Romance and resistance in Amsterdam. What matters to you enough that you would sacrifice your own life? Widowed math professor, Josef, is faced with a decision to help a student, Michael, when the Jewish raids begin. Yet when Josef’s niece, Ingrid, becomes involved with the Nazi’s, Josef not only must decide where him and Ingrid’s relationship stands but he must also choose to follow his moralistic principles or surrender his values to solidify his own safety. Michael’s girlfriend, Elke, is faced with turmoil when Michael goes missing and she struggles to accept that he is gone.
My notes: As a reader, you will not learn much history that has not already been accounted for in a plethora of other novels. The atmosphere of war and the setting of Amsterdam 1940-1945 is well constructed. However, the focus is on the characters and their tales during this time. The inhumane atrocities experienced by Jews and their life in concentration camps is not accounted for. Overall, the novel was a light, easy read. The plot did not create a complexity of profound thoughts or cause for deep reflection. For me it was not gripping or intensely captivating, but rather a normal WW2 read that avoids harrowing specifics.
There is a good true story of sacrifice buried in here, and it is revealed and noted by the author in the end. Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture, and Suzanne Kelman for a copy. Opinions are my own.