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Reviews tagging 'Antisemitism'
A Bookshop in Berlin: The Rediscovered Memoir of One Woman's Harrowing Escape from the Nazis by Françoise Frenkel
5 reviews
bookedbymadeline's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
4.5
Author details her experience in Occupied France under Germany and the collaborationist Vichy government, as a Polish Jewish woman. First chapter felt rushed and had a lot of info dumping. I would’ve loved to take more time getting to learn about the bookshop and how Frenkel’s work was affected during the 1930s. This often read like a novel, moving quickly and holding my attention for long periods of time after I got through the hump of the first chapter.
It was strangely never discussed but she had a husband the whole time?! They got separated and he ended up being killed in one of the camps but he was never mentioned in the book which felt sad and confusing, especially since she made a comment to a friend about needing to marry for French citizenship when she was apparently already married.
The book mainly focused on how Frenkel had to escape Paris and went into hiding, moving around France, for much of WW2. Overall an emotional, moving story about her escape and the kindness of those that helped her! It feels like a very important book to remember that community and organizing together can make a difference 🩷
I’d highly recommend if you want a short memoir!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Xenophobia, Antisemitism, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Death, and Violence
Minor: Child death and Suicide
dragongirl271's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Antisemitism
its_van_vulpen's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Self harm, Suicide, Violence, Antisemitism, Religious bigotry, War, and Deportation
Moderate: Child death, Death, Blood, and Death of parent
tuesdaydg's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
2.0
My review is in no way meant to invalidate Frenkel’s story, hardships, or experience. A Bookshop in Berlin is undeniably an important book—it just wasn’t for me. I think I, like many other reviewers, had a less fruitful experience reading this story due to its misleading marketing. I expected both the author’s bookshop and the city of Berlin to play important roles in the story, but was disappointed in that respect. Had I read this memoir with different expectations at a different time, I likely would have had a much better reading experience.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Antisemitism, and Deportation
bethboo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
3.5
It was an interesting telling of a bookshop owners escape from nazi occupation. She was a lovable and interesting narrator that dealt with each blow stoicly. She stayed friendly and caring no matter what happened and described how every successive event weighed on her heavily. A very human portrayal of personal stories during WWII
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, and Antisemitism