Scan barcode
pebbles1984's review against another edition
4.0
I'm wavering between 3.5 and 4 stars, but leaning more towards 4. What I particularly appreciated about this book was the focus on the years right after the war, and the effect the war years and being apart during those years can have on people and their relationships.
diannaobrien's review against another edition
5.0
An entrancing mystery, but you don't even know it is a mystery at first. What did happen during the war to the two main characters? The book is a lovely unwinding of the past with many surprises along the way.
carrieliza's review
4.0
I love WWII novels, and this one was different for me, since it doesn't center on the Holocaust aspect. So it was interesting straight off reading about a different aspect of the war. The plot twists and secrets, though sort of obvious what they would turn out to be, were handled really well and written about heartbreakingly.
cherircohen's review against another edition
2.0
So disappointing. I never quite got into it. And hated how the ending ties up so neatly in the last 10 pages.
tshrope's review against another edition
3.0
This is another offering to the plethora of WWII novels. Amanda Hodgkinson’s debut novel is the story of a Polish family that is separated at the beginning of the war, Janusz goes off to fight for his country, and Silvana, his wife, is left in Warsaw to somehow get herself and their small child, Aurek, to her in-laws. After the war they are reunited in England, and try to create a typical English suburban life, but they both have suffered too much and harbor too many secrets to make this a reality.
This is a well-written novel, fluid and descriptive, but it lacks the power to evoke any real emotion for any of her characters or their situations. Janusz actually has a pretty easy time of it during the war compared to Silvana, but he comes across as self-pitying. Silvana who survives living in the forest for most of the war and witnesses many horrors comes across as weak and indecisive. In the hands of a more skillful writer I think she could have created an unforgettable and haunting novel such as the Gendarme or The Pearl Diver, but instead I think it will be quickly forgotten shortly after reading.
I did like that she explores themes of redemption, the definition of family, and the power to overcome loss; themes that give the reader pause to think of their own ideas and beliefs.
I also liked that her characters were Polish and much of the book was set in Poland. This seems to be a country that is overlooked in WWII novels for some reason (Why is that?)
Overall I would give this 3.5 stars and would say it was worth the time to read, but certainly not a must read, nor a particularly memorable one.
This is a well-written novel, fluid and descriptive, but it lacks the power to evoke any real emotion for any of her characters or their situations. Janusz actually has a pretty easy time of it during the war compared to Silvana, but he comes across as self-pitying. Silvana who survives living in the forest for most of the war and witnesses many horrors comes across as weak and indecisive. In the hands of a more skillful writer I think she could have created an unforgettable and haunting novel such as the Gendarme or The Pearl Diver, but instead I think it will be quickly forgotten shortly after reading.
I did like that she explores themes of redemption, the definition of family, and the power to overcome loss; themes that give the reader pause to think of their own ideas and beliefs.
I also liked that her characters were Polish and much of the book was set in Poland. This seems to be a country that is overlooked in WWII novels for some reason (Why is that?)
Overall I would give this 3.5 stars and would say it was worth the time to read, but certainly not a must read, nor a particularly memorable one.
stevienlcf's review against another edition
4.0
Amanda Hodgkinson presents an accomplished first novel. Polish newlyweds Silvana and Janusz are separated for six years during World War II, but are reunited in England when Janusz locates Silvana and their young son, Aurek, in a refugee camp. The novel deftly moves between the present and flashbacks from the couple's divergent experiences during the war -- experiences which inform their struggles to reunite their family. The reader learns, for example, how Silvana and Aurek survived the war hidden in the Polish forest, skinning rabbits and fending off enemy soldiers, and the author exquisitely depicts the bond between mother and child.
ablotial's review
See review on cd version - asked for a paper copy of this book for Christmas because it was so good!
ablotial's review against another edition
4.0
I really loved this book. I keep thinking to give it 5 stars, then bumping it back down to 4. Tough choice. I loved the story, I loved the characters, especially Aurek, though I had trouble liking Janusz at first. And I loved that this is not your typical wartime love story... it is so much more than that. My heart broke for all the characters. The ending left me feeling that something wasn't quite right, though. I almost wish .
I found myself yelling out loud at the bitchy next door neighbor who didn't know the whole story but formed opinions and treated Silvana like crap anyway. And at Janusz for how he treated Aurek when he felt the boy wasn't behaving normally.
War changes people.
I have so many more feelings about this book but am unable to write them down. I think I'll want to read it again some day and see if I feel the same way about it.
Spoiler
Silvana had found love with TonyI found myself yelling out loud at the bitchy next door neighbor who didn't know the whole story but formed opinions and treated Silvana like crap anyway. And at Janusz for how he treated Aurek when he felt the boy wasn't behaving normally.
War changes people.
I have so many more feelings about this book but am unable to write them down. I think I'll want to read it again some day and see if I feel the same way about it.
minniepauline's review against another edition
3.0
This is a quick read, and nicely written. A little predictable, and it didn't leave me thinking about it, feeling like I had inhabited or knew any of the characters intimately. But still enjoyable. I would be interested in reading what this first-time author writes next.