This author’s The Child of Auschwitz is a book that stayed with me for a long time. I thought she had a very strong understanding of the horrors of Nazi actions during WWII but balanced those with illustrations of compassion and resilience quite effectively.
I was, therefore, very excited to see her latest book revisiting WWII. I was not disappointed.
I particularly liked how the contemporary storyline took place in Sweden. Most of the historical fiction WWII novels I have read recently either have a British or American connection. I enjoyed (if one could say that about Nazi persecutions) the different perspective.
I also thought the author did a good job of setting up the contemporary story line. I know that my grandfather never talked about his time in the South Pacific when he returned from WWII, but that he was a changed man (by all accounts)
I think that this was a common story among people (especially men) who saw and experienced the atrocities of war. Didn’t matter if it was in combat, or at the hands of the enemy. Their positions as protectors of their families were threatened – and often destroyed.
Ingrid’s grandfather personified that. By establishing this from the beginning, the author made him a sympathetic character in a way that went beyond simply feeling sorry for his story. He was very real.
Because of this, I thought there was a good balance between the contemporary and historical story lines. Sometimes one is stronger than the other, but in this case, they complimented each other. To me, this meant that the reading was smoother because the transitions were natural and not abrupt.
My only complaint (and it’s really a minor one) is the change in title. It was originally titled The Flight of Swallows. I thought this was much more evocative and thought-provoking. I don’t know why it changed to the mundane and non-descriptive The German Girl.
In looking at my review of the author’s last book, it seems as if the same thing occurred. Interesting to note (though not of any real importance, I suppose).
Still, this was a good read with interesting characters and a unique perspective. I would recommend it.
Facebook: LilyRoseGrahamAuthor/
Author Bio:
Lily has been telling stories since she was a child, starting with her imaginary rabbit, Stephanus, and their adventures in the enchanted peach tree in her garden, which she envisioned as a magical portal to Enid Blyton’s Faraway Tree. She’s never really got out of the habit of making things up, and still thinks of Stephanus rather fondly.
She lives with her husband and her English bulldog, Fudge, and brings her love for the sea and country-living to her fiction.
