The Survivors focuses on the aftermath of the fall of Hitler's regime. Klara and her daughter flee Poland to a camp for Holocaust survivors -Graufeld Displaced Persons Camp. She recognizes a man from her past, Oskar Sholz, and decides she needs to kill him before he kills her.

Kate Furnivall creates a thrilling story full of tension and suspense with historical details, romance, and an exciting cat and mouse game. This one is best described as a historical thriller with compelling, entertaining characters that create some suspense with who to trust and who not to trust. There is plenty of action that had me on the edge of my seat with twists and reveals that shocked and surprised me. The ending wraps up well, and I enjoyed the different pace the thriller element brought to the story.

I was SO excited to receive this book! But this book fell short of all my expectations unfortunately.
It was my first book from this author, so I cannot compare to any of her other titles.

WW2 is my favourite time historical time period to read about and while this one was okay, it unfortunately didn’t hit the mark for me.

I really enjoyed that this book took place in a displacement camp following the war as I have never read a book in this setting. I really enjoyed the descriptions of the camp and life there.

I think my biggest issue with this book was that I couldn’t connect with the protagonist, Klara. I didn’t find her all that likeable, and while I could appreciate her dedication to protecting her daughter, I struggled to connect with her. A smaller portion of this book was told from her daughter Alicja’s POV and I found myself much more engaged during her chapters.

Overall, this is a good historical fiction to read if you’re looking for something that delves into a different aspect of the war than most WW2 books.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

One of the things that is too rarely addressed in WWII fiction is the precarious landscape of society and belong after the cessation of the war - especially for those who were forced into collusion under harrowing circumstances. The Survivors approaches this difficult topic wish grit, grace, and humility as it follows a reunited mother and daughter as they work to find a new place in the world and struggle to outrun demons from their past. This story is both complicated and heartfelt, and yet it retains all of the intrigue and drama of a captured resistance fighter desperate to escape her past and keep her daughter from coming to harm. This is neither a light nor casual read, but it will draw you in close and keep you captive to end. Outstanding!

2.5 stars rounded down
This story will certainly have its fans but, for me, the plot was too slow. It takes place shortly after WW2 in a displacement camp. I'd never heard of displacement camps before so it was interesting to learn more about this setting, the overcrowding and rustic conditions. The author uses multiple perspectives and flashbacks during the war to tell the story of Klara, a Polish resistance fighter who is forced to work as a collaborator after being captured by the Nazis.. Klara and her 10-year-old daughter are battle-hardened survivors. Klara works tirelessly to manipulate the camp system to get her and her daughter out of the camp and away from one of her former Nazi captors, who is disguising himself as a displaced refugee.to avoid capture by the Allies. It is a race against time as Klara’s enemy plots to kill her.

This book is about survival, as the title implies. It’s about protecting what matters to you. It’s about learning how to find oneself and feel humanity again after being emotionally scarred beyond repair. How does one heal and go back to being who they were before the war? Is this even possible?

The author weaves thoughtful predicaments and unbearable circumstances throughout the story, which make the reader contemplate. Having read many historical fictions about WW2, it was refreshing to read one that focuses on the immediate aftermath of the war. There are flashbacks about Klara’s experience during the war, but they were quite watered down and nothing exceptional to set this book apart from other war stories. Readers who have not read much about WW2, will probably get more out of it than I did.

I was initially intrigued by the present day plot about the Nazi in hiding and his threat towards Klara. However, the plot was one-note and dragged too much. I kept waiting for something to happen. I didn’t care for Klara’s character all that much either. It was difficult to empathize or sympathize with her. As a result, I found it challenging to remain engaged in the book. This was one of those instances in which the execution of the story just didn’t work for me.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story was written as a first person narrative. The characters are described directly while the main conflict is a mixture of internal and external as characters battle themselves, nature, other characters and society. THe major themes in place are love, death, war, survival, prejudice, and power and corruption.

Klara Janowska is our protagonist, a half Polish and half English, young lady living in Germany when World War II breaks out with her young daughter Alicja. She is determined and dedicated to saving her daughter, even after they reach a Displaced Persons Camp inside of Germany. The story begins with Klara and Alicja attempting to reach the Displaced Persons Camp in Germany to locate their relatives throughout Europe after the war is over. Klara has already lost both her husband and brother because of the war and for a short time was even without her daughter. She is now determined to make sure that does not happen again, she is willing to do whatever she has to in order to keep them safe. At times she can be manipulative when securing information or items to secure her daughter’s safety. Inside the camp she has made friends with Hanna and her son, who work in the laundry and sometimes was Alicja when she has work to do, also a Frenchmen who acts as a secretary for the camp’s director. Unfortunately, new arrivals makes the camp dangerous as one man knows all about Klara’s past and everything she has ever done in order to keep her and her daughter safe.

The ideas are important and add an interesting layer to this story as the flow is well organized and follows a logical sequencing. The voice is individualized and appropriate for the character, time, and material that it deals with, and the word choice and sentence structure helps to enhance the story. Yes, I would recommend this book. It would be an excellent read for anyone interested in fiction World War II reads, stories of survival, elements of history, second chances and characters with large amounts of growth. This would not be good for those who do not like reading about World War II, strong female leads, are against manipulative females, or parent and child separation.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very dark story of life after WWII for a mother and daughter trying to survive in a Displaced Persons camp in Germany. Klara does what she needs to in order to ensure the survival of herself and her daughter. We see flashbacks of Klara's past life during the war and actions she took to survive.
This is not one of my favourite books that I have read about WWII but it did present a different aspect of life following the war that I haven't read before.

Wow!

This book has several firsts for me. The first (but definitely not the last) book I have read by Kate Furnivall. The first time I have really thought about the problems of displaced persons after WWII, the hardships of the individuals, the issues of identifying those hiding their identities/histories, the societal problems of feeding, housing and repatriating the masses of people displaced by the hostilities. The problems of the German people after the war. But, don't get me wrong, this book is so much more than the setting of time and place; it is a page-turner of a suspense/romance. It might start out a bit slow and harsh, but, WOW!!! Read this book!

Reviewed on Amazon.com; review pending their posting process.

The strength of the main protagonists – a Polish mother and her young daughter is remarkable – a testament to the power of a mother’s love as the impetus to do anything to save your child – to survive. It’s not a sweet and tidy fairy-tale. It’s gritty. It’s rough. It’s painful and powerful. The author does not cushion the blows or smooth out the jaggged edges – the language, violence, and choices reflect the grittiness of the characters. This may offend some, but I found it atmospheric… real.

As a whole, The Survivors is moving. It’s fast paced, suspenseful, with danger, daring, and romance. It’s a remarkable piece of historical fiction with a unique look at the tragedies of war and the strength of survival. It’s truly a gripping piece of work. Watch for it to hit shelves at all major booksellers this Tuesday.

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this title via NetGalley with thanks to the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.fulk review posted on my blog: http://lifelovelaughterlinds.home.blog/2019/04/28/book-review-the-survivors-by-kate-furnivall/

This story, for me, started out very slowly. It didn’t really grab me until I was about 3/4’s of the way through the book. I did enjoy the last 1/4 but I really struggled to get to that point. For that reason I can only give it two stars.

I have been a fan of Kate Furnivall's since reading The Red Scarf and so I didn't hesitate to request this one. A powerful story of love and betrayal in the aftermath of WWII.

The Survivors takes place in a DP(displaced persons) camp after WWII. Polish mother and daughter Klara and Alicja are awaiting travel to England to be near Klara's grandmother. They have found friends in the camp and spend their days surviving the best way they can. When a man from Klara's past enters the camp under another name, Klara's actions spell danger for not only herself, but Alicja has well.


Echoing some of my fellow reviewers, most books about WWII that I have read do not address the immediate consequences following the war. I was captivated from the very beginning of this story and enjoyed all of the characters. The story moved at a fair pace and I just couldn't put this book down until I reached the end.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon&Shuster Canada for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Review 17/04/19
Publication Date 30/04/19

A brilliantly written story, set in 1945. After Klara’s husband, a polish pilot fighter was shot down in the war, she and her daughter needed to find a safe place. Walking for weeks, tired, hungry, broke and often fearful for their lives, they arrive at a displaced persons camp, Graufeld Camp.. Not long after a man from her past shows up using a false name. Klamath knows why he is there, she also knows who he is and what he has done. He is someone to fear. He, in return, knows what Klara has done,. Suspense, mystery and love dominate the story which linger in your mind long after you have finished reading the book. I highly recommend this book, and look forward to reading more by the same author..

Thank you Netgalley for the copy of The Survivors. This story takes place after WWII in a displaced persons camp, which was an interesting change from the plethora of books I have recently read whose plots focussed on concentration camps or WWII itself. Klara Janowska and her daughter have survived WWII only to be living in a camp whose secrets threaten their very existence. Klara’s past is never far from surfacing and obliterating her future, Nazis, the Polish Resistence, and the will to survive converge in an ultimate clash between morality and survival.

This novel is readable and the writing uncomplicated. I appreciated the interesting setting and the intricacies of daily life. Klara is a character who is a true survivor and she quickly endeared herself as a woman of strength, resilience, and dedication. The interplay between her character and Oscar Scholz was intriguing and I wanted more! As the novel unfolded, I felt as though something were missing...something between Klara and Oscar. I was waiting for the hidden truth of how these two characters were linked, and the ending just didn’t satisfy this need. I found it to be a bit contrived as the resolution to all of Klara’s problems was neatly packaged and presented to the reader.

Would I recommend this book? Absolutely. It is a solid read and will keep you entertained. Nothing too complicated here but worth a try.

In post-WW2 Germany, Klara and her daughter have walked for weeks to join a Displaced Persons camp. The conditions are cramped and dirty, and there are 3200 DPs in total at the camp. There, Klara recognizes a man from her past. A man she needs to kill.

I will admit that I never found myself engaged in the story. Reading other glowing 4 or 5 star reviews, I am evidently in the minority. I love historical, war-related stories, but I couldn't connect with the writing or with Klara and her daughter, who also has her own POV. I think it was a really unique take on the Second World War, since I've never read from the perspective of a Displaced Person before, but I unfortunately couldn't get into it.

Very engaging book. The author has grabbed your attention right from the first page and keeps your interest throughout the book.

Well written but a depressing tale with too much violence for me. I struggled to finish it.

Klara Janowska's husband was a Polish pilot and assumed killed in action. She and her daughter, Alicja, have survived the Nazi concentration camp and now find themselves in a DP (displaced person) camp. The horror of their experiences continue to be a focus of their present lives as they form a make-shift family with Davide Bouveier and five DP (displaced person) children while the search for Klara's English granmdmother is underway. They need Klara's grandmother to sponsor their moving to England.

Ending was lovely but bitter sweet.

An intelligent and dramatic description of life in a displaced persons camp after WWII. Klara and Alicja Janowska are survivors of the horrors of war and find themselves living in Graufeld Displaced Persons Camp. Klara is fiercely protective of her young but fearless daughter Alicja. She has no protector, her pilot husband a casualty of the war.

Although life in the camp is already fraught with danger and privations, a man from Klara's past enters the camp under an assumed identity, a man who poses a real threat to their safety. Unable to leave the camp, she goes on high alert to gather her friends closely around her to protect Alicja as she formulates a plan.

Despite the apparent hopelessness of their situation, a gentle Frenchman, Davide, who has also suffered privation through the loss of his family and his health, assumes the role of friend and protector. Having long lost the ability to trust, Klara is drawn to him. Could her plan put her newfound friendship in jeopardy?

Impeccably written, this story wraps itself around you as you follow Klara from her past to her present. You don't want to let them go.

The Survivors is an intense, well executed story of war survivors in the Displaced Persons Camps that sprung up in Germany after the Second World War. Full of emotions and underlying tensions the detailed story is filled with characters and actions that are compelling making this an impossible read to put down. Klara, another smart, tough and feisty character that Kate Furnivall is famous for; is vividly portrayed in “camp” life where everyone is doing what they must to survive. Klara’s love for her daughter is absolute and adds another complex level of intrigue to horrendous conditions she must endure and manoeuvre through to a better future. Highly recommended great and gripping historical fiction read. Thankyou NetGalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful author on my NookBook.

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster, and #Netgalley for an ARC of The Survivors in return for an honest review.

I have read a large number of books that are set in the time of the second World War, but I haven't read very many set in the time shortly after the war ended, and this was in part what drew me to this book. I knew very little of what life was like for those who had to live in displaced persons camps and knowing that there are still far too many displaced person camps in existence in the present time I wanted to learn more. This book was quite the eye opener for me.

It hardly seems fair that those who have struggled so hard to survive the horrors of war should end up basically losing their freedom once the war has ended, but this was very common during the post war era. Countries were ill-equipped to deal with the massive number of people who had no safe homes to return to and they did their best by placing people into camps where they would provide for them at least on a subsistence level while trying to work out what they should do with them.

This novel grabbed me from the very first pages. The story begins in Poland in 1945. Klara Janowska and her daughter Alicja have been hiding out in a forest while making their way West to what they hope will be safety far from the advancing Soviet army. They hear people coming - "Fear slid up my throat as they moved constantly in and out of the trees, grey as ghosts, brief flickers in the darkness. Circling us. Like Wolves. One laughed, high-pitched and greedy. My skin crawled." The author had the ability to use words to make me feel as if I was there with them holding my breath too!

Eventually Klara and Alicja make it to Graufeld (Grey Field) camp for displaced persons. They are there along with 3,200 other people, refugees, "a costly and intractable problem that no one wanted."

Klara described herself as living "in a fog of hope and despair." " If you've always been safe, you don't know the meaning of unsafe. That it changes you. I thought I was safe. Here. In this camp. With bread on the table and a roof over our heads. But I was wrong."

A chance sighting of a man from Klara's past sets her off on a course that she believes will ultimately lead to her killing a man. That man is Oscar Schotz , and Klara believes that if she doesn't kill him, he will eventually kill her or her daughter or both.

The story is told from several viewpoints - sometimes Klara's, sometimes her young daughter Alicja and sometimes that of Davide Bouvier, a Frenchman who while also an internee, works in the administrative section of the camp where he frequently comes into contact with Klara. Regardless of which voice is speaking and whether it is a flashback to the past or the present day in the internment camp, the story is riveting and extremely moving. There is an element of mystery as the reader tries to understand why Klara and Oscar are such bitter enemies. There are twists and turns along the way and surprises.

In the end, Klara is what she has always been - a survivor. While still in Graufeld and unsure of what her future will hold she ponders, " We all need love and we all need to give love. It's what keeps our souls warm and alive. Without love, something dies in you. I thought of Davide. I thought of Alicja. I thought of Rafal, Alzbeta and Izak. How my love for them had helped bring me back from the brink."

This book has such an important story to tell. It shows how war can change a person and how love for one's child or family will lead him or her to do almost anything to ensure their survival. Too many people in the world today know this from first hand experience, and too few of us can understand or empathize with what these individuals have gone through in their search for survival, safety and a place to call home. Thanks to Kate Furnivall for helping this reader to understand a little better. I think everyone could benefit from reading this book and stepping into the shoes of these characters if only for a few hours.

Post war Germany 1945, this epic historical fiction brings us to Graufeld Displaced Persons camp where we follow Klara Janowska and her daughter Alicja, they along with thousands others who needed to navigate through dangerous conditions and do anything to find a safe home. Klara and Alicja were the lucky ones.

Klara and Alicka are the heart in this sad tale. The story highlights how far a mother would go to protect her child and how deep the love of a daughter has for her mother. Both had endured the horrors of war before fleeing their native Poland walking for weeks to get to Graufeld , a camp where they found themselves in a grim situation, with basic rations and where they will be plunged in a cat and mouse game with an old adversary….. Oskar Schotz.

The story is narrated by Klara, Alicja and Davide Bouvier, the camp administrator.

The characterisation is superb especially when Klara and Oskar circle each other amidst the confines of the camp. The story also moves beyond the camps’ walls where the cost of war is revealed in heart wrenching depth. Cruelty and kindness and simple human compassion are poignantly explored. Ms. Furnivall particularly knows how to emotional engage us with shocking events in the darkest days of wartime and by vividly bringing to life the uncertainty and desperation of the displaced.

“The Survivors” although brutal is beautifully written, full of tension, thrills, and historical details. This is another cleverly plotted historical fiction which explores the resistance of human against adversity.

Well-done