I really enjoyed this historical fiction novel and loved how it was inspired by the story of the author’s mother. The story of Vera and Edith and their friendship over the years was really good.

I have read tons of WWII books. As a matter of fact, this is one of my favorite time periods. But this book just moved a bit slow for me. It does give you all the emotions you are looking for when a book is set during the war. But I just didn’t feel very connected to the characters and it needed to be a bit more fast paced.

This was my second book by this author and I was not disappointed. I really enjoy her writing style and the way she brought the characters to life.

This story follows Vera and Edith, two Hungarian refugees and the way the rebuilt their lives after WWII. While the story is not a light read and there are many sad parts it was an enjoyable read and I found myself wanting these two who were so young to find happiness after the war.

Fans of WWII will enjoy this story and this author is now on my must read list.

I received a free copy of this book for my honest opinion which I have given.

I love historical fiction that is based on real people, so I was excited to pick up this read since the author was inspired by her mother's own story of surviving the Holocaust. This is a fast-paced book that felt pretty easy to read, despite the heartbreaking content.

Vera and Edith are best friends that miraculously survive the ravages of war and find themselves in Naples, Italy trying to restart their lives. Vera ends up falling in love, and the path their lives take after that is quite interesting. There was way too much of a focus on romance for me though - it made the book feel a tad schmaltzy at times. My other gripe was that some of it seemed super far-fetched. I would have loved an author's note at the end that explained which parts were fiction and which parts really happened to her mother. This would have lent more authenticity to the book, and I would have been able to better discern whether the parts that didn't ring true really were invented or not.

I do feel like all stories of Holocaust survivors are valid and important to hear, but I wish some of the more formulaic parts had been skipped in favor of the author exploring more of the long-lasting effects of the war on these two remarkable women.

Two women who have barely survived the war and this book is their recovery from it all. Vera and Edith have been best friends since birth and through the swift thinking of their mothers they were spared a trip to Auschwitz and with the help of some strangers they made it through the war. Throughout the book they move around to find their new normal and hopefully put down some roots.

I have read so many books on World War II and I keep thinking I have read it all. I loved that in this book the action takes place after the war and you are seeing these two young women pull themselves together and try to figure out how they want their post war life to be. I am so thankful the author put two characters together who are both similar and different - they come from the same neighborhood and are the same age, but going into the war were in different places in life and have reacted so differently to the life they are now trying to build.

My first Anita Abriel read, but will surely not be my last and thankfully I have all of her others books on netgalley, so can pick up my kindle and read them very soon!

Here is yet another perfectly serviceable WWII historical romance that was lost on me. Based on the editorial, I was anticipating a story of female friendship during and after WWII. What I received was some (not all) schmaltzy writing and a love story. I think it’s time to step away from the WWII hist-fic.

Review coming soon. Fell behind due to illness, amd working on all of the old ones now.

This one will not be forgotten. Friends are our light! I loved the message here.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are mine.


Pub Date was February 4th, 2020
#AnitaAbriel #TheLightAfterTheWar #NetGalley

While there is plenty of WWII fiction to go round, this story (inspired by true events) stands out from the pack.

I enjoyed the sweeping timeline and detail as these two friends survived the war and beyond. I also enjoyed that it focused on locations outside of the norm for WWII style books.

Having read one of Anita Abriel's other WWII books where most everyone/everything is fictional I had hoped that The Light After the War would have what Lana's War was missing; emotional depth. The Light After the War is Abriel's mother's story. Almost everything that happens in it happened in real life. And while it's a wild story of survival against all odds I still felt like it lacked the real emotional depth I've come to see in other historical novels.

Between the characters not being very well developed (which is weird as Abriel knew aa few of them personally, like her Mother) and the descriptions missing something; I just didn't come away from this novel with any sort of great emotional response; be it sad, happy, or otherwise. Everything in it is just fine. There's nothing inherently wrong with the novel; but it just lacks some sort of authenticity for me. Which is ironic given it's almost entirely based on a true story. At the end of the day I just wished for more. If you want to read a WWII book with a relatively happy ending then this is for you. The details of the war are mostly left out. The large plot points (who lives, who dies and how they die) are all said; but not described in any sort of detail that (at least for me) evicts a strong emotional response. So if you want a "light" WWII historical novelization this might be for you. However if you are hoping for the intensity of The Tattoo of Auschwitz then I recommend passing on this one and reading one of the thousands of WWII novels out there today.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

A historical fiction about friendship and love after the war. It fell a little flat for me, but many will enjoy it.
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the arc. I am voluntarily leaving a review.

I’m not a fan of the writing style or how shallow the characters seem. I’m sorry this wasn’t a book for me.

This was an amazing historical fiction novel based on the true stury of two Jewish friends who survive the Holocaust. The book takes place as they both are now going to move to America post war. I loved reading about Vera and Edith's friendship. The romance is a bit of a main plot point, so of course I loved that.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I enjoyed the the relationship the two main characters had with each other and how they kept each other going while being refugees, living in different places during the hardest time in history. I think the main reason I am giving it 3 stars is I didn't really enjoy the ending and how it just felt like it wrapped up a little too easily with a pretty bow on top. I get the book has to end some time, but I felt like the ending was rushed and was just put there to wrap it up. I did enjoy the author's style of writing and will be looking to read more by her in the future!
Kindle ebook – I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

A different "World War 2" book -- this one is set in Naples after the war and follows two young women who are trying to survive after losing their families in the war. There have been so many books published lately that focus on the war, it's nice to see something that focuses on a different aspect. The story is quickly paced and I was interested in what was going to happen next, but it seemed pretty ordinary. Yes, there were some slight surprises, but for the most part I could see what was happening from miles (pages) away. I enjoyed a look at the differing settings -- Naples, Venezuela -- and I enjoyed reading about life after the war, but nothing really stood out as impressive. Not a bad read, just nothing special.

After several chapters I knew it would not appeal to my students and do not plan to purchase it. Thank you for the opportunity to read it for preview purposes.

Vera Frankel and Edith Ban are refugees from Hungary, living and working in Naples, Italy after the war. Looking for a brighter future after surviving the horrors, the best friends are given the opportunity to start anew. Will the search for a new path in life bring peace and resolution?

The Light After the War is one of those books that begs to have the author's note at the beginning. The novel reads like historical fiction, mainly taking place in the years after World War II. As Vera and Edith attempt to move forward after losing all that they love, their story reads like a work of pure fiction. The author's note explains how much of the story is born out of truth, which might have changed my opinion of the book. The plausibility of Vera and Edith's story is so unrealistic that I did not find it to be interesting. Many of the historical aspects of the novel are lost, as the author glosses over the details that might have given the story more impact.

As many traveled a similar path as Vera and Edith's, it would have been nice had the author spent more time describing the sights and sounds. Overall, The Light After the War was a good novel, but missing that element that would have made it great.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher, Atria Books. The decision to review this book was entirely my own.

Overall, I enjoyed The Light After the War, a story about friendship and love and recovery after WWII from the point of view of Vera, a Hungarian Jew who escaped a train bound for Auschwitz with her friend Edith. The story takes.place all over the world. I enjoyed that it was based on the author's mother's story of survival. Parts of it wrapped up a little too nicely, but it was a quick, pleasant read for the most part so I am glad I took the time to read it!

3.5
Another good one by Anita Abriel. I love ww2 books as I learn something new from each and every one. I must admit they often get exhausting if there are too many similarities. This one had a new take about friends that survive the war in hiding. The book offered a lot to think about and was overall, a good story.

I feel like the synopsis was misleading and there was no structure in the writing. The protagonists would start to go in one direction and then without warning we were going in a completely different direction. And honestly, not really sure what the plot was supposed to be..

I am sorry this didn't work for me.

Thank you for the ARC.

Excellent writing, and an interesting premise...what happens to everyone AFTER the war. This is one story, and it was hard to put down.