Haunting, poignant, and compelling…
Human trafficking, racial disparity, resilience, and courage mark Fillis’s earnest series kicker in the historical fiction series. With the civil war in full swing and Mao Zedong’s ruthless control of the nation, fourteen-year-old Tao Wen Shun, the upstanding son of an educated family, is sent aboard a sailing ship to live as the paper-son to a Chinese family in Canada. After a harrowing sea voyage, Tao finds himself in the clutches of a human trafficking gang, and escape doesn’t seem like an option. The world Fillis creates, be it the disquiet of a Chinese town of Hangzhou or the searing discrimination of a Canadian city, is both complex and authentic. The warm, grounded romance toward the end comes out as a pleasant surprise. Although the novel tackles various complex themes, including human trafficking, racial discrimination, young love, and a teenager’s coming of age story, Fillis’s expert execution of the plot and sharp cultural observations make it a gratifying read.
A Heart To Survive
First Novel in the Collingwood Series
By George Fillis
Pub date November 20, 2020
ASIN B08NFQ674Z
Price $4.99 (USD) Kindle edition, $14.99 Paperback