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lavanda4's review against another edition
5.0
Poignant, heartbreaking and beautiful, The Berlin Girl is a historical fiction but it feels the events really could have happened just before WWII Germany. Dates at the beginnings of chapters give a timeline to follow.
Georgie Young, an intrepid young correspondent from London, accepts an assignment to Berlin. As soon as she arrives she senses an almost eerie state of calm and order in the streets, red flags flapping in the breeze. But the calm exterior is a front for something far more sinister and evil as she quickly discovers. Filled with compassion she wants to help Jewish people but is told to not get involved.
Max Spender, another correspondent from London with more international experience, is quick to see through Hitler propaganda as well. He and Georgie pair up to seek truths but it's difficult as not everyone is who and what they seem. Personal missions grow well beyond reporting.
Berlin is the epicenter of excitement, both good (Cosmopolitan) and bad, mostly the latter. The Jews are treated deplorably and Georgie and Max are desperate to help. As British foreigners they are better tolerated at first so they use that to their advantage. Along the way they form deep friendships with others. Meanwhile, Georgie continues to write her column on the human side of the war for the newspaper in England to create awareness.
So much to love here...it's so easy to become lost in and impossible to put down (I walked around the house with it glued to my hand). Characters and events are believable and have depth. The subplots are equally fascinating, twisting and turning to the very last page. The newspaper articles are brilliant!
If I had to sum this book up in five words they would be heartbreaking, enchanting, bittersweet, lovely and riveting. I wanted to laugh with them and cry with them.
A very easy 5/5 for me.
My sincere thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this enthralling book in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated.
Georgie Young, an intrepid young correspondent from London, accepts an assignment to Berlin. As soon as she arrives she senses an almost eerie state of calm and order in the streets, red flags flapping in the breeze. But the calm exterior is a front for something far more sinister and evil as she quickly discovers. Filled with compassion she wants to help Jewish people but is told to not get involved.
Max Spender, another correspondent from London with more international experience, is quick to see through Hitler propaganda as well. He and Georgie pair up to seek truths but it's difficult as not everyone is who and what they seem. Personal missions grow well beyond reporting.
Berlin is the epicenter of excitement, both good (Cosmopolitan) and bad, mostly the latter. The Jews are treated deplorably and Georgie and Max are desperate to help. As British foreigners they are better tolerated at first so they use that to their advantage. Along the way they form deep friendships with others. Meanwhile, Georgie continues to write her column on the human side of the war for the newspaper in England to create awareness.
So much to love here...it's so easy to become lost in and impossible to put down (I walked around the house with it glued to my hand). Characters and events are believable and have depth. The subplots are equally fascinating, twisting and turning to the very last page. The newspaper articles are brilliant!
If I had to sum this book up in five words they would be heartbreaking, enchanting, bittersweet, lovely and riveting. I wanted to laugh with them and cry with them.
A very easy 5/5 for me.
My sincere thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this enthralling book in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated.
lou_c_mum's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A good read. Easy to read although poignant and confronting when you recall history.
calla0913's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars. At times the book moved too slowly then at others it moved too quickly. Too much detail when not needed and not enough when more was warranted to really make the story exciting.
Overall, the ending brings it all together and makes the book worth the read.
Overall, the ending brings it all together and makes the book worth the read.
poetic_nonsense's review against another edition
5.0
Georgie Young is a British woman being sent to be a foreign correspondent in Berlin in 1938. Not only does her new posting involve breaking in to the good old boys club of male journalists it involves learning how to survive in pre WW2 Berlin. Constantly looking over her shoulder, trying to convince the English people of the horrors that she is seeing in Germany when they are vocal about not really wanting to know, and worrying about her Jewish friend and his family create an experience that is very high stress. Add to that the fact that Georgie attempts to date a Nazi officer to get information. This book is a beautifully done glimpse in to a changing Berlin, and is one of the best historic fictions set in this era that I've had the pleasure to read.
michelereader's review against another edition
4.0
It is 1938 and two British journalists are sent to Germany to report on life in Berlin. Georgie Young (who writes under the name George) and Max Spender join a close-knit group of foreign press correspondents. Together they see first-hand what a threat Hitler is and how the nation is being swept up by lies and propaganda being presented by the Nazis under the guise of national pride. Georgie is anxious to present an accurate depiction of what is going on but needs to be careful with her words. She hires Rubin Amsel as her driver. He is a former reporter who can no longer work at his trade because he is Jewish. Rubin realizes that he and his family are no longer safe in Berlin and reluctantly turns to Georgie for help.
The Berlin Girl follows the days and months leading up to the official start of WWII as life quickly changes in Berlin. The book depicts the Nazi’s hatred of the Jews and others they have deemed as undesirable. The horror of Kristallnacht is well detailed. And while this horrible event is reported on, the world still refuses to believe what is truly taking place even with the foreign press working to communicate what seems unbelievable. As Berlin becomes more dangerous with war looming, Georgie risks her life to get information from a young Nazi officer who is courting her. There is sufficient suspense to keep you engaged.
I enjoyed reading about how the foreign press banded together during such a trying time in history. While the horrible actions of the Nazis were presented, the book has a lighter feel than many other books that detail this period. Therefore, The Berlin Girl might especially appeal to those who shy away from the more graphic, disturbing stories within this genre. People need to read about this period in history so if this book provides more accessibility, that’s great.
Rated 3.75 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
The Berlin Girl follows the days and months leading up to the official start of WWII as life quickly changes in Berlin. The book depicts the Nazi’s hatred of the Jews and others they have deemed as undesirable. The horror of Kristallnacht is well detailed. And while this horrible event is reported on, the world still refuses to believe what is truly taking place even with the foreign press working to communicate what seems unbelievable. As Berlin becomes more dangerous with war looming, Georgie risks her life to get information from a young Nazi officer who is courting her. There is sufficient suspense to keep you engaged.
I enjoyed reading about how the foreign press banded together during such a trying time in history. While the horrible actions of the Nazis were presented, the book has a lighter feel than many other books that detail this period. Therefore, The Berlin Girl might especially appeal to those who shy away from the more graphic, disturbing stories within this genre. People need to read about this period in history so if this book provides more accessibility, that’s great.
Rated 3.75 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
lottie1803's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sabjad26's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.5
laurenisme's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
joli_folie's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.5
new author for me from Story Graph recommendation. Kind of book I like.
librariesandlabradors's review against another edition
4.0
There was an unputdownable quality to this story that I loved and the rocky start to slow burn romance was so cute. I listened to this on audio and the narration was strange.. it was an American narrator faking a British accent for the two main characters? Why? But overall really enjoyed and recommend to any WW2 HF fans!