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annarella's review against another edition
5.0
I'm European so I can't say "I didn't know what happened in Amsterdam during WWII" as Anna Frank Diary was something I had to read at 12 and my father was involved in helping the Jews to run to Switzerland.
That said it was a great read that does a great job in depicting a historical period and what happened in Netherlands during the WWII to Jew children.
I liked both the parts the contemporary and historical, I think that the writer wrote well thought and fleshed out characters and the plot is poignant and engrossing.
Strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.
That said it was a great read that does a great job in depicting a historical period and what happened in Netherlands during the WWII to Jew children.
I liked both the parts the contemporary and historical, I think that the writer wrote well thought and fleshed out characters and the plot is poignant and engrossing.
Strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.
aditurbo's review against another edition
5.0
ספר נהדר המשחזר את קורותיהם של יהודי הולנד לפני ובזמן מלחמת העולם השנייה. הדמות הראשית היא סופר מצליח בשם יואל בלום, נאלץ להגיע לאמסטרדם נגד בקשתה המפורשת של אמו לפני מותה, לצורך עבודתו. הוא נולד בהולנד, אך מאז לא דרכה שם כף רגלו. ברגע שהוא מגיע לעיר, עולים בו זכרונות ושאלות רבות לגבי זהותו ומשפחתו, המתחזקות כאשר הוא מגלה במוזיאון היהודי בעיר סרטון קצרצר שבו נראית אמו מחזיקה בתינוק שאינו הוא. הוא שב לישראל, אך מחליט לטוס מייד בחזרה לאמסטרדם כדי להתחקות אחרי סודותיה של אמו, ולהתחיל לכתוב את סיפורה. באמסטרדם הוא אכן מצליח לגלות הרבה אודותיה, אך גם לגלות הרבה על חייו הנוכחיים, רגשותיו כלפי משפחתו הנוכחית ובעיקר על עצמו.
כתוב מצויין, שחזור הסטורי מלא פרטים ואמין, מרגש אך לא סנטימנטלי-דביק. למדתי פרק שלא היה ידוע לי על שואת יהודי הולנד ועל תרבותם העשירה.
כתוב מצויין, שחזור הסטורי מלא פרטים ואמין, מרגש אך לא סנטימנטלי-דביק. למדתי פרק שלא היה ידוע לי על שואת יהודי הולנד ועל תרבותם העשירה.
dominique_wilson's review against another edition
3.0
While I enjoyed the mystery that is the basis of House on Endless Waters, I found the way Elon alternated the different story lines – not only in the same chapter but sometimes even within the same paragraph – jarring, so that it became a book hampered by needless, excessive complexity. Elon may have wanted to use this technique to illustrate Yoel Blum's fears and confusion, but instead it resulted in an authorial self-conscious cleverness that distracts the reader.
In spite of this, Elon writes beautifully, and in this book effectively explores the meaning of identity, family, survival and remembrance.
With thanks to A&U and Better Reading for this ARC
In spite of this, Elon writes beautifully, and in this book effectively explores the meaning of identity, family, survival and remembrance.
With thanks to A&U and Better Reading for this ARC
kikiandarrowsfishshelf's review against another edition
3.0
Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley
When Yoel Blum breaks a promise to his dead mother by traveling to Amsterdam to celebrate the Dutch translation of one of his books, he does not know what path he has started to trod on.
Blum was born during the Second War when the Nazis occupied the Netherlands. His family lived in the Netherlands. His discovery of a family secret leads to an extended stay in the country as well as discovery aspects of himself that he though long dead. The story is told through Blum’s writing of a novel as well as his own mediations and experiences.
The best part of the book are the sections where Blum interacts with Amsterdam and his family. The book that he is writing is, the story of his family, is less engrossing. In part, this is because the family secret is easy to figure out. But the beauty of the writing in describing Blum’s internal conflict – not only with his newly discovered past but also with his present life.
The work is also a mediation of the effects of the Holocaust on those generation of adults who were hidden as children who faced not only the dangers of survival but also the trauma of being left by and then reunited with family. Elon also ties into the effect on the families of the present. It is this reason why Blum’s relationship with his family feels far more interesting than the plot set in WWII Amsterdam. Though to give Elon credit she does highlight the more common Dutch story than the one that everyone knows about Anne Frank.
Elon also writes Amsterdam extremely well. The descriptions of Blum walking though the city are beautifully written.
When Yoel Blum breaks a promise to his dead mother by traveling to Amsterdam to celebrate the Dutch translation of one of his books, he does not know what path he has started to trod on.
Blum was born during the Second War when the Nazis occupied the Netherlands. His family lived in the Netherlands. His discovery of a family secret leads to an extended stay in the country as well as discovery aspects of himself that he though long dead. The story is told through Blum’s writing of a novel as well as his own mediations and experiences.
The best part of the book are the sections where Blum interacts with Amsterdam and his family. The book that he is writing is, the story of his family, is less engrossing. In part, this is because the family secret is easy to figure out. But the beauty of the writing in describing Blum’s internal conflict – not only with his newly discovered past but also with his present life.
The work is also a mediation of the effects of the Holocaust on those generation of adults who were hidden as children who faced not only the dangers of survival but also the trauma of being left by and then reunited with family. Elon also ties into the effect on the families of the present. It is this reason why Blum’s relationship with his family feels far more interesting than the plot set in WWII Amsterdam. Though to give Elon credit she does highlight the more common Dutch story than the one that everyone knows about Anne Frank.
Elon also writes Amsterdam extremely well. The descriptions of Blum walking though the city are beautifully written.
abbyprolman's review against another edition
2.0
The beginning of the felt disjointed to me I think that that might just be an issue from translation. The story itself I found slow and disappointing, I thought it would be about how Jewish children were sent to Christian families and how Yoel was one of those kids finding that out and learning about that and finding out about his family, it's not and that really leaves a lot of my lack of enjoyment as my own fault from my expectations of the book.
rachreads925's review against another edition
4.0
I was so excited to get an advanced copy of the book from Netgalley, I love "If You Awaken Love" by the same author. This one was a struggle for me. The writing was beautiful, the translation was very well done, and it brought an area I didn't know much about into focus - the plight of Dutch Jews.
My issue with it was that pretty early on, the main character finds out the big secret, yet the reader is left in the dark. I guessed at it pretty early on and was right, but I don't like plots that do that. I struggled with the first 60% of the book as a result. Normally a book by a favorite author, I will tear through. This one, my frustration with it made me not want to read it. If it hadn't been written by an author I loved, I would have abandoned it. I'm really glad I finished it, I was bawling my eyes out towards the end. But it doesn't get 5 stars from me, though I'd happily recommend it. Others won't necessarily have an issue with it like I did.
My issue with it was that pretty early on, the main character finds out the big secret, yet the reader is left in the dark. I guessed at it pretty early on and was right, but I don't like plots that do that. I struggled with the first 60% of the book as a result. Normally a book by a favorite author, I will tear through. This one, my frustration with it made me not want to read it. If it hadn't been written by an author I loved, I would have abandoned it. I'm really glad I finished it, I was bawling my eyes out towards the end. But it doesn't get 5 stars from me, though I'd happily recommend it. Others won't necessarily have an issue with it like I did.
td3's review against another edition
3.0
Yoel Blum is a writer who grew up in Israel. However, he was born in Amsterdam. His mother had told Yoel that he must never go back to Amsterdam. She also never mentioned why or anything about her life while living there. After she died, Yoel had to go there for publicity for the release of one of his books.
The trip opened up a Pandora’s box for Yoel. He ends up staying for an extended time, determined to dig up the past and write his mother’s story. What he doesn’t realize is that his mother’s story will reveal things about his own past that he would have never imagined.
The story was astonishing and one that needed to be told. During World War II, many residents risked everything to save Jewish children from the Nazi’s by taking them in and passing them off as their own or by hiding them in different places. After the war, many children never found out who they really were.
I almost did not finish this book. In the beginning it just didn’t flow well and I had trouble following the transitions in the story. I really wanted to add it to my DNF shelf, but instead, I did something I almost never do—I turned to the end of the story to see what was going on. That is the only thing that kept me committed to finishing, because I had to find out how the story unfolded. Once I got into the rhythm of the author’s writing, it was easier to follow.
I’m glad I finished the story and hope other readers will find it an easier read than I did.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
The trip opened up a Pandora’s box for Yoel. He ends up staying for an extended time, determined to dig up the past and write his mother’s story. What he doesn’t realize is that his mother’s story will reveal things about his own past that he would have never imagined.
The story was astonishing and one that needed to be told. During World War II, many residents risked everything to save Jewish children from the Nazi’s by taking them in and passing them off as their own or by hiding them in different places. After the war, many children never found out who they really were.
I almost did not finish this book. In the beginning it just didn’t flow well and I had trouble following the transitions in the story. I really wanted to add it to my DNF shelf, but instead, I did something I almost never do—I turned to the end of the story to see what was going on. That is the only thing that kept me committed to finishing, because I had to find out how the story unfolded. Once I got into the rhythm of the author’s writing, it was easier to follow.
I’m glad I finished the story and hope other readers will find it an easier read than I did.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.
bookcrazyblogger's review against another edition
5.0
How far would you go to discover your origins? Famous Israeli author Yoel Blum is besieged by his publisher to attend publicity events for his books in Amsterdam, the place of his birth, therefore breaking a promise he made to his mother to never return to Amsterdam. Taking advantage of downtime, Yoel and his wife, Bat-Ami, go to the Jewish Historical Museum, where they find a photo of Blum’s mother, his older sister Nettie and an infant who is not Yoel. What follows is a compelling and forceful look into religious and family ideals, classism and World War II in Holland. As Yoel researches deeper into his family history, into the secret his mother and sister kept hidden from him, the story overlaps with what was currently happening in Amsterdam. Haunting and evocative prose shows the reader how upper class Jews in Holland thought they would be able to use their connections and wealth to escape their oppressors, only to be shamed, humiliated and proven devastatingly wrong. This is an engrossing depiction of inter-generational PTSD, of optimism bias and World War II/Holland history. Enuna Elon’s detailed and illuminating prose filled up my senses so that I felt as though I was in Amsterdam, seeing the canals, the architecture, the art work, the pain and the horror that laid underneath the charming, picturesque facade. I absolutely recommend this novel for a superb look into Holland during World War II.
tonitrap's review against another edition
3.0
At the heart of this book is a mystery - a mystery of love and loss, family, history, and identity. The mystery begins when Yoel Blum, a noted Israeli author, arrives in Amsterdam, the city where his family lived until the war, for a book tour. During a visit to the Jewish Museum, Yoel sees a black and white filmstrip that, ostensibly, shows his mother and an infant son who is not himself. So begins Yoel's quest to decipher precisely it is what he saw.
At the point, the book constructs itself in two separate but parallel narratives - the story of Yoel uncovering the secrets of his family, and the story of his mother, Sonia, in the days before and during the German occupation of the Netherlands. The device of using parallel narratives to tell a story can be a tricky one as one narrative may outweigh the other in the mind of the reader. That is what occurs in this case. Yoel's narrative drags a bit, understandably due to the fact that it is mostly centered around his wanderings and musings in the city of Amsterdam. While Sonia's story is centered on her fraught realizations that the terror of the war is not-so-slowly encroaching on her once-happy life. I found myself wanting a little less of Yoel and little more of Sonia.
Nevertheless, there are some truly poignant and moving parts to this book. As it leads up to the heartbreaking denouement, there are so many engaging and taught moments that make the reader want to follow Yoel until he discovers what has been hidden from his history.
Thank you to netgalley, the author, and Atria Books for an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
At the point, the book constructs itself in two separate but parallel narratives - the story of Yoel uncovering the secrets of his family, and the story of his mother, Sonia, in the days before and during the German occupation of the Netherlands. The device of using parallel narratives to tell a story can be a tricky one as one narrative may outweigh the other in the mind of the reader. That is what occurs in this case. Yoel's narrative drags a bit, understandably due to the fact that it is mostly centered around his wanderings and musings in the city of Amsterdam. While Sonia's story is centered on her fraught realizations that the terror of the war is not-so-slowly encroaching on her once-happy life. I found myself wanting a little less of Yoel and little more of Sonia.
Nevertheless, there are some truly poignant and moving parts to this book. As it leads up to the heartbreaking denouement, there are so many engaging and taught moments that make the reader want to follow Yoel until he discovers what has been hidden from his history.
Thank you to netgalley, the author, and Atria Books for an arc copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.