In 1993 Cincinnati, Clara Vogel embarks on a quest to uncover her family's hidden past after acquiring a porcelain figurine at an auction. The figurine, named The Viking, holds a mysterious connection to her late artist mother, Bettina, who revealed on her deathbed that Clara's father was known as "the porcelain maker of Dachau." Determined to unravel the secrets of her lineage, Clara delves into Bettina's history, spanning back to 1929 Germany during the Bauhaus movement.

The narrative unfolds through dual timelines, intertwining Bettina's tumultuous love story with Max Ehrlich, an Austrian Jew, amidst the rise of Nazi Germany, and Clara's present-day journey of discovery. As Clara uncovers the truth about her parents' forbidden romance and the impact of censorship on artistic expression, she confronts the harsh realities of wartime Europe and the enduring power of love in the face of adversity.

"The Porcelain Maker" by Sarah Freethy is a poignant tale of love, loss, and resilience, skillfully weaving together historical events with personal narratives. The characters are richly drawn, and the author adeptly captures the essence of the time and place, shedding light on lesser-known aspects of WWII-era Germany, such as the persecution of modern artists and the patronage of SS head Heinrich Himmler in the creation of Allach porcelain.

While the novel could have delved deeper into Clara's own journey, its exploration of artistic expression and the impact of censorship adds depth to the narrative. The inclusion of historical details, such as the significance of Allach porcelain and the challenges faced by artists under Nazi rule, enriches the reader's understanding of the era.

Though not a light-hearted read, "The Porcelain Maker" is a beautifully written and emotionally resonant story that offers valuable insights into the human experience during WWII. Through Clara's quest for truth, the novel emphasizes the importance of preserving history and learning from the past to prevent future atrocities—a message that resonates long after the final page is turned.

This is a story set in two places and timelines: US in 1993 and Germany in 1825 through WWII. The 1993 timeline tells the story of Clara who wants to find answers of who her father was after her mother Bettina died without ever telling her. The story goes back to how her mother, a German artist, met and fell in love with Max, a Jewish architecture student. They had plans to run away together but he is taken away to a concentration camp, and she ends up marrying a German officer in order to protect herself and the pregnancy she’s hiding. The story of making porcelain figurines at Dachau has a large part of the plot and is really interesting, something I had never heard about. I really enjoyed the alternating storylines . I highly recommend this book to fellow fans of historical fiction . Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book; all opinions expressed here are my own.

It was definitely not the usual book that I would read but it was such an interesting read. The characters stick with you long after you have read the last page and in my opinion that is the sign of a great story.

The Porcelain Maker is a dual timeline story that is set during WW2 and 1993 in Germany. Bettina Vogel is a German artist and Max Ehrlich a German architect. They meet at a party full of artists and are immediately attracted to one another. They fall in love, but being Jewish in Hitler's Germany is not safe. Max is reported to the SS and sent to Dachau. Bettina's work is considered degenerative, and although some people still sell it and want it, she can not make a living. She marries an SS man to protect herself and when she has a daughter, she is trapped. Max works in the porcelain factory in Dachau and is kept safe by the man who runs it. He and Bettina meet there for a time, but eventually are found out. In 1993, Bettina's daughter and granddaughter are in Germany trying to find out who Clara's father is. Tracking down porcelain figurines and who originally owned them gives her clues. Will they find her father?

I enjoyed this beautifully written story. Although it is set in Dachau, a camp for Jews, we don't see a lot of the horrors and Max is safe working in the factory. I really enjoyed the love story between Bettina and Max and how much they tried to keep each other's sprits up, as well as what they were trying to do with their porcelain figurines. I will say that I enjoyed both timelines, but enjoyed the past more. It was interesting to see how Clara was able to put information together to help in her search. One of the reasons I enjoy historical fiction is that I like to learn about things in the past that I don't know about. I knew that the Jewish prisoners were used as slave labor in the factories around the camps, but I knew nothing about Allach porcelain factory. Himmler's plans for this factory making beautiful white animals with the SS insignia to demonstrate German culture and workmanship, may have kept many alive, but still prisoners under terrible circumstances. This is a story that is not too heavy considering the time it is set. It is also hopeful and showed how some of the Germans would still do what they could to help the Jewish people. I definitely recommend it.

Family Secrets are one of my favourite types of books and this one has a whopper .

It is told in two timelines, one in Germany in 1929, and in America in 1993 .

An epic tale of love Art, and betrayal that spans decades. it’s about two lovers in the crossroads of history and their daughters search for the truth.

The book starts off with Claire, buying various pieces of porcelain in an auction, one piece called the Viking, which has a special meaning for her.

I really enjoyed this book.

This was a poignant and epic story about love, betrayal, and art set during the Holocaust in Germany. I don't typically read many WWII historical fiction book as they seem to be far too common but this one peaked an interest and I thought it was very well written.

Some parts felt long. A heartbreaking story
detailing the atrocities of WWII. I enjoyed the dual timeline. Max has my heart.
I seriously barely remember any details about this one.
I remember thinking it was fine but it's not a story that has stuck with me. I LOVE World War II books but unfortunately this one isn't on the list of my favorites.

3.5-4 stars

From the beginning, I knew that I couldn't put this down. Freethy pulls the reader into a story of beauty and bravery in the midst of brutality and betrayal. Captivating.

A romance among artists, porcelain statuettes honoring Nazi symbols, survival in a WWII concentration camp-these are all components in this novel . Together they add up to the fascinating story of a porcelain factory located at the infamous Dachua. camp combined with a doomed relationship,
Many years after, WWII, a young woman makes a startling discovery about her father's identity when she learns where some porcelain figures were made,It leads her to a dark place.
This book should hold the reader's interest.

I received an advanced invitation to read The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy, based on other books I've read, reviewed, and enjoyed. As a fan of WW2 novels, the description was more than enough for me to say yet.

This dual timeline novel features both a WW2 era storyline, beginning in the years leading up to the war, and a contemporary timeline. The WW2 era begins in 1929 with Bettina and Max, art students and lovers, beginning their careers and hopes under the threat of rising Nazism. As a Jewish man, Max is at risk, finally being arrested and sent to the Dachau concentration camp. His talent for art allows him to find a placement in the porcelain factories at Dachau, while Bettina uses her privilege as a German to try to find and attempt to save him. In the present day, Bettina's daughter Clara is trying to piece together her past, drawn into it by porcelain figures bearing the mark of the SS and small pieces of information revealed to her by her mother before her death.

I was shocked to find out that this is the debut novel for the author. It was so compelling and so well-written that it felt like an author who had long written similar time period books. I loved that she started the novel much earlier than the war and being able to see Max and Bettina's lives in the time leading up to it. So many WW2 novels start in the later 30s, so it was interesting to see the environment in Germany in the later 20s and early 30s. I also really enjoyed the contemporary period with Clara trying to piece together the mystery of her father. I could have read even more from that time period as well.

The Porcelain Maker is a dual timeline novel about a couple kept apart in Germany during World War II and a woman in 1993 who follows a trail of porcelain figurines to find out the identity of her birth father.

In 1993 Clara Vogel has been searching for figurines marked as “Allach Porcelain”. She knows they are connected to her birth father but doesn’t know his name as her mother kept his identity secret until her death. Along with her adult daughter (Lotte) Clara will follow a series of clues back to Dachau, Germany.

The reader also follows the tragic love story of Bettina, a talented German artist and Max, an Austrian Jew and architect from 1925 to 1941. Their romance is set in the midst of the rise of antisemitism in Germany and they can’t marry and live in poverty and constant fear of being turned in by their neighbors. When the worst happens and Max is sent to a labor camp Bettina will go to great lengths to protect both Max and their future family.

Like many novels that tell a story about this dark time in world history The Porcelain Maker shows a couple devoted to each other and their art stuck in a regime that had no respect for love or free expression. I appreciated everything I learned about how art was quickly politicized with the modern styles (like what Bettina created) on the outs and anything that glorified the “Germanic spirit” the new ideal. There are plenty of people to hate in The Porcelain Maker but also plenty that tried to fight for what was right and I thought the author did an excellent job of showing the various reactions by German citizens to what was happening around them.

Although this is not a particularly fast- paced or light in tone novel I think readers will appreciate Max and Bettina’s devotion, Clara’s determined search and what she and Lotte are able to create out their family history.

Dual timeline books are so intriguing and fascinating, and this one includes an era that is so riveting to me personally (the years leading into WWII). Forbidden love, family secrets, and a search for identity create a page-turning tapestry. I’m grateful to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early in exchange for my honest review.

This was a heartfelt novel of love and betrayal. Clara wants to understand her history, and learn who her father is. But her quest takes her back to Dachau Germany, WWII, and the rise of the of Nazism. It is a story of love and endurance during a time of profound brutality and betrayal.

There has been a plethora of WW2 books in the past few years and I steeled myself to be non-plussed by this new one. But, I was pleasantly surprised by the new perspective on the wartime experience and the depiction of the characters drew me in to what became a real page turner.

I’m grateful to the publishers for allowing me to read and review a copy of this book.

Overall I enjoyed the concept of this book. I was fascinated by the sections about art, especially the secret porcelain pieces that Max and Betti made together at Dachau. However, the rest of the book fell a little flat to me. I feel like portions of it were rushed through and used out of convenience to easily and quickly tie up some loose ends rather than actual enhance and help develop the story. It was also very difficult to read this advanced copy. I fully understand that it is an uncorrected manuscript, but there were hundreds and hundreds of punctuation errors throughout the entire book, and they kept making my eyes jump back and made it physically difficult to read. Hopefully they were all caught before the book was published.

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. A love story spanning decades, nearly 60 years apart. An interesting and intriguing story and timeline, considering how much changed over the years and seeing that reflected within the characters' stories.

Clara's journey is captivating from the start. This love story transcends Bettina and Max. It is quite possibly a love story about art and craftsmanship. and Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Many thanks for the complimentary ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and the author/publisher.

In trying to figure out what didn’t work for me with this book I think it was that I didn’t feel connected with or like the characters. Learning about art during this time was interesting, but even couldn’t keep me focused on the story.

Loved this story by Sarah Freethy and learning certain aspects about WWII that were previously unknown to me, like Allach porcelain being created by prisoners from Dachau. Freethy weaves an amazing story around the history of the factory and the porcelain created there.

Many thanks to the publisher for the ARC. My review and opinion are my own and are given of my own volition.