Tag: WWII

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.

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.

After some psych thrillers and crime procedurals, I was ready to get back to history. Next on my list was this one. I had enjoyed The Italian Villa and was hopeful that the author had maybe improved upon the last book.

What I found however, is that much of what I said in that review still applies.

It’s a similar plot. A woman, Luce, goes to Italy to find out her historical roots. There is a hint of mystery because her mother, Angelina, left Italy when she was young, rarely talks about family, and has hinted at how dangerous it would be to dig up the past.

I liked that premise. I should put in here that I found out in my teens that I am half-Italian. When my mom and I went to Italy while I was in college, I felt like I had come home. There was no reason for it – I know nothing about my heritage or lineage.

But I understood people, I felt comfortable wherever we went in the country, and I felt like a part of me had been awakened. In that regard, I totally related to Luce. I “got” her desire to find out more about her heritage.

I also liked how she found that things weren’t what she expected, what she’d been led to believe by her mother over the years. I think it was a good way to illustrate the importance of finding your own truths.

I suppose that could be said about Luce’s personal life as well. Not giving anything away, but she finds answers to more than just her heritage.

That itself is also interesting. She finds out more about the family history from her grandmother, as well as her own experiences with other family members.

And herein lies the issue I have with this book.

When I see that something promoted as a “historical novel,” I usually expect there to be a contemporary storyline that sets the stage for the historical part, which then takes up the majority of the story.

In my humble opinion, to be considered such there should be at least a 50/50 split, preferably more. If a majority of the story isn’t in the past, I’m not sure it can be considered historical.

I’m sure we can all relate to choosing a book based on “what do I feel like reading now?” And then having certain expectations of the book based on those conceptions.  

And now we come to the reason I brought it up.

I stand by my critique in my review of The Italian Villa. Once again, the historical parts are told in passive voice, as Luce’s grandmother tells the stories of the past more as a reminiscence. It takes a lot of the bite out of the history and makes it difficult to become engaged.

It also leaves too little to the historical sections. Because they are told from one person’s point of view as a memory, there’s no life to the actual events. It’s all just ghosts. And it seemed as if the contemporary storyline far outpaced the historical – as I mentioned, that makes it difficult to read as a “historical novel.”

For the points of this story, and for how important the past was, actual flashbacks would have been so much more effective. It was actually quite convoluted as is, especially with the confusion surrounding the characters in the contemporary storyline.

It’s really a shame, because the secrets that Luce’s family were hiding were real doozies. I just wish the revelations would have been more impactful.

I’d still recommend the book because the family secrets that are finally revealed are interesting, and there are some truly compelling moments filled with emotion.

But know that (for me at least), it doesn’t fit the definition of a true “historical novel.” There was no chance to be immersed in the past. And that’s a major reason I like the genre.

Author Bio:
Daniela Sacerdoti is the author of the bestselling Glen Avich series which has sold over one million copies in ebook to date, Sacerdoti’s debut novel Watch Over Me was named the eighth bestselling Kindle book of all time in 2015, when she was also ranked as the eleventh top-selling Kindle author. She lives in a small village in the middle of nowhere, with her Scottish husband, two children, a Cocker spaniel and a foundling kitten (who was definitely a witch in a past life).  Visit her website at https://www.danielasacerdoti.com