When We Were Ashes

When the grey bus came to take Rainor Schacht and his friends in the ward for disabled children to a remote hospital called Trutzburg, they had no idea what dark reality awaited them.

No one would tell them what to expect — not Nurse Hilde; not Peter Berger, the kind bus driver; not Dr. Lutz, who ran the Nazi hospital with ruthless efficiency.

Years later, with Berger’s coded diary in hand, Rainor sets out to find Emmi, a fellow survivor of Trutzburg, who looked past Rainor’s disfigurement and elicited the magic that gave purpose to Rainor and solace to Emmi and the other children.

Set against the backdrop of the Second World War, Andrew Boden’s When We Were Ashes takes us to the chilling depths of Aktion T4, one of the darkest chapters in the history of Nazi Germany. In this hauntingly poignant novel, Rainor is led on an illuminating journey to learn the truth about his past and the even more extraordinary truth about his present.

Historical Context and Tie-ins to the Novel:

• An estimated 300,000 people were killed in Aktion T4, a campaign which targeted people with disabilities.

• Trutzburg is based on Grafeneck, a castle that was used in Aktion T4.

• Features a cast of characters who were victims of Aktion T4.

"Andrew Boden’s novel is smart and compassionate and gives new blood to the ghosts of the Second World War. I loved the plot and pace, the unfamiliar stories, and unsung heroes who richly come to life. Despite dark scenes, and beneath a tone of measured reminiscence, this is a story of overcoming and finding daylight."

— COLIN MCADAM, author of BLACK DOVE

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When We Were Ashes is available for purchase on Amazon, Indigo, and at Goose Lane Editions. Also available by special order from your bookstore.