36.00 NIS
SKU: Ellen Marie Wiseman
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Ellen Marie Wiseman
From the New York Times bestselling author of What She Left Behind, Ellen Marie Wiseman delivers a haunting work of historical fiction grounded in meticulous research. Set in the Pennsylvania coal region of the early twentieth century, the novel exposes a brutal world where survival often came at the cost of childhood, safety, and conscience.
Emma Malloy fled the isolated town of Coal River as a child, determined never to return. At nineteen, orphaned and without means, she is forced back after accepting help from relatives who treat her little better than hired help. Working without pay in the company store, Emma witnesses the suffocating grip the mining company holds over the town. Families are driven into debt by inflated prices for basic necessities, and those who fall behind are left with nothing.
Most disturbing to Emma are the breaker boys, young children forced to work long hours sorting coal amid dangerous machinery. Their soot-covered faces remind her of the brother she lost years earlier. Unable to look away, Emma begins quietly intervening by leaving food for struggling families and altering miners’ bills to give them relief. Her actions attract the attention of both the mine owner and the local police, but also lead her to an unexpected alliance with a miner willing to challenge the system.
As Emma navigates a world where legality and morality rarely align, she must decide how much she is willing to risk to do what she believes is right. Wiseman’s novel is a powerful exploration of injustice, courage, and quiet resistance, illuminating a dark chapter of American history while offering moments of resilience and hope.
Publisher: Kensington
Year: 2020
Tags:
2020,
All Products,
Contemporary,
Ellen Marie Wiseman,
Fiction
