Porcelain Soldier

Mathias Malzieu — a popular French writer, musician, and director, creator and lead singer of the rock band Dionysos, author of a dozen successful books, and a knight of the Order of Arts and Letters. “Porcelain Soldier” — is a true story of the author's father. The action takes place during World War II. In 1944, after the sudden death of his mother, nine-year-old Menou secretly crosses the demarcation line between the free and occupied zones in a cart, hiding in hay, to reach his grandmother. His grandmother's farm is located in German-occupied Lorraine, declared part of the Third Reich, where even the French language is banned. Menou's new illegal life on the small farm is full of dangers: if the occupiers discover him — they will shoot the whole family. Moreover, the relatives are hiding not only him but also a Jewish girl, his mother's friend. And yet, despite the constant risk, the agonizing existence underground presents the boy with astonishing discoveries. A novel about war, about childhood under bombs, about first love, hope, and the search for oneself.