3.5 This is the second novel in O’Connor’s Rome Escape Line Trilogy, and I enjoyed it as much as the first in the series, In My Father’s House. The wo3.5 This is the second novel in O’Connor’s Rome Escape Line Trilogy, and I enjoyed it as much as the first in the series, In My Father’s House. The work of The Choir continues. [[Background: The Choir is a group based in the Vatican (mostly secular individuals but led by a priest), that works tirelessly to help Allied soldiers and Jewish people escape from occupied Rome during WWII. It isn’t absolutely necessary, but I would read the first in the series before reading this one.]] The incredible daily risk the Choir members take to help the ”Books� (their name for escapees they are trying to protect) are portrayed very vividly, and the novel is full of tension. The main characters in the prior novel, such as Fr O’Flannery are still there, but new or minor characters, particularly, Contessa Landini, assume very prominent roles. The primary setting in the Vatican remained very interesting. However, this novel took the reader below the streets into the tunnels and crypts of ancient Rome, which I found quite interesting, but which also heightened the sense of imminent danger. There were also wonderful descriptions of the “palace� in which the Contessa had lived. O’Connor does a very enjoyable job with the characters, who hail from many different places and walks of life. The novel moves very quickly, but, as before, the reader is left with a deep respect to people who gave their all in the effort to save human beings from the horror of the Nazis. ...more
This lovely novel is set in Estoril, Portugal, and particularly in a grand hotel located in Estoril, during WWII. As a neutral country, many differentThis lovely novel is set in Estoril, Portugal, and particularly in a grand hotel located in Estoril, during WWII. As a neutral country, many different kinds of people fled to Portugal and both sides operated intelligence agents from Portugal. In a very entertaining way, the novel tells the stories of a number of guests of the hotel. We meet a precocious Jewish boy whose parents have sent him to Portugal promising (impossibly) that they will join him. We are entranced by a high living, playboy double agent who manages to work for and (generally) satisfy both the English and the Germans. We meet a number of Yugoslavians, including the real King Carol (abdicated and trying to figure out his next steps) and a famous poet. We watch as a Russian chess master plays chess with the precocious boy. The hotel employees are characters as well, including the hotel manager, the doorman and one of the cooks. Of course the local chief of security plays a part as does the censoring of the press. Although the subject matter could have been presented in a heavy, tragic form, it was not. To the contrary, the reader experiences the day to day pleasures and tribulations of the characters, who were portrayed in a very human, fallible way. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel....more
Rosamunde Pilcher never fails to satisfy me with her wonderful stories of English families mixed with excellent descriptions of time and place. This nRosamunde Pilcher never fails to satisfy me with her wonderful stories of English families mixed with excellent descriptions of time and place. This novel follows the life of Judith Dunbar, starting in pre-WWII England (Cornwall), when her mother deposits her at an English boarding school and returns to Singapore to join her husband who is working there. (I logically understand that many parents located in the British colonies had long separations from their children - - but I cannot emotionally contemplate saying goodbye to my daughter knowing I would not see her for four years.). The boarding school scenes are wonderful, as are the scenes at the home of an upper-class Cornish family where Judith is invited to spend the holidays and becomes accepted as a family member. WWII begins and Judith ultimately becomes a WREN and is posted the Far East. The WWII scenes in both England and Colombo were nicely done, with lots of detail about deprivations and pleasures. Several things make this novel so entertaining. Each character (and there are many of them) is well and fully portrayed. The reader has a complete sense of the nature and personality of each person who affects Judith’s life. Pilcher writes in great detail, so the reader sees clothing, room style and small daily activities. Of course, the characters interact in expected and unexpected ways. We experience Judith’s friendships and loves - - and losses. This is very long novel, but it kept moving. If you have enjoyed other Rosamunde Pilcher novels, I think you will really like this one. ...more
The center point of this novel is a house in the Netherlands, around which the two main characters, Isabel and Eva revolve. Isabel and her family moveThe center point of this novel is a house in the Netherlands, around which the two main characters, Isabel and Eva revolve. Isabel and her family moved into the house during WWII (when she was a child), and Isabel has continued to live in the house and care for it (both practically and emotionally) after her brothers moved out to live on their own. Eva is the girlfriend of Isabel’s brother, Louis. Louis asks that Eva stay with Isabel while he travels. From there the story takes off. Isabel is set in her ways, lonely, cold and unfriendly � and treats her temporary housemate, Eva, terribly. Eva is warm and friendly. The reader watches as the emotions between the two women change and develop. Simultaneously, the reader experiences the story of the house. I cannot say more without giving away wonderful plot points. The writing is very good, and it is hard to believe this is a debut novel. It dealt with WWII’s tragic events from a unique angle, and I really appreciated that. My only caveat is that there is a great deal of explicit sex, so if this is not your cup of tea, you may wish to pass on this one. ...more
This is an interesting story about a young man who returns to his ancestral home in Italy. His purpose is to reclaim the “cottage� on estate, which haThis is an interesting story about a young man who returns to his ancestral home in Italy. His purpose is to reclaim the “cottage� on estate, which has been left to him by his mother. The main house is occupied by his three widowed/maiden aunts. Trouble immediately ensues when another claim is made to the cottage. The story moves backwards to WWII and includes the protection of refugee children as well as the horrific acts of a Nazi sympathizer. The story line was good (and there were some surprises), but I did not fall in love with the novel quite as much as others did. I may be a little WWII saturated. I did love the aunts, each of whom was well depicted and full of personality, as well as the wonderful descriptions of the setting. ...more
3.5 stars. This fast paced novel describes the heroic efforts of a group headed by an Irish priest working in the Vatican to provide the Escape Line b3.5 stars. This fast paced novel describes the heroic efforts of a group headed by an Irish priest working in the Vatican to provide the Escape Line by which escaped Allied POW’s and Jewish prisoners were transported out of Rome. The terror and threat of the Nazis is ever present � every action taken by the priest and his group put them in severe danger of torture and death � yet they were undeterred. The reader meets each member of the group, which was called “The Choir� because they sang during their meetings so that their discussions and directions could not be heard. The Choir members all came from different social, ethnic and political backgrounds, but they were all united in their desire to save human beings from the Nazis. The novel provides wonderful background on each character and follows each of them through the action. We even see Hauptmann, the incredibly despicable Nazi commander in some personal detail. Rome is almost a character in itself. Life inside the Vatican is described in excellent detail as are the numerous back streets and hidden places in the city of Rome. I really enjoyed reading this novel, and will definitely read the next two in the Escape Line trilogy; however, I saw it more as a recounting of heroism in a terrible time, rather than a deeply moving work. ...more
This latest (and last in the trilogy) novel of the Vinich/Konar family once again has overwhelmed me with the beauty of both the writing and the storyThis latest (and last in the trilogy) novel of the Vinich/Konar family once again has overwhelmed me with the beauty of both the writing and the storytelling. The reader sees the older generations move through their adult lives and also sees the younger generations grow and face their own lives and wars (primarily Vietnam). We learn more of the past of some of the main characters in the previous novels (some gaps are filled in beautifully) and we learn more of some previously minor characters, such as the aunt and her activities behind the Iron Curtain. I am not beginning to do this novel the justice it deserves. It is a novel of war � being in war, reacting to war and coming home from war. It is a novel of search for roots and revenge (a big well done item!). It is a novel of family � for all a family’s strengths and weaknesses and its love and tensions. It is a novel of the land on which the family lives. It is a novel that contains some of the most beautiful, eloquent and moving writing I have ever read. ...more
In this novel Urrea moves from his normal and wonderfully written subject matter of Mexico and Hispanics in the US to a totally different realm � WWIIIn this novel Urrea moves from his normal and wonderfully written subject matter of Mexico and Hispanics in the US to a totally different realm � WWII and the fictionalized story of his mother’s service in WWII. The main character is Irene, an upper class New Yorker who volunteers to be a Red Cross “Donut Dolly�. In this role she drives a Clubmobile, which is really a mobile kitchen, and provides coffee and donuts to soldiers just behind the front lines. Her partner is a tough, sarcastic Midwest farm girl. Through their experiences we see WWII from just behind the front lines in France, Belgium and Germany. The women experience war � from direct shelling numerous times to the indescribable horror of liberating Buchenwald. I did not expect the novel to be so full of deep details into WWII, and in the beginning I felt it read more like non-fiction. However, as the intensity of the peril faced by the two women increased, the detail became compelling - - I physically felt their fears and loves. This is a little different WWII story (which is a good thing, because there are so very many), and as such I found it both interesting and immersive....more
This novel tells the horrific story of the siege of Leningrad by the Nazis during WWII. Cutoff from support by the Nazi blockade, without food or poweThis novel tells the horrific story of the siege of Leningrad by the Nazis during WWII. Cutoff from support by the Nazi blockade, without food or power and under constant bombing, several million people suffered terribly and many hundred thousand died. The main character is Sofya, a concert violinist, who is in a romantic relationship with a Russian naval officer. Also important in the story are Sofya’s granddaughter and her fiancé, who served on the Ice Road (the track across iced over Lake Ladoga by which a few supplies were brought in an some people evacuated). Sofya and her granddaughter face hunger and cold and see death all around them. The romance and romantic secrets provide a little bit of lightness, and the music provides a wonderful contrast to the suffering. I enjoyed this book, but I am partial to The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons. When I read TBH, I felt the hunger, cold and desperation much more tangibly. I think that is because the main characters in TBH are more fully drawn � but I found the descriptions of the deprivations and horrible events more compelling and complete (and yes, I know in TBH there is a lot of romance � young girl, handsome army officer, sibling issues). I’m not disparaging Lost Souls � it is definitely a worthy novel � but if you are interested in the subject matter, you should try The Bronze Horseman....more
This novel tells the story of three women who worked as codebreakers at Bletchley Park in England during WWII. The three women come from very differenThis novel tells the story of three women who worked as codebreakers at Bletchley Park in England during WWII. The three women come from very different backgrounds and have very different personalities, and the reader watches as they learn, and master, their new trade of codebreaking (including translation and related work). We see deep inside the world of codebreaking and the related need to adhere strictly to the Secrets Act. Each young woman is, at one point or another, required to personally face her adherence to the secrecy rules. There are other characters � and of course romantic relationships develop in the secluded, intense atmosphere. Kate Quinn does an excellent job of showing the reader the remote location, the intensity of the work, the secrecy of the work and the resulting effects on individuals and relationships between people. I liked Diamond Eye better (my preference for novels set in the Soviet Union), but this was a good, fun and interesting read....more
I very much enjoy Kate Quinn’s novels, but this short story did not measure up to her other work. It uses an intersection of timelines (two people actI very much enjoy Kate Quinn’s novels, but this short story did not measure up to her other work. It uses an intersection of timelines (two people actually communicate between timelines, i.e. time travel) to tell the story, and I think that just isn’t for me. ...more
I read this novel because I knew I was going to be touring Los Alamos (and of course I wanted to touch up on my history through historical fiction!). I read this novel because I knew I was going to be touring Los Alamos (and of course I wanted to touch up on my history through historical fiction!). This was a wonderful, fast paced story of a female European physicist, who winds up at Los Alamos working with Robert Oppenheimer (on the development of the atomic bomb). She is a very well drawn character, who is based on an historical woman. Our heroine is focused on science to the exclusion of most other things. We see her as a child, as a physicist working in Berlin under Hitler and as a part of the group of Los Alamos physicists. While in the United States, as an Austrian who has worked for the Germans, she is, of course, under suspicion. The concern that she is disclosing American scientific secrets powers the plot of the story. But there is much more. We feel the devastating effects of the war on her life in Europe (she is Jewish). We all see the pull and tug of all those involved in the Los Alamos project - scientists vs each other, scientists vs the US military, and intelligence agents vs everyone. There is also a romantic theme, which I felt was the weakest part of the story - but certainly worked very well in the context of the novel. This is is a good read - particularly if you are interested in what happened at Los Alamos. ...more
This novel told the story of two very different women. One was an American who barely survived the dustbowl in the Texas panhandle and later married aThis novel told the story of two very different women. One was an American who barely survived the dustbowl in the Texas panhandle and later married a scientist involved in the rocket program in Huntsville, Alabama. The second woman (the German wife), was a German woman who joins her husband (a German Rocket scientist) in Huntsville, Alabama. The "current" story involves the interaction between the American born scientists and their families and the newly arrived German scientists and their families as they work together in Huntsville in 1950. To say the least, the Germans were not warmly welcomed into the Americans' lives. For me, the better parts of the novel were the two background stories. I have heard so many family dust bowl stories...... The tragedy of that time and the people it molded (including the impetus for the choices they made) were well drawn in this novel. A member of the American born family also suffers severe PSTD from what he saw during WWII when liberating concentration camps in Germany. The back story line of the German family was also quite well done. As the Nazis become more and more powerful, the German couple has to make many decisions. They "roll with the flow" of the Nazis - against their hearts desire - but they do it anyway because they feel the penalties of not doing so are too great and too harmful for their family. The mother watches as, among other things, her children become fully indoctrinated in Nazi culture, as a Jewish friend suffers terribly, and her husband continues to develop rockets for the Nazi war machine. Yet every day she questions her choices and does what she can to aid those oppressed by the Nazis. In the "current" story the two women collide. I found this to be an interesting study of how, in the case of the German family, people do what is expedient - even though their hearts tell them it isn't right - to save their family. In a different context, "family vs world" issues are playing out in the American family, as seen in the American born woman's marriage and her actions to protect her brother. Just one more look at some of the underlying issues created by WWII. ...more
What a wonderfully told story of a woman who was a Soviet sniper during WWII! But she was so very much more � including being the mother of a young chWhat a wonderfully told story of a woman who was a Soviet sniper during WWII! But she was so very much more � including being the mother of a young child, a history student who carried her thesis to the front lines, and a representative of the Soviet government to the US, where she became friends with Eleanor Roosevelt. I did know that women played a real part as soldiers in the Soviet army, but I did not know much about the life of a sniper (or Lyudmila Pavlichenko, a female sniper, in particular). Her recruitment and training were interesting, but her activities on the front lines as a sniper were amazing. Her courage, mental control and physical suffering were incredible � and extremely well portrayed by the author. There were men in her life as well � some bad and some good, including her partner who is her “second self� before they realize that perhaps they have more than a working relationship. Most of the story and almost all the characters are real, and the author used Ms Pavlichenko’s memoirs to a great extent. I am now a huge Kate Quinn fan, and I highly recommend this novel to anyone who is interested in WWII (including the role of Soviet women or snipers in WWII) or anyone who is interested in an interesting story very well written.
Well for someone who didn't think she was going to read very many more WWII novels, I have just finished two very ones! Both novels deal with ethnic GWell for someone who didn't think she was going to read very many more WWII novels, I have just finished two very ones! Both novels deal with ethnic German farmers living in Ukraine (or technically Prussia in the case of Tears of Amber) and their stories as the Red Army approached from the east (and the German army retreated to the west) and they were forced to flee their homes and become refugees on a long journey west. The characters in The Last Green Valley were extremely well portrayed. The novel is based on the lives of a real couple and their children, which makes it more powerful. To say the least, their trials and tribulations were many - wagon travel, bombardment, hunger, cold, imprisonment in a work camp, escape from imprisonment, and escape from the Soviet Union. At times, in a very expected way, the characters lost their courage and vision - but they continued to hold on to their dream of the last green valley (which turned out to be in Montana). This novel and Tears of Amber both deal with a seldom discussed aspect of WWII. I recommend it. ...more
This is an engrossing novel about two German families during WWII. Both live in what was formerly Prussia and identify more as Prussians than as GermaThis is an engrossing novel about two German families during WWII. Both live in what was formerly Prussia and identify more as Prussians than as Germans. One family consists of farmers and the other lives in a small village outside Konigsberg. As a result of their geographical location, they are a little separated (but of course not immune) to the intensity of Hitler's movement and the war for a period of time. We watch as war becomes more and more imminent for them. As the Soviets approach, they become refugees in their own country. To say the least, their path is rough. There are so many WWII books, but I enjoyed this one because it portrayed life inside Germany during and after WWII from a family perspective. It is well written and kept me involved....more
4.5 stars. This novel is about an early woman aviator as well as the actress who plays her in a film many years later. However it is about much, much 4.5 stars. This novel is about an early woman aviator as well as the actress who plays her in a film many years later. However it is about much, much more. It is about abandonment, growing up hard, sibling relationships, romantic relationships (including harmful ones and unrequited ones), flying, treatment of women in the early and mid 1900's, being part of Hollywood in our time, fear, war and death. I'm sure there are more......! The writing is very nice. I liked the benefits and comparisons provided by the two time lines, although I know a number of comments stated that they thought the current timeline story was unnecessary. I know it is a long novel - that did not bother me. I started reading and couldn't put it down. As I said to someone else, this novel won't depress you overload you with heaviness - it is just a good story well told....more
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