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.