𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙽𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚃𝚛𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚛𝚜 (𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟹) - 𝙰𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚘 𝙻𝚞𝚌𝚊𝚜 𝙲𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚎𝚊

An historical novel that spans four generations of mothers and daughters; from Berlin to Cuba to America and back to Berlin. A compelling and moving story of lives overshadowed by the trauma of war and separation which have lifelong and intergenerational effects on so many lives.

The title of the book reflects the impact that Germany's laws of eugenics in the early 1930s had on Ally Keller and her mixed race daughter, Lilith. They would try to stay in the shadows 'By night, we're all the same color...' and the decisions Ally had to make to save her daughter, which would continue to affect future generations.

The historical setting is fascinating, although the story left me with a heavy heart.

I am now keen to read 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙶𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝙶𝚒𝚛𝚕 (𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟼), also by Lucas Correa, a book which the writer thanks Australian writer, Thomas Keneally for supporting, in the acknowledgements for this book.

5⭐️ A must read if you enjoy historical fiction that teaches you history through a story. I loved this book and the research that has clearly gone into this story is remarkable.

Thanks to #netgalley and @simonschusterau for the e-book in return for an honest review.

Historical fiction and one that grabs you and takes you on a journey. That is this book and a great book it is.

Based in Berlin and following four women over generations and amid war, this is how they cope and what happens to them in these tough times. It is to a point easy to follow but I also found so parts I had to research more myself to understand what was happening. This didn't affect my enjoyment of the book though but I could see it might hamper other readers.

It is a good story but somewhat sad and depressing. It also dragged on a little bit which made it a bit long and drawn out and although I did like the characters, I did not love them. There was a bit of disconnect for me.

All in all a good book but not for me a fantastic book. So I would give it 3 1/2 stars.

Berlin, 1931: Ally is a talented poet, she falls in love with a colored German musician Marcus and she gives birth to a mixed-race daughter she calls Lilith. To protect Lilith, Ally hides Lilith in her apparent in Berlin, when Lilith starts walking she takes her out to play in the park at night and she makes a game out of it. The Germans introduce a Racial Ideology Policy, to create a pure Aryan race, and they start sterilizing people who fail the test. Ally loves her daughter, she makes the difficult decision to send her with a Jewish couple to safety in Cuba and she stays behind in Germany.

Havana, 1958: Lilith is grown up, she was raised by Albert and Beatrice Herzog and they feel they have performed their duty. Lilith left Germany when she was three, she has very few memories of her mother or living in the apartment in Berlin. Lilith is in love with Martin, her childhood friend, and she’s looking forward to their wedding. Martin is a pilot, he has ties to the Batista government and he and Lilith are on their honeymoon when the violence begins. When the revolution totally erupts, Lilith and her newborn daughter Nadine, find themselves in danger and Martin can't help them. Lilith has to make the heartbreaking choice to save her daughter, Nadine is smuggled out of Cuba, and sent to America to be adopted.

Berlin, 1988: Nadine’s childhood in America is thrown into turmoil, when her German born mother is arrested and she's taken back to Germany. Nadine attends university in Germany and she enrolls using her real last name, here she meets Anton, they marry and have a daughter. Luna wants to find out her about her families past, she knows it’s extremely complicated, but she has no idea a big secret is about to be uncovered and it will completely stun and shock her mother Nadine.

I received a copy of The Night Travelers from NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Australia in exchange for an honest review. Armando Lucas Correa has written a historical saga that takes place during three of the most troubling times in modern history and it's about four generations of one family. It highlights the love and bond between a mother and her child, the lengths she will go to and what she’s willing to sacrifice to keep her child safe. Mr. Correa always gives you an in-depth history lesson, this time it spans eight decades and it includes the Nazis coming into power in Germany, the Cuban Revolution and the rise of Communism, Operation Peter Pan and the fall of the Berlin Wall. The narrative is about war, love, discrimination, loss, survival, secrets, betrayal, regret, and finding closure. I really liked the characters of Ally, Bruno, Lilith, Martin, Helena, Nadine, Miranda, Anton and of course young Luna. Four stars from me, the pace of the story did drag a little in places and this might be due to the English translation? Please read the book yourself and make up your own mind.