Publisher's Synopsis
At their early teens two girls were forced to sit in school together and share the same desk. While being complete opposites, they soon shared similar experiences, hopes and dreams, slowly becoming best friends, against all expectations. Until a war breaks and threatens their long lasting relationship, throwing the two young women into opposite sides of a large-scale conflict. Will their friendship last? And could they overcome mistakes that are unforgivable?
"Kis-Lev has created the kind of friendship that is not superficial, silly, or a plot sideline, but private, deep, and more real than anything else. It will make your heart sing." -The Monthly YOU Reader
"Wonderful... A wry, sharply observed tale of both heroism and coming-of-age-story during one of the darkest times in humanity." -Nadia Joels, The Bookreview Club
"Compulsively readable... Kis-Lev establishes himself as a distinctively contemporary literary voice. His dialogue resounds, and his humor gives texture to the prose."-Dr. John Vitals, author and speaker
"Biting, brilliant exploration of a female friendship from the eyes of a sensitive man. And though The Two Marias focuses on young women, readers need be neither young nor female in order to enjoy it..."-Alison Kahn, Peace For The Future
"Riveting... More than an exploration of friendship, this novel is about what happens when the things we take for granted slip away and we are forced to test our inner strength." -Joan Kelvin, author The Secret Inside
"The Two Marias is a slim, sometimes piercing novel... Kis-Lev's hyperaware voice lends the story poignancy and shades of relatability."-Laila Hoja, The Book Reviewer
"Set in WWII war-torn Europe, young Helena and Maria struggle to do what is right, in a world where cruelty is the norm. Never boring... this book is a pageturner." -Joel Springfield, speaker and author
"The novel's depiction of the dynamics of friendship-how there's often affection and admiration mixed with disappointment and frustration-is uniquely authentic." -Dan Klein, The Last Opinion
"Kis-Lev's prose reads like the voice of the charmingly blunt friend you wish you had; his observations are sensitive and insightful." -Gillian T. Harold, Harold Books
"Comedy and pathos are braided together with extraordinary skill in a haunting novel... riveting intensity and originality" -Daily Preacher
"Clever and suspenseful... Kis-Lev has his finger on the old-school girlfriends' zeitgeist... and this riveting tale will make older readers fondly recall the days when kids got in trouble for passing (print) notes in class." -Maria Velazquez, coach and trainer
"Kis-Lev captures the complexities, naivete and angst of teenage girls so well my stomach was in knots. What had happened to Helena Goldstein, the Jewish girl in Nazi Germany? You'll find yourself staying up all night to find out." -Aven K. Lint, author and speaker
"I couldn't believe this was based on a true story. I cried and laughed. Kis-Lev does a fine job of building suspense and creating characters, notably Maria and Helena, whom the target audience-both adults and older teens-will care about and empathize with." -Maria von Klaus, Der Tage
"Fast-paced and suspenseful... a page-turning story of friendship mixed with a bit of a thriller. Shines a light on the power of true friendship in times of external challenges." -Jo Levi, The Reviewer
"A tale of elaborate mystery intertwined with the tenderness of a mother's love, The Two Marias exudes warmth at every turn... Gripping and uplifting, it is a true pageturner." -Mira Hudson, The Life of Mira