Starred ReviewStarred Review Torch
Three teens struggle to carve out futures for themselves under a totalitarian regime.
Czechoslovakia, 1969
Seventeen-year-old Pavol has watched his country’s freedoms disappear in the wake of the Soviet Union’s invasion. He’s seen his own dreams disappear too. In a desperate, fatal act of protest against the oppressive new government, he sets himself on fire in public, hoping to motivate others to fight for change.
Instead, Pavol’s death launches a government investigation into three of his closest friends. Štěpán finds his Olympic hockey ambitions jeopardized and must conceal his sexual orientation from authorities who could use it against him. Tomáš has already been accused of “antisocial” behavior because he struggles to follow the unwritten rules of everyday interactions, and now he must work even harder to meet the expectations of his father, the regional leader of the communist party. And aspiring film director Lída, Pavol’s girlfriend, is pregnant with his child, which brands her a traitor by association and upends all her plans.
With their futures hanging in the balance, all three must decide whether to keep struggling to survive in the country Pavol died hoping to save . . . or risk a perilous escape to the other side.
| Format | Your Price | Add |
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978-1-7284-1568-0
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$14.99 | |
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978-1-7284-6822-8
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$24.99 |
Awards
- Notable AwardNotable Award L.A. Times Book Prize Winner
- Notable AwardNotable Award Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
- Wisconsin Library Association Outstanding Achievement in Children's Literature Award
- Booklist Top 10 Historical Fiction for Youth
- Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) Choices
- Notable Books for a Global Society Reading List
- Notable AwardNotable Award Booklist Editors' Choice
- Notable AwardNotable Award Kirkus Best Teen Books of the Year
Reviews
Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD)
“[A] story full of adventure, friendship, and feelings as time passes. The story is full of compelling characters that the reader can’t help but root for, as well as writing that builds a palpable atmosphere.”—Children’s Literature
Starred ReviewStarred Review School Library Journal
“A masterful, taut, and emotionally rich historical novel that is heartrending and essential reading for our present political climate.”—starred, School Library Journal
Starred ReviewStarred Review Booklist
“[T]his story of revolutionary hope confronts dehumanizing forces through its resilient characters’ deeply held friendships. An astonishing and gripping read.” — starred, Booklist
G. D. Falksen
“A bold and uncompromising portrayal of life under an authoritarian regime, Lyn Miller-Lachman’s Torch combines nuanced characters and a compelling narrative into a powerful story about survival, humanity, and hope.”-G. D. Falksen, award-winning author of The Secret Life of Kitty Granger, Maiden of War, and The Ouroboros Cycle
Starred ReviewStarred Review Publishers Weekly
“Miller-Lachmann deftly balances moments of happiness and hope within an ominously rendered narrative marked by fear and potential catastrophe. This captivating political thriller is perfect for Ruta Sepetys fans.” — starred, Publishers Weekly
Starred ReviewStarred Review Kirkus Reviews
“Equally terrifying and captivating.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews
Kip Wilson
“I was immediately hooked and couldn’t put this down.” —Kip Wilson, author of White Rose and The Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin
Padma Venkatraman
“Frighteningly relevant in today’s world.” —Padma Venkatraman, author of The Bridge Home and Born Behind Bars
Carly Heath
“[O]utstanding…I was swept away.” —Carly Heath, author of The Reckless Kind
Cynthia Levinson
“Lyn Miller-Lachmann’s Torch manages to accomplish the nearly impossible—a novel that is not only intensively researched and informative, but also riveting and deeply heartfelt. Readers will learn and care in equal measure.”—Cynthia Levinson, author of the Robert J. Sibert Medal-winning The People’s Painter: How Ben Shahn Fought for Justice with Art