The Hidden Letters Of Velta B.: Ochsner, Gina: 9780544703049

Intimate, vibrant, and richly colored. "[An] extraordinary feat of storytelling .

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A spellbinding novel as tough as it is beautiful." — Helen Simonson, author of The Summer Before the War "A beautifully spun tale .

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An astonishing alchemy of history, romance, and fable." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review Maris was born knowing things: his very large, very special ears enable him to hear the secrets of the dead, as well as the memories that haunt his Latvian hometown.

As a boy, Maris finds himself heir to an odd assortment of hidden letters, letters from which he would weave a story that could finally expose— and maybe even patch—the holes in the fabric of his family and their town. With humor, heart, and her characteristic "luminous writing [and] affection for her characters" (New York Times), Gina Ochsner creates an intimate, hopeful portrait of a fascinating town in all its complications and charm.

From the onset of World War II through the cold shock of independence, we see how, despite years of distrust, a community can come through love and loss to the joy of understanding. "A captivating novel of secrets, love, and memory .

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This terrific novel knocked me out." —Janet Fitch, author of Paint It Black "A gift on par with Joanne Harris’ s Chocolat .

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Quirky, ethereal, hilarious, and sorrowful." —Shelf Awareness Read more Review