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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this one and it was such a different take on WWII. Amsterdam is not a common place for a book of this kind to take place and it was interesting to see things from another perspective. It is also told of London during the Blitz and the importance of staying strong in the face of terrible adversity. As for this story, it is told from 2 POVs, Marnie the BBC worker turned pianist and Corrie the Dutch resistance mother and pianist.
Marnie had so much growth from the war and I agree with her statement that war, as horrific as it was, tore up the rule book for so many women and gave a chance for a different kind of life. As part of the BBC we were able to see the way production of radio broadcasts continued and the importance of these transmissions for the British people.
Corrie and her bookstore in occupied Amsterdam show another side to what was happening. How she used her profession to help the resistance was ingenuous really and I loved seeing how the Dutch people fought back where they could.
It was a good book and I enjoyed it but it didn't have that pull for me that made it hard to put down. I'd find myself reading a chapter or two and then moving on to something else. Still, worth the read and the different views.
I enjoyed this one and it was such a different take on WWII. Amsterdam is not a common place for a book of this kind to take place and it was interesting to see things from another perspective. It is also told of London during the Blitz and the importance of staying strong in the face of terrible adversity. As for this story, it is told from 2 POVs, Marnie the BBC worker turned pianist and Corrie the Dutch resistance mother and pianist.
Marnie had so much growth from the war and I agree with her statement that war, as horrific as it was, tore up the rule book for so many women and gave a chance for a different kind of life. As part of the BBC we were able to see the way production of radio broadcasts continued and the importance of these transmissions for the British people.
Corrie and her bookstore in occupied Amsterdam show another side to what was happening. How she used her profession to help the resistance was ingenuous really and I loved seeing how the Dutch people fought back where they could.
It was a good book and I enjoyed it but it didn't have that pull for me that made it hard to put down. I'd find myself reading a chapter or two and then moving on to something else. Still, worth the read and the different views.
There’s no tickling the ivories in this one!
Go into this one blind. Don’t read the synopsis.
You’ll have to read to find out what a ‘war pianist’ really is and why they were essential to the resistance movement.
I loved that both pianists, one in Blitzed London and one in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam relied on their skill and put their life on the line for the war effort. Robotham made sure her readers knew exactly what was involved in this risk and the tension is palpable. As I got further into the book, I realized how similar these two girls’ journeys really were and the trust they needed to develop in each other to survive. I appreciated the fresh perspective of ‘fighting’ in the Dutch resistance.
Robotham wraps her readers tightly in her taut plot and continues to feed the tension with brazen acts of bravery, the acknowledgement of a mole within the ranks, and imprisonment. Counterbalancing it is a much-needed respite full of love and, albeit complicated, romance. I felt as though I were right there with Corrie and Marnie because Robotham appealed to my 5 senses and allowed me to enter the mind of a war pianist. I’ll admit to being a little let down with the ending, but appreciated the fine writing in this survival against-all-odds story. As always, Robotham amazes me with her skill to place me in the action and leave me with thankfulness for my freedom.
Congratulations on a fantastic cover!
I was gifted this spectacular story by Avon Books UK and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Go into this one blind. Don’t read the synopsis.
You’ll have to read to find out what a ‘war pianist’ really is and why they were essential to the resistance movement.
I loved that both pianists, one in Blitzed London and one in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam relied on their skill and put their life on the line for the war effort. Robotham made sure her readers knew exactly what was involved in this risk and the tension is palpable. As I got further into the book, I realized how similar these two girls’ journeys really were and the trust they needed to develop in each other to survive. I appreciated the fresh perspective of ‘fighting’ in the Dutch resistance.
Robotham wraps her readers tightly in her taut plot and continues to feed the tension with brazen acts of bravery, the acknowledgement of a mole within the ranks, and imprisonment. Counterbalancing it is a much-needed respite full of love and, albeit complicated, romance. I felt as though I were right there with Corrie and Marnie because Robotham appealed to my 5 senses and allowed me to enter the mind of a war pianist. I’ll admit to being a little let down with the ending, but appreciated the fine writing in this survival against-all-odds story. As always, Robotham amazes me with her skill to place me in the action and leave me with thankfulness for my freedom.
Congratulations on a fantastic cover!
I was gifted this spectacular story by Avon Books UK and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-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
Graphic: Gun violence, Blood
Moderate: Death, Torture, War
The War Pianist is emotionally charged and gorgeously written book about WWII in both London's Blitz and Nazi-occupied Amsterdam. Marnie works with the BBC, an orphan a dear grandfather who is her mentor. As a tailor he taught young Marnie his tailoring trademarks and they played games with Morse code. Little did she know it would save her and others' lives. After his awful death she decided to continue his mission with the Resistance by sending/receiving coded message. She meets Willem who introduces her to the right people on the right side and she is in business, though she must move from her home. He knew Marnie's grandfather.
Corrie is the intelligence at the end of Marnie's messages and was linked to Marnie's grandfather. Connie is desperate to save the lives of her own family and is willing to pay for it with her life. A few messages are written in the book which adds that bit of personal oomph. Each character is immersed in the war by one way or the other and we see grim realities of twisted bodies, deceptions, blackout, underground shelters. and meagre food rationing, Death pervades the air in many forms and survival is the goal. In books we have bits and pieces to go on but this one has soul woven into it in a beautiful way which makes this story beautiful.
Historical Fiction fans, if you are seeking a new perspective in this genre, this is for you. It will be interesting to see what author Mandy Robotham writes next!
My sincere thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this lovely book.
Corrie is the intelligence at the end of Marnie's messages and was linked to Marnie's grandfather. Connie is desperate to save the lives of her own family and is willing to pay for it with her life. A few messages are written in the book which adds that bit of personal oomph. Each character is immersed in the war by one way or the other and we see grim realities of twisted bodies, deceptions, blackout, underground shelters. and meagre food rationing, Death pervades the air in many forms and survival is the goal. In books we have bits and pieces to go on but this one has soul woven into it in a beautiful way which makes this story beautiful.
Historical Fiction fans, if you are seeking a new perspective in this genre, this is for you. It will be interesting to see what author Mandy Robotham writes next!
My sincere thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this lovely book.
Sitting comfortably on the sofa in my living room, with my laptop teetering on my lap and my Aussiedoodle snuggled closely against my leg, I contemplate the stark contrast of the life I live compared to that of the characters in Mandy Robotham’s latest novel The War Pianist.
If, like me, you have ever wondered to yourself what it must have been like living in Europe during WWII or how you might behave under similar circumstances, then you will enjoy The War Pianist.
The War Pianist is a thought-provoking, dual perspective account of the lives of two women living through the escalating aggression and occupation of German forces during WWII. Marnie Fern is a young Londoner working as a production assistant at the BBC. She tries to maintain a normal life as the German Luftwaffe perform nightly bombing raids on the city. Corrie Bakker is a mother who operates a small family bookshop in Nazi occupied Amsterdam. She and her children fight against occupation as members of the Dutch resistance.
When a bomb destroys ‘Cooper’s Bespoke Tailoring’ in London and takes the life of Marnie’s grandfather Gilbert Cooper, she discovers he led a secret life in the wreckage of the shop that will connect her to Corrie for the rest of her life.
The prologue plunges the reader directly into action, setting a quick pace for the story. Corrie is introduced along with her son, Willem, his best friend, Gus, her daughter, Kees, and her uncle, Hendrik who is being hidden in the attic for reasons yet unknown.
Switching gears, the first chapter opens two months later with the Marnie lunching on meager rations in the cafeteria at work. Not exactly the heart-pounding excitement of the prologue. But the portrayal of characters carrying on with small acts of everyday living against the backdrop of war can be viewed as an act of resistance, signaling the overarching plot of the book. In writing about the small, often mundane, details of life, Robotham creates characters that are relatable and easy to cheer for when the tension rises, and the odds are against them.
Tensions rise quickly when Marnie’s grandfather is killed in chapter two and his secret is discovered. Her life is instantly changed as she is drawn in to take over the work of her grandfather as a radio operator, or pianist, for the Dutch resistance. Each chapter that follows, primarily alternating point of view between Marnie or Corrie, creates a new challenge to overcome that drives the story forward and kept me engaged.
This was the first novel by Mandy Robotham that I have read, and I can honestly report it will not be my last. While there is no shortage of WWII historical fiction, I felt this novel fit well into the genre while simultaneously standing out for the interesting subject matter of the “pianist.” I found myself considering how ordinary citizens, just trying to survive the war and maintain some type of normalcy, had such courage to fight against the terror they were facing and if I might have responded in the same manner. I feel I reached the same conclusion as the author who stated in her author’s note, “…war robs everyone of options. The only choice is to survive.”
If you like historical fiction filled with heart-pounding action, espionage, betrayal, and a touch of romance, then you will want to read The War Pianist.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarpersCollins Publishers for providing a gratis copy of this novel for me to review.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
Please do not read this portion of my review if you do not want to know the ending to the novel.
I did not want to have to include a spoiler in my review, but the one thing that bothered me after reading the synopsis that states, “Two cities. Two spies. But which woman survives?” is that both women survived. I fully expected Corrie or Marnie to parish in dramatic fashion and I was going to be upset because I liked both of those characters. I tend to favor novels with strong female characters that get things done. When they both survived it was one part relief and one part “what?”
If, like me, you have ever wondered to yourself what it must have been like living in Europe during WWII or how you might behave under similar circumstances, then you will enjoy The War Pianist.
The War Pianist is a thought-provoking, dual perspective account of the lives of two women living through the escalating aggression and occupation of German forces during WWII. Marnie Fern is a young Londoner working as a production assistant at the BBC. She tries to maintain a normal life as the German Luftwaffe perform nightly bombing raids on the city. Corrie Bakker is a mother who operates a small family bookshop in Nazi occupied Amsterdam. She and her children fight against occupation as members of the Dutch resistance.
When a bomb destroys ‘Cooper’s Bespoke Tailoring’ in London and takes the life of Marnie’s grandfather Gilbert Cooper, she discovers he led a secret life in the wreckage of the shop that will connect her to Corrie for the rest of her life.
The prologue plunges the reader directly into action, setting a quick pace for the story. Corrie is introduced along with her son, Willem, his best friend, Gus, her daughter, Kees, and her uncle, Hendrik who is being hidden in the attic for reasons yet unknown.
Switching gears, the first chapter opens two months later with the Marnie lunching on meager rations in the cafeteria at work. Not exactly the heart-pounding excitement of the prologue. But the portrayal of characters carrying on with small acts of everyday living against the backdrop of war can be viewed as an act of resistance, signaling the overarching plot of the book. In writing about the small, often mundane, details of life, Robotham creates characters that are relatable and easy to cheer for when the tension rises, and the odds are against them.
Tensions rise quickly when Marnie’s grandfather is killed in chapter two and his secret is discovered. Her life is instantly changed as she is drawn in to take over the work of her grandfather as a radio operator, or pianist, for the Dutch resistance. Each chapter that follows, primarily alternating point of view between Marnie or Corrie, creates a new challenge to overcome that drives the story forward and kept me engaged.
This was the first novel by Mandy Robotham that I have read, and I can honestly report it will not be my last. While there is no shortage of WWII historical fiction, I felt this novel fit well into the genre while simultaneously standing out for the interesting subject matter of the “pianist.” I found myself considering how ordinary citizens, just trying to survive the war and maintain some type of normalcy, had such courage to fight against the terror they were facing and if I might have responded in the same manner. I feel I reached the same conclusion as the author who stated in her author’s note, “…war robs everyone of options. The only choice is to survive.”
If you like historical fiction filled with heart-pounding action, espionage, betrayal, and a touch of romance, then you will want to read The War Pianist.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarpersCollins Publishers for providing a gratis copy of this novel for me to review.
*****SPOILER ALERT*****
Please do not read this portion of my review if you do not want to know the ending to the novel.
I did not want to have to include a spoiler in my review, but the one thing that bothered me after reading the synopsis that states, “Two cities. Two spies. But which woman survives?” is that both women survived. I fully expected Corrie or Marnie to parish in dramatic fashion and I was going to be upset because I liked both of those characters. I tend to favor novels with strong female characters that get things done. When they both survived it was one part relief and one part “what?”
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No