About Children of the Siege

A lost child, a family divided, the bitter backdrop of war – the ingredients of this classic Diney Costeloe story, set in 19th century France.

After the Franco-Prussian War and the siege of 1870-71, the St Clair family return to Paris, seeking refuge and security, only to be swept up into the terrible cruelties and violence of the Commune.

Here their young daughter, Hélène, falls ill and a cruel twist of fate leads her to be separated from her family. Alone and frightened, she is captured by Prussian soldiers before escaping to fend for herself on the war-torn streets. Meanwhile her two brothers face each other as mortal enemies across the barricades.

Heartrending and unputdownable, this classic Diney story shows the courage of one family in the face of deadly peril.