Torch

Description

Three teens struggle to carve out futures for themselves under a totalitarian regime. Czechoslovakia, 1969 Seventeen-year-old Pavol has watched his country's freedoms disappear in the wake of the Soviet Union's invasion. He's seen his own dreams disappear too. In a desperate, fatal act of protest against the oppressive new government, he sets himself on fire in public, hoping to motivate others to fight for change. Instead, Pavol's death launches a government investigation into three of his closest friends. Stepan finds his Olympic hockey ambitions jeopardized and must conceal his sexual orientation from authorities who could use it against him. Tomas has already been accused of "antisocial" behavior because he struggles to follow the unwritten rules of everyday interactions, and now he must work even harder to meet the expectations of his father, the regional leader of the communist party. And aspiring film director Lida, Pavol's girlfriend, is pregnant with his child, which brands her a traitor by association and upends all her plans. With their futures hanging in the balance, all three must decide whether to keep struggling to survive in the country Pavol died hoping to save . . . or risk a perilous escape to the other side.

Lyn Miller-Lachmann is an author, educator, and editor. Her novels include Surviving Santiago, Rogue, and Torch. She earned a Masters in Library and Information Science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and a Masters in Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, and English, Lyn enjoys traveling to new places. She lives part-time in New York City and Lisbon, Portugal.

"When 17-year-old Pavol sets fire to himself in Prague, his suicide is an act of protest against the Communist government, following the failure of the 1968 -Czechoslovakian Revolution. But in his despair, Pavol has not fully considered the -effects of his death on those who love him: his girlfriend, Lida, who has just realized she's pregnant; neurodivergent Tomas, his lonely math-club friend; and Stepan, who is secretly in love with him. Lida, Stepan, and Tomas grapple with ways they might have failed Pavol, even as the authorities track down and punish them. Will these young people find a way to heal and to live with their integrity intact? Can they escape? Expertly interweaving multiple perspectives, Miller-Lachmann gets the balance right between the universality of survivor's guilt and the specificity of the historical period. Pavol maintains his identity as the group's moral center--he is idealistic and fallible, a hero and a boy in pain. Crucially, Pavol is balanced by Lida's father, a WWII Resistance fighter whose alcoholism reflects the moral conflicts of a previous generation. Finally, the author even-handedly refuses to present 'the West' as paradise. The author's note provides detailed context on -Czechoslovakian history and resources for further reading. VERDICT A masterful, taut, and emotionally rich historical novel that is heartrending and essential reading for our present political climate."--starred, School Library Journal -- "Journal" (1/1/2023 12:00:00 AM) "Late 1960s Czechoslovakia is a place of turmoil under the Soviet regime--especially for young people like Pavol whose lives are dictated by the state. Sadly, his dream of higher education is dashed due to his efforts to thwart Soviet tanks encroaching on Prague. In response, Pavol takes his life by setting himself on fire. Among those he leaves behind are his friends, each with a secret involving Pavol. Tomas, awkward and insular, found a lifeline to the outside world in Pavol, who shared Tomas's love of contraband music. For Stepan, Pavol was the closest of friends, even as Stepan wished for a more intimate relationship. And Lida is left with the most impactful secret of all: Pavol's unborn child. All three must contend with the aftermath of their friend's death--and of the incendiary note authorities found on his corpse that could spell their doom. This book presents, in stark detail, an era and location not often depicted in modern media. It captures the pervasive despair with which all three protagonists contend and pulls no punches in showing the atrocities suffered by the Czechoslovakians. Guns, violence, and alcohol abuse appear as intrinsic facets of life under communist rule. Nevertheless, this story of revolutionary hope confronts dehumanizing forces through its resilient characters' deeply held friendships. An astonishing and gripping read." -- starred, Booklist -- "Journal" (12/1/2022 12:00:00 AM) "Three teens' lives are upended following the death of a mutual loved one in this searing historical novel by Miller-Lachmann (Surviving Santiago), set in 1969 after the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia. When Soviet agents arrest 17-year-old Pavol for smashing road signs to delay the incursion of tanks into Prague, the government rejects his university application in retaliation and sentences him to a career in the mines--the very livelihood that killed his father. Inspired by the death of real historical political martyr Jan Palach, and believing that "the only way out of his ruined life was a torch," Pavol dies by suicide, setting himself on fire "for freedom." Pavol's three best friends--gay hockey star and former bully Ste pan, neurodivergent intellectual Tomas, and pregnant girlfriend Lida--struggle to navigate life following his death. Miller-Lachmann deftly balances moments of happiness and hope within an ominously rendered narrative marked by fear and potential catastrophe. This captivating political thriller is perfect for Ruta Sepetys fans. A beginning note provides suicide prevention resources; a concluding author's note details the inspiration behind Tomas's characterization."-- starred, Publishers Weekly -- "Journal" (10/28/2022 12:00:00 AM) "A bold and uncompromising portrayal of life under an authoritarian regime, Lyn Miller-Lachman's Torch combines nuanced characters and a compelling narrative into a powerful story about survival, humanity, and hope."-G. D. Falksen, award-winning author of The Secret Life of Kitty Granger, Maiden of War, and The Ouroboros Cycle -- "Other Print" (10/31/2022 12:00:00 AM) "A magnificently rendered novel that feels especially timely, Torch packs an emotional punch with its intriguing characters and compelling setting. Lyn Miller-Lachmann has written an outstanding work of historical fiction that achieves the unique distinction of being both sensitively drawn and impeccably researched. I was swept away." --Carly Heath, author of The Reckless Kind -- "Other Print" (5/1/2022 12:00:00 AM) "Lyn Miller-Lachmann's Torch manages to accomplish the nearly impossible--a novel that is not only intensively researched and informative, but also riveting and deeply heartfelt. Readers will learn and care in equal measure."--Cynthia Levinson, author of the Robert J. Sibert Medal-winning The People's Painter: How Ben Shahn Fought for Justice with Art -- "Other Print" (5/1/2022 12:00:00 AM) "The brightest torches burn quickly. Readers barely have a chance to get to know 17-year-old Pavol Bartos, a young man whose bright future was extinguished when the oppressive Czechoslovak Communist Party, or KSC, government denied his application to attend university and instead directed him to report for duty as a miner. Fueled by a desire to confront the unfair, authoritarian regime and guided by altruistic (if innocent) ideals, Pavol and his friends draft a letter that they plan to present to the government office in Prague Castle. When this plan falls apart, Pavol is resigned to what he believes is his last, terrible option: death. Pavol follows the example of real-life activist Jan Palach, a student who set himself ablaze in 1969 as an act of political protest against the KSC. Pavol's untimely death has unforeseen consequences for his friends--gay former school bully Stepan; bookish neurodiverse Tomas; and Pavol's newly pregnant girlfriend, Lida. Readers will be on the edges of their seats with fear as they follow the social, psychological, and physical fallout for this trio as they deal with the consequences of Pavol's actions while fighting for their own brief moments of happiness and hope. The story presents an unflinching look at the toll of authoritarianism; it's a tale that will inspire readers to examine modern politics and the need for people to stand up for personal rights before human torches are once again lit. Equally terrifying and captivating."--starred, Kirkus Reviews -- "Journal" (8/15/2022 12:00:00 AM) "With meticulous attention to detail, Miller-Lachmann recreates a terrifying and excruciating chapter in our shared human history. A work of historical fiction about an almost forgotten time that is frighteningly relevant in today's world." --Padma Venkatraman, author of The Bridge Home and Born Behind Bars -- "Other Print" (5/1/2022 12:00:00 AM) Torch immerses readers in the lives of a group of teenagers in Czechoslovakia after the 1968 Soviet invasion. Rather than live without freedom, one of them decides to protest the regime's oppression by setting himself on fire--and as a consequence, the dreams of his best friends go up in flames too. I was immediately hooked and couldn't put this down. Incredibly relevant for today's teens, especially with the current surge of authoritarianism around the globe. --Kip Wilson, author of White Rose and The Most Dazzling Girl in Berlin -- "Blog" (5/1/2022 12:00:00 AM)