of humans in devastating circumstances. I couldn't put it down."; "It was helpful to have referenced the timing of wars in the area before beginning for a bit of historical background. It all came together near the end. There are not many books like it!"; "A profoundly sad novel of a small group of people trying to survive in Chechnya through two horrible wars; a shattering and painful affirmation of life and death. An interlocking set of stories of sisters, father and sons, and the struggle to save the life of a young girl. Fragile, heartfelt, powerful."