Monique Roy

Across Great Divides Monique Roy

Across Great Divides is a timeless story of the upheavals of war, the power of family, and the resiliency of human spirit.
 When Hitler came to power in 1933, one Jewish family refused to be destroyed and defied the Nazis only to come up against another struggle--apartheid in South Africa.
Sixteen-year-old twins, Eva and Inge, witness their lives in Berlin change before their eyes. Their best friend, Trudy, betrays them when she becomes a member of the Hitler Youth. A valuable family heirloom, a beautiful emerald and diamond necklace, is confiscated by the Nazis as they harass Jewish families and businesses. 
Their younger brother, Max, a member of the underground resistance, sees great danger ahead. Their father, Oskar, a successful diamond merchant, refuses to leave Germany and believes Hitler will fail. Their mother, Helene, holds her family together under dire circumstances. 
After the devastation of Kristallnacht in 1938, the family flees Germany with the help of the underground resistance after hiding many diamonds. They seek refuge in Antwerp, but war follows them as Belgium is occupied by the Germans. 
A German man, a nun, a countess, and a winegrower help the family escape Europe. They hike over the Pyrenees Mountains while eluding German patrols and Spanish informers. Then, they spend agonizing days on a ship bound for Rio de Janeiro. As Rio's diamond business is corrupt, they decide to go to South Africa, another diamond market. 
In Cape Town, Eva encounters an impoverished colored woman, Zoe, who is in need of work. The family hires Zoe as their maid. They shield Zoe and her daughter from the dangers they face in the slums of District Six and from the horrors of apartheid, which are all too reminiscent of Nazi Germany.
But, when Max gets into trouble with the South African police over his participation in an anti-apartheid march, will he be subject to imprisonment? 
In a thrilling conclusion, the family comes to terms with the evils of society, both in their memories and current situation in South Africa.