One chance

This novel for young people deals with events in the south east of France in 1940. The rigour of the work consists in the transformation of extensive research in secondary sources, in the area, and among local people, into a work of fiction that is both authentic and accessible to a young readership. This involved balancing questions of fact with the narrative demands of pace and clarity. The book's originality consists in the use of a style which is unique and challenging, described in the Times as "edgy and nervous…an appropriate vehicle for a narrative of volatile mood swings and rapidly swinging perspectives." The writer's objectives were to make a book that is consistent with itself, faithful to its sources, and relevant to the present day; a book that would appeal and speak to a young readership, addressing important issues of ethnicity, scapegoating, loyalty and fear.