Author:Ian Serraillier,Sarah McDonald Hughes,Stephen Hoyle,Hester Cox,Full Cast
A BBC radio full-cast dramatisation of Ian Serraillier’s classic wartime story.
When the Germans march into Poland in 1941, the Balickis’ happy family life is shattered. With their parents taken away by Nazis, Ruth, Edek and Bronia are forced to fend for themselves in the dangerous, war-ravaged city of Warsaw.
When Edek is captured too, the girls are desperate. Then they meet orphaned street urchin Jan, who carries with him a talisman of hope: a silver sword paperknife that they recognise as having belonged to their mother.
Realising that their parents may still be alive, Ruth and Bronia set off on an epic journey to Switzerland to search for them. With Jan by their side, they are determined to reunite the family – and their first step is to find Edek. But the road ahead is full of danger and hardship, and they will facemany challenges along the way...
This moving story of friendship, courage and solidarity brings to life the reality of a Europe laid waste by war.
Cast:
Ruth - Sarah McDonald Hughes
Edek - Stephen Hoyle
Bronia - Hester Cox
Jan - Aqib Khan
Margaret/Irka/Mrs Wolff - Maggie Fox
Joseph/German 1/Mr Wolff - Malcolm Raeburn
Ivan - David Fleeshman
Soldier/American GI - Andrew Blake
Doctor - Lloyd Peters
Cook/Mrs Borowicz - Szilvi Naray Davey
The Burgomaster/Captain Malinowski - Jonathan Keeble
Adapted by Chris Wallis.
Produced and directed by Charlotte Riches.
A hard-bitten drama set in the Deep South in the middle of the last century – I immediately thought of William Faulkner …. Passions explode. It grips.
—— Evening StandardEvocative and eloquently told … Mudbound is a powerful and heart-breaking story of injustice, race and family; and though it’s not always an easy read, it is ultimately an important one
—— CultureflyMudbound by Hillary Jordan is a powerful and relevant read in this Trump era where jingoism and racism is at fever pitch… The American struggle against Nazism and racism couldn’t be more pertinent to our times and this book depicts the unfairness and cruelty of prejudice and racial discrimination with blinding insight. If you are a fan of gripping and deeply resonant novels like Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying and The Help ,then I highly recommend you to buy Mudbound
—— BookRiotThis is storytelling at the height of its powers: the ache of wrongs not yet made right, the fierce attendance of history made as real as rain, as true as this minute. Hillary Jordan writes with the force of a Delta storm
—— Barbara KingsolverA page-turning read that conveys a serious message without preaching
—— ObserverBlatant injustice is heartbreakingly brought to life by Hillary Jordan in her debut novel...A tale that has echoes of the novels of John Steinbeck and Alice Walker...The varied viewpoints allow for an intimate insight into each character's thoughts and motivations that enriches the novel
—— Glasgow HeraldJordan builds the tension slowly and meticulously, so that when the shocking denouement arrives, it is both inevitable and devastating...A compelling tale
—— Glasgow HeraldRichly imaginative, memorable story
—— Nick Rennison , Sunday TimesWith its vivid Cornwall setting and a house full of shadows, The Stranger has echoes of Daphne Du Maurier but its riveting in its own right
—— Red MagazineA beautifully written tale of family secrets, loves and losses, set against the magical Cornish coastline. I loved it
—— Amanda JenningsA fabulous twisting tale, so beautifully written that the pages practically turned themselves. I couldn't put it down
—— Liz FenwickA beautiful and intriguing page-turner, where the secrets of the past cast long shadows. Cornwall springs to life in vivid colour
—— Dinah JefferiesBeautifully written and unputdownable. I loved it
—— Katie FfordeAn enthralling tale of secrets, the twists and turns will have you hooked to the very last breathtaking page
—— Jane Bailey, author of What Was RescuedAn atmospheric whodunit set in the Second World War
—— The Sunday PostA beautifully woven, immersive story that completely transported me
—— Judith KinghornWith such vivid, mysterious characters and an atmospheric setting, the echoes of Du Maurier's Cornwall are on every page. Brilliant!
—— Emylia HallA wonderful, gripping, beautifully written book. From the first page, I didn't want to put it down - and by the second half I literally couldn't put it down
—— Katherine WebbBeautiful and haunting, you'll struggle to put down this mysterious tale
—— Take a BreakWonderfully atmospheric and utterly engrossing. I hardly moved until I had read to the very last word
—— AJ Pearce author of , Dear Mrs BirdTake an isolated house, family secrets, a divine Cornish setting, the tensions of war and you have all the ingredients for a tale where the pages take on a life of their own. The Stranger is wound tight as a clock, ticking down the days leading up to the disappearance of a young woman. It will stay with you long after the last breathtaking pages turn
—— Kate Lord BrownSo beguiling that I truly didn't want it to end. A captivating novel that pulls you into another time and place
—— Penny ParkesThe novel is cinematic, and the vividness of the Cornish landscape and its history of smugglers and pirates add to its charm. An engaging page-turner with a surprising twist at the end
—— The LadyPraise for The Girl in the Photograph
—— -Rich and atmospheric, like Rebecca this novel casts an enduring spell
—— Rachel Hore, Sunday Times bestselling authorFull of slow-burning tension
—— EssentialsA sweeping saga of secrets and ghosts
—— Good HousekeepingA well executed, brooding, creepy atmosphere
—— Sunday MirrorA prickly story full of tension
—— Sunday Express