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3.44 AVERAGE
3.44 AVERAGE
Coincidenta coincidentelor, 2 surori gemene din Germania nazista, despartite la varsta de 6 ani, crescute una in Germania, una in Olanda, se reintalnesc dupa multi multi ani in....Belgia la Spa. Este un amalgam de amintiri dureroase, se trece de la una la alta, de la trecut la prezent ametitor de repede. Totusi mi-au placut foarte mult personajele, puternice si frumoase.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Lotte and Anna are identical twins who are separated when they are six years old (it is the 1930’s) and other than one disastrous chance encounter in their teens they never remained in contact with each other.
That is until they meet at a spa in Belgium over 50 years later.
Naturally this gives the twins a chance to catch up on what has happened during their separation and each has a unique story.
Lotte went off to live in the Netherlands , which was a supposedly neutral country during the war, although the Jewish persecution takes place. Despite the fact that her lover is arrested and killed in Auschwitz, Lotte herself leads a comfortable life with few restrictions and her family smuggle Jews into their house. However she is angry at Germany for the loss of her boyfriend and lack of freedom.
Anna, on the other hand stays in Germany and goes through many disappointments. Her foster family treat her badly. Hitler’s reign is preventing her to express herself and when she finally does meet and marry a soldier (who joins the SS so he can stay close to her) he dies in a bombing and Anna devotes the rest of the war period to helping injured soldiers. Although she has suffered she makes it clear that not all Germans were cruel heartless killing machines as history tells us. Lotte refuses to believe this, until the last few pages when she accepts her sister’s personal history.
De Loo did do her research on this novel about wartime Germany and she does mention the horrors but through Anna we see that Germans were had a hard time living a normal life during the war and despite being the Aryan race, still were no different from other Europeans during this tumultuous period.
Personally I liked the novel but I did find it a bit dragging at times and the passages dealing with the American ‘invasion’ of post-war Germany a bit exaggerated ( Although Lotte does bring things back down to Earth a wee bit) Still though The Twins does pose a lot of ethical questions and sheds light on some of history’s misconception’s. What do you out there think?
That is until they meet at a spa in Belgium over 50 years later.
Naturally this gives the twins a chance to catch up on what has happened during their separation and each has a unique story.
Lotte went off to live in the Netherlands , which was a supposedly neutral country during the war, although the Jewish persecution takes place. Despite the fact that her lover is arrested and killed in Auschwitz, Lotte herself leads a comfortable life with few restrictions and her family smuggle Jews into their house. However she is angry at Germany for the loss of her boyfriend and lack of freedom.
Anna, on the other hand stays in Germany and goes through many disappointments. Her foster family treat her badly. Hitler’s reign is preventing her to express herself and when she finally does meet and marry a soldier (who joins the SS so he can stay close to her) he dies in a bombing and Anna devotes the rest of the war period to helping injured soldiers. Although she has suffered she makes it clear that not all Germans were cruel heartless killing machines as history tells us. Lotte refuses to believe this, until the last few pages when she accepts her sister’s personal history.
De Loo did do her research on this novel about wartime Germany and she does mention the horrors but through Anna we see that Germans were had a hard time living a normal life during the war and despite being the Aryan race, still were no different from other Europeans during this tumultuous period.
Personally I liked the novel but I did find it a bit dragging at times and the passages dealing with the American ‘invasion’ of post-war Germany a bit exaggerated ( Although Lotte does bring things back down to Earth a wee bit) Still though The Twins does pose a lot of ethical questions and sheds light on some of history’s misconception’s. What do you out there think?
Fruktansvärt tung bok. Hade fått fler stjärnor om det inte var för den jobba översättningen. Skulle ändå säga att boken är värd att läsa om man är intresserad av två systrars öde och hur de båda upplevde andra världskriget
in sommige plekken wat traag en verwarrend; maar de meeslepende emoties tussen de twee zusjes met elk een eigen leven waarin zij toch verbonden bleven, zorgde er voor dat ik tot tranen geroerd was.
Read about 100 pages and found myself REALLY skimming so decided this book isn't for me. There's something about the writing style that just didn't grab me.....too stiff maybe? After just reading Once Upon a River with it's effortless story, this one felt rough.
Usually I like stories about Hitler Germany but this one wasn't pushing any of my buttons. So, a DNF for me.
Usually I like stories about Hitler Germany but this one wasn't pushing any of my buttons. So, a DNF for me.