I love reading historical fiction books based during WWII. This was based on a different area of the typical books I’ve read. The Girl from the Mountains is set in Czechoslovakia. I continue to be amazed at the courage and dedication so many individuals were willing to demonstrate as they took a stand against Hitler’s atrocious acts. The characters are well developed and you will be drawn into the story. The author’s research is obvious and she presents an emotional tale of love and survival.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoutre for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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Magdalena grew up on a beautiful farm in Czechoslovakia until the Germans took over their property. Magda then went to work for an affluent Jewish family in a small town near the mountains. She loved the family and would do anything to save them. When the Germans sent the family off to Terezin’s Jewish Ghetto, Magda joins the Resistance to fight back. Will she be able to survive the war and save the Tauber family?

I love the story of Magda! She was very brave and passionate about saving the Tauber family and then returning home to her family farm. I also loved her romance with Karol. He was such a perfect match for Magda. The writing was beautiful, but once Magda and Karol joined up with the bigger Resistance group I started to lose interest because not as much was happening. I would definitely recommend this book to readers that enjoy historical fiction!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Amazing read. I loved everything about this. I have been avoiding World War II books for awhile because they were just too depressing, and sad, and anxiety producing. But this book, while it definitely had those elements also had an uplifting & enabling feel. Magda goes through hell when she is torn from her family and has to start surviving on her own in the Nazi regime. I don't want to give the story away but this is a young woman who made her way and not only survived but grew in both emotional maturity and basic skills for living. She learned to love herself even though she'd been told her birthmark was horrendous. She did not lose the ability to love other people regardless of their race or affiliation. I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down.

This novel is so intense and suspenseful. I couldn't put it down as I was taken back to WWII and into the historical events with Magda, the main character. Ms. Lucyk-Burger articulately and completely submerged me into the pages of this heart wrenching story. One that, even though it's fiction, is based on the facts of historical events that are important to remember. Magda is a character I will never forget. The fear, anxiety, insecurity, and losses she endured at the inhumane treatment from the Nazi's was so realistic that I felt for what the Jews suffered by their cruelty. I struggled, ran, cried and finally pulled with Magda ...as much as it was frightening and difficult, to do whatever it took to survive. This story is written by an author who has a gift. One that the words become life and the reader is living in the pages. I truly recommend this historical fiction book for the indepth and meticulous attention to creating a story that will swallow you in and bring you along as if you were living through the events. I love historical fiction and this is a book that reinforces why.

I want to thank Chrystyna Lycyk-Burger for sharing her amazing talent in writing this novel. I can't wait to read more by her. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my heartfelt own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookoutoure for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

World War II historical fiction set in Czechoslovakia with a youthful protagonist, named Magda who becomes involved in resistance work.

It's a beautiful story, the plot moves at a fairly good pace but I felt it was too similar to a few novels that I had already read on the subject. 🤷‍♀️


Publication Date 03/02/21
Goodreads review published 15/05/21

In 1938, when the family farm is confiscated by the Reich, young Magda Novák is directed to a mountain villa, where she is welcomed by a wealthy Jewish family as governess and helpmeet. Dr Tauber has ‘special exemptions’ to keep his family safe. Nevertheless, they are arrested and imprisoned in 1942, but not before Dr Tauber entrusts their newborn son to Magda. The Taubers’ arrest fuels Magda’s struggle for the rest of the novel. Smuggled out of the villa before it is commandeered by the Obergruppenführer, baby Samuel is lost to Magda, but she remains as staff, passing information to the resistance, some of whom are friends from the villa. Her inability to properly disguise her disfiguring facial birthmark compromises her efforts and soon enough puts her top of the Obergruppenführer’s wanted list with a bounty on her head. Magda is often at odds with the resistance group, but her distrustful nature and her vulnerability are part of the charm of her character.

The partisans can do little to withstand the Nazi invasion, so they run and hide and try to stay alive. Fleeing across the mountains to Slovakia, Magda learns to fight and shoot, relying on only one man she trusts. She nurses the wounded and risks herself on dangerous missions. Even if the world one day rights itself, Magda knows that her fellow partisans are too diverse – Czechs, Poles, Ukrainians, Hungarians, Gentiles and Jews – leading to perpetual infighting, with everyone with their own agenda for the war’s end. Through it all Magda’s task is two-fold: stay alive and save one Jewish boy.

The main interest here is the unusual time and place, which we don’t hear much about. The story is engrossing, well-researched, crackling with tension and full of descriptive detail. This will appeal to readers interested in WWII stories beyond the scope of the norm.

I liked how the setting of this was Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. It was a good reminder of how far their power actually reached. Magda was a sympathetic, yet sometimes frustrating, character. She often let her birthmark define her – which I guess is not really her fault, but certainly caused her to react poorly (and erroneously) to some situations. I did like how the home of “misfits” was portrayed; it also illustrated how wide the Nazi hatred stretched. The fates of some characters were muddled and deserved better wrap-ups, and I’m not sure the ending was entirely plausible. But it was still a good read. For a detailed review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.

As I have stated in reviews before, stories of brave men and women of the war resistance strike a chord with me as a reader. This book is a bit different in that Magda, to whom goes through many trials before this point, is asked to protect a baby from the Nazi’s. I could imagine the heart wrenching anguish a mother goes through having to make this decision for her child. And Magda, with now bring responsible for something more precious than any gold or diamond. Magda will have to keep her wits about her to protect herself, the baby, fool nazi’s and help the resistance.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Excellent book about a heroic young woman named Magda who saves a baby of the doctor for whom she works. She smuggles the baby into the hands of some who protect the baby from the Nazis.

She continues to work with The Resistance throughout WWII despite the growing odds against her. This was a compelling read which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Thanks to NetGalley who gave me an ARC of this book.

Magda plays a dangerous game in Nazi over-run Czechoslovakia, trying to save her newborn son, Samuel. Getting in touch with the Resistance, she must show much bravery and courage against this brutal regime. Well written historical fiction.

Going into The Girl from the Mountain I was looking forward to a new perspective in WWII fiction. So many books set in France, a book set in Czechoslovakia really intrigued me. While I did enjoy reading this book, something about it fell flat.

When Magda's family is forced off their farm she goes to work for a wealthy Jewish couple taking care of their young daughter. Through out the whole book I just could not get over how immature Magda was. I know she was young and naive but when your whole world is at war you grow up. So many times she would state that she didn't want to be part of the resistance yet she joined. I did like the side characters and honestly wish they would have been the mains.

Overall this book has gotten a lot of high ratings but for me it was not anything special. I felt the ending seemed forced and did not improve the story at all.

“We all understand the difference between right and wrong. But what if wrong is the law?”

This quote probably seems really profound to a lot of people, but as a law student all I can think of is Hart rolling in his grave. Jokes aside, I loved this book.

In WWII Czechoslovakia, Magda leaves her home to go live in a small village, where she begins working in the house of a respected Jewish oncologist and his wife and daughter. When the Taubers are arrested by the Nazis, she decides that she must avenge them and keep their infant son safe, whose existence has been kept hidden from the Nazi regime.

“But when the Germans charged into the camp’s parameters, Magda clambered over the rim of the crater, raised her rifle and felt a force so strong behind her, and beneath her, that she knew she would not be another casualty in this war.”

Originally, Magda continues working for the Nazi general who takes over the Tauber’s house, hoping to gain information to help the resistance. However, when she goes one step too far, she has to go on the run. What follows is Magda’s experience fighting for the Resistance against the Nazis while battling her own insecurities. Her internal and external journeys are equally riveting.

While reading this book, I did feel like some points of the plot were convoluted or riddled with holes. However, when I read the author’s note it definitely improved my opinion of the book. The author was inspired by a real life story of a Nazi officer’s son born in the Czech Republic, who was circumcised by the locals who assisted with the birth.

I recommend this to historical fiction readers who love strong female protagonists. Thank you to Bookouture and Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I found the first third of the book very enjoyable, I liked the story and I was looking forward to see how the story progressed unfortunately I was disappointed with the direction the story took. It become disjointed and unrealistic and to be honest it was a real struggle to finish.

I could not put this book down read it within 2 days. You get books like this where you just want to carry on reading to find out what happens.

The main character in this book is Magda in which when the Germans invade her country her family are forced to leave their farm.

Magda ends up working in a house for a family of Jews looking after their daughter, the Father is very good Doctor so he has special dispensation to work and is protected from being taken away.

Unfortunately for Magda she ends up in the resistance she is not too involved at the start but decides she must do more for her country. She has a sixth sense if something is going to happen and is lucky to get out of situations.

I would recommend this book so cleverly written.

Recently there have been some great WWII time period books set in some of the countries we have heard little about, such as Italy, Greece, etc. This book is set in the Sudetenland part of Czechoslovakia.

The theme the author wanted to attack was “How far can one go before they lose their soul?” After several tragic losses of people she loves, Magda was finally driven to join the resistance. Reading about the cruelties the people faced each day, I wondered how people managed to keep going. It is an amazing story of people’s capacity to survive the worst of times.

The author meticulously researched for this book. The maps in the front of the book were very helpful. Under the author’s masterful writing, the characters came to life. Magda’s evolution was the core of the story. She was a strong, brave, adaptable, and realistic character. She was determined to survive. Much of the story focused on the partisans in the local area. With lots of tension in the story, I was kept on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend this book.

“We are shaped by our circumstances and marked by our choices.”

The Girl from the Mountains is the story of Magda, a Czech girl who goes to town after her family is moved out of their home so a good German family can move in part way through WWII. She is directed towards a house just outside of town where she might find shelter. There she finds a Jewish family who has been allowed to remain since the husband is a famous oncologist. Magda grows close to the family and when they are taken away she joins the resistance.
What is nice about this WWII book is that it takes place somewhere different, so many are set in France that they all start to seem the same. Magda is also a very realistic character and it is great to follow her through all of her mistakes (of which she has many) and triumphs (of which seem to be luck).

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed hearing a story about resistance efforts that isn't as "obvious" as some other WW2 stories are. The writing and the story were really powerful. That said, it did take me awhile to figure out who all the characters were and how and who tied things together (could be that the names were difficult for me to recall, which is on me). I think the writing left a lot that needed to be inferred based on other knowledge the reader has about WW2, and it wasn't always super clear to me what was actually happening.

Magda and her family are thrown out of their home by the advancing Nazi occupation of their Czech land. She finds safety in the mountains, in the home of a prominent Jewish doctor and his family. Tensions are fraught as fear and dread threaten to destroy the safety they have enjoyed. Finally the Gestapo arrive to round up the remaining Jews...
The Girl From The Mountains gives a unique insight into the Czech situation during the Second World War. I really enjoyed the setting which I have not read about in other books (and I have read quite a few set in WW2!)
I found the historical side of the book particularly interesting and well researched. However, the author's note at the end draws attention to poetic licence used to create fiction from the facts. There were details about massacres and the camp of Theresienstadt that I had limited knowledge about previously. The book contains some unpleasant descriptions of the Nazi treatment of their occupied peoples but the Holocaust atrocities are not described graphically. There are also episodes of Resistance brutality to show their fight for freedom against their oppressors.
The main character is Magda. She starts the book in the bosom of her family before they are displaced by the incoming Germans. The family go to live with other relatives but food and space is scarce. Her parents fear for their safety and send her away in the hope she can survive and hopefully thrive. Yet her placement with a Jewish family places her in further potential danger and readers nervously anticipate the risks.
Magda's sensitivity about her facial birthmark is a theme that runs through the book. She was tormented at school and fears ridicule. Yet she cannot hide away when her friends, family and country are being torn apart by German invaders. Magda's bravery is evident as she joins the Resistance as well as puts her heart on the line by falling in love with a Jew. She deliberately puts herself in danger despite her natural instinct to survive.
The Girl From The Mountains is an emotive and passionate book with a strong lead character. Love and hope survive due to the determination and courage of ordinary people.

I did not finish this book because I became so annoyed at Magda. About halfway through the book, the character does something that's so stunningly stupid that I had trouble believing someone could have done it. The whole birth scene was so unbelievable. I couldn't identify with her at all. Much of the dialogue in this book was stilted and awkward, perhaps a translation issue. Overall, I didn't enjoy what I read and found it unoriginal.

I’m a huge fan of resistance stories, particularly those focused on world war two era: and I had never heard great mention of stories set in the slavic areas beyond and aside from Russia. Here we meet Magda, youngest child and only daughter of a farmer living in a small village when the threat of war comes to their door. Sent away amidst many tears, she heads to the nearest bigger town and is directed to the home of the Taubers – he a physician of renown, with a wife and young daughter. To this point, the Tauber’s being Jews has not proven to be detrimental, although the family stays quiet and removed in their beautiful villa.

There Magda meets others who, like herself, are furious with the changes the Germans have brought, although she’s more confused and unaware of the quiet movement from others in the house to protect and resist the occupiers. When the worst happens, and the household she lives in is again torn apart, she faces uncountable obstacles, dangers and it is simply her own belief and determination to find her own home and protect a child that moves her forward.

Throughout the story, we see her determination, her resilience and her courage as Magda grows up and faces circumstances that no child, no person should be made to face. Heartbreaking and reaffirming in equal measure, this story brings the beauty and harshness of the Czech mountains and topography to light, all while showing the strength, determination and resilience of her people, and the changes they can make with a bit of determination, plenty of courage and the knowledge of a young girl’s belief in her own dream of one day returning to her home.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aRn /” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>