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A review by cristinaelenalaaa
Shadows of Berlin by David R. Gillham
3.0
“Shadows of Berlin” gives a glimpse into the aftershock life of Rachel, a WWII Jewish survivor. Having relocated to New York with her only surviving relative, uncle Fritz, Rachel tries to make the best of her life while living with the traumas of her past. When uncle Fritz finds a painting created by Rachel’s mother is a pawn shop, the discovery triggers her worst nightmares.
Storyline wise, the story covers a lot of events, going back and forth between Rachel’s time in Berlin and the current time, and incorporates a lot of cultural elements of the time (1940s to 1950s). At times, it is a pleasant reading, but at other times it tends to get too much. In some ways, “Shadows of Berlin” could be compared to “The Goldfinch” when it comes to describing trauma and its aftermath, but doesn’t rise to the same literary mastery.
Audiobook wise, it’s brilliant! Suzanne Toren does a great job of not only changing voice patterns, depending on who is talking, but also goes all the way to get the foreign words in Yiddish, German, and a bit of French pronounced like a native speaker. This aspect greatly enhanced the listening experience and make the 16 hours of the audiobook pass seamlessly.
Special thanks to NetGalley, RB Media, Recorded Books, and the editorial team for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.
If you are interested in other of my book reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads!
#LifeLongLearning #ShadowsofBerlin #NetGalley
Storyline wise, the story covers a lot of events, going back and forth between Rachel’s time in Berlin and the current time, and incorporates a lot of cultural elements of the time (1940s to 1950s). At times, it is a pleasant reading, but at other times it tends to get too much. In some ways, “Shadows of Berlin” could be compared to “The Goldfinch” when it comes to describing trauma and its aftermath, but doesn’t rise to the same literary mastery.
Audiobook wise, it’s brilliant! Suzanne Toren does a great job of not only changing voice patterns, depending on who is talking, but also goes all the way to get the foreign words in Yiddish, German, and a bit of French pronounced like a native speaker. This aspect greatly enhanced the listening experience and make the 16 hours of the audiobook pass seamlessly.
Special thanks to NetGalley, RB Media, Recorded Books, and the editorial team for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.
If you are interested in other of my book reviews, make sure to follow me on GoodReads!
#LifeLongLearning #ShadowsofBerlin #NetGalley