I was a huge fan of Georgia Hunter's first book "We Were the Lucky Ones" so was delighted to be asked to read and review her second historical novel "I was a huge fan of Georgia Hunter's first book "We Were the Lucky Ones" so was delighted to be asked to read and review her second historical novel "One Good Thing". Many thanks to #NetGalley & Allison&Busby for allowing me the early read. All opinions are my own.
Hunter only discovered at age 15, that she came from a family of Holocaust survivors. That knowledge has since motivated her to help tell the stories of those who lived (and sometimes died) throughout the difficult days of WW2. This particular story is set in Italy and while inspired by many real life individuals, it tells the story of the times primarily through the experiences of one young woman, Lili Passiglia.
Read this book! You won't be sorry!
Lili is a first year university student in Ferrara when the story begins. She quickly develops a bond with another student - Esti, which quickly becomes a friendship for life. As Mussolini's Racial Laws against the Jews start to come into effect, Esti has married and Lili is supporting her as she delivers her son Theo. At first, life is still fairly easy for the local Jewish people, but over time that changes and when Esti's husband is at risk of imminent arrest, he leaves to try and save his family in Greece and Esti and Theo move in with Lili until they are ultimately forced to leave so Esti can continue her resistance efforts to help provide safe ID papers for Jewish people. It is the beginning of an epic journey, with temporary stops along the way, but always with the knowledge that things could change in a moment if someone tries to turn them in for the reward offered to those who turn in Jewish people.
Everywhere Lili and Esti go, Theo is with them and keeping him safe is a top priority. Sometimes decisions have to be made very quickly. At one point, Lili and Esti were hiding in a convention dressed as nuns. When Italian soldiers arrived to search for Jews, Esti is badly beaten and ultimately forced into making the hardest decision of her life. She sends Lili and Theo off to Assissi, knowing that there is a possibility that she may never see them again.
The focus of the rest of the novel is the story of Lili and Theo. There were no guarantees of safety anywhere and Lili had to decide for herself, where to go and how to get there. Moves were frequent and it was hard to know who to trust. All the while, Lili continued to seek out news of Esti and also of Theo's dad and her own father. As a reader I cannot imagine just how hard it must have been for those who faced experiences like this, trying to survive, while never knowing if the ones they loved were even alive.
One of the most heart rending moments of the novel is when Lili inadvertently finds herself watching a round up of Jewish people being conducted by other Italians. She was helpless to do anything but hide and hope not to get caught herself. To know that even today people are being rounded up and sent to Camps is beyond heartbreaking.
Eventually, the war ends, but that doesn't mean life has returned to anything approaching normal. Lili still has choices to make and still has questions about what has happened to her friends and those who helped her along the way. She never gave up, because she had Theo to love and protect. The story does end without full resolution of some threads and I believe this was true for many who survived the war.
Hunter's writing pulled me into the lives of all the different characters in the book. I could barely put it down for anything other than sleep (which tends not to come easily for me). The story sent me to learn more about some of the places Lili and Theo went. I had the privilege to visit Assissi several years ago and learn of it's history of protecting the Jewish people during the war. I believe it was Mister Rogers who said that in times of trouble we should look for the helpers. A huge thank you to Georgia Hunter for introducing us to some of them. May it be an inspiration to all to stand up for what is right and good....more
At the outset, I found myself struggling to get into the story of this book. Set in the time of early Saxon kings, the author did an amazing job of usAt the outset, I found myself struggling to get into the story of this book. Set in the time of early Saxon kings, the author did an amazing job of using authenti place names and character names. While she did provide a map and both ancient and modern day names for her locations, there was no glossary of characters or any help in figuring out how to say all yhe different names. This slowed me down at the outset, but the further I read, the more intrigued I became with the story itself and ultimately found it very hard to put down.
Artemis and Apollo are twins. Their mother died shortly after their birth and they were raised by their Aunt Sophia. Both were intelligent, learning to read and to speak multiple languages,but they were never told who their father really was, and Artemis was longing to know. When she ultimately finds out who he was, she longs to find him and hopefully be accepted and acknowledged as his child. Her brother, now training as a monk,has no such interest.
Ultimately, Artemis sets out with a friend in search of her father. Along the way she is exposed to some of the harder parts of life and finds herself more than once in great danger. Her upbringing helped her learn to protect herself, but it wasn't always enough. She makes friends along the way, and also enemies. The story gives a fascinatinglook into the life, times and political challenges faced by the monarchy. There are challenges and risks in making herself known to her father . Will it be worth it in the end? That answer remains to be seen, as this is only volume one of the story.
I will very much look forward to reading the rest of Artemis's story. She is a strong female at a time when most women were only chattel and I am sure the next part of the story will bring on new challenges. I'm ready for them!...more
This is the first book that I've read by Sonali Dev and I likely would not have found it had it not been offered through Amazon Prime as a First Read This is the first book that I've read by Sonali Dev and I likely would not have found it had it not been offered through Amazon Prime as a First Read book. Having said that, I will definitely be on the lookout for other books by this author because I loved it!
This novel opened my eyes to a culture that I really don't have a lot of experience with. Mira is a first generation American, whose parents emigrated from India and worked hard their whole lives to try and improve life for their children. Sadly, things did not work out exactly as they expected. Mira is the main voice in this novel and I absolutely loved how she could express her feelings in such a way that I felt I could share in her experiences. So many parts of this book were worthy of being highlighted!
As the story begins, Mira is preparing for her wedding to orthopedic surgeon Dr. Drug. She is a physiotherapist with training as a pain management specialist. The wedding is to be an elaborate Indian wedding and a pre-wedding trip to New York with her fiance ends up being a solo trip when his schedule of surgeries changes. While Mira is in New York, she has her own agenda, including reconnecting with her twin who is considered "dead" to the family.
The story is not so much a coming of age story for her, but rather a coming into her own self and recognizing that she has value as an individual outside of her family, or the expectations of her community. She reaches this point after she finds a golden ring and determines to see it make it's way back to it's owner. With the help of a journalist of Indian ethnicity who was raised in a small "white" town as an adopted child who knew nothing of his original culture, she travels round New York and parts of India seeking answers.
As an extra treat for readers, we get to read a set of letters between two intimate Indian friends written forty years earlier. They are beautiful letters and key to understanding Mira's search with journalist Krish.
The author really opens up to readers the difficulty of trying to live an old world culture in a new world and how old values of hate and disdain can distort lives and separate people people. There are difficult topics covered in the novel and some violence but only what was necessary to really tell the story.
I will definitely be recommending this one to friends!...more
When I was approached by Bookwhisperer to receive a copy of this book through #Netgalley to read and review , I was drawn to it by a paragraph used inWhen I was approached by Bookwhisperer to receive a copy of this book through #Netgalley to read and review , I was drawn to it by a paragraph used in it's description. "In April 1945, American liberators arrive in Schwarzenfeld and make a gruesome discovery: the SS have left a mass grave of concentration camp victims on the village’s border. Enraged by the sight, the American commander holds the town responsible. He issues a chilling ultimatum—the villagers must dig up and properly bury each of the 140 corpses within 24 hours, or every German man in town will be executed."
This sounded like nothing I had ever read before and indeed that proved to be true. The main focus of the story is Father Viktor Koch, a real person who was a Catholic priest with dual citizenship, American by birth but Austrian by heritage through his parents. When Austria was annexed by Germany he became German and this allowed him to stay in the town of Schwarzenfeld at a time when few of American birth would be allowed. His story has been meticulously researched by the author whose paternal grandfather was nephew to Father Viktor.She had the opportunity to speak with several primary sources and to visit Schwarzenfeld and see first hand the esteem with which he is still held. This book is based on his true story but has been fictionalized with several composite characters included to help tell the story of this town, it's people and what happened to them and their spiritual leader throughout the war.
I am not a Catholic, but I am an active member of a Protestant denomination, and what stood out to me in this story was the living faith of this one man Father Viktor , and how he shared it in such a way that made it real and living for his parishioners who made up most of the town. Through his preaching he opened their eyes to the idea that in everyone they meet, they should see the face of Christ and treat them accordingly. To a people who had suffered through the Great War and the desperate times that followed, his was a voice that gave them hope when little was to be found. Many had doubts and questions about why so many bad things happened in spite of their heartfelt prayers. Koch encouraged them to look beyond the obvious to see how in actual fact, prayers were being answered. He was a sower of seeds in their souls - fertile ground where growth could occur. This made them different from other towns of similar size and makeup.
The novel is loaded with details of what life was like in Schwarzenfeld, from one of the bakeries that provided food to the towns people, stories of those who had fought before, the strength of a widow whose husband had died at Dunkirk. The grief of a young teen, victimized within Hitler's Youth while grieving the death of his father, and A Nazi German "social worker" charged with caring for children being moved away from bombing in big cities. German words are used but in such a way the it is fairly easy to understand their meaning. Real photographs from the time are included in the post notes.
And then there is that paragraph that drew me to the story- after a death march from Flossenburg ened in the killing of approximately 140 Jewish people near the train station of the town, shot by the SS and dumped in the local trash yard, the American soldiers arrived, never expecting to be greeted by a priest of American birth. Their anger was extreme (understandably) but their response was unusually unique and harsh. The dead bodies must be retrieved, washed, dressed in decent clothes, buried in caskets in the local cemetery with a proper burial service and it must be done within 24 hours or all the German men of the town would be shot. It was an impossible task and one must read the book to really see how it all unfolded and what place faith in God's plan had in it all. The Americans needed to see that these townspeople were not the complicit Nazi's that they thought they were. That would take a miracle!
As I read this book, I found myself highlighting different quotes that were particularly meaningful to me. Here is one: "Prayer - real prayer - is a bonding," the provincial revealed in used awe. " It's a communion with all that is good in this universe. That grace gives us the courage to fight evil. And when evil overwhelms us, as it's doing now? Prayers gives us the strength to endure."
We live in trying times, and the message in this book has the power to inspire, change attitudes and lives. That message will hopefully stick with me through my own battles and calls to action. I would highly recommend it to others, both for it's historical content and inspirational content....more
Sometimes you will see the word heartbreaking on a book cover and wonder if that word just gets overused. In reading this book, it truly was an apt deSometimes you will see the word heartbreaking on a book cover and wonder if that word just gets overused. In reading this book, it truly was an apt description for how my heart felt as I read through this story,
The prologue of the book is set in Germany in the early thirties as the Nazi's are rising to power A mother takes her daughter and runs away from her home, leaving her husband an young sons behind as she heads for America. The author does give a trigger warning at the front of the book that difficult topics will be discussed and though details were not given graphically in the prologue, one could gather that there had to be serious reason for her to leave n such a way.
Maggie is the heroine of the story. She's independent and more than willing to stand up for herself and do a job that very few women were able or willing to do at the time. She is a photographer with an American Press pass who does her best to finagle her way to the front line of battle (despite orders from her bosses). Some people see her as a user, because she will attach herself to anyone who can help her achieve her goal, even if it puts others in danger. She is not the only female doing this, but each one works pretty much on their own but they stand by each other when help is needed.
Maggie has a secret. She was born in Germany. She speaks fluent German though she keeps very quiet about that. Maggie has two goals - to get to the front line and do her job the best she can and to track down the rest of her family who never left Germany and find out what they are up to. No one knows she has family to find, and if they did, they would put a stop to her search.
Her travels take her to Buchenwald Concentration camp, where she is one of the first to photograph the atrocities that are there for all to see. It was very emotional to read about the horrors and follow Maggie as she made her way through the camp. I don't want to give al the details of what happened to Maggie there, but it is edge of your seat captivating and gives the reader a whole different understanding of who Maggie is, and what drives her. As the war draws to a close, her job is not yet done and all will be revealed. This was an all nighter read for me.
Kudo's to the author for a great story and to the artist who designed the book cover. It grabbed me!
Many thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for providing an ARC for me to read and review....more
One thing I have learned is that when I sit down to read a novel by A.L. Sowards, I need to set aside a decent block of time because I absolutely willOne thing I have learned is that when I sit down to read a novel by A.L. Sowards, I need to set aside a decent block of time because I absolutely will not want to put the book down until I have completely finished reading it! Book 2 in the Balkan Legend series is no exception to that rule. It hooked me in quickly and it wasn't long before taut action scenes had me hoping for the best for Ivan and Danilo, two of the characters that I had come to know through the previous books in the series and waiting with bated breath to see how the story would develop..
What started out as a simple trip to catch up with a brother quickly turned into a battle between Serbs and Greeks thanks to a nefarious character who manipulated the Greeks into attacking the men from Rivak. In the ensuing fierce battle, Ivan is captured by the Greeks and held as a potential prisoner for ransom. Due to his injuries, he needs the help of local midwife, Helena, who with the death of the local doctor suddenly has a huge amount of work on her hands with little experience with battle injuries. As Ivan heals, he gets to know Helena better and better and she is able to protect him from some of the seamier side of local prisoner experiences. His determination to return home to family is intense and the treatment he receives is at times overly aggressive. As a reader, I wanted to hold him back at times, but that isn't who Ivan is.
Sowards has done her usual meticulous job of researching for this book which focuses on mediaeval history in Serbia. Readers will definitely finish the novel with a better understanding of what the life and times were like for people. Each book in the series builds on the source material so that it all comes together beautifully. Told from multiple characters viewpoints, a very full picture of the greater story is laid out to discover.
As a reader I could not help but be moved by the developing love between Ivan and Helena and all the obstacles that they faced both together and apart before they could really commit to each other. One has to wish that release date for book 3 in the series would be just a little closer!
If you have not read the earlier books in the series, you can still read this one as a stand alone, but the others are so good that I can't imagine people would not want to read them too. BEYOND THE CRESCENT SKY is available in hardcover, ebook, and audio. It's Book Two in The Balkan Legends Series (following the prequel, AFTER THE CRESCENT STRIKE, and Book One, BENEATH A CRESCENT SHADOW). Currently the prequel to the series is available online for free if you sign up for Sowards mailing list which can be done here:
Many thanks to #NetGalley, @shadowmountainpub and @a.l.sowards for allowing me to read and review this wonderful story. All opinions are my own...more
Sheldon Collins is best known for his work in film as a screenwriter and director, but The Legend of Valentine is actually his debut novel, and I founSheldon Collins is best known for his work in film as a screenwriter and director, but The Legend of Valentine is actually his debut novel, and I found it to be an impressive one. Through the years he had developed a love for Italy and it's history. This inspired him to do lots of research into Roman times and into the legend of how Valentines day may have gotten its start. It is a book of historical fiction, with myth and scraps of history entwined to make for compelling reading. It had to have romance given the theme, but it is far more than just a love story. It has action and battle, conspiracy, faith and persecution. It tells of the fight for power among the Roman leaders and parts of that rang so true to me with what I was hearing in the news, that it really gripped me as being scarily prescient.
Reading it took me back to my three years of Latin study in high school, and to books like Rosemary Sutcliffe's Eagle of the 9th or Lloyd Douglas and his book The Robe. It made me feel as if I was really there in the story and watching events unfold.
Valentine Romanus is the hero of the story but is only one of many characters. The reader learns of his childhood and early love, lost when her family moved away. He always had a desire to be a Roman soldier and he was a good one but still a flawed human who couldn't seem to find what he really needed to be happy and fulfilled. One of his fellow soldier's and friends was a man of Christan faith. It wasn't a concern under their current emperor, but still was looked at askance by some of the men in power. Through the story, we watch Valentine as he makes mistakes, does his best to fix them and gradually opens himself up to a faith that will accompany him through life. Sadly, some of his choices lead to harsh consequences for others and ultimately to himself and the young woman he had fallen in love with years earlier only to meet up with again in this time of crisis. One needs to read the book to find out exactly how it all comes together.
Collins wanted to help his readers "gain a deeper understanding of the holiday's origins, spirit and history." He has made an excellent start. This is supposed to be the first part of a trilogy and I only hope we don't have to wait a full year to read part two in the series. I am sure it will be equally compelling.
For historical fiction fans, the book includes a full glossary of the characters, a lengthy list of historical research sources and a map.
Many thanks to #NetGalley and #TheBookWhisperer for an ARC of this novel. All opinions are my own unbiased ones....more
I count myself privileged to have been able to read this incredible story thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture. All opinions are my own. I had read thI count myself privileged to have been able to read this incredible story thanks to #NetGalley and #Bookouture. All opinions are my own. I had read the first book in the series "The Orphan List" and found it extremely moving and informative as it looked at the Lebensborn program through the eyes of nurse Margarete Weiss as she shared her story with a German reporter Kristel. This second book picks up with more of Margarete's story as told to Kristel and tells a different less covered aspect of the Lebensborn program.
Margarete has returned to Berlin, only to find her home destroyed. Believing that her family is all dead, she heads in to find her next assignment. The assignment was a command rather than a choice and led her to be charged with working with young children who were stolen from their homes to be assessed as to whether they were truly Aryan and then be placed into a training school where they would be fed Nazi lies and be "germanized". Those who "succeeded" were then placed with high ranking Nazi families, given new names and brought up to meet the Nazi ideals.
There are two children who become the focus of the story, Martha and her younger half- sister Joanna. They are in Poland and it is 1944. Their mother is ill and they are sent to the market to see what food they can find. Unfortunately, on their way they are grabbed and put on a truck with other children and taken to be examined by Nazi doctors. Their faces are measured, distance between the eyes, eye and hair colour and asked questions about their family background. Martha gets classified as acceptable. Joanna is considered borderline. The only person at all kind to them or the other children is nurse Margarete, who does her best but often draws the ire of her superiors. The children are taken to a camp in Poland where yet more examinations are done and at this point, Joanna and her sister are separated. They do not know if they will ever see each other again.
The book is not an easy read. There are descriptions of child abuse that were pretty routine as a form of discipline and there are descriptions of escape attempts met with severe retribution. While I had known that children were being stolen and placed in German families before, this novel filled in the ugly details and it was heartbreaking. Imagine being taken away from all you have ever known and all those you have loved and being forced to put your past completely behind you. If you failed, your life was worth nothing.
This story was told partly in 2005 and partly in 1944-45. The author did a magnificent job of sharing enough information to give hope while leading the reader through the depths of despair these children faced. When Kristel uses television to once again share part of Margarete Weiss's war story, the goal is still to try and share the past while hopefully answering questions long unanswered and hopefully bringing about reunions. It made me cry. It was worth it....more
In war, children are invariably the losers. They have no power to control things and even if they survive, the long term consequences are often signifIn war, children are invariably the losers. They have no power to control things and even if they survive, the long term consequences are often significant. In this novel, Ingrid and her mother Anni live in Occupied Norway in 1944. Anni has been a long time member of the resistance, but her actions are well hidden and almost no one in her village knows of them. Her husband Lars, is away as part of the Shetland bus and it has been 3 years since she has heard from him. She does her best to keep him alive in her daughter's memory.
When a German civilian, Herr Kerber is suddenly billeted in their home, life becomes a lot more complicated. Anni has to cut back on her resistance activities and be even more discreet in what she does. The local towns people begin to look at her differently and to treat Ingrid differently, bullying her, calling her mother names. Bullying is always hateful and when Ingrid is bullied by her closest friend, it brought back memories to me of the harrassment one of my own children faced and how it devastated me.
Food is in short supply for Annie & Ingrid but their new tenant has access to better supplies and as Annie begins to find out, perhaps this German is one of the good ones. Over time they come to a mutual understanding of the loneliness they all share and while he has no idea of Anni's resistance activities, their friendship grows.
A letter from her husband changes everything . While he has been away, he has divorced her without her knowledge. This was apparently something called The Norwegion Bigamy law, that happened in many Norwegion families leading to poverty and very few answers to how it could happen. As a reader I could feel her shock and imagine the emotional pain. Her goal was to keep Ingrid happy and healthy and she did the very best she could. As the war drew to a close and the Gernan official had to leave in a hurry, life did not become any easier for them. The community looked even more askance at her and ultimately as revenge was taking place upon those seen as collaborators, Annie decided to send Ingrid to live with her father at least until things settled down.
Years go by. It is 1952 and Ingrid is still living with her Dad and his new wife (who fortunately is a wonderful step-mom. Annie always promised she would return to Ingrid, but it hasn't happened and she has no idea why. Her Norwegian grandmother has been in regular contact but all else is a mystery - one that Ingrid really wants to solve. Her journey back to Norway to see what she can find out brings many surprises, twists and turns. As a reader, it deeply moved me bringing tears at times and a desire to hold on to hope even when there seemed to be none.
This was a well researched story and beautifully written. I would highly recommend it to those interested in life in Norway under Occupation, and World War 2 fiction fans. I will be looking for more from this pair of authors. Many thanks to #NetGalley and #AllisonAndBusby for inviting me to read an Arc of this novel. All my opinions are solely my own....more
I was very happy to read this book and love the new updated cover! It really captures some of what Kristallnacht must have looked like. The series of I was very happy to read this book and love the new updated cover! It really captures some of what Kristallnacht must have looked like. The series of 4 books has been published previously with this one first coming out in 2016. This may be an updated version but I don't know that for sure. I do know that it kept me reading whenever I had a chance. The author didn't hide the horrors of what was happening to the Jewish people from pogroms in Siberia to Kristallnacht in Berlin. I could feel the helplessness of the people who really had nowhere to turn. The descriptions of life in Berlin with spiraling inflation and difficulty finding food were heartbreaking. Despite this, I felt the author kept this on a level that even young adults could appreciate. The focus is on Michal, a young innocent Jewish women who as the novel begins is waiting to marry a man she has never met. The challenges she faced in the coming years were huge, and need to be read to be understood. I would be interested in reading more in the series as not all threads in the story are finished here.
Many thanks to #NetGalley and #BookWhisperer for allowing me to read an advance copy of this novel. All opinions are my own....more
This is the story of a real winter blizzard that arrived unexpectedly on a day that started out warm and lovely. It happened in 1888 and was sometimesThis is the story of a real winter blizzard that arrived unexpectedly on a day that started out warm and lovely. It happened in 1888 and was sometimes known as the Schoolchildren's blizzard or the Schoolhouse blizzard. The science of meteorology was in its infancy, so people were truly taken by surprise when the storm hit so suddenly. It happened in the rural parts Nebraska and Dakota at a time when most children were preparing to leave school for the day. The school houses were one room affairs and students often had to walk a great distance to get to school or return home. On January 12, 1888, they were not dressed for a storm.
The story focuses on two sisters who were teachers in different schoolhouse. Their characters were invented by the author but represented many remembered through oral history. Gerda was the eldest at 18. Raina was only 16 and it was her first year teaching. She was unsure of herself and looked up to her mre confidant sister. When the storm hit, each sister ,while still just a teen had to make a life or death choice as to how to respond. Each chose differently and therein lies a fascinating story. Life in the great plains was hard immigrants from other countries were lured by the promise of land. Nothing prepared them for this.
I identified with this as two of my grand-pardnts taught in one room school houses. My grandfather taught in Cape Breton and one of his pupils was my grandmother. She went on to teach in rural Sakatchewan. One of her jobs came about when the teacher before had students try to hang him. Se and my grandfather went on to marry in Saskatchewan in the early 1900's. Several of her sisters also taught in one room schools.
I would highly recommend this story for the depth of research and the portrayal of an incredible storm which took many lives. As our weather becomes more extreme, I am thankful for the early warning systems we now have in place....more
I just finished reading this excellent novel. Inspired by real events and extremely well researched, the novel was gripping and moved me to tears. In I just finished reading this excellent novel. Inspired by real events and extremely well researched, the novel was gripping and moved me to tears. In her post note, the author quoted Elie Weisel, a Holocaust survivor and Nobel lauriate "There may be injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest". She hoped that she had done the concept justice through this story. I believe she did. I borrowed this book from my local library using the Libby...more
This is a much delayed review as when I began reading this book I was quite I'll and ended up in hospital for some significant time. I received my copThis is a much delayed review as when I began reading this book I was quite I'll and ended up in hospital for some significant time. I received my copy from #Netgalley and Avon publishers and was under no obligation to write a review, but the book is worthy of one and is unbiased. I read the book again as a refresher before starting and purchased my own copy.
I enjoy learning as much as I can about World War Two and about the Holocaust. As a child of the 50's, my life was shaped in many respects by the war and the more I read, the better understanding I have of the times.
The Daughters of Warsaw is told primarily through the lens of two women, modern day Lizzie and her great grandmother. Lizzie is struggling in her life due to fertility issues and it has affected her relationship with her husband. She heads for her maternal home for comfort and while there discovers some photographs that include pictures of her great grandmother. This resonated with me so much. Shortly after my Dad died, I found all my Dad's old wartime letters and photographs and all I wanted to do was find out more. Lizzie felt the same, yet her grandmother couldn't answer all the questions she had and it ultimately led Lizzie to make a trip to Poland where she met with someone who could help her search for answers.
The rest of the story was told from the past, during time of the Warsaw ghetto. I've read quite a bit about Irena Sendler and watched some movies and have also been lucky enough to visit Warsaw within the past ten years. In the novel, Lizzie's grandmother has been working as a social worker and gets recruited to act as one of Irena's helpers in saving the children of the ghetto. It is an emotional and heartbreaking job and one that always puts her life at risk. As the novel progresses and Lizzie learns more of her roots, I could not help but get emotionally involved in the story and wonder what I would have done had I faced those circumstances. I think this is one of the reasons that novels like this are important. They make us examine ourselves and perhaps alter our actions as a result.
The novel ends exactly the way that I hoped it would and it's well worth a read to get to the ending. I would recommend this novel to those interested in genealogy particularly as it relates to wartime history. You never know the surprises that you'll find!...more
This is an incredibly powerful novel that tells the story of Georgie Young, a female reporter from the UK, who has just arrived in Hamburg and almost This is an incredibly powerful novel that tells the story of Georgie Young, a female reporter from the UK, who has just arrived in Hamburg and almost immediately discovers that children locally will attack and try to steal her personal items. The story is told over a two week time period, and while Georgie is the main character she interacts with many locals and by her presence helps change their lives for the better. One is the child Meta, who attacked her on arrival but turns out to be reliable source of information that Georgie needs. Another is Zofia, a survivor of Dachau , constantly searching for her sister. A third is Harri Schroder, a member of the Kripo, a motley police crew who attempt to solve crimes and maintain order with few resources to help them. They all come together in the hunt for a serial killer so in a sense this book is a police procedural but it is far more than that. The author eloquently describes the despair and struggle for survival that the locals face daily in the British zone. Typical daily calorie count is around 1000, not enough to survive with anything close to "health" as the main characters share their personal stories of loss, the reader can see that there are really no winners in war. Sadly, in our time wars are still happening and children and families are still struggling to survive while under attack. Everyone should read this to better understand the futility of war. It is a gut-wrenching portrayal of the aftermath of war....more
This book was a slow starter for me. It was inspired by the fact that a group of people in the Warsaw ghetto undertook gathering writings that detaileThis book was a slow starter for me. It was inspired by the fact that a group of people in the Warsaw ghetto undertook gathering writings that detailed the lives of those imprisoned so that when they were gone, their history would be remembered.
Adam Paskow, a widowed English teacher, tells the story in this book. He is asked to start journaling the lives of those around him to add to their archives. Initially, the details recorded are fairly mundane but they provide an overview of daily life and as one gets to know the people he connected with daily, one sees more of the horrors that are commonplace and what people will do to try and ensure survival. Along the way, he falls in love with one of his flat mates who is married with children. As word comes that evacuations are starting, the tension builds with an ending that comes as a surprise....more
I have read a number of books about the titanic and its sinking, some fictional, some not. One might wonder "what could be new and different about thiI have read a number of books about the titanic and its sinking, some fictional, some not. One might wonder "what could be new and different about this one?" The main focus in this novel goes beyond the actual disaster to what happened with four individual survivors. How did they navigate listening to the death cries of those around them while somehow clinging to life themselves? How did they move on and rebuild their lives? How did they mentally cope with it all? It makes for a fascinating read with lots of twists and turns and I would definitely recommend it to others!...more
Many times, prequel novellas are actually written and released after a series has started, and as such, they sometimes feel too short and as if the chMany times, prequel novellas are actually written and released after a series has started, and as such, they sometimes feel too short and as if the characters are not completely developed. This is not the case with this novella. Author Sowards has put her usual high level of research and care into her writing and allows the reader a full and exciting entry into her new Balkan Legends series.
This is not a time period or geographical location that I, as a reader, have much prior knowledge of, but an excellent glossary at the beginning helped greatly with words and terms unfamiliar to me. The novella itself offered everything I could want in a novella. From the outset with a surprise attack on the army to which the main hero Miladin belonged and signs that nefarious deeds might be behind the death and destruction, I was hooked! Miladin's back story was briefly introduced, including his love for a young woman of his native village and her father's refusal to accept his request for her hand in marriage.
After the battle, Miladin and two other surviving soldiers set out to return home to protect their new Zupan (Lord). Along the way, they discover that soldiers have wiped out the village of Miladin's youth. There are only two survivors, the wife of the local blacksmith and her 4 year old niece, who had been out collecting mushrooms in the forest when the attack occurred. Magdalena and her niece Sveta hide in the forest until it is safe for Magdalena to come out and assess what has happened. Her life with husband Glebu has been a hard one filled with emotional abuse and multiple miscarriages. It surprised me that these were considered a sin at the time with penance attached. In spite of this, she regrets how he met his end, but even more, she is devastated by the loss of her brother and his wife, Sveta's parents. When she is discovered by Miladin and friends, he is stunned to find she is the woman he had loved and lost.
The rest of the novella details the difficulties they face in their journey to the safety of Miladin's home as well as the effects of the battle loss on the surrounding lands of their new Lord Konstantin who is only seventeen and who in no way had been expecting to take on such a large leadership role in his youth. You will have to read the novella to learn of the difficulties and treachery they face and to learn how the relationship between Miladin and Magdalena progresses.
There is a strong sense of faith throughout, and a message of hope and the ability to forgive the harms of the past.
Soward has beautifully set up an entry into Konstantin's story as he takes on the role of a leader in turbulent times. Included with the novella is the first chapter of the next book in the Balkan Legend's series. I look forward to reading it and getting to know these characters. If you like historical fiction, this novella will not disappoint you. I hope it will touch you as much as it has me....more
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