Uzly a pomerance

15 year old Darek lives with his widowed father and younger sister in the isolated and beautiful Lusatian Mountains on the Czech-German-Polish border. Darek's life has changed a lot since his mom's death from leukemia. Although he has gained more freedom, this has not led to more happiness. He misses his lively and caring mother who was always there for him. His father has gone downhill since she died, drowning his sorrows in alcohol, and loading Derek with more responsibilities than most boys his age can handle. However, this teenager is not like most others and he matures rapidly, taking what's given to him in his stride and commanding respect. Hanna, an individualistic and attractive girl at his school, is attracted to Darek's confident and caring nature. After Darek's father loses his job at a glass factory, he is unable to care for the family anymore, which looks like it may fall apart. Child Protective Services threatens to place Darek's sister, Ema, who has Down's Syndrome, in a foster home. Darek strongly objects to this and opposes any attempt to remove Ema from the family. That's when Uli, a horse owner and friend of Darek's father, comes to the rescue and offers him a business partnership that ostensibly involves the breeding of horses, to be acquired by Uli and raised on pastures belonging to Darek's father, for which he will be paid. Uli's offer is like a life-raft and brings renewed hope to the troubled family. It seems like all of their problems will be solved and Darek is enthusiastic. He helps build a horse corral, repair the stable, and care for the horses. His relationship with these strong and graceful animals deepens and they bring a new sense of love and confidence into his life, which Hanna notices and admires. Now Darek can prove himself in front of Hanna, as well as beat his rival and bully, Hugo, who has taken advantage of his sister, and with whom he is constantly fighting. With Hanna and the horses Darek's the happiest he's ever been. But nothing lasts forever, as he finds out near the end of summer. Although Darek's childhood vanishes forever, every ending brings a new beginning now that the girl with the scent of oranges is in his life. In the midst of an economic slowdown, his father, originally glassblower, is laid off and can only find occasional work as a lumberjack in the local forests. He has trouble coming to grips with this turn of events, and his excessive drinking becomes a serious problem. At this point, an old friend, Uli, enters the picture and opens a whole new perspective on life for him: the two of them will start a horse farm. Darek is enthusiastic, helping his father and Uli wherever possible. However, there is no way to foresee the tremendous disappointment in store for him. The story combines adventurous elements with the delicate signs of a budding romantic relationship. It is the adolescent boy's unwavering longing for acceptance, love, and the overcoming of cruelty, both to people and animals, that prevails.