The Walls Came Down, Ewa Dodd

Paperback | 224pp | h198mm x w129mm| ISBN13: 9781911501152 | £9.99

eBook | ISBN13: 9781911501169 | £8.99

The Walls Came Down is the stunning debut novel from Ewa Dodd, published by Aurora Metro Books, and focuses on three protagonists in Poland, the US and the UK. From the fallout of 1980s communist Poland, a string of events lead the reader to the present day.

Expertly written, the characters are well rounded; Joanna in Poland is a journalist with past issues that haunt her; Tom in the USA is trying to accept his past decisions, and Matty in the UK is trying to discover his past. I particularly had affinity with Clara though – an excellent supporting character, vital to the plot.

Although the reader can see where the plot is going, it is the way in which the plot unravels, with surprises along the way. The poignancy of the story is extremely powerful, and left me with a warm feeling in my heart. Definitely a page turner, I couldn’t wait to see how the story unfolded. It is surprising that this is Dodd’s debut; it reads as though she has had years of experience, winding complex narratives into a coherent plot line with such ease and grace. Certainly a book for the Christmas stocking.