This is a very atmospheric and well detailed book that give the reader an idea of the conditions of war time Germany under Nazi rule and the aftermath of the partitioning of Germany by the Allies. The fear of being caught for an act of treason or indeed the punishment was not enough to deter a group of men in their plot to assassinate Hitler, and because of Nazi logic, the wives of the men involved were never investigated. Marianne was one such woman left to live her live without her husband after the part he played in a plot to assassinate Hitler. At one point in the narrative she remarks that it’s because of her gender that she is still alive. She is a strong character, very determined and headstrong, and a natural leader. Her promise to her husband to look after the woman and children of the other plot members sees her become a heroine for these lost souls, a role she feels strongly about and takes very seriously.
Benita is one of the women “rescued” along with her son Martin. She was the wife of a dear friend to Marianne, and although her personal feelings towards this woman are not the most favourable she feels duty bound by the promise she made to seek her out and look after her. Benita was a character I could not entirely comprehend, her naivety in certain situations was a little hard to grasp, but then if placed in those conditions who could say how they would act.
The final woman tracked down by Marianne was Ania, she and her two sons ended up at a camp for displaced persons. Ania’s story was the one that stayed with me long after I finished the book. She really was blind to the realities of Nazi rule and what was happening around her, she believed the propaganda until it was too late but like many German’s at the time, it was safer to live with their head in the sand and believe what they were being told than to question what was happening around them. Only years later would they question and justify their roles and actions and reckon with what took place in their name.
This is a very thought provoking read, one that feels very balanced and incredibly well thought out. The themes of friendship, loyalty and reality are strong and weave together throughout, each of the central characters is trying to rebuild lives, relationships and learn to trust again as well as be trusted in a country that has been ravished by war. What the author manages to do is get under the skin of the reader with the hardships faced by the characters in this, giving them pause for thought and almost posing the question “what would you do?”
I do think this would be a fantastic book choice for a book group, it is one that would spark debate and much interesting conversation. Equally it is a book that fans of WWII historical fiction may enjoy.
Benita is one of the women “rescued” along with her son Martin. She was the wife of a dear friend to Marianne, and although her personal feelings towards this woman are not the most favourable she feels duty bound by the promise she made to seek her out and look after her. Benita was a character I could not entirely comprehend, her naivety in certain situations was a little hard to grasp, but then if placed in those conditions who could say how they would act.
The final woman tracked down by Marianne was Ania, she and her two sons ended up at a camp for displaced persons. Ania’s story was the one that stayed with me long after I finished the book. She really was blind to the realities of Nazi rule and what was happening around her, she believed the propaganda until it was too late but like many German’s at the time, it was safer to live with their head in the sand and believe what they were being told than to question what was happening around them. Only years later would they question and justify their roles and actions and reckon with what took place in their name.
This is a very thought provoking read, one that feels very balanced and incredibly well thought out. The themes of friendship, loyalty and reality are strong and weave together throughout, each of the central characters is trying to rebuild lives, relationships and learn to trust again as well as be trusted in a country that has been ravished by war. What the author manages to do is get under the skin of the reader with the hardships faced by the characters in this, giving them pause for thought and almost posing the question “what would you do?”
I do think this would be a fantastic book choice for a book group, it is one that would spark debate and much interesting conversation. Equally it is a book that fans of WWII historical fiction may enjoy.