Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Genocide, Racism, Torture, Antisemitism, Medical content, Death of parent, Cultural appropriation, War
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Trauma is inherited, it’s generational, and it carries such a heavy weight. From Germany to Cuba and back again, these 4 women are all so special in their own right.
This is a story that draws you into each woman’s storyline. I liked Ally, and my heart broke for her as hers broke. But I knew nothing good could be in store for her as she set her daughter adrift across the ocean. I related more to Lilith, who knew that Cuba was just a waypoint in her life. She lived with such indifference and hurt toward her mother for giving her away. But now she has Martin and a family, and Cuba is not in a good position. But by the time she was ready to leave, Martin wasn’t.
Last, we have Nadine and, subsequently, Luna, who is an integral part of her story. Nadine has buried her past because she doesn’t want it to swallow her whole. But Luna wants to know the family history, and Nadine won’t stand in her way. It is through the past that Luna shines; she is Ally personified in the newer generation.
The Night Travelers is a story of sacrifice, hurt, and knowing when to let go. It covers many important historical topics, such as Nazi Germany, Castro’s takeover, the Berlin wall, eugenics, and more. This is such a beautiful story of love, and I cannot recommend it enough.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
sad
slow-paced
I was provided a free advanced copy of this from @netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
This is a family saga following four generations of women from the early 1930s in Germany, to the 50s in Cuba, to the fall of the Berlin wall in the 80s. This is a story of the sacrifices we make for the ones we love, specifically between a mother and daughter. It's about misunderstanding and forgiveness, joy and grief, secrets and revealing truths. This was definitely a story that clearly shows the effects of history repeating itself!
I struggled a bit with the pacing and feeling like I would get to know characters and be invested in them to only move on without them. However, I appreciated how connections and new information from the past started to be revealed at the end. That's when it started to get better for me. Overall it may have lost some stars for me just due to the overall sadness of the story. This is the third book I've read this year and all three were sad/depressing. So, if it's just been a bit of a downer. If I had read this at a different time, I may have rated it at least a star higher.
It was published this past week, so if you are a fan of historical fiction or family epics, check this one out!
#TheNightTravelers #NetGalley
This is a family saga following four generations of women from the early 1930s in Germany, to the 50s in Cuba, to the fall of the Berlin wall in the 80s. This is a story of the sacrifices we make for the ones we love, specifically between a mother and daughter. It's about misunderstanding and forgiveness, joy and grief, secrets and revealing truths. This was definitely a story that clearly shows the effects of history repeating itself!
I struggled a bit with the pacing and feeling like I would get to know characters and be invested in them to only move on without them. However, I appreciated how connections and new information from the past started to be revealed at the end. That's when it started to get better for me. Overall it may have lost some stars for me just due to the overall sadness of the story. This is the third book I've read this year and all three were sad/depressing. So, if it's just been a bit of a downer. If I had read this at a different time, I may have rated it at least a star higher.
It was published this past week, so if you are a fan of historical fiction or family epics, check this one out!
#TheNightTravelers #NetGalley
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Usually, when I put a book down and pick it up and put it down and pick it up, it means that I'm struggling to get through it. That was not the case here. Rather, it meant that I wanted to sit with each few chapters before moving on. The book somewhat lends itself to this approach, as each chapter is a vignette in a character's life, before jumping several months or years in time. Most often, we jump forward, but in the first section, the narrative jumps both forward and back to tell the story of a romance and its consequences. Time moves non-linearly in the last section as well, but in that case, it serves to dish up a few big reveals, and so makes sense. I couldn't quite figure out the reasoning behind the jumping around in the first section.
This is a compelling story, exploring the bond between mothers and daughters, the sacrifices a mother might make to save her daughter, and a daughter coming to understand those sacrifices as an adult. Though the writing is uneven in some places, overall the story flows from mother to daughter, from one year to the next, connecting generations through time and space.
FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Over a span of 84 years starting in 1931 and ending in 2015, this fantastic historical fiction novel will break your heart.
This story starts off with Ally giving birth to her daughter Lilith in Berlin. Faced with the worst life has to offer during WWII, Ally is forced to send her daughter to Cuba to save her life.
Following 4 generations of women thought different time periods, this book will grasp your heart and squeeze it for all it's worth.
The writing is beautiful and captivating you'll find yourself so emerged within the story you'll forget the reality around you. If you love historical fiction in a WWII era you need to read this book.
From Nazi Germany to the Cuban Revolution to the falling of the Berlin Wall, I fell in love with every aspect of this novel. This is one that will stay with you.
By night they felt free. “By night , we’re all the same color,”
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This book will be published January 10, 2023
This story starts off with Ally giving birth to her daughter Lilith in Berlin. Faced with the worst life has to offer during WWII, Ally is forced to send her daughter to Cuba to save her life.
Following 4 generations of women thought different time periods, this book will grasp your heart and squeeze it for all it's worth.
The writing is beautiful and captivating you'll find yourself so emerged within the story you'll forget the reality around you. If you love historical fiction in a WWII era you need to read this book.
From Nazi Germany to the Cuban Revolution to the falling of the Berlin Wall, I fell in love with every aspect of this novel. This is one that will stay with you.
By night they felt free. “By night , we’re all the same color,”
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This book will be published January 10, 2023
4.5 stars.
Plot: An emotional multi-generational historical fiction book that covers four generations of women, beginning in 1931 Berlin and ending in 2015 Berlin, with stops in Havana and New York City along the way. It starts with Ally, who gives birth to Lilith, a biracial child during the Nazis' rise to power. To ensure Lilith's safety, she coordinates for her daughter's passage to Havana, while Ally remains in Berlin. So begins a chain of events including mothers making unimaginable decisions in an effort to keep their daughters safe. It is Luna, Ally's great-granddaughter who sets forth to piece together the family history and bring these women's stories together.
Thoughts: Grab your tissues because this one is SAD. Correa crafted a beautiful and well-researched story that provides rich historical context. There were certainly parts that were difficult to read; however, they highlight important parts of history that must not be forgotten. The plot is complex but accessible, and fans of historical fiction will absolutely love this one.
Thank you Atria Books for my gifted copy
Plot: An emotional multi-generational historical fiction book that covers four generations of women, beginning in 1931 Berlin and ending in 2015 Berlin, with stops in Havana and New York City along the way. It starts with Ally, who gives birth to Lilith, a biracial child during the Nazis' rise to power. To ensure Lilith's safety, she coordinates for her daughter's passage to Havana, while Ally remains in Berlin. So begins a chain of events including mothers making unimaginable decisions in an effort to keep their daughters safe. It is Luna, Ally's great-granddaughter who sets forth to piece together the family history and bring these women's stories together.
Thoughts: Grab your tissues because this one is SAD. Correa crafted a beautiful and well-researched story that provides rich historical context. There were certainly parts that were difficult to read; however, they highlight important parts of history that must not be forgotten. The plot is complex but accessible, and fans of historical fiction will absolutely love this one.
Thank you Atria Books for my gifted copy
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
3.5 Stars
One Liner: Dark, heavy, and overwhelming in content but lacks the emotional impact
The Night Travelers is the story of four generations of women whose lives change during the Nazi rule, the Cuban Revolution, and the fall of the Berlin wall. The story starts with Ally Keller giving birth to Lilith, a mixed-race daughter, in Berlin, in 1931.
Life in Havana seems happy for Lilith in 1958 until the Cuban Revolution puts her and her daughter Nadine at risk. It’s 1988 in Berlin, and Nadine is a dedicated scientist trying to ignore her family history. Luna, Nadine’s daughter, decides it’s time she knew the truth of the past. But what does it do to her life?
The story comes in the third-person POV of the main characters.
My Thoughts:
The book spans the years covering WWII, the Cuban Revolution, and the fall of the Berlin Wall. It is rooted in historical events and feels heavy throughout. It’s not an easy book to read (in many ways).
The beginning is wow. It starts strong with Ally giving birth to Lilith in Berlin when only Aryans were considered a pure race. But as the story progressed, the emotions don't register. It’s like watching a movie on the neighbor’s telly. I can’t connect with any of the characters. The writing is kind of monotone, with very little emphasis to make me feel for any of the ladies. I’m not sure if the emotions were lost in translation, but all four of them sound the same, albeit in slightly different ways.
The story moves back and forth and is divided into three acts. The shifting timelines aren’t hard to track. A better way to read the book is to let it flow instead of trying to keep tabs on the period.
One aspect I love about the book is the theme of intergenerational trauma and its impact on people. The hatred for all Germans after the Nazi brutality, the mistrust of Cubans, and ordinary people trying to pick up the broken pieces of their lives, suffering from trauma that wasn’t even theirs, to begin with.
While I admire the research behind the book, I couldn’t understand much of the Cuban track. The writing assumes readers are knowledgeable of the topic to fill the gaps. Though I know enough of WWII and Berlin history, my knowledge of Cuba’s past isn’t that great.
The heavy and sad undertones are so consistent that it’s hard to read more than a few pages without feeling overwhelmed or lost. Even the lighthearted moments are tinged with melancholy and awareness that some devastating is around the corner.
This is a book I want to love, but I can only say I like it in parts. The ending is vague (not my favorite kind), leaving me dissatisfied about the plot but relieved that I could finally complete it.
To summarize, The Night Travelers is an overwhelming historical fiction that spans four generations of women and their lives in the backdrop of wars. This book is not for everyone (contains triggers).
Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.