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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
I found this book browsing at the library and didn't know anything about it. The plot was intriguing - after WWII, a woman seeks out the wives of several Nazi resisters whose husbands were killed as part of an unsuccessful plot to murder Hitler. She brings them together in an old estate, where the form a support system and kind of a family together. The book alternates between pre-war and post-war times, and I enjoyed learning about the characters' backstories, and also seeing what happened to them going forward. This was both well-written and well-plotted, with twists, disappointments, and victories, all of which made me see how much I had been invested in the characters.
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
I can't recall having quite the same reaction to a book, which was one of growing admiration as I moved through the chapters. Generally speaking, and I am sure that the same is true for most of you, I can eke out in fifty pages or so —or, in some cases, far fewer—whether I will be impressed with a writer's efforts. In this case, Jessica Shattuck's prose, and her story line, really seemed to get better and better, to the point that I was moved to tears several times towards the end, and was terribly impressed with the seriousness of her intentions. I cannot recall a novel that deals so intentionally and so successfully with the gestalt of German citizens since Ursula Heig's Stones From The River. The Women In The Castle compares favorably with what I still consider to be a masterpiece of this genre. It's definitely worth reading.
When I finished this book, my first thought was to call one of my best friends, also a voracious reader. Unfortunately she had recently passed away. It was such a great book though!
The writing was so poor I cannot believe the average rating is almost 4 stars. Couldn't even finish it and unless another author was brought in halfway through, I can't imagine it's worth it.
The stories of 3 German widows after WWII are largely compelling and the setting in post war Germany is fascinating. I felt the author dragged out the ending but overall an enjoyable summer read.
3.5 but I’d rather round down than up. Perfectly fine story, made mildly more interesting by being a story about German women during WW2 rather than French or English as most books seem to be at the moment. Interesting study of guilt, forgiveness, redemption, friendship but ultimately it just felt a little flat for me. I found it much less emotionally impactful than expected. It just felt a bit cold. Didn’t live up to the hype for me.
Disturbed by the gruesome brutality, suffering.