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A review by elizabethfisher
The Postcard by Anne Berest
4.0
This was a heart-breaking and beautiful story of a family torn apart by the Holocaust. It’s dual timeline with the modern storyline following Anne trying to discover the mystery of the postcard that her mother received bearing the name of four family members who were killed at Auschwitz: Ephraïm and Emma, and their children, Noémie and Jacques. As Anne learns their story and tries to figure out who sent the postcard, we get to hear the family’s story of immigration around Europe and Palestine until they settle in France. And then the story of their transportation to the death camp and the subsequent story of Myriam, the other member of the family. It’s historical fiction with a touch of mystery.
I thought the novel was well-written and very compelling. Berest brings all the characters to life and tells the horrific story of the Holocaust and its impact on this one family from when it happened through to the modern day. I have no specific quibbles with the writing or the story, though it drags a little bit here and there…it is 464 pages. So overall, 4.5 stars and would highly recommend picking this up if you’re in the mood for sad historical fiction with a contemplative and thought-provoking reflection on identity and memory.
Side note: I listened to the audiobook of this one and found the narrator’s French to be pretty poor, which may have detracted a little from the story–for example there’s a French joke in it that does not work because the narrator can’t pronounce it. But other than that, it was a good book to enjoy on audio.
I thought the novel was well-written and very compelling. Berest brings all the characters to life and tells the horrific story of the Holocaust and its impact on this one family from when it happened through to the modern day. I have no specific quibbles with the writing or the story, though it drags a little bit here and there…it is 464 pages. So overall, 4.5 stars and would highly recommend picking this up if you’re in the mood for sad historical fiction with a contemplative and thought-provoking reflection on identity and memory.
Side note: I listened to the audiobook of this one and found the narrator’s French to be pretty poor, which may have detracted a little from the story–for example there’s a French joke in it that does not work because the narrator can’t pronounce it. But other than that, it was a good book to enjoy on audio.