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ailawilliams's review against another edition
3.0
This book was alright. I found it quite hard to follow from time to time and it isn’t really as interesting to me as other history fiction books. I liked but disliked reading it at the same time.
Not my favourite but it was okay :)
Not my favourite but it was okay :)
armanbeer's review against another edition
3.0
3 star ratings
Writing was good and started good but I can't understand the purpose or the change in the characters, or it was meant to be gray. I really feel insane with quite understanding and not understanding elements of this book. It feels incomplete or not a closure at all, not even for imagination or too much for it than I can take on.
Writing was good and started good but I can't understand the purpose or the change in the characters, or it was meant to be gray. I really feel insane with quite understanding and not understanding elements of this book. It feels incomplete or not a closure at all, not even for imagination or too much for it than I can take on.
bookloves's review against another edition
3.0
Now I've always been a huge fan of historical fiction. So I naturally gravitated to this book when I came across it in Borders. The book had small print so I took longer-than-usual to finish it.
Overall the book is quite enjoyable but unfortunately it only received 3 stars because of its lack of drama and the characters didn't really stand out. I felt that Lewis could have been more portrayed as the hero, but he merely "appeared/disappeared" throughout the story. Rachel, his wife, was more evident in the book along with Herr Lubert.
I found the story to be a bit disappointing merely because I had to wait till the last 100 pages for something exiting to happen. And even when it did, it was so short lived that all I felt at the ending was.."Oh, that's it?"
The book was filled rich with history and the concept was beautiful as rarely do I find books that tells the story AFTER WWII and how Germany struggles to rebuild its nation.
Not much of a recommended read from me, but you might enjoy the deep analysis of the daily life after the wake of the war.
Overall the book is quite enjoyable but unfortunately it only received 3 stars because of its lack of drama and the characters didn't really stand out. I felt that Lewis could have been more portrayed as the hero, but he merely "appeared/disappeared" throughout the story. Rachel, his wife, was more evident in the book along with Herr Lubert.
I found the story to be a bit disappointing merely because I had to wait till the last 100 pages for something exiting to happen. And even when it did, it was so short lived that all I felt at the ending was.."Oh, that's it?"
The book was filled rich with history and the concept was beautiful as rarely do I find books that tells the story AFTER WWII and how Germany struggles to rebuild its nation.
Not much of a recommended read from me, but you might enjoy the deep analysis of the daily life after the wake of the war.
stonypockets's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting account of British-occupied Germany. Reads almost like a play. The unwavering benevolence on the main character was a little questionable.
victrone's review against another edition
4.0
An interesting spin on the WWII historical fiction genre. Taking place after the war is over and the peace is still in progress, this novel tells the story of two families trying to coexist in challenging times. I enjoyed the fresh perspective and a look into how things were for the German people following the war, as well as families of Allied soldiers who had to continue on fighting once the war was done.
lostinagoodread's review against another edition
4.0
This review and others can be found on Cozy Up With A Good Read
I've been really enjoying books that take place around war lately, I think it has something to do with the way authors show the humanity in people and what some individuals would do to save themselves. THE AFTERMATH is a story about what comes after the war. This is specifically about a man who is overseeing the de-Nazification of Germans and how the war changes him and his family.
This book was emotional and beautiful, the way Brook describes what the war has done to each of the different characters and how they are trying to survive this new place they are in. Brook's storytelling was absolutely amazing, and I was engrossed in this story of love, loss and learning to forgive and move on. I felt like so much happened in such a short amount of time.
For me, I found Colonel Morgan to be the hero of the book, he has this huge heart and wants to keep everybody safe. As Germans are being forced out of their homes and the English move in, Lewis decides that the house he has been assigned to is big enough that the owner should be able to stay there, and what follows is a story of learning who you really are and how these people deal with this new situation. Colonel Morgan sees the best in people and he does what he can to get others to see it too.
I love how Lewis tries to instil this view into his family. As his wife and son are coming across, they are being taught to avoid the Germans at all costs because they are evil, but Lewis thinks that they need to get to know these people and interact with them. Rachael tries hard to stay away and create boundaries, but quickly a bond is created through a shared emotion.
In THE AFTERMATH, Rhidian Brook shows that despite all this evil in the world, there is always good and someone willing to help. I loved how each of the characters learned about themselves and how they reacted to the situations around them. The story that Brook has written has stuck in the back of my mind and I keep thinking about everything that happened, for me I know this is an amazing book because it has the power to keep my mind on it after I've read it.
If you're a fan of historical fiction books than I definitely suggest picking up this one. It's beautiful seeing how someone can pick themselves up after much of the horror they have seen. This story is an inspiration.
I've been really enjoying books that take place around war lately, I think it has something to do with the way authors show the humanity in people and what some individuals would do to save themselves. THE AFTERMATH is a story about what comes after the war. This is specifically about a man who is overseeing the de-Nazification of Germans and how the war changes him and his family.
This book was emotional and beautiful, the way Brook describes what the war has done to each of the different characters and how they are trying to survive this new place they are in. Brook's storytelling was absolutely amazing, and I was engrossed in this story of love, loss and learning to forgive and move on. I felt like so much happened in such a short amount of time.
For me, I found Colonel Morgan to be the hero of the book, he has this huge heart and wants to keep everybody safe. As Germans are being forced out of their homes and the English move in, Lewis decides that the house he has been assigned to is big enough that the owner should be able to stay there, and what follows is a story of learning who you really are and how these people deal with this new situation. Colonel Morgan sees the best in people and he does what he can to get others to see it too.
I love how Lewis tries to instil this view into his family. As his wife and son are coming across, they are being taught to avoid the Germans at all costs because they are evil, but Lewis thinks that they need to get to know these people and interact with them. Rachael tries hard to stay away and create boundaries, but quickly a bond is created through a shared emotion.
In THE AFTERMATH, Rhidian Brook shows that despite all this evil in the world, there is always good and someone willing to help. I loved how each of the characters learned about themselves and how they reacted to the situations around them. The story that Brook has written has stuck in the back of my mind and I keep thinking about everything that happened, for me I know this is an amazing book because it has the power to keep my mind on it after I've read it.
If you're a fan of historical fiction books than I definitely suggest picking up this one. It's beautiful seeing how someone can pick themselves up after much of the horror they have seen. This story is an inspiration.
janedallaway's review against another edition
5.0
This was one of three books a friend brought me to read. And this was the best of them.
I loved this story. I lived amongst the characters and didn't want to leave. I cried. I connected. Lovely!
I loved this story. I lived amongst the characters and didn't want to leave. I cried. I connected. Lovely!
no_readgret's review against another edition
I love historical fiction - but I LOVED this book. I came across it when I saw the movie trailer and am so happy that I decided to read it before the movie came out. I only hope they can capture the nuances of this book on the big screen.
biblioholicbeth's review against another edition
2.0
What do you do when the war has torn everything you know from you? Your husband is a stranger, you lost a son in a bombing, and you're grieving for the loss of yourself in a way that no one seems to recognize. And then you learn that you and your remaining son will be joining your husband in the country you see as having taken it all. This particular war happens to be WWII, though the story itself is somewhat universal. What is *not* universal is the decision, made without consulting his wife, for the British family in Germany to share the home they are being billeted in with the German owner and his daughter.
The idea of this was interesting to me, particularly as I find WWII history fascinating. The choices (and lack of them) that were made by people throughout the war, as well as before and after, are lessons for all future generations. Knowing this was loosely based on a true story sort of clinched it for me. However, I wouldn't say I was blown away by the story itself.
The story starts out slow and bumps back and forth between various viewpoints, including some that (initially) seem to have nothing to do with much of anything. It wasn't until I had read about 1/3 of the book before it started to pick up a bit. As for Rachael, the aforementioned wife, I never really felt much sympathy for her. She seemed like a wooden character in many ways. Her husband seemed a bit more realistically drawn, but I had a hard time imagining that this woman, who had already lost one child, would be so...vacant...with the other. Particularly in a former war zone.
However, parts of the book were an interesting look in the mindset of those who could have been involved in the restoration. The idea that all Germans were evil, that those responsible to help rebuild were among the worst of the looters...it just shows that the whole throwing rocks in glass houses thing works at all levels.
I probably wouldn't buy this book and it's definitely not one I would re-read. It might make an interesting book group novel, but in general - I would just get this one from the library.
The idea of this was interesting to me, particularly as I find WWII history fascinating. The choices (and lack of them) that were made by people throughout the war, as well as before and after, are lessons for all future generations. Knowing this was loosely based on a true story sort of clinched it for me. However, I wouldn't say I was blown away by the story itself.
The story starts out slow and bumps back and forth between various viewpoints, including some that (initially) seem to have nothing to do with much of anything. It wasn't until I had read about 1/3 of the book before it started to pick up a bit. As for Rachael, the aforementioned wife, I never really felt much sympathy for her. She seemed like a wooden character in many ways. Her husband seemed a bit more realistically drawn, but I had a hard time imagining that this woman, who had already lost one child, would be so...vacant...with the other. Particularly in a former war zone.
However, parts of the book were an interesting look in the mindset of those who could have been involved in the restoration. The idea that all Germans were evil, that those responsible to help rebuild were among the worst of the looters...it just shows that the whole throwing rocks in glass houses thing works at all levels.
I probably wouldn't buy this book and it's definitely not one I would re-read. It might make an interesting book group novel, but in general - I would just get this one from the library.
brookerachel's review against another edition
4.0
I’d say this was about a 3.5 - it was pretty entertaining, but more than that it was an interesting time period you don’t hear about often. Germany weeks post WWII. I loved Lewis - great guy. Hated Freda but found her so interesting. It’s something you don’t think of often; the kids who grew up during WWII, didn’t fully understand what was going on, but knew enough to feel the loss of loved ones and their home. Though the story itself wasn’t the most gripping, the setting and time period made up for it. Worth a read!