Set against the backdrop of major European historical events, Lala is the portrait of a dazzling female figure, a wide-ranging family saga – and the story of the tender friendship between grandson and grandmother.

It is based on the life of the author's grandmother, who was an eye-witness to the extraordinary upheavals of the twentieth century.

The story stretches from Kiev in 1875 to modern-day Poland, spanning the First and Second World Wars, the German occupation, the revolution and the republic. Loves, betrayals, acts of courage, and moments of crazy comedy shine like gems in the most precious memories of this unforgettable protagonist.

When her grandson is listening, there is nothing Lala likes better than to tell stories. Of her grandfather, the legendary owner of the first car in Ukraine; of her aristocratic mother, and not least of herself.

Based on detailed historical research and family stories, this is a novel rich in intimate details and gentle humour, capturing some of the beauty and charm of a seventeenth-century Dutch vernacular painting.