Sunday, February 2, 2014

The Swiss Affair-Emylia Hall

The Swiss Affair Emylia Hall Mira, Jan 28 2014, $14.95 ISBN: 9780778314653 Second year British university student, Hadley Dunn is ecstatic as she accepts an opportunity to leave her boring commuter college and her family to study American Literature abroad at L’Institut Vandois in picturesque Lausanne, Switzerland. Hadley and Danish student Kristina Hartmann meet over sticky doors and become friends. Meanwhile Hugo “adopts” the naive enthused Brit; while Hadley is attracted to her American Hemingway Professor Joel Wilson and feels all is great in her world. However, Hadley’s idyllic time abruptly ends when Kristina dies after accidently slipping on ice. Unable to accept the official cause of death, a grieving confused Hadley cannot believe vivacious Kristina is dead. Knowing she needs to let go, Hadley begins asking questions about Kristina’s last night and who her secret married lover Jacques was. Leaving Hungary (see The Book Of Summers) for La Suisse, Emylia Hall writes an engaging, heart-wrenching coming of age tale. Character-driven by an international cast (including Hemingway), The Swiss Affair engages the audience with its multiple takes on relationships and especially what love is; as Hadley learns that often love hurts. Harriet Klausner

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