“Andrew Boden’s novel is smart and compassionate and gives new blood to the ghosts of the Second World War. I loved the plot and pace, the unfamiliar stories and unsung heroes who richly come to life. Despite dark scenes, and beneath a tone of measured reminiscence, this is a story of overcoming and of finding daylight.” — Colin McAdam, author of Black Dove
“When We Were Ashes is an amazing read — a page-turner plot-wise, imbued with language that dances on the page. A sui generis and an unflinching take on the macro and micro evils of Nazi Germany, Andrew Boden’s debut novel throbs with humanity, intelligence, moral complexity, and an understanding of the complications of extreme cruelty and extreme kindness. The child narrator Rainor, his brilliant friend Emmi, and the conflicted bus driver Peter Berger have stayed resident in my mind.” — Zsuzsi Gartner, author of The Beguiling
“A haunting story that interweaves the heartbreaking past with the still hopeful present, When We Were Ashes celebrates courage even in the face of unendurable grief. Andrew Boden succeeds in shining a light into one of the least-remembered of Nazi atrocities.” — Anna Porter, author of Gull Island
“A powerful and moving novel of endurance and humanity under terrible circumstances, one that rewards a reader’s devotion.” — Antanas Sileika, author of Some Unfinished Business
“When We Were Ashes is a powerful novel, flawlessly executed and emotionally resonant. It is haunting, and its words have stayed with me long after I closed the book. Boden’s triumph is to marry the unthinkable cruelty of a world gone mad with a firmly rooted sense of human dignity that uplifts the human spirit.” — The British Columbia Review
