Reviews

The Girl Behind the Wall by Mandy Robotham

nfuller's review against another edition

5.0

I enjoyed this book about sisters split by the Berlin Wall!

southernbellebooks's review against another edition

5.0

I absolutely love historical fiction like this. It took me awhile to get into but I ended up really enjoying it. I feel like the time surrounding the Berlin Wall is one overlooked in fiction so I greatly appreciated reading about it here.

jengreguga's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative inspiring fast-paced

5.0

hw49863's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

3.0

yanceem78's review

adventurous emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

katkinney's review against another edition

5.0

This was an outstanding work of historical fiction by author Mandy Robotham. In 1960’s Germany, twin sisters Jutta and Karin live in West Berlin and see every day the tension between the western controlled portion of their city and the communist controlled portion to the east. When Karin travels through the checkpoint one day and falls gravely ill, she is forced to stay in an East German hospital overnight after an operation. That night, the borders are closed and the wall goes up.

I loved the way the writing examined this period in history from both sides, with Jutta living in the West and Karin in the East, both shaped by the perspectives of where they were living and the people who they came to care for. It was not so simple as one side was evil and the other good, but drawn in shades of gray, with family ties and being unable to leave those you loved even if you might have preferred to try to escape being a factor. This was very well written and I highly recommend it for readers of historical fiction!

lilaclicoricetissie's review against another edition

4.0

Berlin, summer 1961. A wall goes up during the night, splitting the city in half and separating East Berlin from West Berlin. The citizens who were used to crossing a nominal border are now trapped in their respective sections, unable to leave. It happens to Jutta and Karin Voigt, too: the two sisters, twins, are both western Berliners, but Karin ends up in an eastern hospital right before Operation Rose begins.

[Keep reading @ Bookshelves & Teacups]

kritterbird's review against another edition

2.0

I always try hard to finish books even when I don't like them. If I didn't have a pile of overdue library books, I may have tried to press through. But, sadly, after chapter 12, I gave up on this book. I have not read a book before regarding the erecting of the Berlin Wall. Or really anything about the Berlin Wall, so I was very curious about the history. This book however fell flat for me. There was no excitement or emotion at all in the writing style of the author. I could not feel what the character were feeling or connect with any of the main characters. The story was very boring to me.

azebrareads's review against another edition

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? Yes

3.5

hmcc08's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5