22 Britannia Road, a historical novel by Amanda Hodgkinson, follows Polish couple Silvana and Janusz Nowak, who become separated during World War II when Janusz joins the army. Silvana flees Poland with their son, Aurek; they search for Janusz for years before finally meeting in England when she learns he has survived. The novel explores the different forms of trauma created during this atrocity: Silvana’s from her experiences of alienation, displacement, and grief, and Janusz’s from suppressing his emotions and memories in order to survive the war. The novel is celebrated for its realist portrayals of the transformations people underwent during World War II.
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