Hiding in the Spotlight

A Musical Prodigy's Story of Survival: 1941-1946

De: Greg Dawson

Narrado por: Suzanne Toren, Kevin Pariseau

The extraordinary story of a young girl whose musical genius saves her from the Holocaust.

By the age of six, Zhanna had developed a repertoire fellow students twice her age would envy. Scholarships to the most prestigious conservatories in the Soviet Union soon followed - conservatories that had produced legends like Rachmaninoff, Kogan, and Horowitz.

In 1941, disaster strikes. The Nazi Army is smashing through the Ukraine en route to Moscow. Zhanna and her family are to be executed alongside thousands of others in the ravines of Drobitsky Yar. A few short miles from certain death, her father bribes a nearby guard, and she escapes into the forest with only the clothes on her back, a copy of Chopin’s Fantasy Impromptu in her pocket, and her father’s parting words echoing in her head: “I don’t care what you do, just live.”

Adopting a new identity and ever fearful of recognition, Zhanna roamed the ravaged countryside. One lonely evening, the head of a local Nazi battalion hears her play. He is so taken with her exquisite interpretation of Chopin that little Zhanna soon becomes the performing darling of the Nazi forces.

©2009 Greg Dawson (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Bravo!!!

This was a wonderful surprise! Well written and beautifully performed! Highly recommend. I cried, I rejoiced!

it was true

on one in 2020's will ever know what WWII was like or could imagine. May God Protect us all and not know what warfare can be like and is like in our wars of today.

Very enjoyable

This was an enjoyable listen about a music prodigy. I, personally am tone deaf, so the fact that this could keep me interested throughout the whole book says a lot about the basis of the story. There’s a wonderful story here that isn’t just music, or just the Holocaust.

Great Musical Story in Ukraine

When compared to other Holocaust/survival novels like Night, this novel may not be as well written. Yet, I really enjoyed the story because of its focus on music and the value of music during horrific times. It does not focus too much on the death of innocent people in the camps, which works in its credit allows this narrative to separate itself.

Instead, it follows 2 pianist girls in a series of varying incidents that, thanks to blind luck and boldness, help keep them alive. The novel also explores elements of Russian and Ukrainian history and emphasizes the horror of Stalin's reign, though without the grotesque imagery that might be found in Night (and similar).

Memorable amazing story

Exceptional narration, easy to listen to. Beautiful and also very sad story raising awareness. Would be perfect for a film too.