The Girl from Berlin is the second historical fiction book that I have read by Kate Hewitt and it certainly begins with a very tense opening, a group of soldiers arrive at a house wanting to gain access and a woman is trying to stall them. Every dark and dangerous time has prepared her for this moment. She feels like she is making her penance and that she has lots to atone for. So many questions instantly arise. Who is this woman? Where exactly is she and what has led her to this threatening moment in her life?

We are then introduced to our main female character Liesel Scholz when she is aged 14 in 1936. From that point on the story is told through two time frames, Berlin in the years leading up Hitler’s rise to power and the subsequent war years but also Frankfurt in 1946, when American Captain Sam Houghton arrives in a city of ruins to facilitate the reconstruction and denazification of the country post war. I think of the two, Liesel’s story captured my imagination far more as I felt the aspect of the story following Sam was very slow and very dark and heavy going. I knew the two strands of the story had to tie together at some point though and I was interested to see how this would be explored and all the dots joined together.

Liesel lives with her family in Berlin and times are changing. Hitler is gaining power and prominence and the citizens of Germany seem to be brainwashed and enraptured by his beliefs, relentless propaganda. Just because you listen to someone doesn’t mean you have to believe what they are saying and Liesel is firmly of this opinion. Her father Otto believes the same but they are living in dangerous and unsettling times so their viewpoints would never be openly expressed especially near any of the powers that be. Liesel is firmly against joining the girls version of Hitler’s youth brigade and her friends see her as being strange for not jumping to join in to help make Germany a nation of Ayran superiority.

One wonders was Liesel in the minority at the time for having the stance that she did? Were many others of the same opinion but like her did their best to keep this secret and instead expressed their disdain at what was happening in secret. Rules must be obeyed or the consequences would be deadly. Liesel is a young girl who questions everything. She can see what is beginning to happen is not right, just or fair and the needless bloodshed, horror and brutality that will ensue over the following years that breeds such revulsion, hatred and disgust will appal her. In a way she is a rebel in that she went against everything that was being fed to the German people but as her father works for the government at a factory a very thin line must be threaded.

She has faith in her father that deep down he too feels the same way she does but yet he too must play the game and do what is asked of him. But the more the story progresses she begins to question the faith she has in her father. Maybe he doesn’t hold the same opinion that all this is wrong, that what happens to the Jews should not occur. As for her mother Isle, there is a distance between her and her daughter and Liesel can’t figure out why. It’s like she doesn’t exist, and that Isle loves her younger brother Friedrich much more. Therefore, a deep anger and resentment brews inside Liesel in relation to her mother but Isle did go on to surprise me when times got very tough. Therefore she feels closer to her father but when she is made do things and attend Nazi parties all so her father can ingratiate himself deeper into the party and continue his work Liesel begins too to despise him.

I felt poor Liesel was caught between a rock and a hard place. Loyalty to her family for standing up for what she feels is wrong. As she grows older and world events intensify and change and war looms at her door she really starts to question everything. Why should her father, a mid ranking chemist in a company become so important? I loved this about her she was always seeking answers and could see the bigger picture emerging. Up to a point though for there was still a lot at play that she had no idea about. The landscape of her life is changing but would she be brave enough to cope with everything that was about to be thrown at her?

Should she keep her head down and stay in the shadows, unnoticed by those who have the power or should she stand up for what she believes in? It’s a difficult choice to make and whatever one she chooses will have dangerous repercussions. I really admired Liesel for her bravery living in such a turbulent and disturbed world. She could see how senseless war was and how the horrors inflicted on the Jews were inhumane. I thought she was fearless for questioning what exactly her father was doing and though connected by blood she knew his ambition was beginning to poison her family. The latter half of the book with the chapters that focused on Liesel were tense and well written and threw up so any twists and turns that kept me reading on to see how her story would feature in the post war years.

As mentioned above, for me the section featuring Sam didn’t grip me as much although I understand its necessity to connect the threads of the story together and to show how Germany was dealing with the aftermath of the war. Specifically how the Americans were trying to trace all the Nazi’s who were in power and who had inflicted such a reign of terror on the world. Sam, when he arrives in Frankfurt, seems very disillusioned and out of tune with everything. It’s like he doesn’t want to be there even though he has been assigned an important task. During the war he did desk work in America and now is in the country he has heard so much about. His job was to seek out people who had been involved with Nazi organisations during the war and identify chemists who would be useful to the Americans.

It was interesting to see Berlin through the eyes of an American after the war. I haven’t read books that focus on the post war years and I found the state of Berlin and Germany in general fascinating as I had never given it much thought before and who would really given you’d have very little sympathy after everything they had done. The city was full of people desperate, starving and deflated but Sam had a job to do and although he feels he is there like a spare part and merely pushing paper around he will do what has been asked of him. When Sam hires a young woman named Anna as his secretary, and to help him go through the many papers, it is a turning point for him. Although he can see that she wears a cloak of sorrow there is something about her that intrigues him and you can see there is a stirring of emotion within him. Anna was a very closed person but I could tell she was hiding something. She seemed very intent on helping Sam with searching for Nazi’s to bring to trial. She intrigued me the most in this aspect of the story.

I did guess fairly early on what brought the two stories together but I didn’t guess the full extent of everything. Things took on a really good pace near to the end as the answers and resolutions came flying in particularly in relation to the opening scenes and all in all it made for a satisfying conclusion. The Girl from Berlin is a good read, perhaps not my favourite of the historical fiction genre that I have read this year but still it’s worthy of a read.

The Girl from Berlin by Kate Hewitt
Publication Date: February 25, 2021 - Out Now!
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Description from NetGalley...
“Berlin, 1936: From her beautiful new home Liesel Scholz barely notices the changes to the city around her. Her life is one of privilege and safety thanks to her father’s job working for the new government. But soon a chance encounter with Rosa, the daughter of their Jewish housekeeper, leaves Liesel in no doubt that something isn’t right. That the rules this government are making aren’t fair and that others aren’t as safe as she is.

Frankfurt, 1946: An idealistic American captain, Sam Houghton, arrives in Germany to interrogate prominent Nazis on trial and to help rebuild a battered country. He hires an enigmatic and damaged woman named Anna as his interpreter. But, as sparks fly between them, the question of what Anna did in the war raises its head.

Anna has secrets—ones that link her to the Nazi party, the darkest days in Europe’s history, and the story of a golden pocket watch and two girls who became friends even when they were told it was impossible…”
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Thank you to @NetGalley @bookouture for the digital ARC in return for my honest review.
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My thoughts...
I’m a big fan of historical fiction and I’ve read many set during WWII. But, I haven’t read many based on the perspective of Germans who tried to resist the Nazi regime. It was a slow paced story but I didn’t mind it, because it described the rise of Hitler’s government well and the effect of it on others, such as Liesel and her family. Hewitt did a great job in making her characters relatable and Liesel’s struggle against the regime felt so real. And with her brother “Friedy,” you feel all the feels of sisterly love - his character was so haunting and poignant. If you were there, what role would you have played? A story of betrayal, love, courage and wisdom.

This is an emotional world war II novel.

The main character fourteen-year-old Liesel Scholz lives with her father Otto who is a chemist, her mother Ilse and her little Friedy who is six.

The family dynamics are written well in a time of turmoil.

It kept me hooked from the first page to the last. I will gladly read more from this author.

The Girl from Berlin is the story of one German girl who did not care for Hitler but whose family was caught up in the Nazi regime. Kate Hewitt has written a parallel time book of Germany leading up to the war, during the war then contrast it with the US occupation following the war.

While it is not extremely fast moving it is highly in depth giving aspects of Hitler’s government and its effect on the everyday common people to the Jewish people to the ones who thought they were the privileged. None were excepted, all had reasons to fear the government. Of course none more than the Jewish people Emotionally intense as it is seen mainly through the eyes of a young woman, Liesel Scholz. After the war it is easy to see how those who were trying to stay on the right side of the government while helping the persecuted could be targeted for punishment. Documents found do not always tell the story of the courage, fear, and resiliency that many had.

A compelling read that is haunting, remaining with me long after I finished. Kate Hewitt has painted a vivid word picture of Germany during these dark days much like Kristin Hannah did for France in The Nightingale. Fans of that book will want to snatch up The Girl from Berlin today.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book and appreciate the opportunity for early access! Like others, I’ve read lots of books about WWII, both fiction and non-fiction, over the years and felt this still brought a fresh perspective, and I always enjoy books that jump around in time (when they are well done, like this was)!

The book started a little slow but eventually grabbed me such that I couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed seeing how Leiden handled herself and couldn’t help but reflect on my life and attitudes at a similar age. I look forward to reading more from Kate Hewitt after this!

As a grandchild of Holocaust survivors I have read many books on this topic. This book was a little slow to start but as soon as i got to 50-60% I couldn't put it down! It was very interesting to me to read about how German citizens viewed the war. I loved watching Liesel’s character grow as the book flashed between two time periods.

This would be a great discussion-able book club book! I would recommend this book to others both as historical fiction and a great lesson on decision making.

Thank you to Kate Hewitt, Bookouture, and NetGalley for a copy of this intriguing story due to be published February 25, 2021.

Liesel Scholz, her younger brother Freidrik and parents Ilsa and Otto lived a relatively sheltered life in 1936 Berlin, while the rumblings of discontent stirred outside, and Hitler demanded more and more from his people. Ilsa would go to cocktail parties with Otto as he worked his way up in the regime. When Liesel began to accompany her father instead of Ilsa, she hated it. The schmoozing with Goring, the kowtowing to Hitler – but she knew not to create problems; her father told her often enough. And as she watched her beloved Vati change, she despaired for their future.

1946 in Frankfurt – 6 months after the end of the war – Captain Sam Houghton arrived with the rest of the American army as they set about finding Nazis and taking them to trial in Nuremburg for crimes of war. Sam hired a young German woman to interpret for him; to decipher the papers they’d obtained. Her name was Anna Vogel and she was a quiet, calm and slightly aloof woman who intrigued Sam. A hard worker, he didn’t have any complaints – but he knew something wasn’t quite right with her. She had secrets, but would he ever learn what they were?

As Liesel, Ilsa and Friedy hid Jews in their attic while Otto was away, they knew the dangers they faced. But needing to help meant that was secondary, even as they feared what could happen. When their old housekeeper, Gerda and her daughter Rosa arrived for protection, they were also hidden in the attic. The Jews were being rounded up, taken away to be resettled – but Gerda and Rosa were in fear for their lives…

The Girl From Berlin is another excellent historical novel from the pen of Kate Hewitt. Detailed, well researched, heart breaking – it’s WWII from the perspective of a young German girl living in Berlin, who hated Hitler and everything he stood for and whose love for her father would struggle to remain over the war years. A wonderful novel which I highly recommend.

With thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Girl From Berlin’ by Kate Hewitt in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

It’s 1936 and fourteen-year-old Liesel Scholz’s father is in charge of a factory making buna rubber and popular with the high-up officials in the Nazi party. As the story moves to 1946 and World War II has ended, Captain Sam Houghton has been sent to Frankfurt to help identify German chemists who will either be useful to American interests or prosecuted for being part of the Nazi party, and he employs Anna Vogel to be his secretary.

‘The Girl From Berlin’ is a historic novel that tells of Liesel as she grows up in Hitler’s Germany to when World War II is finally over and she meets Captain Sam Houghton. This novel is unlike anything I’ve read by Kate Hewitt and has kept me enthralled by the powerful descriptions of life in Germany before and after the war and Liesel’s courageous and steadfast resolve not to support Hitler. Her story is touching with a poignancy that makes my heart go out to not only Liesel and her mother and brother, but also to Rosa and her mother Gerda whose only crime is being Jewish. This is a wonderful novel that I can’t stop thinking about and it will stay in my thoughts for a long time to come.

Another fantastic book from Kate Hewitt. If you love WW2 fiction then you’ll love this book. Full of historical accuracy and different characters the book goes between the war in Germany to post war Germany as the American soldiers trying to find those responsible for war crimes. The book has sad moments alongside those of anger both for the characters and the reader. Follow Liesel and her wealthy family mingling with Nazis to whilst she hides Jews trying to escape. At times this is hard to read as fiction is so very real. Thanks to Kate Hewitt and NetGalley.

A heartbreaking story of Liesel, a naive and protected teenager, and her family in Berlin in the late 1930’s. The story follows Liesel as she has no choice but to stand by her father as he becomes more involved with the Nazi party. We see her grow as a woman as she struggles to understand what is happening around her. The historical details are vivid and emotional as the writing forces you to ask the question ‘what would you do in Liesel’s position?’
The dual timeline story was smoothly written and linked well to after the war - it showed a side to post Hitler Germany that I hadn’t read about before.

This book is enchanting, the moment I picked it up I couldn’t put it down. I found myself in tears for about thirty percent of the book. My heart really ached for Liesel, what she goes through within the novel is truly astounding. For moments you can almost believe it really is someone’s life story.

I’m going to be giving this book one of my rare five stars! A must read!

The Girl From Berlin
By Kate Hewitt

This is the reason why I love historical fiction reads... they are based on true stories, many well documented, that are immersive, gripping and completely heart-wrenching, that tells the story of courageous men and women that overcome harrowing evil, hardships and struggle for family, friendship, love and humanity. This story and the writing by Kate Hewitt did just that, and oh how much did I love this one.

There are many stories set during the second world war. This one is quite unique in that this dual time line story tells first of how a young woman whose father is a chemist and is connected with the Nazi Party experiences the war and how Jewish people are being treated, and what she does about it and the choices she makes. The second time line is set a year after the war ends between an American Captain Sam and his translator Anna and how he is drawn to her secrets and story during the war.

I enjoyed reading the point of view as seen trough the eyes of a very well to do and sheltered young lady whose father is very well connected and involved in the Nazi government. Liesel Scholz grows up very quickly as she witnesses the brutality and harrowing treatment against the Jews and decides to help, house and protect their Jewish housekeeper and her daughter Rosa until they can escape the relocation camps.

The characters were very well developed and the sweeping tale of courage from these women I am drawn to for inspiration. This was quite the thought provoking read and I really enjoyed this one a lot.

Thank you @bookouture for the ecopy. All opinions are my own.

I thought that The Girl From Berlin was fantastic! I feel like there are a ton of WWII books, but not many of them are from the German perspective, and that was a nice change. What I enjoyed most about the story was that every character was flawed. In addition, as the reader, you were able to put yourself in Liesel's shoes and understand that even some of the Germans were conflicted at the time. Many of us ask ourselves what we would have done, if anything, to help the Jews in WWII and we saw how difficult it could be.
While the story was told from Liesel's perspective, I felt that Friedrich, Friedy, was the most impactful character. In my opinion, he represented all aspects of the Reich. As a small child, he was indoctrinated into Nazi beliefs, but because of a physical disability, he was never accepted. In the story, something terrifying happens to Friedy and it changes his worldview. It was heart wrenching!
I would recommend this book to all WWII historical fiction lovers.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the arc of The Girl from Berlin by Kate Hewitt.

5 STAR READ! This is such a heartwarming emotional and powerful read, about a family in Berlin in 1936. This follows 14 year old Liesel Schloz whom lives with her father Otto whom works in a Pharmacy, she also lives with her little freidy and her mother too. Liesel is very close to her father that she is forced to go to high rank parties by the Nazi's Party, and go to the Olympics. They go to these parties as her dad are deeply involved with the Nazi's. She dont feel the same way her dad does about the Nazi as she had witnessed an SS officer beating up an old man the ex housekeepers also tell her of the atrocities of the Nazi. She does everything her dad tells her as he told her anyone who feels sorry for the Jews or sympathise with them are taken away and then shot... This story is all about Liesel who is torn between following what her father tells her and risking her life to help the Jews!

Such a compelling heartwarming read Definitely recommend to all!

5 STARS! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Girl From Berlin is an excellent read! It kept me on the edge of my seat from cover to cover.

The story follows Liesl Scholz, a young German girl as she grows up in Berlin as the Nazis rise to power. Her father is a chemist and rubs elbows with some of the biggest names in the party. Liesl has always felt that something wasn’t right with the regime and as war looms, her understanding of what’s truly happening both frightens her and yet compels her to do what she can to help. Her fathers standing within the party forces her to act the part despite it tearing her up inside. To top it all off, her father whom she once idolized has changed and puts himself before his family which eventually causes it to crumble.

We also meet Sam Houghton, an American soldier brought to a post war Berlin to look for scientists who played a part in the war but would be willing to aid the Americans in their battle with the Russians. Sam’s secretary, Anna is a mystery to him but she is devoted to helping him find these scientists. Unbeknownst to Sam...Anna is both not who he thinks she is and has her own personal agenda.

This story is riveting and heartbreaking. It’s a very different perspective of WWII than I’ve read before. Liesl is such a strong and brave character who became wise beyond her years well before she should have.

My only Issue with this book is the title. It’s very vague and I know there are other stories with the same title. I believe that there was actually a different title at one point. But all in all, I highly recommend this book!

Thank you NetGalley and Kate Hewitt for early access to this wonderful story

A very intense heartbreaking dual timeline story set in Germany. during WWII and during the allied occupation following the war. Hard to read about the Nazis and the atrocities of WWII. Different choices, different opportunities or lack of opportunities, different perspectives. A very absorbing story that made me think long after the final page. Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity.

There are some books that just capture you from the get-go and keep your attention till the very last page, leaving you wanting more. This was such a book for me. For those of us who weren’t born during the time of the Second World War, it can be hard to really grasp what it would have been like to live and grow up in Germany in the 30’s and 40’s. It can be hard to understand how so many people stood by and let the Nazi’s gain such a foothold that they could commit countless atrocities. Author Kate Hewitt helps us to understand a little better how it crept into the German Society, split families, and caused the Shoah or “suffering” that I am remembering on this day as I write.

The story is told in dual timeline. It begins in 1936 at the time of the Olympics in Germany and progresses throughout the years of the war. The second timeline is not your typical one set in modern day but takes place in 1946, the year after the war had ended. The story is still set in Germany, where German citizens are clearly suffering, and members of the Allied countries are trying to track down and bring to justice those who were truly Nazi’s. I found both timelines equally compelling. How do the guilty become guilty? Was it a choice they made or was it forced upon them? There is lots of food for thought here.

The story begins as fourteen-year-old Liesel Scholz and her father Otto are preparing to head out to watch the opening ceremonies of the 1936 Olympics. They have spots in the VIP section. Liesel doesn’t really have any understanding of the political climate or exactly what her father does to justify their VIP spot. Her mother seems to want to keep her a child while she longs to grow up. Her 6-year-old brother will stay home with mother Ilse because he is sickly and has a deformed foot. Their family appears to be dysfunctional in some respects. Ilse spends a great deal of time hidden in her room - sleeping or playing music – especially music that is frowned upon by Nazi authorities. Their staff consists of a housekeeper who is Jewish. At times she brings her daughter Rosa to work with her. Liesel believes that her classmates who have joined then Bund Deutscher Madel are ridiculous and has no desire to be a part of them, but as the story progresses finds that her father insists that she must join – if only for appearances sake. This family could represent almost any German family of the time. After rough years, life seems to be looking up for them, but there is a price to pay and as time goes by Liesel notices that is it the Jewish people who seem to have to pay the most.

Over the years of the story Liesel’s eyes are opened as she watches her father get more involved with the Nazi hierarchy, her mother dive deeper into despair and her brother face challenges that she never could have imagined. She longs to make a stand, but what will that do to her and her family. When her housekeeper’s daughter needs her help to survive, can Liesel be of assistance?

It’s 1946, and Sam Houghton is newly arrived in Germany having spent his war years at a desk at home. Now, with his background in chemistry he has been sent to assess Germans who might be useful to America because of their knowledge. He has an air of innocence about him compared to soldiers who have been there longer and who have seen things that he doesn’t even want to imagine. Much to his surprise, his life seems grandiose compared to those who are natives who struggle to find just enough to eat. He is encouraged to hire a local woman to assist him in his work and is drawn to a young woman named Anna who can translate for him but appears to have secrets and perhaps ties to Nazi’s who were active during the war.

As a reader, I moved back and forth between the timelines and was deeply saddened to see how this one family was changed by war and their exposure to Nazism. They all had choices to make. What was each person’s capacity for evil? Why is it that some people in spite of it all were inherently good? Ultimately, I felt some words from Liesel really summed up the choices that she had to make over time.
“Mutti said the same,” she continued, ‘’but in a different way. She always said if I was going to make a stand, I had to make it count.’ Don’t waste your life on a pointless gesture,’ she said. But do you know what I have realized? There is no ‘making it count’ There are no pointless gestures. There will never be a moment when you weigh your life on the scales, when anything will seem worthwhile to lose it. You can always put it off, convince yourself that you can make it count later, for something more important. No.” She straightened her shoulders. “There is only acting according to your conscience, whatever happens, whatever the cost. That is what I finally learned.”

I loved watching Liesel’s character mature and grow. I could imagine myself in her shoes. This would be a wonderful book for a Book Club to discuss. There is much that could be applied to the choices we face in life today. I would highly recommend this book to others both as a historic story and as a moral lesson for all.

Many thanks to #NetGalley, #Bookouture and author Kate Hewitt for allowing me to read an advance reader’s copy of this novel. The opinions expressed above are my own unbiased ones.

I love it when I read a book that I really enjoy, but even more so when the book forces me to question what I would have done faced with the same dilemma’s. The Girl From Berlin is a bold, compelling story that follows one German family through the war, and the choices they made, something that isn’t always black and white, there are many shades in-between. Liesel is a young German Girl, living in Berlin in 1936, her life is one of privilege thanks to her father’s job working for the new nazi government. But WW2 brings change for Liesel she doesn’t agree with her father’s nazi views, and this is her story about the choices she made, and the family she sacrificed along the way.

As the story begins Liesel appears complicit to what is going on around her, she’s doesn’t question her father’s job or his beliefs. But times are changing and as she notices the atrocities taking place including the persecution of Jews, her perspective changes, as does her view of her adored father who she believes ‘sold his soul to the devil’. Told across two timelines, the second set in 1945 focuses on Captain Sam Houghton who has been sent to Germany to find and interrogate German scientist. I found Sam’s side of the story compelling as it looks at German citizens after the war, there was those who were innocent, those who remained on the fringes but kept quiet and then are those that played a major part in war crimes, shame, guilt, or fear hung over them like an albatross and rightly so in some cases! 

I thought the author chose a unique approach to writing a WW2 book, concentrating on a German family who deal with conflict as they either agree whole-heartedly or oppose the Nazi’s ideology. Can you imagine having to hide your opinion from your family for fear of reprisals? But that was exactly what Liesel had to do, my heart went out to her for making the right choice and opposing the nazi’s beliefs, I felt she was extremely courageous as it would have been easier for her to follow the masses, but she also makes a stand against the Nazi’s, that puts her life in danger. 

It was heartbreaking to see Liesel once close family fracture; she has conflicting emotions; she loves her father but not the person he has become.. The pages of the book are filled with anguish, anger, conflict, guilt, mistrust and heartbreak which made for an emotive read. Kate Hewitt has written a book that’s heart wrenching, thought provoking, with engaging characters. The Girl From Berlin would make the perfect book club read as there are so many issues to discuss and debate. Highly recommended to those who enjoy historical fiction or those looking for a fresh perspective on WW2 events.

There are a lot of WWII fiction books currently available and the best books are the ones that approach the war from a different angle. This book certainly did with its look at a German girl before and after the war.
This novel is told from two points of view: Liesel from 1936 - 1946 and Sam Houghton in 1946.

The novel begins in Berlin in 1936. Liesel, her younger brother and her parents live in a large home. Her father is a chemist who is working very closely with the Nazi party on several projects. In the beginning, Liesel is so proud of her father and his importance in his world. He knows many people in the Nazi hierarchy not only professionally but personally and attends many of their parties. She lives a life of privilege and rarely thinks about what's going on in the world outside her door. When she sees a Jewish man get beaten on the streets, she begins to have questions about Hitler and what was going on in Germany. The higher her father goes in his professional life. the more Liesel doubts what she's being told. When she makes some decisions that will threaten her family, she realizes that despite the danger, she must do something to end the cruelty in her country.

In 1946, Sam Houghton who spent the war at a desk job in the US is sent to Germany to help the Army find war criminals. His job is to look for chemists who were part of the Nazi party to find out if they knew anything that could be shared with the US government. He has a new secretary, Anna, a beautiful woman who is hiding something. As their relationship deepens, he needs to find out what she's hiding and why. Will it end their romance when he finds out that she was aligned with the Nazi party during the war?

This is a well researched novel about love and war, about doing the right thing despite the danger and about following your conscience even if it will get you in danger. I thought that the character of Leisel was very well written and I understood her change in attitude as she learned about what was going on in her country and her need to help. It made me think about what I would do and if I could be as brave as she was This is a fantastic novel about the German people before and during the war and the way they were viewed by the world after the war. If you enjoy WWII fiction, you don't want to miss this one.

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

This story is simultaneously gripping and heartbreaking, and I was drawn in early on by Liesel's bold and fearless demeanor. I appreciated that this story was told from a new angle - a German girl and her family take center stage. The author's ability to make me feel sympathy toward this family shows incredible skill, yet I was left feeling unsteady as I read it because I wanted to dislike Liesel's family's decisions and I, like Liesel, wanted justice to win.

The biggest disappointment to me was the ending. It felt rushed and while I always love a "happy ending", it felt unrealistic. I'm not sure what the author's intent was while reading this book, and the ending left me with additional questions. For such a complicated story, the ending was wrapped in too nice of a bow.

I liked the multiple points of view, although it was fairly obvious early on how Liesel and Sam's lives would become connected. I wanted more from both of the characters in the end - it felt like they didn't learn too much from their past and there was suddenly a new future ahead that was very bright and cheery, a stark contrast to much of the novel.

I would recommend this book if you like WW2 historical fiction novels, although I caution that the rather trite treatment of the true events unfolding during the Holocaust left me feeling slighted and unsure how to respond to the novel - perhaps this could lead to important discussions with friends/bookclubs.

Thank you to NetGalley, publisher and author for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.