Although published in the 1980s, this has all the makings of a modern psychological thriller. Orphans accepted into a private, elite school for unknown reasons, some type of ‘master plan’ conspiracy, the fight against the ‘establishment’. Yet, it’s so much more.
The struggle to grow up and survive, the yearning to understand, the desire for love, the need for family – the themes run deep in this fictional story that hints at autobiography.
Peter’s growing obsession with time is the underlying current that flows throughout the book, finally surging with the force of a tsunami to the forefront at the conclusion. The science of the study of time, the history of clocks, the physics of past, present and future is fascinating – but it detracts from the story, overshadowing it. Originally written in Danish, I can’t help but wonder what, if anything, may have been lost in translation. There was a lot going on in this book. A bit too much, for my taste. I found it a touch overwhelming. Very good, but a lot to handle. 4 stars.
Shannon Hollinger 
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