Category Archives: Historical Fiction

The Last Train to London, by Meg Waite Clayton

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This novel is based on the organization and implementation of the real Vienna Kindertransport that was led by Geertruida Wijsmuller. This fictional story occurs prior to 1940, and primarily happens during 1938. 

We see a Dutch couple, Truus (Geertruida) and her husband Joop Wijsmuller, who are childless. Truus is a brave and outspoken woman who risks her life countless time to seek refuge for helpless children. We also see the rich Jewish family of Stephan, who is stripped of everything once the Germans invade Austria. There is the family of Zophie (Stephan’s best friend), whose mother is a journalist reporting the true crimes of the Nazi’s and eventually is on the run. And, there is also Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi in charge of ridding Germany of its Jewish population through emigration.

Beginning in 1936, we see the pre-invasion environment of Austria through the eyes of Stephan and Zophie. The “re-culturing” that Hitler aimed to achieve is a common topic of discussion in Stephan’s household among his parents and family members who are strong admirers of art. Soon after the Nazi’s have began assaulting their culture, German soldiers in their brown shirts with swastikas march in while Stephan and Zophie rehearsing a play. How will Zophie, an Aryan, react when Stephan is treated with brutality by Nazi’s? Meanwhile, after invasion, Truus plans to transport a large number of children in danger to London. 

It was hard for me to get invested in this story. There were too many characters in motion for me to get attached and emotional. With the chapters being so short, it also took a long time to get to know them. There was too much dialogue between Truus and Joop that was about everyday things which overcrowded their character. It felt like too much information was included about the planning process and mundane arbitrary paperwork that went into Truus’ operations rather than focusing on her “in action”. While the information was appreciated since lending to authenticity, it took away from the story and the characters. At times, they felt so far away from me because I felt clustered and weighed down in intentions, ideas, and procedures. I wanted to be in my feelings, but it didn’t happen.
The story was at a dull but tolerant trot until 65% (on a Kindle) in which the plot starts to build and the story starts to take flight…but it’s almost over at that point.

During the pre-invasion, there are details in this novel about degenerate art and artists. For more information regarding this topic, I would highly recommend the nonfiction book Hitler’s Last Hostages: Looted Art and the Soul of the Third Reich by Mary M. Lane.
Many thanks to HarperCollins, Edelweiss, and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Geertruida Wijsmuller:

WijsmullerMeijer1965.jpg

Adolf Eichmann:

Adolf Eichmann, 1942.jpg

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The Glass Woman, by Caroline Lea

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17th Century Iceland: Witchcraft is punishable by death. Women are held submissive by virtue of Biblical scriptures. Food is scarce and the ocean is a death trap. The season of winter looms over villages like the shadow of the Engill dauðans. 

Rosa trades her freedom and future by marrying the well-off bóndi Jon in order to help save her ill mother. After marrying and moving away, she is met with the haunting realization that his croft is filled with secrets and the village brimming with gossip. Her husband is distant, but the noises are near. Is she going mad hearing things?

Filled with Icelandic saga references and superstitions, this is a story that I found bewitching. The beginning was a bit difficult for me to adjust to with the use of old language, but I could not stop reading. This novel kept me engaged throughout. I was constantly trying to figure out how did Jon’s first wife die? How did he kill her, or did he have someone else do it? What are the mysterious noises in his croft? Will Rosa be safe, or will she run, or will the marriage grow into love? What about her and Pall? Is Petur to be trusted? 

I recommend reading on a Kindle in order to translate the Icelandic words and phrases; however, my Kindle was unable to translate some. There was a glossary of Icelandic words in the very back, but I didn’t realize that until I had finished reading. Many thanks to HarperCollins, Caroline Lea, and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. 

17th Century Icelandic Tales
Witchcraft and Sorcery in Iceland

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The Lost Daughter, by Gill Paul

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A telling chronicle of love and loss. Without the tough moments, the outcome of life would be different. Would you trade a heartbreak in your past if you knew that you would be sacrificing something fulfilling that you would have in your future?

1918- There were always rumors that perhaps one of the Romanov girls survived. In The Lost Daughter, the story begins with the Romanovs being taken to the Ipatiev House. Being held as captives by the Bolsheviks, we see their imprisoned state through the eyes of the third daughter, Maria. Shortly after, Maria and her family are murdered but miraculously she survives. She is met with a new changing Russia, but how can she continue without her family? 

1973- In Australia, Val’s father is dying, and she knows little to nothing about his past in Russia. He continues to murmur, “I didn’t want to kill her” which leaves Val with even more questions. Her mother left her when she was only thirteen, and without any other family she knows she must dig to uncover the lost remnants of her family’s history. 

Historically, Gill Paul outdid herself. Spanning from 1918-1976, the reader is propelled through Russia’s changes. Communal blocks, rations, assigned jobs, “shock workers”, banned Orthodox churches, and secret police permeate the lives of Soviets after the Romanov’s are killed. Ironically, Maria’s children are raised under the watchful eyes of communism and implanted with proletariat ideals. How can the same supporters who killed her own family claim they have the best intentions for her children? 

“Where was the Red Army? Stalin called himself ‘father of the nation’; now was the time for him to prove it.” 

Within Maria’s life we see a story of forgiveness, strength, perseverance, and hope. As a character, she transforms from a vulnerable and helpless young lady into a courageous and resilient woman through times of affliction and times of joy. The character of Maria is a hero, and she will stay with me for a long time.

HIGHLY recommend to lovers of historical fiction and the effects of the Bolshevik revolution. Please note, there is a rape scene at the beginning. Many thanks to NetGalley, Gill Paul, and HarperCollins for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

More on this topic:
Where The Romanovs Where Murdered: The Ipatiev House
Maria Romanov and Her Demise
Maria Romanov
Stalin’s Secret Police

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The German House, by Annette Hess

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Eva is navigating life as young adult while trying to balance newfound independence. Accepting a new job translating at a trial, she is torn between her career and her boyfriend, Jurgen, who wants her to be a stay at home wife. Eva then learns that her own family does not agree with her involvement as a translator in the trial either. Translating for the Polish victims of the Holocaust, Eva is met with stories of horror and bravery. But as the trial progresses, she can’t help but feel there are secrets her family is hiding. 

This is a book that grows on you as you read. Having said that, it took time to get to know the characters. They felt out of reach at first, and it was hard to get to know them for almost the entire first half of the book. The beginning was slow to start, and it wasn’t until around 40-50% of the book that I felt like I was getting into it. This was primarily because the plot was slow to develop, and the characters were distant. It takes a while to get used to the writing style as there are no chapters and it skips around a lot. 

The story presents a lot of tough questions to the reader. It tests the waters of human nature speculating the condemnation of one alone for the killing of millions. 
I would have liked to have heard from other characters perspectives more. Specifically, Walther Schoomann, Sissi, and David Miller. In the end, I felt left with unanswered questions about some of the characters.

The courtroom drama and the trial were my favorite part. Halfway through, I could not put the book down. The last few pages of “Part 3” were very powerful and moving. Many thanks to Edelweiss and HarperVia for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

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Cilka’s Journey, by Heather Morris

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The Tattooist of Auschwitz #2!!!

Having survived being the enslaved mistress of a powerful Nazi leader at Auschwitz, the story begins with Cilka charged as a collaborator, loaded on a train with other women, and taken to the now-notorious Vorkuta Gulag in 1945. After arriving at the work camp, her and the other women in her “hut” battle for trust, hope, and forgiveness. She finds herself, yet again, in a position where survival trumps ethics. Cilka grasps for a greater purpose after leaving behind her dark past and quickly finds herself in a position to work within the confines of the Gulag hospital. She struggles to justify some of the hospital policies but also questions her own intentions. Having discerned hope as only a barren illusion, Cilka takes the reader on a haunting and remarkable journey.

“Again, as she has experienced over and over in her young life, she finds herself with two choices, one, the narrow path opening up in front of her, the other, death.” 

Cilka’s account specifically centers around the treatment of women in a Soviet Gulag. The brutality, rape, and undernourishment are intense but are an essential part of the gulag experience for the women who were imprisoned there. Vorkuta Gulag resonated in maltreatment and violence, and the details are richly accounted for in this novel.

Although this is the second novel for The Tattooist of Auschwitz, it easily works as a standalone. The author provides the background about what happened to Cilka very early on. Throughout the novel, flashbacks spanning from 1939-1945 give additional information about Cilka that was not included in the first novel, and each flashback is beautifully coated in irony. The location and date are noted above the flashbacks and each flashback is indicated by a page break and written in italics. 

A must read because not enough is written about the Gulags! I could not put this one down. The notes from Heather Morris at the end are a must. But do not read them before because they contain spoilers. 
HIGHLY recommend to fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and historical fiction. This one is much darker than The Tattooist, but equally critical and a story that needs to be heard.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press, Heather Morris, and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

For more about the Gulags:
Disturbing Gulag Photos
Gulag History

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The Rabbit Girls, by Anna Ellory

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This centers around Miriam who is the present day character, more so than focusing on the past and Henryk. Miriam is not only given more chapters than Henryk, but her chapters are also notably longer. The dictation of Miriam’s chapters typically either focus on her repetitive inquiry into the letters she found that are related to her father (Henryk) -or- her personal life and the problems that she has with her abusive husband. Henryk’s chapter’s typically focus on his own marital problems rather than the historical context that he experienced.

This being said, only about 15% of the story was of historical relevance. There was nothing historically integrated that was new information. The “rabbit girls”, or the guinea pigs who were experimented on, have been given voices through other novels. The details about them were not elaborate either.
The beginning was very slow to start. The story only starts to pick up around 40% of the book, but still Miriam’s chapters continued to hold back the story. 

The story starts out with Miriam’s father, Henryk, calling out an unknown name “Frieda” on his deathbed. So, Miriam makes it her goal to find this person before her father dies. (An overdone opening scene in my opinion.)
Nevertheless, I only kept reading to see the mystery unfold about Frieda, which is why I gave it 2.5 stars instead of 2 stars. Unfortunately, Frieda’s story was overshadowed by Miriam’s narratives.

I do not recommend this book to young readers since it includes topics such as rape, abuse, and self-harm.

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This Tender Land, by William Kent Krueger

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The synopsis provided for this novel is precise, so I will only be reviewing my likes and dislikes.

There was a fair amount of historical context incorporated through the eyes of a 12-year old living in 1932 Minnesota as a runaway orphan. The characters that he and the other three orphans meet along their voyage are layered with the voice of those who lived during that time. The atmosphere of The Great Depression not only interrupted the innocence of many children, as we see in the runaways in this story, but also isolated the essence of faith and trust in a wide populace. 

“…if you have family, you can lose everything and still count yourself a rich man.” 

Saturated in descriptive imagery, the words and phrases painted are to be savored. So, it is not a book that you can read quickly because it is designed to ignite nostalgia, meaning, and sentiment. The descriptions are marinated in an assortment of flavors that sometimes cause it to be longer than most novels. Full of literary gold, this would be a treasure chest of excerpts for English teachers.

In saying that, it was sometimes slow moving for me. The ending was fast paced, as with most stories, but the first half was comparable to a roller coaster: moving up with action and adventure yet sometimes tediously moving at a horizontal shuffle for a few pages with so many descriptions until the next climactic event. At different moments it took me longer to get through the first half because of these dips. Nevertheless, still a poignant piece of literature.

I recommend this novel for lovers of Huckleberry Finn and other stories of adventure and odyssey.
Many thanks to Atria Books, William Kent Krueger, and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. 

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In the Warsaw Ghetto, by Glenn Haybittle

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This is one of the most dramatic historical fiction novels I have read this summer. It is a quick read because of the intensity and it does not hold back! 

Through Ala and Max, the reader is thrown on a wild ride in the ghetto of Warsaw. The authenticity of the characters in this novel is unparalleled, and their thoughts throughout the entire novel are real and meaningful, yet heart-breaking. The graphic and gory scenes experienced and seen by Ala and Max punctuates the scale of the nightmare endured by those living within the ghetto’s walls.

Through the perspectives of Ala, still a teen, and Max, in his late thirties, the reader is quickly immersed into the relocation of Jews moving into the ghetto. As part of the high-class society, family members of Ala and Max swiftly cling to their prominence by joining the Judenrat where the reader sees corrupt behavior, nefarious lawlessness, and deceit among Jews. Ala and Max struggle to adapt and survive the inhumane conditions of the largest Jewish ghetto of WWII while seeking to maintain their sense of humanity. “The awful thing is I feel shame and compassion every day but it doesn’t fundamentally change my behavior.” Both Ala and Max continue to examine that the plight of survival has exposed the most unsavory things about themselves. Meanwhile, the Jewish political parties pull for Ala and Max to join their cause eventually leading to the bloodbath of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. 

There are notable sexual situations and thoughts embedded in this novel. But, why not? The sexual instances were outwardly used to reveal that not only were these characters very much human with human feelings, but that principles and integrity were still accounted for even when the world around them was crumbling. It lent credibility to the circumstances; teenagers were probably still thinking about it, and people were still having it. Examples of these scenes: “Firstly, he couldn’t believe the size of the man’s organ…Secondly, he had never heard of a woman putting a penis in her mouth.” “Ala pictures herself dancing naked for him.” “Most of Ala’s secrets are related to sex.” 

Many thanks to Cheyne Walk, Glenn Haybittle, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy in exchange for my review. 
The emotional depth involved that the author captured is astounding. I’ll be looking for more from this author.  4.5 stars

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Where the Desert Meets the Sea, by Werner Sonne

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The book is told chronologically and the dates are vastly important in order to comprehend the extend of what happened in so little time to each of the characters. The characters are concentrated around a young Arab woman, Hanna, and a young Jewish woman, Judith, with every character in the story being connected to either Hanna or Judith. However, it is told from many of the characters POV (not just from Hanna and Judith). I especially enjoyed the different character viewpoints and found the author did a great job describing the Middle Eastern conflict of Jerusalem through many different sets of eyes.

The author shows a variation of answers to the question–Who does Jerusalem belong to?–through these different points of view. It doesn’t singularly revolve around just one or two characters. That is probably the most spectacular thing about this story, is to experience the Middle Eastern conflict from different angles.

This book is filled with a lot of history, but also language and culture. The author incorporates Hebrew, Arabic, and Yiddish words/phrases. Because of this, I recommend reading it on a Kindle so that you can translate quickly.

This is action-packed. So much so, that sometimes certain details were left out that help move the story along. Things such as sensory imagery and directional surroundings. Because there was so much action, things like this were left out quite frequently. It sometimes caused the flow of the story to be broken. There was so much information provided that literary devices were left out. This also caused the first part of the book to be difficult to get through. 

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The Winemaker’s Wife, by Kristin Harmel

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The synopsis provided for this story is a bit misleading. Less than 15% of the story deals with the French Resistance; and moreover, it goes into little to no details about what they did other than hiding the munitions as stated in the synopsis. The members are never named, the groups are unknown, and the effect of their cause is anonymous. The reader never sees the outcome of what came from their help with the resistance and there is no action regarding the resistance movement.

The premise for this book was an interesting concept showing a different perspective of WWII German-occupied citizens: the winemakers. It was interesting that they were treated differently since the Nazi soldiers needed booze, and I would have liked more interaction between them.

This novel relishes in marital problems, affairs, and wine. The chapters alternate between Liz, Ines, and Celine. The reader is quickly made aware of Liz’s divorce in 2019 which causes her to fly to Reims, France to stay with her 99-year-old spunky Grandma Edith. Meanwhile set in 1943 during German-occupied France, Ines and Celine both express their own marital problems. The first half of the book primarily focuses on Ines and Celine’s relationship problems with their spouses. Ines constantly feels left out and insignificant, and for the reader it frequently feels like she is whining and can become annoying to suffer through the pages of her moaning about no one caring about her

Overall, there was little depth to the main characters, so none of them really resonated with me. I didn’t like any of the characters set in the past, and I felt like it was hard to get to know them as a reader. On the other hand, I did like Grandma Edith and it was her relationship with Liv and the connection that was to be made between her and the past that caused me to keep reading. The ending was carefully crafted and enjoyable. 

This is a good light read for those interested in both romance and wine. (There are many paragraphs throughout beautifully describing how wine is made.) 


Thank you to Gallery Books, Kristin Harmel, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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