First, thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for allowing me to read this. 10-year-old Johannes Krane and his older brother Dick lived in Beverwijk, a small town northwest of Amsterdam. Their parents were both deaf and mute. Both boys were tasked with helping their parents navigate the world through the German occupation and help them all survive. This memoir chronicles the haunting experiences of a boy who survived to save his family through cunning and desperation, thus being robbed forever of a happy childhood. This book was well put together and easy to read. I felt so bad about what happed not only to this family but to all families during that time. Their strength and perseverance is amazing; this was a fantastic book.

A Story of a Childs Survival Through Cunning And Desperation in Holland During World War II

Innocence Denied Is a very emotional, heart-breaking, true story that is remarkably interesting and engaging. It is set during World War II and the author Johannes Krane recounts his real-life tale of surviving the brutal Nazi occupation whilst living in Holland as a young boy.

Johannes and his brother lived with their parents who are sadly both deaf and mute. Both boys are fine so as children they not only had to look after each other but both their parents once the war broke out. It was a harrowing time for both boys and Johannes tells how he had to try and protect and save his family by any means he could. School became less and less as Johannes family became poorer and hungrier the mother must devise plans to survive to get food. Johannes tells how his reality changes and how he must adapt to the circumstances and the demands of the events of war, and the terrible consequences that it causes. Both boys would go out at night and try and steal food from boats, and fish for eels. Johannes became very adept at selling ration coupons on the black market, which was very risky and if caught death by firing squad. Johannes had to pinch food from the shops when out with his mum. This is not what you want to instruct a child, but war is hard.

The family survive the cruelties of the Nazi occupiers and life in the streets through cunning and desperation, sadly being robbed forever of a childhood. An incredibly sad but lovely book when you read the life Johannes had and how he broke the cycle of stealing and After World War II, Johannes emigrated to the United States, finished his education, and became a successful businessperson in Silicon Valley. He founded several organizations, including art galleries, which was inspired by his profound love of art. He also established an online used bookstore called Elephant Books, which was during the early days of Amazon. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5/5 stars

Like any other survivor memoir of the 1940s and Nazi occupied Europe this book is worth the read. We are now, unfortunately, so far disconnected from what happened in the era of WWII. Innocence Denied was a different telling of WWII experiences which I found to be interesting, informative and engaging.

The book tells the experiences of the author while living in Holland as a young boy during Nazi occupation. His family consists of a younger brother and two alter abled parents, both being deaf and mute. This adds a different spin to WWII* experiences as the author navigates this very difficult time while attempting to protect, and even save, his family. This is also a story of how the author breaks the cycle of abuse at the hands (though well intentioned) of his parents.

The book missed all of the marks to make a phenomenal read but was enough to keep me interested and turning the page. The authors truth is told in a raw and honest way that had my heart breaking that anyone had to deal with what survivors of that time had to.

Some things are repeated very much making me feel I was reading a not professionally written book (understandable based on the type of book). The end wrapped up too quickly and left me not feeling like it was finished. What happened to Dick? What happened to the parents? Did Grandpa get better? How did they end of in America? As in all memoirs and autobiographies I also want to see pictures so I can better imagine and place the person(s) I am reading about.

This is another important record of a period in our history which must not be forgotten. It is also a tribute to strength of character and familial loyalty and love.

great book and sad story about Johannes’ life. The formatting on the Kindle was very odd. One example, midway through the book the sentences were cut off midway through. Might just be because it’s an earlier copy.

“But our life was really the only one we knew. I cannot imagine having gone through it without my brother. Every day I was grateful for the loving bond that Dick and I shared. We trusted each other completely and would never in our lives break our fraternal bond”

“Innocence Denied” It’s an emotional, heartbreaking, true story that demonstrates the injustice narrated from the vision of a child, how his reality changes and he has to adapt to the circumstances and the demands of the events of war, and the terrible consequences that it causes.

How two young brothers had to fight every day to survive, how hard it was to have two parents with disabilities, to have a dysfunctional lifestyle, the sacrifices they had to make, all the darkness and horrors of war they had to witness and the losses it caused. How sometimes it’s better to let go, take a risk, break the cycle and hope for a better future.

The amount of feelings that this book can provoke is impressive, you can tell that it was written with the heart, as the author captures the feelings and memories of him through the pages.

Today there are many books based on World War II, but if you want to read about people who lived through this time from a different perspective, this is a very good book for it.

I think Johannes and Dick’s story should be told and known to the whole world.