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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed the plot. I thought the idea of the two women, Sophia and Lizzie, and two timelines, WWII and after, was original and well managed. A bit too close to a romance novel for my full endorsement. Some parts were hard to believe although loosely based on Werner Von Braun. Listened via Audible for book club. Narrator got on my nerves with the accents. Not awful.
The German Wife is a historical fiction that takes on a different experience during WWII and the aftermath. It is loosely based on the Operation Paperclip program which I had never heard of and was astonished to learn about. This program brought many highly successful German scientists to America. This story takes on the account of the family of one and their survival during and before the war and how they attempt to rebuild their lives in America, where there are not welcomed and harassed for their involvement with the Nazis. We often read stories from those in the resistance, but taking on a story such as this one is interesting. In the last few years, it feels as if this genre has exploded.
In the German Wife, in addition to Sophie and Jurgen, we also meet Lizzie, the American wife of a U.S. Army officer who works with the German Scientist. Lizzie's brother is also a vet suffering from combat fatigue. Lizzie has her own complicated history and the book tells her story of growing up in the Texas Panhandle during the dirty thirties and her own fight for survival during the dust bowl.
All the life stories converge into an exciting story. I really enjoyed the backstories of all the characters, especially Lizzie, although I disliked her in the "current" chapters. I think this book touched on some of the real and unfortunate aspects of life and I enjoyed that.
In the German Wife, in addition to Sophie and Jurgen, we also meet Lizzie, the American wife of a U.S. Army officer who works with the German Scientist. Lizzie's brother is also a vet suffering from combat fatigue. Lizzie has her own complicated history and the book tells her story of growing up in the Texas Panhandle during the dirty thirties and her own fight for survival during the dust bowl.
All the life stories converge into an exciting story. I really enjoyed the backstories of all the characters, especially Lizzie, although I disliked her in the "current" chapters. I think this book touched on some of the real and unfortunate aspects of life and I enjoyed that.
I love reading about WWII and this was a very informative dual storyline of surviving the Dust Bowl and the rise of Naziism in the 1930s. It’s also about Operation Paperclip, and ethically questionable program that brought the best minds from Nazi Germany to continue their work. The characters came alive in this rich and complex story. Highly recommended.
Another excellent book by Kelly Rimmer, The German Wife focuses on Operation Paperclip, a secret US intelligence program through which over a thousand German scientists and engineers were relocated to the US after WW II. A dual timeline, dual protagonist novel, the book was fast-paced, well-written, and thought-provoking: “The Nazis didn’t make people like Lydia anti-Semitic, really. They had only uncovered what already existed.”
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read a lot of WW2 books - enough of them that I’ve gotten a bit tired of them. This one’s high ratings caught my eye and I decided to give it a try. I’m sure glad I did! A fresh (though difficult) perspective, beautifully executed. It’s rare a book makes me cry. This one did.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes