NOW ALSO IN PAPERBACK!
 
FROM THE PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF MY QUEST FOR PEACE ? WINNER OF THE BAMAHANE PRIZE ? Inspired by the lives of two World War II heroines, this remarkable debut novel reveals the incredible power of two women who changed history in their quest for love, freedom, and second chances.
 
In their early teens, two girls were forced to sit next to each other in school. Although they were complete opposites ? one a social butterfly and the other a withdrawn bookworm ? they soon realized that they shared similar experiences, hopes and dreams. Over time, they became best friends, against all expectations. 
 
Until the war broke out. 
 
Now, each was thrown into opposite sides of the conflict.  And mistakes were made ? unforgivable mistakes, that would shape both their futures. 
 
How could their friendship possibly endure?
 
BASED ON A TRUE STORY, with an appendix including authentic documents.
 
Advance praise for The Two Marias
 
"Wonderful... A wry, sharply observed tale of both heroism and coming-of-age-story during one of the darkest times in humanity." ?Nadia Joels, The Ladies' Book Club
 
"Compulsively readable... Kis-Lev establishes himself as a distinctively contemporary literary voice."?The Reviewer
 
"Biting, brilliant exploration of a female friendship from the eyes of a sensitive man. And though The Two Marias focuses on young women, readers need be neither young nor female in order to enjoy it..." ?Brendon Kahn, The Last Opinion 
 
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BOOK EXCERPT © All rights reserved, Goldsmith Press. Reprinted by permission: 
 
 
Maria stood at the train station. 
 
It was spring, finally. 
 
The war was now over. How long she had been waiting for this moment! 
 
Her hands fidgeted on her purse. She bit her lip. She missed her friend so intensely. 
 
And now she was finally coming. The poor girl... 
 
Who could have imagined that things would turn out this way... 
 
She took a deep breath and bit her lips again. She shook her head disapprovingly at herself. "You should stop this!" she thought, "It's not ladylike biting your lips like that!"
 
She folded her hands together. "Oh God, bring her here already!" 
 
*
 
At the same time, on the train entering the country, a young woman sat looking through the window. 
 
The war was over. 
 
And now she could finally return to her beloved city. To her beloved city square, to the famous fountain in front of the city hall. To the many doves there. To the sound of the trams driving slowly on the old streets. To the theatre. To the ballet. 
 
But more than anything, she could finally return to Maria.  
 
The train stopped at the border. She sat up as the border police officers passed in the aisle. She smiled at the officer and handed him her identification papers. Before the war, one ID was enough. But nowadays, one had to carry multiple forms of identification. 
 
The officer looked at the photo and then at her, "Maria?" 
 
She nodded, her face concealing nothing. 
 
"Date of birth?" 
 
"January 22nd," she said calmly, "1920." 
 
"What was the purpose of your stay abroad?" 
 
She paused. "The war."  
 
The officer nodded and proceeded to look at her birth certificate, her baptism certificate, and her high school graduation diploma. Then he handed them all back to her and continued down the aisle. 
 
She put all the documents in her file, tucking them into the front of her suitcase. These very documents had saved her life so many times in the past three years. 
 
But soon she wouldn't need them any more. 
 
Soon she could return to be herself. Her real self. 
 
She gazed at the view of the countryside through the window. In a few hours, she'd be there. Her beloved city. 
 
She would see her best friend again.
 
Her savior. 
 
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END OF EXCERPT (To read further click on the book cover, where you can read more using the Look Inside Feature!)

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