Oh how I loved this book!!
It was painful, ugly and miserable in so many ways throughout so many years. Anguish and gut wrenching times in everyone’s life throughout the war years and beyond as Germany tried to recover from the war. So much fear, starvation, deprivation of every kind, hard, hard work and the most difficult times that we can’t even comprehend going through, if we’ve never been through a war. Heartbreak and loneliness and betrayal. So much sadness!
It’s incredible that anyone could be “normal” again after what these people went through. Yet, it was love that saved them!! This book is also a beautiful love story. With happiness in the end!! I was so moved throughout the book.
The author has an amazing way of sharing the true story of her parents and grandparents. She takes you right into their lives, their hearts and minds, and their situations. I always try to keep myself from underlining the entire book when I read one this great! So I gave myself the talk, but Annette wrote so wonderfully and I admit, I underlined almost the entire book! It’s so well written. I was right there with Lily and Gunter. It’s a beautiful, wonderful book. ♥️
The book also has historical facts about the war, including Germany, Russia, Hitler and the Nazi machine as well as information on the cities, destruction of areas, shops, building etc. etc. There’s so much that was covered about the war but also the clean up and restoration that took longer than the war did. Starvation continued for many for another 6-10 years following the war.
It’s wonderful to hear how this family survived and generations continue on-because of love, dedication and commitment.
Read this! It’s way at the top of wonderful books in my opinion!!!
pamarella
PRCS
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More like Surviving the Fatherland: A True Coming-of-age Love Story Set in WWII Germany (Moving Love Stories of WWII Germany)
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From the Publisher
Historical Journeys
by award-winning author Annette Oppenlander
Annette Oppenlander with her beloved dog, Mocha
What Others Say
"...fast-paced and emotively worded and features a great selection of characters, flawed and poignantly three-dimensional." Historical Novel Society
"...engrossing and well-researched story with two of the most engaging protagonists I've read for a while." Discovering Diamonds - Independent Reviews of the Best in Historical Fiction
"...highly recommended reading! Reader Views
"...simply beautiful." Readers' Favorite
Annette Oppenlander
Historical Novelist
Annette Oppenlander is an award-winning writer, literary coach and educator. As a bestselling historical novelist, Oppenlander is known for her authentic characters and stories based on true events, coming alive in well-researched settings. Having lived in Germany the first half of her life and the second half in various parts in the U.S., Oppenlander inspires readers by illuminating story questions as relevant today as they were in the past.
Also much loved:
- Everything We Lose: A rich telling about two unlikely friends during the American Civil War.
- Where the Night Never Ends: A Prohibition Era adventure of a young orphan and a hobo.
- When They Made Us Leave: Exciting WWII story about a young couple.
Two protagonists
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Lilly at the age of eight, ca. 1940 |
Günter at the age of fourteen, ca. 1942 |
Günter & Lilly during their engagement, 1954 |
About the author
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Reviews with images
An Inspiring True To Life Story
This inspirational true story of two children named Lily, and Gunter, who survive against all odds, during the 1940’s Hitler era, set in World War II.From the first page, I was engrossed emotionally, into the lives of these two exceptional people., and because the story is based on the author’s family, you can feel the authenticity and pain just leaping off the page.I was full of emotion, reading what these children endured and how they kept going, and jhow inspiring it was, to see their persistence and determination.I honestly feel somewhat changed after reading this book, because I now having a deeper understanding of empathy, insight, and compassion toward children of war. As a 60’s child, I was lucky to have not grown up during war times.This book was such an interesting and intriguing story and I found myself living within the characters, feeling their emotions, and their day to day challenges, as they were swept along, in an unbearable tide of “Hitlerism”.I would recommend this book to everyone, as it is such an important story to read and understand. Anyone that is put through such obscene and difficult obstacles deserves to have their story told and appreciated.
Top reviews from other countries
Melissa Richmond
Beautiful, harrowing, TRUE story!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 19, 2021