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A review by marilynw
My Father's House by Joseph O'Connor
4.0
My Father’s House by Joseph O’Connor
Book 1 of the Rome Escape Line Trilogy
At the end of this story the author tells us that real people and real events inspired this work of fiction. Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty and many of the people in this story were real and I'm so thankful to know about them now and to get to learn more about them through my own research now that this story has brought these people and events to my attention. What we have here is a slice of the workings of the Rome Escape Line and Hugh's very necessary and risky involvement in the escape line. So many people risked their lives and died to save thousands. I had no idea of this group of people and what they did to save lives or die trying to save lives.
The Vatican City, at one fifth of a square mile the world’s smallest state, a neutral, independent country within Rome, acted as a safe haven for diplomats, refugees, and escaped Allied prisoners. Such a small area had it's limit of how many people could be hidden so with the help of brave individuals from all walks of life, clothes, food, medicine, papers, and money were gathered continually to allow thousands to flee to refuge in the countryside surrounding Rome and then on to safer havens. Everyday the people working with Hugh were risking their lives, just as he risked his own life everyday.
Gestapo boss Obersturmbannführer Paul Hauptman, who appears to be the fictional stand in for the real life Obersturmbannführer Herbert Kappler, had Hugh and those who associated with him, in his sights, meaning that Hugh and the rescue line were under constant surveillance while they accomplished so much right under the noses of the enemy. So many lives were lost, so many lives were saved. It's a remarkable story, told through mostly fictional retellings in later years. The story can get overly descriptive and wordy at times, these characters can be a chatty bunch as they reminisce, but their stories do put us right there with Hugh and the people he worked with so closely. I look forward to the other two books in this trilogy.
Publication: January 31st 2023
Thank you to Europa Editions and NetGalley for this ARC.
Book 1 of the Rome Escape Line Trilogy
At the end of this story the author tells us that real people and real events inspired this work of fiction. Monsignor Hugh O’Flaherty and many of the people in this story were real and I'm so thankful to know about them now and to get to learn more about them through my own research now that this story has brought these people and events to my attention. What we have here is a slice of the workings of the Rome Escape Line and Hugh's very necessary and risky involvement in the escape line. So many people risked their lives and died to save thousands. I had no idea of this group of people and what they did to save lives or die trying to save lives.
The Vatican City, at one fifth of a square mile the world’s smallest state, a neutral, independent country within Rome, acted as a safe haven for diplomats, refugees, and escaped Allied prisoners. Such a small area had it's limit of how many people could be hidden so with the help of brave individuals from all walks of life, clothes, food, medicine, papers, and money were gathered continually to allow thousands to flee to refuge in the countryside surrounding Rome and then on to safer havens. Everyday the people working with Hugh were risking their lives, just as he risked his own life everyday.
Gestapo boss Obersturmbannführer Paul Hauptman, who appears to be the fictional stand in for the real life Obersturmbannführer Herbert Kappler, had Hugh and those who associated with him, in his sights, meaning that Hugh and the rescue line were under constant surveillance while they accomplished so much right under the noses of the enemy. So many lives were lost, so many lives were saved. It's a remarkable story, told through mostly fictional retellings in later years. The story can get overly descriptive and wordy at times, these characters can be a chatty bunch as they reminisce, but their stories do put us right there with Hugh and the people he worked with so closely. I look forward to the other two books in this trilogy.
Publication: January 31st 2023
Thank you to Europa Editions and NetGalley for this ARC.