| Management number | 239926864 | Release Date | 2026/07/16 | List Price | US$10.00 | Model Number | 239926864 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | |||||||||
<p><strong>A Polish Boy-Genius in a Hostile Environment</strong></p><p><strong>Poland, 1848: Where survival is a daily struggle and intelligence can be a dangerous gift.</strong></p><p>In a land crushed under Prussian rule, where peasants are reduced to <strong>foraging</strong> in the forest just to eat, one boy's mind sets him apart-and places him in danger. Young orphan Val Karnowski, a Polish peasant child with a genius-level IQ, is taken in by a kind-hearted illiterate man who believes Val must be educated-despite fierce resistance from his own wife and a society that sees no need to educate the poor.</p><p>But the only school available is Prussian-run, designed by <strong>Otto von Bismarck</strong>'s government to erase Polish identity. There, Val's extraordinary mind meets a cruel and chaotic world: a jealous young teacher, resentful classmates, and an institution that openly favors its German students. With a sharp eye and a tender heart, Val navigates bullies, tattletales, outcasts, and jealous peers-experiencing the full, raw spectrum of childhood in an environment stacked against him.</p><p>Meanwhile, far from the schoolhouse, the dark specter of history looms. In twisted, dreamlike scenes, Bismarck himself is visited by the <strong>Devil</strong> at 3:00 a.m., who parades history's past-tyrants as exemplars for his rising war on Poles and Jews.</p><p>Will Val's brilliance be his salvation-or his undoing?</p><p>A story of resilience, injustice, childhood, and hope-this <strong>richly detailed historical</strong> novel will stir memories of your own school days, while pulling you deep into the soul of 19th-century Poland.</p><p> </p>
| Book format | Paperback |
|---|---|
| Fiction/nonfiction | Fiction |
| Genre | Literature & Fiction |
| Publication date | July, 2025 |
| Pages | 496 |
| Subgenre | Action & Adventure |
| Series title | The Zuriel Disclosures |
| Number in series | 3 |
| Edition | 1 |
| Publisher | Gerald R. Schmidt |
| Original languages | English |
| Language | English |
| Educational level | Elementary School |
| Is collectible | N |
| Character | Val Karnowski |
| Retail packaging | Single Piece |
| Assembled product dimensions (l x w x h) | 6.00 x 1.11 x 9.00 Inches |
| Assembled product weight | 1.45 lb |
| Bisac subject heading | Fiction |
If you notice any omissions or errors in the product information on this page, please use the correction request form below.
Correction Request Form