Hoffman Elyse

The Book of Uriel Hoffman Elyse

"An otherworldly tale with indelible characters in a realistic wartime setting. Hoffman's novel sublimely fuses world history and Jewish folklore."---Kirkus Reviews




"A truly unique work of fantastical, historical fiction set in Nazi Germany that will keep readers engaged and invested in the characters and their fates."---Booklife by Publisher's Weekly




B. R. A. G. Medallion Honoree




2021 International Book Awards Award-Winning Finalist in the Historical Fiction Category.




In the fires of World War II, a child must save his people from darkness...




Ten-year-old Uriel has always been an outcast. Born mute in a Jewish village known for its choir, he escapes into old stories of his people, stories of angels and monsters. But when the fires of the Holocaust consume his village, he learns that the stories he writes in his golden notebook are terrifyingly real.




In the aftermath of the attack, Uriel is taken in by Uwe, a kind-hearted linguist forced to work for the commander of the local Nazi Police, the affably brutal Major Brandt. Uwe wants to keep Uriel safe, but Uriel can't stay hidden. The angels of his tales have come to him with a dire message: Michael, guardian angel of the Jewish people, is missing. Without their angel, the Jewish people are doomed, and Michael's angelic brethren cannot search for him in the lands corrupted by Nazi evil.




With the lives of millions at stake, Uriel must find Michael and free him from the clutches of the Angel of Death...even if that means putting Uwe in mortal danger.




The Book of Uriel is a heartbreaking blend of historical fiction and Jewish folklore that will enthrall fans of The Book Thief and The World That We Knew.