Elephant Moon - Softcover

Sweeney, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1909269107 ISBN 13: 9781909269101

Publisher: Silvertail Books, 2014

Synopsis

As World War II brings Japanese troops into Burma, schoolteacher Grace sets off on a daring journey to deliver 62 orphans to safety. ELEPHANT MOON is a stunning and memorable page-turner of love, loss and resilience.

'Excellent and ingenious' Daily Mail

A 'compelling story of survival' Kirkus Reviews

Burma, 1940. As the Second World War rages, the Japanese Imperial Army enters Burma and its British rulers prepare to flee, leaving behind their human legacy -- sixty-two children born to local women after affairs with foreign men.

Disowned by both sides, the children are to be abandoned with no one to protect them. But their teacher, Grace Collins, a young Englishwoman, refuses to leave the orphans and instead, with the help of a man who loves her deeply, sets out to guide them to the safety of India.

They face impossible odds, because between the group and India lie one thousand miles of jungle, mountains, rivers and the constant, unseen threat of Japanese soldiers.

With the enemy chasing them down, the group's chances of survival look bleak -- until they come across a herd of fifty-three elephants who, with their awesome strength and kindness, quickly become the orphans' only hope.

Based on a true story, ELEPHANT MOON is an unforgettable epic tale of love, courage and compassion in the midst of brutality and destruction which fans of THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ, Edith Eger and Celeste Ng will love.

What everyone is saying about ELEPHANT MOON:

‘Absolutely amazing.’

‘Thrilling...filled with adventure, tragedy and love’ - Daily Mail

‘This book was beautiful and gives a very different view of the Second World War. The elephants’ relationships were enchanting and I completely fell in love with them. Couldn't put it down.’

‘What a marvellous book!’

‘I absolutely loved this book. As someone who's been lucky enough to see elephants in the wild and to experience close contact with working elephants on a trip to India, this book really captivated me with its descriptions of the elephants and their individual traits.’

‘If you were to relocate Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse to Burma in the Second World War, with elephants taking the sentimental role from the horses, you might end up with something like Elephant Moon.’ Literary Review

‘A knowledgeable, compelling story of survival, set in one of the lesser-known theaters of WWII.’ Kirkus Reviews

About this title

About the Author:

John Sweeney is a reporter for BBC Panorama. He has won many journalism awards and is the author of five previous books. Elephant Moon is his first novel.

Review:

'If you were to relocate Michael Morpurgo's War Horse to Burma in the Second World War, with elephants taking the sentimental role from the horses, you might end up with something like Elephant Moon by John Sweeney. It is a tender and loving tribute to 'Nature's great masterpiece... The only harmless great thing', as John Donne described the elephant, as well as an insight into one of the forgotten battlegrounds of the war.' LITERARY REVIEW 'This novel is based on a little-known true story of the Second World War when a herd of 53 elephants was used by a young English schoolteacher to rescue a band of orphans in Burma and transport them to the safety of India. Their incredible journey is filled with adventure, tragedy and love, as you might expect. But, most thrilling of all is the emergence of the elephants as real characters with distinct personalities. This is not done in a sentimental Jungle Book kind of way. Rather, it is true to Darwin's description of these creatures as being possessed of many of the same senses as humans, including the capacity for jealousy, suspicion and revenge. The author - who is also an award-winning Panorama reporter - takes advantage of this phenomenon and scores a bull's-eye with an excellent and ingenious plot.' DAILY MAIL 'A deftly realised on-the-road novel alive with the horrors of war.' YORKSHIRE EVENING POST

About this edition

• Publisher: Silvertail Books
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1909269107
• ISBN 13: 9781909269101
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 240