bchil92's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
jennymacusa's review
2.0
Story was interesting. I just couldn’t get into the writing style, I think she will likely appeal to a great many but I didn’t enjoy the graphic nature of the stories she told of birth and death in the concentration camps. Even the births she discussed that were not in the camps were told over the course of a chapter and for me it was too long to discuss birth. I know it will appeal to many others it just wasn’t for me I’m afraid.
carpoolbookclub's review
4.0
The German Midwife, a debut novel, is a fabulous effort by Robotham. It’s a heartbreaking, shocking, tender and heartfelt story with a different plot from any other book I’ve read about WWII. Although it is fictional, the book reads like a true story (the sign of great historical fiction, IMO). The details are incredible and show thorough research into the Berghof and the life of Hitler. The premise of the book brings up a question I have occasionally wondered about. Did Hitler have children?
This plausible story assumes Hitler's mistress gives birth to his child. The midwife, a POW in a concentration camp, is handpicked to help with the pregnancy and delivery of Hitler’s baby. Surprisingly, Eva Braun is a very “likeable" character...quite different from the world’s view of her as another evil sidekick of Hitler. She is portrayed as a soon to be mother trying to do her best for her child. The ending is surprising and satisfying and I was sad to close the last page. Highly recommend!
This plausible story assumes Hitler's mistress gives birth to his child. The midwife, a POW in a concentration camp, is handpicked to help with the pregnancy and delivery of Hitler’s baby. Surprisingly, Eva Braun is a very “likeable" character...quite different from the world’s view of her as another evil sidekick of Hitler. She is portrayed as a soon to be mother trying to do her best for her child. The ending is surprising and satisfying and I was sad to close the last page. Highly recommend!
nae1226's review
4.0
A Gremans sympathizer finds herself in a camp serving as a midwife to Jewish prisoners. Due to her excellence she is called upon to deliver Hitler's child.
themodvictorian's review
2.0
This book was pretty good until the introduction of a lackluster romance between the protagonist and an SS officer that took up far too many of the pages. Not only did they have zero chemistry, but I really didn’t want or ask for a “reformed Nazi” love story.
This book should have focused on the women in the war, their struggles, their children, and the moral dilemmas that midwives such as Anke were thrown into; instead it meandered and floundered. Such a shame.
This book should have focused on the women in the war, their struggles, their children, and the moral dilemmas that midwives such as Anke were thrown into; instead it meandered and floundered. Such a shame.
nlevesque27's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this. I had some issues with it because I wanted more of. Also really liked the writing style. Definitely going to pick up other books by this author!
Book 22/50 (2020)
Book 22/50 (2020)
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
4.0
Finished reading: November 30th 2018
"When you saw so much horror, destruction and inhumanity in one place, it was the simplest things that broke your resolve and reminded you of kindness in the world."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Avon in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
Spoiler
I always have a weak spot for WWII historical fiction... As soon as I recognized the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp entrance I was able to see with my own eyes a few months back on the cover, I just new I had to read A Woman Of War. Although I admit I was a bit disappointed to not see that particular camp featured, there is no doubt that the author has a very interesting premise here. The plot of A Woman Of War is a proper fictional one and more a what if? story than one based on true events. It also shows some pro-Nazi characters in a very positive light; something you don't see often in historical fiction, but also something I'm not sure how I feel about. The writing style flows and makes it quite easy to read this story rapidly despite the sometimes heavy topics and more graphic scenes. It shows that the author is a midwife herself, as there are detailed descriptions about women in labor and birth itself. The main character Anke is a midwife and her role is key in A Woman Of War. It brings forth a very interesting ethical and moral question: either Anke helping one of Hitler's inner circle's women during her pregnancy and betraying her own beliefs, or her refusing and being responsible for the death of her family. Seeing pro-Nazi characters in a positive light makes me feel uncomfortable and I could have done without the romance, but overall it was quite an interesting read. Anke's flashbacks of her life before working as a midwife and during her time as a prisoner in Ravensbrück were a good balance to the more 'fictional' present narrative. Fans of the genre will no doubtly find A Woman Of War an interesting read.
Anke Hoff used to work as a midwife in Berlin, but she was caught helping a Jewish woman deliver her baby and sent to camp Ravensbrück as a political prisoner and enemy of the Reich. Then one day she is called with the request to serve as the midwife of one of Hitler's inner circle, with a clear threat that if she refuses or doesn't do her job, her family will die. Soon after her arrival at the Berghof she learns nothing is as it seems, and she finds herself torn between her duty as a midwife and her hatred for the regime.
There is no doubt that A Woman Of War offers quite an original take on a what if? situation that could have changed everything. I'm not sure what to make of the way the pro-Nazi characters are portrayed, but it is definitely quite unique no matter how you feel about it. The writing was solid and I especially enjoyed Anke's flashbacks even though the parts set in Ravensbrück were quite brutal. All in all an interesting although a bit unorthodox WWII historical fiction read.
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
stacyculler's review
3.0
I had a hard time rating this book. I weirdly found the labor and delivery scenes to be too graphic, even when presented alongside the horrors that were the holocaust. I know I shouldn’t feel this way about something as natural and miraculous as childbirth, but there it is, I was grossed out.
I had difficulty with the implausibility of many parts of the storyline as well: If Goebbels wanted to use Eva’s baby as a symbol of hope for Germany, why would he have hidden the pregnancy? Why not use the anticipation as propaganda? Also, it was clear from Anke’s prior behavior that she was never going to take her hatred for Hitler out on an innocent baby, especially at the cost of her own family’s safety. So all the time she spent waiting for Eva to deliver seemed pointless. I wanted Eva’s character to be a little better developed as well. And the “consequence” for Anke’s actions after the delivery of Eva’s baby...come on! That is just ridiculous! That would never have been handled that way! They were NAZIS, remember?!!
I liked the relationship between Dieter and Anke, and I thought Anke was a well developed character. You had a good sense of what she stood for, and the ways she tried to help and bring dignity to a hopeless situation. Thinking about the horrors that women who came to the camps with infants, or pregnant was powerful and so very sad.
Difficult to rate because there were some parts that I thought were excellent, and some that I found ridiculous. So I am just going with a middle of the road three stars.
I had difficulty with the implausibility of many parts of the storyline as well: If Goebbels wanted to use Eva’s baby as a symbol of hope for Germany, why would he have hidden the pregnancy? Why not use the anticipation as propaganda? Also, it was clear from Anke’s prior behavior that she was never going to take her hatred for Hitler out on an innocent baby, especially at the cost of her own family’s safety. So all the time she spent waiting for Eva to deliver seemed pointless. I wanted Eva’s character to be a little better developed as well. And the “consequence” for Anke’s actions after the delivery of Eva’s baby...come on! That is just ridiculous! That would never have been handled that way! They were NAZIS, remember?!!
I liked the relationship between Dieter and Anke, and I thought Anke was a well developed character. You had a good sense of what she stood for, and the ways she tried to help and bring dignity to a hopeless situation. Thinking about the horrors that women who came to the camps with infants, or pregnant was powerful and so very sad.
Difficult to rate because there were some parts that I thought were excellent, and some that I found ridiculous. So I am just going with a middle of the road three stars.