The main character at the start of The Narrow Land is a young German orphan who is now living with a family in America after the end of the second world war. The author, Christine Dwyer Hinckley, very quickly involves the reader in an account of the trauma of children who experienced life in wartime, the loss of their families and subsequent resettlement to a foreign country. It is the wartime experiences however which are the primary focus and the ongoing effects on this boy. The first few chapters will have most readers eager to read on in the hope that, in time, the little boy can find peace of mind and have a better life. The cover is very evocative of the 1950s simply because of the bathing suit worn by the woman. This decade was a time for great optimism for many and it is easy to forget the troubled state of mind for a large part of the population of countries throughout the world. The Narrow Land is a reminder that life isn't straightforward and I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this book and discover how, or indeed if, this boy can find happiness in his new life.