The Girl from the Hermitage : A Historical Novel of War, Secrets and the Fall of the Soviet Union

Galina survived the Siege of Leningrad. Now, in post-Soviet St Petersburg, she must confront the beliefs that shaped her life. In December 1941, in the darkest days of World War II, eight-year-old Galina lives on soup made from wallpaper paste and dreams of bread.As the city starves, her father Mikhail is spared the front line – tasked instead with protecting the priceless treasures of the Hermitage.Its frozen cellars offer shelter from the bombs – but safety comes at a price.When Mikhail is commissioned to paint the portrait of a powerful colonel, one wrong brushstroke could cost far more than his reputation. Thirty years later, Galina is an art teacher in Leningrad.In the aftermath of a family friend’s death, she uncovers a long-buried secret from her past – one that forces her to question the loyalties and silences that shaped her Soviet childhood. As the Soviet Union collapses and a glittering new Russia rises in its place, Galina must decide what she is willing to carry forward – and what she must finally leave behind. SHORTLISTED: Impress PrizeLONGLISTED: Bath Novel AwardLONGLISTED: Grindstone Novel Award'A beautifully written book that takes you right into the characters’ world' Lucinda Hawksley