The Songbird and the Rambutan Tree

Written by Lucille Abendanon

A young girl must find her voice to survive a war-torn world.

4.4 Goodreads · 284 ratings

307 pages· 690L

$14.99Save 7%

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Bookroo's summary

In 1942 Batavia, Emmy's angelic voice is silenced by tragedy. As war erupts, her chance to escape vanishes, leaving her trapped in a brutal camp. Separated from loved ones, Emmy must summon her inner strength to endure and rediscover her voice amidst chaos. Can she reclaim her freedom and find hope in the darkest times?

From the publisher

Batavia, Dutch East Indies, 1942. Emmy has the voice of an angel but hasn’t sung a note since a family tragedy. With war looming, her father plans to ship her off to a singing school in England for safety. But all Emmy wants to do is stay in Batavia with her best friend, Bakti, even if it means putting up with her snooty classmate, Violet. Then the Japanese army invades–and as war erupts in the Dutch East Indies, Emmy’s world falls apart. When her own actions sabotage her chance to evacuate the island, Emmy is captured and confined in the Tjideng prisoner-of-war camp with other women and children. Separated from her family and friends, and silenced by her grief, Emmy will need all her strength to survive the war, find her voice, and reclaim her freedom.

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