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_askthebookbug's review
5.0
~ r e v i e w ~
•
My second Holocaust book this month and I'm still in awe of the stories of bravery they both carried. When I found Among The Reeds on Kindle Unlimited, I didn't have to think twice before downloading it because books that revolve around the Second World War have always fascinated me. Although I am aware of the horrors that the Jews had to go through for no fault of theirs, every book has been teaching me something new; both the sinister acts of the Nazis as well as stories of survival. Among The Reeds is one such inspiring story about the Offner-Bottner family, of their sufferings and the trauma that the next generations carried from having to serve under the Nazi rule.
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Tammy has collated stories of her grandparents, primarily her grandmother's who played a pivotal role in piecing together the story. Melly Offner was born to Polish Jews in Germany and instantly became a German citizen. Although she considered herself to be a disappointment to her father who wanted a son, Melly recalls being burdened by the responsibilities that is usually associated with boys. When Inge, her sister was born couple of years later, she felt only resentment towards her. It was only when Nathan was born that Melly realised how pressurized she truly was. But their luxurious life ended soon when Hitler came into power and the Offner family escaped to Amsterdam. Here on, the family was forced to live in fear as the German troops walked on the streets, rounding up Jews to either send them to labour camps or to just execute them. Melly was forced to marry Genek, another Jew who moved to Amsterdam to make a living. It is abundantly clear that Melly disliked her husband and lived a loveless life for years to come.
•
The family continued living in Belgium for the next few years as they witnessed Hitler rising to power. To protect the children from being sent to concentration camps, many families sent away their children to convents/schools/adoptions with little or no hope of finding them again. The Offner family too sent away their children for few years until the war subsided. The Jews were forced to live on a meagre amount of food turning them into living skeletons. While the Germans were hunting down Jews, of both foreign as well as native origins, Tammy's grandmother mentioned how suspicious everyone were. Many Jews turned against each other in order to please the Germans and this, she said, was more dangerous than the Nazis themselves. Among The Reeds tells in detail about how the War began, its ascent and finally, its descent. What went on in between those years, wreaked havoc on the lives of many innocents. One of the most horrifying events was the death of thousands of mentally and physically disabled Jews, including the nurses who cared for them. Such unspeakable and unfathomable hatred makes me nauseous every time I read about it. This book was an eye opener in more ways than one. The gentiles who stepped down to protect the Jews were truly such heroes. Perhaps, this was the only comforting thought that eased my heart.
•
Melly talks about her life without an ounce of lie, putting across details of her life unabashedly. Her life comprised mostly of deprivation, never falling in love with her husband and suffering from depression for years. Many Jewish families struggled to settle down in one place, often feeling restless, struggling with PTSD. It took them years to understand the concept of home and when they finally did, half of their lives were lost. I highly recommend Among The Reeds, a book that's gut-wrenching but equally inspiring.
•
Rating : 4.7/5.
•
My second Holocaust book this month and I'm still in awe of the stories of bravery they both carried. When I found Among The Reeds on Kindle Unlimited, I didn't have to think twice before downloading it because books that revolve around the Second World War have always fascinated me. Although I am aware of the horrors that the Jews had to go through for no fault of theirs, every book has been teaching me something new; both the sinister acts of the Nazis as well as stories of survival. Among The Reeds is one such inspiring story about the Offner-Bottner family, of their sufferings and the trauma that the next generations carried from having to serve under the Nazi rule.
•
Tammy has collated stories of her grandparents, primarily her grandmother's who played a pivotal role in piecing together the story. Melly Offner was born to Polish Jews in Germany and instantly became a German citizen. Although she considered herself to be a disappointment to her father who wanted a son, Melly recalls being burdened by the responsibilities that is usually associated with boys. When Inge, her sister was born couple of years later, she felt only resentment towards her. It was only when Nathan was born that Melly realised how pressurized she truly was. But their luxurious life ended soon when Hitler came into power and the Offner family escaped to Amsterdam. Here on, the family was forced to live in fear as the German troops walked on the streets, rounding up Jews to either send them to labour camps or to just execute them. Melly was forced to marry Genek, another Jew who moved to Amsterdam to make a living. It is abundantly clear that Melly disliked her husband and lived a loveless life for years to come.
•
The family continued living in Belgium for the next few years as they witnessed Hitler rising to power. To protect the children from being sent to concentration camps, many families sent away their children to convents/schools/adoptions with little or no hope of finding them again. The Offner family too sent away their children for few years until the war subsided. The Jews were forced to live on a meagre amount of food turning them into living skeletons. While the Germans were hunting down Jews, of both foreign as well as native origins, Tammy's grandmother mentioned how suspicious everyone were. Many Jews turned against each other in order to please the Germans and this, she said, was more dangerous than the Nazis themselves. Among The Reeds tells in detail about how the War began, its ascent and finally, its descent. What went on in between those years, wreaked havoc on the lives of many innocents. One of the most horrifying events was the death of thousands of mentally and physically disabled Jews, including the nurses who cared for them. Such unspeakable and unfathomable hatred makes me nauseous every time I read about it. This book was an eye opener in more ways than one. The gentiles who stepped down to protect the Jews were truly such heroes. Perhaps, this was the only comforting thought that eased my heart.
•
Melly talks about her life without an ounce of lie, putting across details of her life unabashedly. Her life comprised mostly of deprivation, never falling in love with her husband and suffering from depression for years. Many Jewish families struggled to settle down in one place, often feeling restless, struggling with PTSD. It took them years to understand the concept of home and when they finally did, half of their lives were lost. I highly recommend Among The Reeds, a book that's gut-wrenching but equally inspiring.
•
Rating : 4.7/5.
mimiep's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
_askthebookbug's review against another edition
5.0
~ r e v i e w ~
•
My second Holocaust book this month and I'm still in awe of the stories of bravery they both carried. When I found Among The Reeds on Kindle Unlimited, I didn't have to think twice before downloading it because books that revolve around the Second World War have always fascinated me. Although I am aware of the horrors that the Jews had to go through for no fault of theirs, every book has been teaching me something new; both the sinister acts of the Nazis as well as stories of survival. Among The Reeds is one such inspiring story about the Offner-Bottner family, of their sufferings and the trauma that the next generations carried from having to serve under the Nazi rule.
•
Tammy has collated stories of her grandparents, primarily her grandmother's who played a pivotal role in piecing together the story. Melly Offner was born to Polish Jews in Germany and instantly became a German citizen. Although she considered herself to be a disappointment to her father who wanted a son, Melly recalls being burdened by the responsibilities that is usually associated with boys. When Inge, her sister was born couple of years later, she felt only resentment towards her. It was only when Nathan was born that Melly realised how pressurized she truly was. But their luxurious life ended soon when Hitler came into power and the Offner family escaped to Amsterdam. Here on, the family was forced to live in fear as the German troops walked on the streets, rounding up Jews to either send them to labour camps or to just execute them. Melly was forced to marry Genek, another Jew who moved to Amsterdam to make a living. It is abundantly clear that Melly disliked her husband and lived a loveless life for years to come.
•
The family continued living in Belgium for the next few years as they witnessed Hitler rising to power. To protect the children from being sent to concentration camps, many families sent away their children to convents/schools/adoptions with little or no hope of finding them again. The Offner family too sent away their children for few years until the war subsided. The Jews were forced to live on a meagre amount of food turning them into living skeletons. While the Germans were hunting down Jews, of both foreign as well as native origins, Tammy's grandmother mentioned how suspicious everyone were. Many Jews turned against each other in order to please the Germans and this, she said, was more dangerous than the Nazis themselves. Among The Reeds tells in detail about how the War began, its ascent and finally, its descent. What went on in between those years, wreaked havoc on the lives of many innocents. One of the most horrifying events was the death of thousands of mentally and physically disabled Jews, including the nurses who cared for them. Such unspeakable and unfathomable hatred makes me nauseous every time I read about it. This book was an eye opener in more ways than one. The gentiles who stepped down to protect the Jews were truly such heroes. Perhaps, this was the only comforting thought that eased my heart.
•
Melly talks about her life without an ounce of lie, putting across details of her life unabashedly. Her life comprised mostly of deprivation, never falling in love with her husband and suffering from depression for years. Many Jewish families struggled to settle down in one place, often feeling restless, struggling with PTSD. It took them years to understand the concept of home and when they finally did, half of their lives were lost. I highly recommend Among The Reeds, a book that's gut-wrenching but equally inspiring.
•
Rating : 4.7/5.
•
My second Holocaust book this month and I'm still in awe of the stories of bravery they both carried. When I found Among The Reeds on Kindle Unlimited, I didn't have to think twice before downloading it because books that revolve around the Second World War have always fascinated me. Although I am aware of the horrors that the Jews had to go through for no fault of theirs, every book has been teaching me something new; both the sinister acts of the Nazis as well as stories of survival. Among The Reeds is one such inspiring story about the Offner-Bottner family, of their sufferings and the trauma that the next generations carried from having to serve under the Nazi rule.
•
Tammy has collated stories of her grandparents, primarily her grandmother's who played a pivotal role in piecing together the story. Melly Offner was born to Polish Jews in Germany and instantly became a German citizen. Although she considered herself to be a disappointment to her father who wanted a son, Melly recalls being burdened by the responsibilities that is usually associated with boys. When Inge, her sister was born couple of years later, she felt only resentment towards her. It was only when Nathan was born that Melly realised how pressurized she truly was. But their luxurious life ended soon when Hitler came into power and the Offner family escaped to Amsterdam. Here on, the family was forced to live in fear as the German troops walked on the streets, rounding up Jews to either send them to labour camps or to just execute them. Melly was forced to marry Genek, another Jew who moved to Amsterdam to make a living. It is abundantly clear that Melly disliked her husband and lived a loveless life for years to come.
•
The family continued living in Belgium for the next few years as they witnessed Hitler rising to power. To protect the children from being sent to concentration camps, many families sent away their children to convents/schools/adoptions with little or no hope of finding them again. The Offner family too sent away their children for few years until the war subsided. The Jews were forced to live on a meagre amount of food turning them into living skeletons. While the Germans were hunting down Jews, of both foreign as well as native origins, Tammy's grandmother mentioned how suspicious everyone were. Many Jews turned against each other in order to please the Germans and this, she said, was more dangerous than the Nazis themselves. Among The Reeds tells in detail about how the War began, its ascent and finally, its descent. What went on in between those years, wreaked havoc on the lives of many innocents. One of the most horrifying events was the death of thousands of mentally and physically disabled Jews, including the nurses who cared for them. Such unspeakable and unfathomable hatred makes me nauseous every time I read about it. This book was an eye opener in more ways than one. The gentiles who stepped down to protect the Jews were truly such heroes. Perhaps, this was the only comforting thought that eased my heart.
•
Melly talks about her life without an ounce of lie, putting across details of her life unabashedly. Her life comprised mostly of deprivation, never falling in love with her husband and suffering from depression for years. Many Jewish families struggled to settle down in one place, often feeling restless, struggling with PTSD. It took them years to understand the concept of home and when they finally did, half of their lives were lost. I highly recommend Among The Reeds, a book that's gut-wrenching but equally inspiring.
•
Rating : 4.7/5.
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