About the book: 2024 / The novel received 1st place in the "Novel-Tale" category of the literary competition "Good Word" 2020. A journalist accidentally meets in Malta old man, and the story begins of what can already be called a fairy tale. 1940, May: the crater of war opened for Europe - a whirlpool of events that sucked in a simple sailor of the French merchant fleet and threw him onto the rocks of the Allied outpost - Malta. Constant air raids, deadly convoys, defeats, retreats. This year of his life turned out to be a mirror, reflecting the confusion, despair and hope of millions... but everyone had their own hope. Question from the publisher: “How can your book attract readers?” Interest for the reader: based on events rarely covered in fiction. There are no refined “jingoistic” or “tear-making” motifs in the book. The narration is smooth in classic English style.