This is actually two short novels in one volume. The two stories are very different: the first looks back on the life of an old lady, who moved to America from the Ukraine. It tells how she survived the horrors of the Second World War. Her life is a series of struggles and disappointments, but she never gives up in her search for happiness.
The second tells of a young woman's stay in London while researching a book. A disturbing neighbour's life story has an unsettling effect on the main character. Watch out for the twist in the tale - it makes for an enthralling read.
