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piaac's review
5.0
beautiful story
I was captured reading and didn’t want to put it down. You will get lost into the characters and feel for them. I don’t want to reveal anything but it’s a must read and I look forward to other books by Marius Gabriel!
I was captured reading and didn’t want to put it down. You will get lost into the characters and feel for them. I don’t want to reveal anything but it’s a must read and I look forward to other books by Marius Gabriel!
suzysuzy34's review
5.0
I love stories about WW2 and his book ticked all the boxes. Tragedy of war and a love story between Max and Lola, couldn’t stop listening and reading along. Going to try another book by this author. Would definitely re-read this wonderful story.
Story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narration ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Narration ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
lisamshardlow's review against another edition
4.0
Max Wolff is a loyal soldier of the Third Reich’s Wehrmacht (German army) during WWII. So he is very misguidedly outraged, when he returns home on leave with a head injury, to find that his mother is harbouring two Jewish girls in their attic. His mother’s actions go against everything Max believes in, but as the war comes ever closer to their hometown, he is forced to abandon his beliefs and to confront the reality of the war.
This was very graphic. It doesn’t skim around the realities of what normal everyday people would have gone through living in war-torn Germany. There was a lot of very harrowing and upsetting descriptions throughout. But there was also something very beautiful that happens to Max, a change that he goes through when he starts to realise that maybe not everything that the Nazis have been saying is the truth. This is why I end up loving Max, probably as much as Lola loves him. I also really love Lola, she’s a perfect example of how strong and resilient people can be when faced with such horrors - anti-semitism, racism, persecution, prejudice, bodily harm, threat of death, witnessing the death of loved ones, etc.
There is a love story that weaves its way into the story, but I just wasn’t really convinced by it. I don’t know if it was the circumstances that the characters were in, but I just didn’t really feel as though there was much chemistry between the two of them. And this is the only real criticism that I have of this book.
Because of the, in my opinion, unconvincing love story, I give this 4 out of 5 stars. I did really enjoy it for the most part. I really cared for the characters, and I really cared about what was going to happen to them. And I truly believe that stories like this must be told, to ensure that it never happens again.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction, stories about the second world war, people who are against anti-semitism, romance, very good character progression, and graphic descriptions of war.
This was very graphic. It doesn’t skim around the realities of what normal everyday people would have gone through living in war-torn Germany. There was a lot of very harrowing and upsetting descriptions throughout. But there was also something very beautiful that happens to Max, a change that he goes through when he starts to realise that maybe not everything that the Nazis have been saying is the truth. This is why I end up loving Max, probably as much as Lola loves him. I also really love Lola, she’s a perfect example of how strong and resilient people can be when faced with such horrors - anti-semitism, racism, persecution, prejudice, bodily harm, threat of death, witnessing the death of loved ones, etc.
There is a love story that weaves its way into the story, but I just wasn’t really convinced by it. I don’t know if it was the circumstances that the characters were in, but I just didn’t really feel as though there was much chemistry between the two of them. And this is the only real criticism that I have of this book.
Because of the, in my opinion, unconvincing love story, I give this 4 out of 5 stars. I did really enjoy it for the most part. I really cared for the characters, and I really cared about what was going to happen to them. And I truly believe that stories like this must be told, to ensure that it never happens again.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction, stories about the second world war, people who are against anti-semitism, romance, very good character progression, and graphic descriptions of war.
dhensley002's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Too predictable. Got boring.
pho_ar's review
4.0
Technically,I would give this a 3.5 but that rating does not exist so 4 it is. It was a bit predictable at some points, but the overall work and concept were pretty good. It was a harrowing tale of finding humanity, challenging ones belief system, and moving on through the horrors of war. The world is not black and white and I enjoy books that challenge the notion. It was an unexpected and emotional read.
macrosinthemitten's review against another edition
4.0
Max Wolff, committed soldier of the German Reich, makes his way back home after being discharged from the army after an injury in Russia. When he returns home, he discovers his mother has been harboring two Jewish women, he is outraged. He hesitates in turning them in, and the longer he waits, the more difficult it becomes to betray them. 4/5
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As the Allies bomb Germany, Max is forced to confront what he's been taught and what he's believed for so many years. He questions his loyalty, duty, what it means to honor your country and your morals.
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It was a bit of a slow start for me, but once it got going, I was riveted.
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As the Allies bomb Germany, Max is forced to confront what he's been taught and what he's believed for so many years. He questions his loyalty, duty, what it means to honor your country and your morals.
.
It was a bit of a slow start for me, but once it got going, I was riveted.
jenniferrae29's review against another edition
3.0
Can’t put my finger on why this wasn’t a 5 star read for me. I know most books set during this time period are sad, but this one felt extra sad.
jkreie75's review against another edition
3.0
This book was ROUGH. The first 2/3 of the book was painful to get through. Like, took me months to read, almost DNF painful. The last 1/3 was a lot more interesting, but not sure if it redeemed the first 2/3.
mandarinkata's review against another edition
4.0
Чете се на един дъх. Малко ми избозваше на моменти. Иначе това:
“‘Safe? Don’t you understand?’ The woman seemed suddenly angry. ‘The Russians are coming, girl! They will be here any day!’ ‘The Russians? Here in Saxony?’ ‘Yes! They are worse than the bombers. They loot every house. They butcher the men like pigs. And they rape every woman they see. Children, grandmothers, it doesn’t matter to them. They rape them dozens of times, and then they come back again the next day, and rape them again. The women die – or they commit suicide.’ She pointed to her children. ‘I have two daughters.’”
“‘Safe? Don’t you understand?’ The woman seemed suddenly angry. ‘The Russians are coming, girl! They will be here any day!’ ‘The Russians? Here in Saxony?’ ‘Yes! They are worse than the bombers. They loot every house. They butcher the men like pigs. And they rape every woman they see. Children, grandmothers, it doesn’t matter to them. They rape them dozens of times, and then they come back again the next day, and rape them again. The women die – or they commit suicide.’ She pointed to her children. ‘I have two daughters.’”