BEYOND THE STATION LIES THE SEA

In this outwardly simple story, two homeless children, Niner and Cosmos, long to escape the hard city streets and find the sea. Cosmos dreams of selling cold drinks there. Niner has recently fled increasingly savage beatings at the hands of his mother’s boyfriend, who may have killed her; his dreams of the sea are shot through with his longing for her and memories of their life together. In return for money to make their dream come true, the boys sell Niner’s guardian angel, who may or may not exist, to the Queen of Caracas, a bar owner who once stood where they do. All have second thoughts about the transaction, which threatens to deprive the boys of the little they own. Weaving together the spare symbolism of fable and the magical high stakes of fairy tale, this skillfully written novella by an award-winning German author offers much food for reflection. While the subject matter is difficult, the story is universal; not tied to place or culture, it remains open to broad interpretation. A good choice for discussion. (Fiction. 8-13)