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3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
“He imagines himself a ghost, an apparition, leaving no mark upon the men and women he serves.”
This story is told in third person in dual timelines following Charles who works as a waiter in a French cafe in 1968 New York City alternating with chapters following his childhood in Czechoslavakia, his experiences in Auschwitz and the loss of his family, and his escape at the hands of his abuser to Bayreuth, Germany where he worked in a bakery until he was forced to flee again, this time to America. In 1968 New York City, he encounters a customer in the restaurant from his past posing as a Jewish jeweler that he knows to be former Nazi officer, Berthold Werden.
I was leery of this story in the beginning, especially regarding the contradictory feelings that Charles had for the Nazi officer who pulled him from the concentration camp and brought him into the basement of his home for his own personal use while his wife put him to work doing chores during the day. Berthold was both abuser and savior to him.
There is a heavy cloud over his feelings that screamed Stockholm syndrome to me. Reading about his experiences in the past was horrific and it was difficult to understand his conflicted feelings in the latter timeline. I adamantly wanted revenge for him. And in reference to Berthold, I was appalled by his appropriation. It’s amazing to me how villains can spin their own narrative to make themselves be the victims of a story…and yet realistic.
It's a difficult read but I found the resolution to be satisfying in the end. Even though I didn’t always understand the inner thought process of Charles, I found his story incredibly moving and engaging. I’d give a limited recommendation for it to those that understand the trigger warning implications of concentration camps and other psychological and physical abuse.
This story is told in third person in dual timelines following Charles who works as a waiter in a French cafe in 1968 New York City alternating with chapters following his childhood in Czechoslavakia, his experiences in Auschwitz and the loss of his family, and his escape at the hands of his abuser to Bayreuth, Germany where he worked in a bakery until he was forced to flee again, this time to America. In 1968 New York City, he encounters a customer in the restaurant from his past posing as a Jewish jeweler that he knows to be former Nazi officer, Berthold Werden.
I was leery of this story in the beginning, especially regarding the contradictory feelings that Charles had for the Nazi officer who pulled him from the concentration camp and brought him into the basement of his home for his own personal use while his wife put him to work doing chores during the day. Berthold was both abuser and savior to him.
There is a heavy cloud over his feelings that screamed Stockholm syndrome to me. Reading about his experiences in the past was horrific and it was difficult to understand his conflicted feelings in the latter timeline. I adamantly wanted revenge for him. And in reference to Berthold, I was appalled by his appropriation. It’s amazing to me how villains can spin their own narrative to make themselves be the victims of a story…and yet realistic.
It's a difficult read but I found the resolution to be satisfying in the end. Even though I didn’t always understand the inner thought process of Charles, I found his story incredibly moving and engaging. I’d give a limited recommendation for it to those that understand the trigger warning implications of concentration camps and other psychological and physical abuse.
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Forbidden Love or Survival Tactic?
In #WeAreOnlyGhosts a Jewish man and an ex-Nazi reenter each other's lives years after their initial meeting in Auschwitz during WWII. What follows is a trip down memory lane, and a story of forbidden love—or is it a story of Survival? Jeffrey L. Richards keeps you turning the pages in this captivating story with excellent character development and storytelling that is hard not to love. The writing alone is compelling, and I found that I was anxious to keep finding out what would (or had) happen(ed) next in both the present and past storylines, all taking place in a history that is tough, but shouldn't be forgotten. The final transition from present-to-past-to-present had me confused for a bit near the end, but otherwise this was a beautifully written and heartbreaking story with a satisfying ending. I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction who don't mind rated-R queer (MM) love stories, and can handle some tough subject matter. I'll be keeping an eye out for Mr. Richards's next book. Thank you to #NetGalley, Kensington Books, and the author for providing me with this ARC in return for an honest review. 4.25 stars from me.
In #WeAreOnlyGhosts a Jewish man and an ex-Nazi reenter each other's lives years after their initial meeting in Auschwitz during WWII. What follows is a trip down memory lane, and a story of forbidden love—or is it a story of Survival? Jeffrey L. Richards keeps you turning the pages in this captivating story with excellent character development and storytelling that is hard not to love. The writing alone is compelling, and I found that I was anxious to keep finding out what would (or had) happen(ed) next in both the present and past storylines, all taking place in a history that is tough, but shouldn't be forgotten. The final transition from present-to-past-to-present had me confused for a bit near the end, but otherwise this was a beautifully written and heartbreaking story with a satisfying ending. I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction who don't mind rated-R queer (MM) love stories, and can handle some tough subject matter. I'll be keeping an eye out for Mr. Richards's next book. Thank you to #NetGalley, Kensington Books, and the author for providing me with this ARC in return for an honest review. 4.25 stars from me.
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Genocide, Physical abuse, Rape, Slavery, Antisemitism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Idk how to feel. On one hand it was a wild ride but on the other I really like how it ended. It speaks to a story of survival and Stockholm syndrome almost to a complicated relationship with a captor. I do like that the nazi was turned over and will be tried for his crimes and Carl (Karl?? Idk I listened to it) can finally discover who he is when not having just to survive, but thrive.
3.25 for now, but subject to change
3.25 for now, but subject to change
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No