• Age: 13 to 18
• Grade: 8 to 12

In 1941, fifteen-year-old Madli hopes that the Soviet occupation is temporary, but when the neighbours, along with thousands of others, are deported, she knows that lives are in danger. She longs for the safety of her grandfather’s farm.

Days later, the Nazis invade her country. Friends and family find themselves divided as they try to choose which dictator they’d rather live under — Hitler or Stalin. Madli is horrified by either choice, but how long can she remain neutral?

Every day brings new dangers and unimaginable decisions. In order to survive, Madli knows she can’t fight the enemy, so she is determined to outwit them.

This stunning debut from Urve Tamberg takes readers to World War II in Estonia, a country that vanished from world view for almost fifty years. The struggle to survive is brought to life through the eyes of a teenager who is determined to keep her family together against all odds.

Urve Tamberg grew up in Toronto as the daughter of Estonian immigrant parents. With a B.Sc. (Physical Therapy) and a M.B.A., her management career spanned both the public and private sectors of health care. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, travelling, spending time with family and, of course, reading. Urve lives in Oakville, Ontario. The Darkest Corner of the World is her first novel.

Urve Tamberg's profile page

• Commended, <i>Resource Links</i> Best book

“A worthy addition to the historical fiction collection of any library … [since] life under Soviet occupation during the 1940s is not so much unlike the repressed societies that are the mainstay of the dystopian genre … it is conceivable that The Darkest Corner of the World would suit the interests and sensibilities of readers looking for greater reading variety across the genres. … at its core, The Darkest Corner of the World is a World War II historical fiction novel: a pretty good one at that.”

CM Magazine