I’ve read many fictional and biographical accounts covering the war years and so I was very keen to read this new account told from the perspective of German women. It really was a very powerful story, told very well by the author who took seven years of researching and delving into her own family history to write it. I imagine that there are innumerable women of German descent who have this same history and many that have never spoken it out loud or shared it beyond their own family circles.
I enjoyed this a lot, although it wasn’t always a comfortable read, as at times it felt more memoir than historical fiction. I was fascinated by the historical details learning so much about the ordinary Germans, those caught up with Hitler’s promises of a new united nation and those appalled at what he was doing. It does flip between eras with the main character’s stories so I was very glad to have a print copy as it meant it was easier to look back on dates in the time line of the story.
The main characters and their struggles felt so real, making me wonder if they are based on any particular women that the author knows. Being an idealist myself I could identify more with Marianne than Ania or Benita, I really felt for her as tried to uphold the promise she made to her oldest friend.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is interested in the era and wants a different perspective on the subject.
I enjoyed this a lot, although it wasn’t always a comfortable read, as at times it felt more memoir than historical fiction. I was fascinated by the historical details learning so much about the ordinary Germans, those caught up with Hitler’s promises of a new united nation and those appalled at what he was doing. It does flip between eras with the main character’s stories so I was very glad to have a print copy as it meant it was easier to look back on dates in the time line of the story.
The main characters and their struggles felt so real, making me wonder if they are based on any particular women that the author knows. Being an idealist myself I could identify more with Marianne than Ania or Benita, I really felt for her as tried to uphold the promise she made to her oldest friend.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is interested in the era and wants a different perspective on the subject.