I have been reading a lot of books that are based in the early to mid 1900's lately and have loved them all. Unbroken (MUST read). HeLa (the latest). And now a novel that explores WWII and the Holocaust not just from those that were persecuted as Jews, but also a German family forced from their home and a Scottish POW.
A well-off Prussian family becomes refugees as they flee west, trying to stay ahead of the Russian Army. The father and his two eldest sons leave their family to fight while the mother, Anna and Theo trek on with their Scottish POW. He was stationed at their estate to work and is accompanying them on the journey. They meet up with a Jewish escapee, Uri, who poses as a German soldier. He becomes their protector, forming a strong bond with the family and a friendship with the POW.
Parallel to this, the novel follows young Jewish women in a concentration camp and as they are marched and marched and marched. The barbarity they experience is unthinkable and ties well into Uri's desire to try to find his own sister who was taken away to a camp before he escaped.
The political complexities of being a wealthy family who at one time supported Hitler, to caring for a Jewish soldier as he protects them from the cruelties of war are captivating. The love story between Anna and her Scottish POW is sensual and inspiring. It is as easy to turn the pages as it is to difficult read the brutal words of war.
I loved it.
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