'In 1940, as the Nazis sweep toward Lithuania, Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara defies his government and secretly issues visas to fleeing Jewish refugees. After the war, Sugihara is dismissed and disappears into obscurity.
'Three decades later, in Australia, Rachel Margol is shocked when her engagement reveals a long-held family secret: she is Jewish. As she grapples with this deception and the dysfunction it has caused, unspoken tragedies from the past begin to come to light. When an opportunity arrives to visit Chiune Sugihara, the man who risked his life to save the Margols during World War II, Rachel becomes determined to meet him. But will a journey to Japan, and the secrets it uncovers, heal the family or fracture them for good?
'The Star on the Grave is a powerful and moving novel inspired by the true story of Chiune Sugihara, and the thousands of people – including the author – who owe him their lives.' (Publication summary)
Author's note:
For my late parents and all those who,
weren't saved from the horror
And especially to my grandmother Felka, my rock.
'A novel inspired by the 'Japanese Schindler' and the author's personal ties to his wartime actions.'
'It wasn’t uncommon for Jewish people to remain silent about their experiences of the horrors of World War II in Europe, something that contributed to the inherited trauma of their children and grandchildren. Indeed, it wasn’t unheard of for people who sought asylum in other countries to hide their lineage altogether as they encouraged their children to assimilate.'(Introduction)
'It wasn’t uncommon for Jewish people to remain silent about their experiences of the horrors of World War II in Europe, something that contributed to the inherited trauma of their children and grandchildren. Indeed, it wasn’t unheard of for people who sought asylum in other countries to hide their lineage altogether as they encouraged their children to assimilate.'(Introduction)
'A novel inspired by the 'Japanese Schindler' and the author's personal ties to his wartime actions.'
