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soobooksalot's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
So many unexpected perspectives make up Cradle Of The Reich.
Thank you to author Jennifer Colburn for putting this on my radar!
Cradles Of The Reich is told from three women's experiences with Himmler's Lebensborn Society in Nazi Germany.
The fictional characters of Gundi, Sister Irma and Hilde, tell the story of Lebensborn, with the goal of encouraging the births of children who met the Nazi standards of "racially pure" Aryans, based on eugenics - light skin, blonde hair, blue eyes, no physical anomalies.
Having relations with a Jew was a crime, to create a Mischling, or Untermensch.
"If you were a true Nazi, you wouldn't call it murder. You'd call it cleansing, purifying, euthanizing, liquidating, but never murder."
It's a piece of history that sounds too fantastical to be real, but Cradles Of The Reich brings it to life.
The experiences of the women were surprising in their differences - loyalty versus survival. Colburn obviously did her research to paint such scenes of the time.
This is a story that will stay with you, and if you're like me, prompt further reading. Don't miss the Author's Note at the end.
Recommended!
Thank you to author Jennifer Colburn for putting this on my radar!
Cradles Of The Reich is told from three women's experiences with Himmler's Lebensborn Society in Nazi Germany.
The fictional characters of Gundi, Sister Irma and Hilde, tell the story of Lebensborn, with the goal of encouraging the births of children who met the Nazi standards of "racially pure" Aryans, based on eugenics - light skin, blonde hair, blue eyes, no physical anomalies.
Having relations with a Jew was a crime, to create a Mischling, or Untermensch.
"If you were a true Nazi, you wouldn't call it murder. You'd call it cleansing, purifying, euthanizing, liquidating, but never murder."
It's a piece of history that sounds too fantastical to be real, but Cradles Of The Reich brings it to life.
The experiences of the women were surprising in their differences - loyalty versus survival. Colburn obviously did her research to paint such scenes of the time.
This is a story that will stay with you, and if you're like me, prompt further reading. Don't miss the Author's Note at the end.
Recommended!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Murder, Racial slurs, Sexual content, War, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
micasreads's review against another edition
4.0
Heim Hochland is the Nazi maternity home in Bavaria and the home of the Lebensborn project - the Nazi program for creating the master race. This is the story of a nurse, Irma, who believes she is bringing new lives into the world but quickly learns there is more to her job than that. There are also two young mothers, Hilde, a Nazi mistress who realized how unimportant she is to the Reich, and Gundi, a young German girl carrying a Jewish baby. Each woman must deal with being a German woman during World War II and decide how best to live their lives.
This was a book I was intrigued by the moment I saw the cover. The Nazi breeding program is not something I have seen covered in many historical fiction novels. Coburn did a wonderful job researching the project and portraying it in her setting. The characters were well-fleshed out with wonderful backstories. The only thing I found lacking was not having a clear idea of how Hilde ended up when she was abandoned. Her ending is alluded to but never set in stone. With that being said, this was a fantastic read and I hope there is more to come from Jennifer Coburn.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Miscarriage and Antisemitism
tjwoho's review
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
alycille's review
5.0
4.5 rounding up
I just wanted more!! I enjoyed each of the 3 characters and want to follow their story further
I just wanted more!! I enjoyed each of the 3 characters and want to follow their story further
paperbacksandpaws's review
challenging
dark
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
4/5 đ
....................
"I donât want to be in a world when helping one another survive is remarkable."
....................
Cradles of the Reich tells the little known story of the Lebensborn society, a place that Nazis used as a sort of breeding ground for their "master race." It follows 3 fictional women, who ended up at the house in very different circumstances. One is proud to be carrying a Nazi leader's child, another is a 44 year old nurse who believes she's doing good but later finds out the truth about the house and changes sides, and lastly a college age pregnant girl who is secretly part of the resistance but forced to join the society due to her pure "German beauty."
This book is such a great history lesson. Something everyone should learn about so it doesn't happen again. It's so crazy to me that this place and what happened there is real. I feel horrible for the babies born there and the mom's forced (or manipulated to) to give up their babies. It's just unheard of.
However I wasn't enthralled by the stories. I was intrigued, but I felt they lacked depth to really feel how the girls felt. Like the reader didn't quite get enough information on each woman's thoughts and past. But the little known history did make the story great, thus the 4 â.
....................
"I donât want to be in a world when helping one another survive is remarkable."
....................
Cradles of the Reich tells the little known story of the Lebensborn society, a place that Nazis used as a sort of breeding ground for their "master race." It follows 3 fictional women, who ended up at the house in very different circumstances. One is proud to be carrying a Nazi leader's child, another is a 44 year old nurse who believes she's doing good but later finds out the truth about the house and changes sides, and lastly a college age pregnant girl who is secretly part of the resistance but forced to join the society due to her pure "German beauty."
This book is such a great history lesson. Something everyone should learn about so it doesn't happen again. It's so crazy to me that this place and what happened there is real. I feel horrible for the babies born there and the mom's forced (or manipulated to) to give up their babies. It's just unheard of.
However I wasn't enthralled by the stories. I was intrigued, but I felt they lacked depth to really feel how the girls felt. Like the reader didn't quite get enough information on each woman's thoughts and past. But the little known history did make the story great, thus the 4 â.
stellarosehaag's review
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
emilysbookishlife's review
challenging
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
booknallnight's review against another edition
medium-paced
Historical fiction is one of those genres that I have a love/hate relationship with. I love learning something new when I read them, but I am torn with that love because of the story.
Cradles of the Reich had my heart twisted. I never knew this type of "maternity" home existed, but am not surprised about it. I fell in love with Gundi and Irma as they go along trying to find their way in the situation they are placed. Hilde is a complex character and while she is a villain of sorts I felt bad for her.
I enjoyed this one overall and would recommend for historical fiction fans. I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
Cradles of the Reich had my heart twisted. I never knew this type of "maternity" home existed, but am not surprised about it. I fell in love with Gundi and Irma as they go along trying to find their way in the situation they are placed. Hilde is a complex character and while she is a villain of sorts I felt bad for her.
I enjoyed this one overall and would recommend for historical fiction fans. I sincerely appreciate the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
beth_menendez's review
4.0
This book had elements of historical fiction mixed with The Handmaid,s Tale with a dash of the Tennessee Valley Children,s home scandal. I was not prepared for what was going to happen to the babies, and had no idea those babies (who are easily alive today!) were a real part of Germany. Read this to expand your knowledge of what happened to some âGood German citizensâ