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weird_reader's review against another edition
3.0
"-Kiek prireiks laiko Vokietijai, kol šalis atsigaus? - paklausė Manfredas. - Kiek laiko pasaulis mūsų neapkęs?
Nieko neatsakiau, bet gerai žinojau, kad ištisos kartos negalės atleisti Vokietijai jos padarytų nuodėmių - jei iš viso kada nors sugebės atleisti."
Labai taiklūs žodžiai iš knygos, ir nori nenori, sutapatini ir su dabartine situacija juos. Šitos karo nuodėmės, nebepasimiršta visą gyvenimą ir klausimas ar tam užteks ir poros šimtų metų.
Bet šnekant apie knygą, šios autorės "Maisto ragautoja" man patiko labai, buvo taip įdomu skaityti, įtraukė nuo pirmų puslapių, bet ši. Buvo meh. Gale gal kiek įdomiau pasidarė, kai kurie sprendimai rašytojos buvo įdomus, nors siužetas su Gariku buvo įdomus visai.
Pabaiga irgi labai jau greita buvo, sudėta į du paskutinius skyrius, kur visą knygą tempėsi siužetas, o tada bam bam, meilė, atradimas, karo pabaiga.
Tad man gal labiausiai ir užkliuvo, kad visa knyga buvo labai ištempta.
Nieko neatsakiau, bet gerai žinojau, kad ištisos kartos negalės atleisti Vokietijai jos padarytų nuodėmių - jei iš viso kada nors sugebės atleisti."
Labai taiklūs žodžiai iš knygos, ir nori nenori, sutapatini ir su dabartine situacija juos. Šitos karo nuodėmės, nebepasimiršta visą gyvenimą ir klausimas ar tam užteks ir poros šimtų metų.
Bet šnekant apie knygą, šios autorės "Maisto ragautoja" man patiko labai, buvo taip įdomu skaityti, įtraukė nuo pirmų puslapių, bet ši. Buvo meh. Gale gal kiek įdomiau pasidarė, kai kurie sprendimai rašytojos buvo įdomus, nors siužetas su Gariku buvo įdomus visai.
Pabaiga irgi labai jau greita buvo, sudėta į du paskutinius skyrius, kur visą knygą tempėsi siužetas, o tada bam bam, meilė, atradimas, karo pabaiga.
Tad man gal labiausiai ir užkliuvo, kad visa knyga buvo labai ištempta.
nela4's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
I read it in spanish, so idk if thats the reason, but I found it super flat. Poor descriptions and the plot kinda boring. I read it after La sombra del viento wich is a master piece of spanish language usage, so that is a fact to consider too.
mrs_jarowhiskey2's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
nattyc96's review against another edition
4.0
Love love love this glimpse into a rebel group during ww2. I’m probably the last person to not know about the White Rose group, but fiction was a great way to learn more about them!
maferzav's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Muy interesante el poder ver el otro lado de la moneda en el conflicto de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, y descubrir cómo hubo algunos alemanes que decidieron resistir y las razones por las que su resistencia fue infructuosa.
La historia habla mucho sobre ser fiel a tus creencias y valiente para defenderlas. En el sentido histórico, provee una perspectiva muy interesante, y a partir de la mitad del libro tiene un ritmo muy bueno.
Sin embargo, hay algo en la narrativa del autor que no me hizo conectar con la protagonista y que hacía la lectura un poco cansada a ratos. Tal vez el querer adornar su narrativa con tintes poéticos innecesarios, o tal vez que había algunas escenas que eran muy dramáticas para mi gusto y personajes que no hacían mucho sentido.
La historia habla mucho sobre ser fiel a tus creencias y valiente para defenderlas. En el sentido histórico, provee una perspectiva muy interesante, y a partir de la mitad del libro tiene un ritmo muy bueno.
Sin embargo, hay algo en la narrativa del autor que no me hizo conectar con la protagonista y que hacía la lectura un poco cansada a ratos. Tal vez el querer adornar su narrativa con tintes poéticos innecesarios, o tal vez que había algunas escenas que eran muy dramáticas para mi gusto y personajes que no hacían mucho sentido.
claudiafeneley's review against another edition
5.0
If you have been following my blog for a while (www.theloveofbooks.co.uk), then you know that historical fiction is one of my favourite genres. While I enjoy reading books about all time periods, I tend to favour books set during the Second World War. What can I say, I am fascinated by this period in history. When you read a lot of books that are set during the same time period, you start to notice similarities between the various books. In the case of books set during World War Two, you tend to see a lot of books set in Nazi-occupied France, concentration camps, or England during the war. There are also a great many books about spy organisations, or other organisations which helped those who were persecuted by the Nazi party. These are some of the more fascinating aspects of this period in history, so it makes sense that they are prevalent in books. By no means is this a bad thing, in fact some of my absolute favourite historical fiction novels fit into these categories. That being said, it is refreshing to find a historical fiction novel that teaches you something new about a period in history that interests you. That is the case with The Traitor by V.S. Alexander, and I think this is partially why I loved this book so much.
Considering how many books I have read which are set during the Second World War, I am surprised that I have never heard of the White Rose before picking up this book. The White Rose was a resistance group led by a group of students at the University of Munich during World War Two. The purpose of this group was to create active resistance against the Nazi regime through anonymous leaflets and graffiti. It was a non-violent group. In the authors note, V.S. Alexander says that he has "always found World War II a tragic, terrifying, and humbling subject," and that he was particularly fascinated by the White Rose movement. The White Rose has been extensively covered by academics, historians, and even filmmakers in the past, but I've never seen a fictional novel about this organisation. (I'm sure there are other ones, I am just not aware of them - if you know of any, please comment below and I will look them up!) I am actually surprised that I have not seen more about The White Rose in the past, because it is a fascinating subject.
While The Traitor is based around the White Rose, the plot and majority of the characters are entirely fictional. Hans and Sophie Scholl, as well as some other members of the White Rose, do make an appearance, but the protagonist Natalya and her activities within the novel are invented. The story of Natalya is a compelling one. The Traitor is really the story of one woman's determination to survive in Nazi Germany while sticking to her values and beliefs. It is a fascinating story; I did not want to put it down until the very end. I have a tendency to incessantly talk about books that I truly love, and that proved true when I finished this book. It has been added to my mental list of excellent historical fiction novels, and I know that I will be recommending it to people for years to come.
My only slight criticism of this book is that I would have liked to see a bit more about the White Rose movement. However, I also understand why the author chose to take the story in the direction that he did, and his decision does make sense for the plot as a whole. I am now even more fascinated by this point in history, and look forward to reading more about the White Rose in the future.
I would like to thank V.S. Alexander, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Considering how many books I have read which are set during the Second World War, I am surprised that I have never heard of the White Rose before picking up this book. The White Rose was a resistance group led by a group of students at the University of Munich during World War Two. The purpose of this group was to create active resistance against the Nazi regime through anonymous leaflets and graffiti. It was a non-violent group. In the authors note, V.S. Alexander says that he has "always found World War II a tragic, terrifying, and humbling subject," and that he was particularly fascinated by the White Rose movement. The White Rose has been extensively covered by academics, historians, and even filmmakers in the past, but I've never seen a fictional novel about this organisation. (I'm sure there are other ones, I am just not aware of them - if you know of any, please comment below and I will look them up!) I am actually surprised that I have not seen more about The White Rose in the past, because it is a fascinating subject.
While The Traitor is based around the White Rose, the plot and majority of the characters are entirely fictional. Hans and Sophie Scholl, as well as some other members of the White Rose, do make an appearance, but the protagonist Natalya and her activities within the novel are invented. The story of Natalya is a compelling one. The Traitor is really the story of one woman's determination to survive in Nazi Germany while sticking to her values and beliefs. It is a fascinating story; I did not want to put it down until the very end. I have a tendency to incessantly talk about books that I truly love, and that proved true when I finished this book. It has been added to my mental list of excellent historical fiction novels, and I know that I will be recommending it to people for years to come.
My only slight criticism of this book is that I would have liked to see a bit more about the White Rose movement. However, I also understand why the author chose to take the story in the direction that he did, and his decision does make sense for the plot as a whole. I am now even more fascinated by this point in history, and look forward to reading more about the White Rose in the future.
I would like to thank V.S. Alexander, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
andriaerin's review against another edition
3.0
I felt like the presentation of Natalya's choices and struggles felt realistic. I really enjoyed the premise of the book and enjoyed reading about the White Rose, a subject that isn't often written about in WW2 books; OVerall, I thought that this book was a decent read but didn't blow my mind or feel particularly surprising or impactful.
jeanz's review against another edition
5.0
As I have read other books written by this author, I admit to keeping an eye for books by them. Though I have to say it was the book cover that initially caught my eye. I have seen two different covers for this title and do like both. Both covers could easily be taken from scenes within the book. After noticing the cover, I read the blurb and knew it was a book I had to read. I find the World War Two era fascinating and humbling and think it is a period in history that should never, ever be forgotten.
The book is historical fiction, though it is based on real events.
This book is slightly different to others I have read set in this period of history as it is from the point of view of someone living in Germany. Someone who before Hitler came into power with his different ideas on genetics and the human race would have been considered a German. The more I read from this point of view the more interested in it I become.
The book tells of Natalya’s experience of Kristallnacht, which occurred on the night of 9th November, 1938 and translates into English as The Night of Broken Glass. Natalya and her friend go out on a shopping errand for Mary and see the remnants of a burnt synagogue and hear soldiers laughing and joking about the fact that the Rabbi had attempted to rescue the Tora scrolls and other items from the burning building. This is also the first time that Natalya’s life crosses paths with that of a man who will become an important part of her life. He approaches Natalya and Lisa and explains what has happened, the building has been set on fire and that the Rabbi has been sent to Dachau. The girls move on passing the broken glass of a Jewish owned pharmacy where her father works. When Peter notices his daughter and her friend, he tells them the streets are not safe and that they should return home immediately.
The main character and just one of my favourite characters in this book is sixteen year old, Natalya Petrovich who lives with her parents, Mary and Peter. They have already fled Russia and now live in Germany. Natalya volunteers to work as a nursing volunteer at the Russian Front with the German Red Cross where the fighting is and soon see’s the human cost of Hitler’s war. It’s whilst caring for soldiers that she meets those that end up introducing her to the White Rose. It is Alex that brings her into his social circle and takes her to see a local woman called Sina, with her children Dimitra and Anna, where they drink, sing and talk of their distrust and displeasure with Hitler. Natalya witnesses Sina, Dimitri and Anna rounded up with other people and see’s what happens to them, a vision which plagues her even after she leaves the area and is back home with her family.
This book tells the tale of a very real group of German teenagers and how they reacted to the changing world around them. The way they form a society of like-minded people to resist what is happening around them and become widely known as the White Rose. The White Rose write and distribute letters around Germany using the train system to travel around the area and drop the leaflets at addresses and shops etc, where they hope it will give others courage to make some sort of stand or resist what is happening around them in any way be it in a small or larger way. These missions become riskier, with the members being followed and the invitation to new people to join the group. The main, former members of the group are brother and sister, Hans and Sophie.
Natalya becomes braver and more determined to join in any act of resistance she can. She takes part in the leaflet drops with her childhood best friend Lisa Kolbe and then later in the book joins Alex, Hans and others in spraying and writing graffiti on local buildings.
The book goes on to reveal how Natalya becomes acquainted with the other members of the White Rose, how she becomes an active member. How the White Rose members are captured, tortured and some killed. Others that the Nazi’s hope to manipulate into revealing more about the resistance movement are sent to German prisons. Herr Garrett Adler, the man she first met the morning after the night of glass turns out to be a Nazi party member and he tells Natalya he was instrumental in her not being sentenced to death, and that he keeps an eye on her parents. He tries to blackmail Natalya into revealing anything she knows about other rebels by threatening her parents and when she doesn’t reveal anything Natalya is sent on to a mental asylum where medical procedures and experiments are done on the patients by one of the Doctors. Initially things seem like they are going to improve for Natalya when she comes across a Doctor there that is also part of the resistance movement and helps her and another patient plan an escape. Unfortunately, someone learns about the Doctor being a resistance member and he and the other patient are arrested and taken away. When the other Doctor taking Natalya to be sterilised as her kind should not be allowed to breed! Natalya knows she has to escape as soon as possible or she may die in this asylum. It’s when she escapes that she meets Greta who helps her disguise herself, create a new person to be and ends up being the one that introduces Natalya to the man who she eventually comes to love. Then just when you think Natalya has gone through the worst life can throw at her and she has a chance at happiness with a man with similar values as hers Herr Garett Adler rears his head again making it known to Natalya that though she now goes by a different name, and has changed her looks that he knows who she really is and can take everything away from her whenever he wants.
Then just when you think Natalya has gone through the worst life can throw at her and she has a chance at happiness with a man with similar values as hers Herr Garett Adler rears his head again making it known to Natalya that though she now goes by a different name, and has changed her looks that he knows who she really is and can take everything away from her whenever he wants.
It seems odd and wrong to have “favourite” character when the people depicted in this book are not totally fictional. Instead I will share with you the characters who represented real people whom I admired. Firstly, I admired both Natalya and Lisa “normal” everyday girls from normal families taking trips with highly dangerous reading material hidden in their luggage and clothes.
Though Greta seemed to lack emotions at time when she was dealing with Natalya you understand that she has to. If she became overly attached to those she is helping and knew their stories and she could inadvertently reveal something endangering themselves and others. Greta treats the risks she is taking in a very business like way. Even telling Natalya she will have to move on quickly if someone more important comes along and needs her help.
I went through a whole range of emotions whilst reading this book. I think it was made all the more poignant by the fact it is actually based on actual real events. It shows how, many people taking part in small acts of resistance and defiance can actually come together and eventually make a difference. Some of these characters do represent real people such as the founders of the White Rose, Sophie and Hans. Obviously, there were others in their organisation and the author has used fabricated names. This era of history is a very important one, and should never be forgotten. Many died because of one man and his new ideas of what he thought the future should look like. He sent millions to their death either in gas chambers, or worked to death. There were survivors who are now sadly dying of old age or complications due to what they suffered during this time. People rarely had any sort of happy ending, they lost family and friends. Even after liberation they had to rebuild their lives, search for family and friends and start to rebuild their own lives and what was left of their country all as well as coming to terms with what had happened.
At the very end of the book the author lists other books about Sophie, Hans and the White Rose as well as listing a film that was made about Sophie.
My immediate thoughts upon finishing this book were that the book was an
amazing fictional take on a real organisation the White Rose who existed in Nazi Germany.
To sum up this book gives a different point view of World War 2, in that it concentrates on Germans and how they were treated by the Nazi party in their own country. This book deals with another facet of an awful era in history that should never, ever be forgotten.
I have to add I didn't think I would ever love a book from this point of view as much as I did The Taster, also by this author but I adored this one just as much.
The book is historical fiction, though it is based on real events.
This book is slightly different to others I have read set in this period of history as it is from the point of view of someone living in Germany. Someone who before Hitler came into power with his different ideas on genetics and the human race would have been considered a German. The more I read from this point of view the more interested in it I become.
The book tells of Natalya’s experience of Kristallnacht, which occurred on the night of 9th November, 1938 and translates into English as The Night of Broken Glass. Natalya and her friend go out on a shopping errand for Mary and see the remnants of a burnt synagogue and hear soldiers laughing and joking about the fact that the Rabbi had attempted to rescue the Tora scrolls and other items from the burning building. This is also the first time that Natalya’s life crosses paths with that of a man who will become an important part of her life. He approaches Natalya and Lisa and explains what has happened, the building has been set on fire and that the Rabbi has been sent to Dachau. The girls move on passing the broken glass of a Jewish owned pharmacy where her father works. When Peter notices his daughter and her friend, he tells them the streets are not safe and that they should return home immediately.
The main character and just one of my favourite characters in this book is sixteen year old, Natalya Petrovich who lives with her parents, Mary and Peter. They have already fled Russia and now live in Germany. Natalya volunteers to work as a nursing volunteer at the Russian Front with the German Red Cross where the fighting is and soon see’s the human cost of Hitler’s war. It’s whilst caring for soldiers that she meets those that end up introducing her to the White Rose. It is Alex that brings her into his social circle and takes her to see a local woman called Sina, with her children Dimitra and Anna, where they drink, sing and talk of their distrust and displeasure with Hitler. Natalya witnesses Sina, Dimitri and Anna rounded up with other people and see’s what happens to them, a vision which plagues her even after she leaves the area and is back home with her family.
This book tells the tale of a very real group of German teenagers and how they reacted to the changing world around them. The way they form a society of like-minded people to resist what is happening around them and become widely known as the White Rose. The White Rose write and distribute letters around Germany using the train system to travel around the area and drop the leaflets at addresses and shops etc, where they hope it will give others courage to make some sort of stand or resist what is happening around them in any way be it in a small or larger way. These missions become riskier, with the members being followed and the invitation to new people to join the group. The main, former members of the group are brother and sister, Hans and Sophie.
Natalya becomes braver and more determined to join in any act of resistance she can. She takes part in the leaflet drops with her childhood best friend Lisa Kolbe and then later in the book joins Alex, Hans and others in spraying and writing graffiti on local buildings.
The book goes on to reveal how Natalya becomes acquainted with the other members of the White Rose, how she becomes an active member. How the White Rose members are captured, tortured and some killed. Others that the Nazi’s hope to manipulate into revealing more about the resistance movement are sent to German prisons. Herr Garrett Adler, the man she first met the morning after the night of glass turns out to be a Nazi party member and he tells Natalya he was instrumental in her not being sentenced to death, and that he keeps an eye on her parents. He tries to blackmail Natalya into revealing anything she knows about other rebels by threatening her parents and when she doesn’t reveal anything Natalya is sent on to a mental asylum where medical procedures and experiments are done on the patients by one of the Doctors. Initially things seem like they are going to improve for Natalya when she comes across a Doctor there that is also part of the resistance movement and helps her and another patient plan an escape. Unfortunately, someone learns about the Doctor being a resistance member and he and the other patient are arrested and taken away. When the other Doctor taking Natalya to be sterilised as her kind should not be allowed to breed! Natalya knows she has to escape as soon as possible or she may die in this asylum. It’s when she escapes that she meets Greta who helps her disguise herself, create a new person to be and ends up being the one that introduces Natalya to the man who she eventually comes to love. Then just when you think Natalya has gone through the worst life can throw at her and she has a chance at happiness with a man with similar values as hers Herr Garett Adler rears his head again making it known to Natalya that though she now goes by a different name, and has changed her looks that he knows who she really is and can take everything away from her whenever he wants.
Then just when you think Natalya has gone through the worst life can throw at her and she has a chance at happiness with a man with similar values as hers Herr Garett Adler rears his head again making it known to Natalya that though she now goes by a different name, and has changed her looks that he knows who she really is and can take everything away from her whenever he wants.
It seems odd and wrong to have “favourite” character when the people depicted in this book are not totally fictional. Instead I will share with you the characters who represented real people whom I admired. Firstly, I admired both Natalya and Lisa “normal” everyday girls from normal families taking trips with highly dangerous reading material hidden in their luggage and clothes.
Though Greta seemed to lack emotions at time when she was dealing with Natalya you understand that she has to. If she became overly attached to those she is helping and knew their stories and she could inadvertently reveal something endangering themselves and others. Greta treats the risks she is taking in a very business like way. Even telling Natalya she will have to move on quickly if someone more important comes along and needs her help.
I went through a whole range of emotions whilst reading this book. I think it was made all the more poignant by the fact it is actually based on actual real events. It shows how, many people taking part in small acts of resistance and defiance can actually come together and eventually make a difference. Some of these characters do represent real people such as the founders of the White Rose, Sophie and Hans. Obviously, there were others in their organisation and the author has used fabricated names. This era of history is a very important one, and should never be forgotten. Many died because of one man and his new ideas of what he thought the future should look like. He sent millions to their death either in gas chambers, or worked to death. There were survivors who are now sadly dying of old age or complications due to what they suffered during this time. People rarely had any sort of happy ending, they lost family and friends. Even after liberation they had to rebuild their lives, search for family and friends and start to rebuild their own lives and what was left of their country all as well as coming to terms with what had happened.
At the very end of the book the author lists other books about Sophie, Hans and the White Rose as well as listing a film that was made about Sophie.
My immediate thoughts upon finishing this book were that the book was an
amazing fictional take on a real organisation the White Rose who existed in Nazi Germany.
To sum up this book gives a different point view of World War 2, in that it concentrates on Germans and how they were treated by the Nazi party in their own country. This book deals with another facet of an awful era in history that should never, ever be forgotten.
I have to add I didn't think I would ever love a book from this point of view as much as I did The Taster, also by this author but I adored this one just as much.
kimk's review against another edition
4.0
Audiobook - 4.25. Slow start but much more interesting after that.
nickieandremus's review against another edition
4.0
*** I received an advanced e-copy from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review
This book is based on the true story of the White Rose - the resistance movement of young Germans against the Nazi regime. It tells about Natalya, who becomes a part of the group because of her best friend. It begins with making leaflets and leaving them in public places and mailing them to addresses they chose randomly from the phone book. The missions slowly became more and more dangerous as they stakes became higher. The one rule was the promise not to sell the others out if they got caught. Then one day the inevitable happened.....
I had never heard of the White Rose before this so I found this book fascinating. It really brought that section of history to life. I highly recommend it for all historical fiction fans.
This book is based on the true story of the White Rose - the resistance movement of young Germans against the Nazi regime. It tells about Natalya, who becomes a part of the group because of her best friend. It begins with making leaflets and leaving them in public places and mailing them to addresses they chose randomly from the phone book. The missions slowly became more and more dangerous as they stakes became higher. The one rule was the promise not to sell the others out if they got caught. Then one day the inevitable happened.....
I had never heard of the White Rose before this so I found this book fascinating. It really brought that section of history to life. I highly recommend it for all historical fiction fans.