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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
Beautifully written. Heartbreaking and thought provoking. A unique perspective I hadn’t heard before.
I devoured this book and I have now added this author as a must read for me now!
It’s 1933 - and we meet Lizzie and Henry in the United States and Sofie and Jurgen in Germany.
Lizzie and Henry are children and work on their family’s almost bankrupt farm. Their farm failed, Lizzie married, and Henry was sent to fight in the war. Lizzie really didn’t want to get married, and Henry ended up with PTSD from the war.
Jugren and Sofie are well off until Jurgen is forced out of his job at the university because he wouldn’t comply with the German thinking and as a result had to work for the Germans on the rocket program or be without work and/or in jail.
Jurgen didn’t want to be part of it because he knew the rocket program wasn’t really going to be for rockets but for explosives, but Jurgen had no choice.
1950 - we meet the characters again in the United States.
Lizzie and her husband’s home is in Huntsville, Alabama, and Henry lives with them. Both are not fond of the Germans who are here. The entire town has a difficult time accepting the Germans and their families.
Jurgen has been here for five years working on Operation Paperclip without his family. When his family arrives, the town is to welcome his family and the other German families, but it is a difficult get together - especially for Lizzie and Sofia.
Sofie tried to explain what they really went through and that they didn’t agree but had to. Lizzie and others didn’t want to hear it.
It’s 1933 - and we meet Lizzie and Henry in the United States and Sofie and Jurgen in Germany.
Lizzie and Henry are children and work on their family’s almost bankrupt farm. Their farm failed, Lizzie married, and Henry was sent to fight in the war. Lizzie really didn’t want to get married, and Henry ended up with PTSD from the war.
Jugren and Sofie are well off until Jurgen is forced out of his job at the university because he wouldn’t comply with the German thinking and as a result had to work for the Germans on the rocket program or be without work and/or in jail.
Jurgen didn’t want to be part of it because he knew the rocket program wasn’t really going to be for rockets but for explosives, but Jurgen had no choice.
1950 - we meet the characters again in the United States.
Lizzie and her husband’s home is in Huntsville, Alabama, and Henry lives with them. Both are not fond of the Germans who are here. The entire town has a difficult time accepting the Germans and their families.
Jurgen has been here for five years working on Operation Paperclip without his family. When his family arrives, the town is to welcome his family and the other German families, but it is a difficult get together - especially for Lizzie and Sofia.
Sofie tried to explain what they really went through and that they didn’t agree but had to. Lizzie and others didn’t want to hear it.
4.7!!! So good in and out! Wished for a little bit more complex writing but I’m just being picky.
This book helped remind me that we never truly know what people have been through, are going through, and why they choose certain paths. It’s a great reminder to always listen, be kind, and get to know someone before you judge them based on surface information or other people’s words. Life is tough and sometimes we have to make choices no one else can understand.
My goodness this book is AMAZING.
The feelings and emotions I navigated through this book was unreal. The idea of putting one’s self in another’s shoes plays HUGE as you meet these characters and what they endured.
Can’t recommend it enough!
The feelings and emotions I navigated through this book was unreal. The idea of putting one’s self in another’s shoes plays HUGE as you meet these characters and what they endured.
Can’t recommend it enough!
Author Kelly Rimmer has explored a slice of history that I had never heard about before - the covert affair known as Operation Paperclip featuring the revolutionary V2 rocket program.
Meticulously researched and carefully plotted, Rimmer explores three different timelines (America in the 1930s, America in the 1950s, and Germany in the 1930s) through two different and equally strong women, Sofie Rhodes and Lizzie Miller.
Rimmer introduces readers to each family in the 1950s and then backtracks to give readers a glimpse into their past from the 1930s forward, before sewing the timelines together. What I loved about this seamless transition was that I was able to see how Sofie and Lizzie’s families were influenced and shaped by their past. The character development is stellar and beautifully unveiled by implementing flashbacks. Rimmer’s book showcases her talent as a historical fiction author; it’s like a smorgasbord of exquisitely prepared literary goodness. It truly is magnificent.
Although all three storylines are well-executed and stuffed with detail, I identified more with the experiences of Sofie von Meyer Rhodes and her husband Jurgen. Like them, I emigrated to a new country and faced the cultural differences and the agonizing struggle to assimilate. I understood the fierce animosity they experienced.
How refreshing to have a woman’s point of view; not only from Sofie’s experiences as a mother during the Nazi succession and single-handedly raising the family but also in emigrating to a new country and desperately trying to fit in. Knowing that she was there with a secret and under no fault of her own, made her experience so emotionally rich for readers. I felt her angst at reuniting the family and ensuring that everyone felt happy at a fresh start in a new country. It would have been easier for Rimmer to write from Jurgen’s point of view, a scientist (Wernher von Braun) in the fledgling space program, but I’m so glad she didn’t. The result is a much deeper and more memorable experience for readers.
This magnificent, heartbreaking and thought-provoking book highlights legendary women who show us that there’s no limit to how far a mother’s love can go and how deep it can be. It’s written by an author who consistently delivers powerful stories showcasing little known slices of our history. It needs to be at the top of every historical fiction reader's list.
I was gifted this advance copy by Kelly Rimmer, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Meticulously researched and carefully plotted, Rimmer explores three different timelines (America in the 1930s, America in the 1950s, and Germany in the 1930s) through two different and equally strong women, Sofie Rhodes and Lizzie Miller.
Rimmer introduces readers to each family in the 1950s and then backtracks to give readers a glimpse into their past from the 1930s forward, before sewing the timelines together. What I loved about this seamless transition was that I was able to see how Sofie and Lizzie’s families were influenced and shaped by their past. The character development is stellar and beautifully unveiled by implementing flashbacks. Rimmer’s book showcases her talent as a historical fiction author; it’s like a smorgasbord of exquisitely prepared literary goodness. It truly is magnificent.
Although all three storylines are well-executed and stuffed with detail, I identified more with the experiences of Sofie von Meyer Rhodes and her husband Jurgen. Like them, I emigrated to a new country and faced the cultural differences and the agonizing struggle to assimilate. I understood the fierce animosity they experienced.
How refreshing to have a woman’s point of view; not only from Sofie’s experiences as a mother during the Nazi succession and single-handedly raising the family but also in emigrating to a new country and desperately trying to fit in. Knowing that she was there with a secret and under no fault of her own, made her experience so emotionally rich for readers. I felt her angst at reuniting the family and ensuring that everyone felt happy at a fresh start in a new country. It would have been easier for Rimmer to write from Jurgen’s point of view, a scientist (Wernher von Braun) in the fledgling space program, but I’m so glad she didn’t. The result is a much deeper and more memorable experience for readers.
This magnificent, heartbreaking and thought-provoking book highlights legendary women who show us that there’s no limit to how far a mother’s love can go and how deep it can be. It’s written by an author who consistently delivers powerful stories showcasing little known slices of our history. It needs to be at the top of every historical fiction reader's list.
I was gifted this advance copy by Kelly Rimmer, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
This was my book clubs November 2023 read. Overall, we all really enjoyed this one. And it gave us LOTS to discuss. Thanks to the publisher for including a readers guide at the end!
Note, this is a dual timeline story with quite a bit of back story included. We discussed that this was actually necessary to fill out the character development but some of us thought it was excessive.
Note, this is a dual timeline story with quite a bit of back story included. We discussed that this was actually necessary to fill out the character development but some of us thought it was excessive.
It’s rare these days to find a historical fiction book that hasn’t been overdone, but this was a unique approach to a WWII story. Spanning 10 years, we follow two different women, one in Germany and one in Texas. What if you were doing literally everything you could do to avoid something you knew was wrong? What if your children’s survival depended on you going against everything you believed was right in this world? Now what if you thought you finally found a better life for your family only for you to be ostracized due to where you came from?
4.5 ⭐️s rounded up.
4.5 ⭐️s rounded up.
This book was amazing! The German Wife felt like a truly unique WWII novel.
Kelly Rimmer takes us straight into war-torn Germany to follow Sophie and Jürgen over 10 years as they are placed in the difficult position of giving up everything or succumbing to Nazi values and idealism. The novel switches over to present day in Huntsville, Alabama, where many Germans have now found refuge as part of a controversial US Government Program: Operation Paperclip.
Rimmer did a great job of covering a lengthy time period without feeling like you were missing huge chunks of the story or lacking character development. I enjoyed the perspective of WWII from Germany since there are not as many novels in this setting. The other story line with Lizzie, I found lacking and not carrying as much of the story but it was nice to have multiple perspectives to slow down the story.
This novel also explores the question of how accountable are those who do nothing? I was constantly torn between rooting for Sophie and Jurgen and feeling that the amount that they contributed to the war should not be forgiven. I would be curious to see if other readers were rooting for Sophie.
Overall it was a very enjoyable and informative read. It is hard to believe that this was a real operation. I look forward to doing more research on this subject.
Kelly Rimmer takes us straight into war-torn Germany to follow Sophie and Jürgen over 10 years as they are placed in the difficult position of giving up everything or succumbing to Nazi values and idealism. The novel switches over to present day in Huntsville, Alabama, where many Germans have now found refuge as part of a controversial US Government Program: Operation Paperclip.
Rimmer did a great job of covering a lengthy time period without feeling like you were missing huge chunks of the story or lacking character development. I enjoyed the perspective of WWII from Germany since there are not as many novels in this setting. The other story line with Lizzie, I found lacking and not carrying as much of the story but it was nice to have multiple perspectives to slow down the story.
This novel also explores the question of how accountable are those who do nothing? I was constantly torn between rooting for Sophie and Jurgen and feeling that the amount that they contributed to the war should not be forgiven. I would be curious to see if other readers were rooting for Sophie.
Overall it was a very enjoyable and informative read. It is hard to believe that this was a real operation. I look forward to doing more research on this subject.
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes