Reviews

The German Midwife, by Mandy Robotham

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smitholivia's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

iggyebab's review against another edition

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3.0

This book definitely makes you wonder about what might have happened to Ava Braun while she was hidden away. Taking a midwife who is thrown into a concentration camp for assisting Jews to a hideaway to carry for a pregnant Braun is certainty unlike any other historical novel I have ever read. Throw in some intrigue around the resistance an their desire to get their hands on the baby as well as the possibility of a baby born with a deformity and you have quite the scenario.
Overall, this book is well written. There were times that the story drug and I found myself unable to stay focused on the story. I actually skipped over sections of everyday information. Hitler being portrayed as a specter was a bit odd but not necessarily unbelievable. He was treated reverently by all that followed him or they might be dealt with harshly.
It does make you think about all the things that we still don't know in reference to Hitler and his minions.

greylandreviews's review against another edition

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4.0

4 stars
ARC provided by Avon Books UK and NetGalley for honest review

I've been in a WW2 kick for the past week, We Must Be Brave leaving me disappointed but this one was really good. Gave me vibes of Nightingale and my mind is blanking at another book but this gave me a different aspect of WW2 then I've usually read. This spoiler free review.

jennafernandez0824's review against another edition

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5.0

I really enjoyed this book. I love WWII books and this one is very good. I love the complex characters and relationships. It contains a fresh and fascinating perspective on the experience of women in WWII.

katkinney's review against another edition

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4.0

In the acknowledgements of this historical romance, author Mandy Robotham said she wanted to imagine a “what if” scenario where a midwife would be put in impossible circumstances—in this case to care for a secret baby to be born to Eva Braun, mistress of Hitler, after all the horrors she’d witnessed in the Nazi death camps. Midwife Anke Hoff is determined that her patient will be treated no differently from any other. But her assignment remains a prison, merely a more comfortable one.

This was well written and had dual timelines detailing Anke’s time earlier in the war, and switching back to the present, where she is with Eva. There is also a romance with the Captain assigned to guard her—and this relationship, along with the relationship Anke has with Eva, was the most interesting of the novel. The author is a midwife, and the detailed medical scenes were extremely well done.

Trigger Warnings:

Spoiler

graphic childbirth scenes including death, concentration camp scenes

Please excuse typos/name misspellings. Entered on screen reader.

autismreading_mom's review against another edition

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5.0

The story unfolds with each compelling chapter having a specific purpose. Powerfully written from beginning to end, this is one of the best books I’ve ever read on the Holocaust.