A moving and memorable story. A story of the strength of the human spirit and the power of love over evil.
An unbelievably gripping and haunting story. I find books about personal stories within conflicts, and the strength of the human spirit, fascinating, but to read one from the perspective of a Nazi girl, was particularly interesting and unusual. We are rarely presented with this perspective, and Hetty’s view of life, and the influences that affected her upbringing, were poignant and thought provoking. It was made more significant somehow by the chapters being dated. It added to the pressure of time and the dramatic changes that galloped through Germany in the late 1930s. The speed at which anti-Semitism grew was unbelievable. I found it fascinating, though scary, that Fein relates this period in history to the current political situation today.
The predicament Hetty and Walter were faced with was so incredibly sad and their choices so limited. There was never going to be a simple or happy ending to this story. There must have been thousands of people at this time who had to make these life changing decisions. The story was sensitively and descriptively written with believable and memorable characters.
I loved that the story was followed up, not just by a beautiful epilogue, but by a fascinating note from the author as to the reasons behind her writing of this amazing book.
A beautifully written love story set in Nazi Germany. A must for people wanting a more personal insight into those turbulent times.
Romeo and Juliet in 1930’s Germany.
Hetty Heinrich is the daughter of an SS Officer and Nazi activist.
She falls into the river and just as she is about to drown a strong arm rescues her. It is her brothers’ best friend Walter. A lasting attachment begins.
Walter is brought out in school assembly, denounced and expelled as a Jew. How can her lovely blond, blue eyed saviour be a despised Jew? They meet up again when she is walking the dog and they start to talk. She then starts to question all that she is being told.
They fall in love but no one must know. Her father would be disgraced and the family shamed. How can she continue with this relationship?
The book then takes you through the background to Kristallnacht and the persecution and imprisonment of the Jews.
A beautifully written love story set in Nazi Germany. A must for people wanting a more personal insight into those turbulent times
A beautifully written story of forbidden love in the 1930s.
Historical fiction has been a genre I have briefly dipped into before, but this book has made me want to read more of it, especially if this author writes more books. I am amazed that this is a debut, as it is written so beautifully and the characters are well developed and really carry you along with them.
It is set in the late 1930s and follows Hetty, a young German girl growing up at a time when Germany is starting to come under the control of Hitler. She is from a traditional family, which idolise Hitler and all he stands for. However, Hetty is a determined young lady who has designs on being a doctor, although this is strongly discouraged by her father. Everything changes further still when she falls in love with her brother’s friend, Walter – a blond, blue-eyed boy who is a Jew. The tensions mount as they try to keep their relationship a secret among increasing hostility for the Jewish population.
This is a beautiful novel, full of tension and emotion – I loved it!