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kayleepopovich's review against another edition
3.0
This novel was not what I thought it was going to be. Me and my 21st century values went into it thinking that it would be an uplifting tale of a rare display of heroic feminism in one of the darkest periods in world history, and while this was partly the case, it was more of a depressing than that. Not that I expected a work of historical fiction set in WWII to be cheery and sugar-coated, but I figured it would be more a story of how these women picked up the pieces of their lives and helped the others do the same--not how they all one by one fell apart until the novel reaches its resolution, ending with a description of a character that was as irrelevant as she was a uniting principle.
It wasn't until Ania's story started to take shape that I became more engaged with the book. She was a complicated figure but an important one, probably because her story is quite similar to many others who actually lived during that time. The way she followed Hitler's rhetoric because such a vibrant and promising orator seemed like a beacon of light after the devastation of Germany post-WWI; the way it became clear to her much later on that something infinitely more sinister and deceptive was happening, despite what she was being told to believe; and the way she kept most of this hidden and acknowledges the past without actually full on facing it, except to be regretful and self-deprecating towards the end of her life. While Marianne's and Benita's stories were interesting, I felt that Ania's character was a bit of a dark horse in that she didn't seem that interesting until, all at once, she was one of the most important figures in the novel.
Marianne and Benita were obviously intended to be foils to one another, but I felt that the dynamic of this specific relationship could have been better explored. And while Benita's suicide is a fitting resolution to the estranged friendship of Benita and Marianne, I felt it uncharacteristic to Benita herself. Her defining virtue was her love for her son, Martin, and if this love had really been as unwavering as the reader was led to believe, there should have been at the very least a better explanation of this component of Benita's life before she killed herself. More accurate to her character is that this love should have been the thing that saved her and kept her from killing herself.
There is more to the novel than what I have written here, but these were the main things on my mind as a finish this story.
side note: the story was assembled in a way similar to other historical novels, where it is set in one period of time (WWII) and then jumps very far ahead into the future when life has come and nearly gone (early 1990s). I am not so much a fan of this kind of timeline. I think that works of historical fiction are more credible and better received if placed only at one point in time. While I understand that jumping the action forward and trying to relate it to contemporary society is a way for readers to relate themselves to the story, the human condition will be the same regardless of when the novel is set. We don't have to see the action unfold in the 1990s to realize that the love, loss, regret, grief, longing, morals, and values experienced by these characters during WWII will most definitely feel the same to us today as they did then. Maybe that is a short-sighted critique, but sometimes a story told in a snapshot of one period of time is most impactful.
It wasn't until Ania's story started to take shape that I became more engaged with the book. She was a complicated figure but an important one, probably because her story is quite similar to many others who actually lived during that time. The way she followed Hitler's rhetoric because such a vibrant and promising orator seemed like a beacon of light after the devastation of Germany post-WWI; the way it became clear to her much later on that something infinitely more sinister and deceptive was happening, despite what she was being told to believe; and the way she kept most of this hidden and acknowledges the past without actually full on facing it, except to be regretful and self-deprecating towards the end of her life. While Marianne's and Benita's stories were interesting, I felt that Ania's character was a bit of a dark horse in that she didn't seem that interesting until, all at once, she was one of the most important figures in the novel.
Marianne and Benita were obviously intended to be foils to one another, but I felt that the dynamic of this specific relationship could have been better explored. And while Benita's suicide is a fitting resolution to the estranged friendship of Benita and Marianne, I felt it uncharacteristic to Benita herself. Her defining virtue was her love for her son, Martin, and if this love had really been as unwavering as the reader was led to believe, there should have been at the very least a better explanation of this component of Benita's life before she killed herself. More accurate to her character is that this love should have been the thing that saved her and kept her from killing herself.
There is more to the novel than what I have written here, but these were the main things on my mind as a finish this story.
side note: the story was assembled in a way similar to other historical novels, where it is set in one period of time (WWII) and then jumps very far ahead into the future when life has come and nearly gone (early 1990s). I am not so much a fan of this kind of timeline. I think that works of historical fiction are more credible and better received if placed only at one point in time. While I understand that jumping the action forward and trying to relate it to contemporary society is a way for readers to relate themselves to the story, the human condition will be the same regardless of when the novel is set. We don't have to see the action unfold in the 1990s to realize that the love, loss, regret, grief, longing, morals, and values experienced by these characters during WWII will most definitely feel the same to us today as they did then. Maybe that is a short-sighted critique, but sometimes a story told in a snapshot of one period of time is most impactful.
kimreadz's review against another edition
4.0
I liked, but didn't love, this book. It is historical fictional based on the attempted plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, and the aftermath of the war, told from within Germany. That is a unique perspective. Most stories I've read about WWII are set in Britain or France and told from the perspective to the people in those countries. It was interesting to read the thoughts of the German possibility, and the collective shame some of them felt in the aftermath. I'd heard about that through the year, but never read about it. But as interesting as the story was, there were times I felt it bogged down, and I had to force myself to keep reading. The main character, Marianne, is judgmental, sometimes cold even to her own children, and very often not understanding to other people. Without spoiling anything, I can say that I was particularly disappointed in what happened to the character Benita. That really affected my opinion of the book. Another thing that made the book a difficult read is that I felt at times there was not enough distinction between the characters of Ania and Benita. Something would happen to one, and I'd get confused and have to go back and read an earlier section to remember which was Ania's story and which was Benita's story.
This book would be a great pick for book clubs with plenty to discuss. It was an interesting look at how Hitler came to have so much power, scapegoating a group of people and turning one group against another. How culpable were the German people in just ignoring the warning signs that all was not as Hitler led them to believe. This could lead to an interesting discussion. Other topics to discuss include the responsibility of those blindly followed orders. What obligation did they have to resist, risking their own lives in the process. A discussion the aftermath of the war—of how some German people had difficulty leaving the war behind, due to the guilt they felt, while others went about life as if the war had never happened. This is an intersting story that will be made even better with discussion!
This book would be a great pick for book clubs with plenty to discuss. It was an interesting look at how Hitler came to have so much power, scapegoating a group of people and turning one group against another. How culpable were the German people in just ignoring the warning signs that all was not as Hitler led them to believe. This could lead to an interesting discussion. Other topics to discuss include the responsibility of those blindly followed orders. What obligation did they have to resist, risking their own lives in the process. A discussion the aftermath of the war—of how some German people had difficulty leaving the war behind, due to the guilt they felt, while others went about life as if the war had never happened. This is an intersting story that will be made even better with discussion!
aefsargent's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing book. One that will stay with me for years...Deserving of a 5+
mtnmama's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to like this book, but for some reason, I never felt the characters come to life.
thislittlebook's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
nickiep's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kara_jane's review against another edition
5.0
*SPOILERS*
This book got me sucked in within a few pages of reading it. I loved how it wasn't just one POV but had three. Marianne being the commander of wives and children. protecting the women and children after the aftermath of the failed assassination attempt on Hitler. Benita a young beautiful girl of nineteen a wife of Connie a resistor and the mother of Martin. Ania a woman with a secret. I love this book! planning on reading other books of Jessica Shattuck soon!
This book got me sucked in within a few pages of reading it. I loved how it wasn't just one POV but had three. Marianne being the commander of wives and children. protecting the women and children after the aftermath of the failed assassination attempt on Hitler. Benita a young beautiful girl of nineteen a wife of Connie a resistor and the mother of Martin. Ania a woman with a secret. I love this book! planning on reading other books of Jessica Shattuck soon!