A TIME OF MIRACLES by ANNE LAURE BONDOUX

SUMMARY: Kumajl lives in an old building somewhere in Caucasus Mountains. His surrogate mother, Gloria, is there, too. He is seven years old and likes to run around with other kids. Before going to bed Gloria tells him stories about how she found him. That there was an accident with a train and that there was a dying woman who gave him to her. So she took care of him. Gloria tells him that he is from France and that his real name is Blaise Fortune. One day the police find the old building and they have to run. Gloria and Kumajl walk to a village called Suma Sula and they build a house out of garbage lying around. They start going to the dump and looking for old lightbulbs to find the nickel wires in them. They sell them to a guy who employs them. Gloria starts coughing a lot. Kumajl finds new friends, Stambek, who isn’t very smart and Suki and Maja, twins. But then scientists come and say that the area is dangerous and toxic. They have to run again. Kumajl and Gloria’s goal is now France. They arrive in Suhumi, a town with a harbour. They plan to go on a ship to France but a bomb falls on the harbour and they have to wait a while for a truck to pick them up. They stay in a tiny attic room with another woman and her daughter, Fatima. Kumajl falls in love with her. But some people come with guns and they have to run again. They drive on a truck and walk and they just keep going. On the way they meet gypsies who offer them help. In another city they get a ride in a truck but the driver doesn’t know that Kumajl is there, too because he is hiding in the back. Gloria leaves and Kumajl finally gets to France. Because he is alone they let him stay there. He goes to school, falls in love with another girl, Prudence, but he keeps looking for Gloria. When he’s an adult he finds her back in Asia in a hospital. She is gravely ill because of some toxic chemicals in her lungs. She tells him that she is actually his mother and that his father is a terrorist. She didn’t want anybody realising that they were connected. She dies soon after that.

CHARACTERS:

Kumajl: a nice kid with a lot of hope. He likes learning and remembers a lot.

Gloria: Kumajl’s real mother, very hopeful and upbeat. She keeps going even when she knows she’s dying. She would do anything for her son.

Zemzem: Kumajl’s father, a terrorist. A long time ago he was good but he turned evil.

Stambek: stupid, one of Kumajl’s first friends.

Maja and Suki: twin girls, Kumajl likes them both a lot.

Fatima: Kumajl’s friend. She hasn’t opened her eyes since she saw her father killed. She can play the violin very well.

Prudence: Love of Kumajl’s life. She was a refugee, too. She’s very patient and kind.

OPINION: I read this book in one day. I couldn’t stop reading it. It’s very interesting, well written and amazing. It makes you think about the world. It makes you hopeful and sad at the same time. I like it very much.

#annelaurebondoux #5stars #reality