This is touching love story that unfolds during the years of WWII. It is also a tribute to the powerful ways art can affect the human spirit. I really enjoyed the chemistry shared between the two main characters.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me early access to the ARC ebook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is well-written with very sympathetic characters. It shows a different view of pre-WW2 Germany than what I was familiar with, detailing both restrictions imposed by the German government and resistance by some German citizens. It is a very sad and tragic story, and the characters are so real that I had to finish even though I suspected that the ending would be sad. The story was powerful and engrossing.

I love a dual timeline WWII story- this seems like a niche reading request, but it seems this format has become buzzy over the last few years. The Porcelain Maker managed to do something that not every author can pull off by making both timelines equally engaging. Max and Bettina are obviously easy to root for given their circumstances, and enough is left murky that Clara's timeline is intriguing too. Five stars and thank you for the chance to read this ARC!!

I had higher hopes for this book. I felt a little disappointed. I thought the story started strong and kind of fell flat. The characters were wrote well but had no development in my opinion

Interesting and well-written historical fiction.

The story is based around the Allach Porcelain Factory. A factory that the Germans used to create whimsical figures to keep everyone happy and motivated during the war. They used labor from concentration camps.

We learn all about the factory through the love story of Bettina and Max. We follow Bettina and Max in the early days of the war. We also follow Bettina’s daughter, Claire, who in 1993 is searching to find out more about her father. All she has to go on, is a figurine that her mother had.

Told through two timelines, during the war and in 1993, the heartbreaking story unfolds. Sometimes dual timelines can be confusing, but this was very easy to follow.

I enjoyed this book, reading about the resiliency of humans, what we do to survive, and what we do for love. And, like all good historical fiction, I immediately went searching to find out everything I could surrounding the real-life story behind the book.

This book was quite a different perspective from my usual reading about WWII. I was intrigued by the premise of the book, about some kind of bizarre beauty comping from the war. But I was also a bit apprehensive, mostly because I thought it might be graphic about what happened in the Nazi prison camps. It was not. However, neither was it as compelling as I had hoped. I honestly don't know why, but it never captured my interest, but I did finish it.

I would like to thank NetGallery, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this to review.

Pub date: 11/7/23
Genre: WWII historical fiction
Quick summary: In pre-war Germany, painter Bettina falls in love with Jewish architect Max, risking everything to save him when he is sent to Dachau. Almost 70 years later, Bettina's granddaughter Clara traces her grandmother's past through porcelain.

I love historical fiction because it makes me feel connected to other time periods, as well as people living lives very different from mine. I loved the idea of the porcelain sparking Clara's interest in her family's past; the concept felt unique amid the large amount of WWII historical fiction. I also enjoyed the plot points surrounding Clara's painting - she went from being accused of creating "degenerate art" to becoming an artistic darling of the regime. Unfortunately, I didn't feel a strong connection to the characters, which made it difficult to fully immerse myself in this book.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my e-ARC and Macmillan Audio for my ALC in exchange for an honest review.

The Porcelain Maker was captivating, heartbreaking and riveting. It was Sarah Freethy’s debut novel and it was written beautifully. Sarah Freethy took the liberty to explore an aspect about World War II and the Holocaust that I had not known about nor read about prior to reading her book. She chose to scaffold her story around a porcelain factory that was located within the Nazi concentration camp of Dachau. It was the inspiration for her book. The Porcelain Maker alternated seamlessly between two different timelines, 1929 through the years of World War II and the Holocaust and the 1990’s. The characters were well imagined and believable. It was well plotted, tugged at all my emotions and was hard to put down.

Max and Bettina met in 1929. Their romance was beautiful. They had both fallen in love with each other. Uncharacteristically for that time period, Max and Bettina lived together but were not married. It worked for them. They had moved to Berlin to be in a busy city that offered galleries, other fellow artists and opportunities for Max to use his architectural expertise. With the rise of the Nazi Party, Max’s and Bettina’s lives became impacted by restrictions, regulations and shortages. Even with all the precautions both Max and Bettina took, it was inevitable that eventually Max was arrested. He was sent to the Nazi concentration camp in Dachau. Luckily for Max, his talents as an artist were discovered and he was assigned to work in the porcelain factory. Working there saved Max from a much harsher existence there. When Bettina finally learned about Max’s fate she was determined to find a way to see him. Would Bettina be able to devise a feasible plan to see Max? Could she help Max escape from Dashau concentration camp so they could find a place to live together as a family without the threat of the Nazis finding them?

In the 1990’s, Bettina’s only daughter, Clara, had recently lost her mother. While growing up, Clara, longed to know who her father was. Her mother, Bettina, refused to speak about it. The subject evoked so many emotions from Bettina that eventually Clara gave up asking but those thoughts were never far away from her mind. After Bettina’s death, Clara and her daughter Lotte set off on a mission to find the answers Clara longed to learn. Clara discovered a link between one of her mother’s most celebrated and renowned paintings that was titled The Viking and a porcelain factory in Dachau, Germany. With little hesitation, Clara and her daughter Lotte, set off for Germany. Would those two discoveries be enough to lead them on a path towards solving the mystery of who Clara’s father was and why Bettina refused to share that information with Clara? Can Clara and Lotte reveal the secrets Bettina kept hidden from both Clara and Lotte and that they longed to learn?

Although I realized early on that this story would not have a happy ending, I found that I could not pull myself away from it. Sarah Freethy was brilliant in her storytelling. She combined just enough fact with fiction to make her debut novel an enjoyable read. I admired the strength and non conformity that Bettina exhibited in her earlier years as an artist and then the bravery, hope and protectiveness she showed later in her life. The romance and love that Bettina and Max shared was beautiful and believable. I learned a great deal about the art that was prevalent during that time and the type of art that the Nazis chose to represent their regime and ideals. I never knew that a porcelain factory existed amongst all the horrors that were occurring at the concentration camp at Dachau. What a sharp contrast that factory portrayed compared to the atrocities that were being committed by the Nazis in the concentration camp! The Porcelain Maker focused on the themes of love, friendship, family, commitment, survival, art, devotion, sacrifice, loss, dangers, bravery, hope and resilience. I enjoyed reading The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy and look forward to reading more books by her. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to listen to The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

A story woven through the historical and romantic, both past and present. A daughter on the search for a father she didn't know and a tale of her parents romance through a war torn time filled with danger and heartbreak. The search is done through porcelain figurines and the stories of a rich past that they bring to the present day. A beautifully written novel where wealth is not portrayed in money but emotions.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc

The Porcelain Maker dropped me into the story of Bettina and Max, two young artists madly in love living in Germany at the beginning of the Nazi rise in power. Their lives are changed forever when Max is sent to Dachau for being a Jew. Their story is told concurrently with that of Bettina’s daughter, Clara, many years later trying to learn the identity of her “real” father. Through the investigative efforts of Clara, the reader learns more about the lives of Bettina and Max, two star crossed lovers.
The influence of art throughout this story brought a new dimension different from the many books I have read with the same setting. The story of Bettina’s painting of The Viking was interesting but more than that the connection to Max’s sculpture and the repercussions of this connection w made this a read I could not put down.
Many many thanks to Sarah Freethy, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for affording me the pleasure of reading an arc of this compelling read published on November 7th. Looking forward to more from Sarah Freethy.

So many of the books that deal with WWII are described as absolutely heartbreaking that I often ignore those words. Sometimes a book comes along, however, that merits that description. The Porcelain Maker is one of those books. Written as a dual timeline, it is the story of the love between Bettina, a German art student, and Max, a Jewish artist from Vienna, in the 1940s. It is also the story of Bettina’s daughter Clara and her search for the identity of her father in the 1990s. The German laws made marriage unlawful for Bettina and Max. Although they talked about leaving Germany, the decision was left until it was too late. Living under a false identity, Max was employed in a porcelain factory until his identity was discovered and he was sent to Dachau.

Clara grew up believing that her father was a Nazi officer. When Max disappeared, Bettina was pregnant with their child. Her only chance of keeping her child was to accept the officer’s proposal. When Clara discovers the lie, she is determined to find the truth. Her only clues are the porcelain figures created at the factory near Dachau that used prisoners in their manufacturing facility. Bettina always refused to talk about her past, but discovering the truth gives Clara an understanding of her mother’s grief and the decisions that she made. Sarah Freethy’s love story is an emotional one. While her story includes scenes of the brutal treatment of Dachau’s prisoners, it is also a story that reminds you of the people who resisted the Nazis and demonstrated their compassion. There are moments of joy and moments of sorrow that are guaranteed to bring tears. This is a story that will stay with you long after the last page is read. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for my review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

I didn’t get to finish this story but what I was able to get through was absolutely beautiful! I definitely plan to pick it up again when I have more free time!

"The Porcelain Maker" is a historical novel set against the backdrop of Germany in the years leading up to and during World War II. With a dual timeline, the narrative weaves between the love story of Max and Bettina in 1929 Weimar and the quest of Clara, Bettina's daughter, to uncover the secrets of her heritage in 1993 America and Europe.

The strength of the novel lies in its vivid portrayal of a bygone era, capturing the bohemian spirit of Weimar Germany and the ominous rise of Nazism. The author immerses the reader in the world of Max, a talented Jewish architect, and Bettina, a celebrated avant-garde painter, whose romance unfolds against this backdrop. The WWII era was the stronger part of the book.

"The Porcelain Maker" is a solid historical novel that offers a glimpse into a dark period of history. The Dachau porcelain factory setting and the mystery surrounding Clara's heritage adds compelling dimension to the story. However, it doesn't break new ground in the World War II fiction genre which is saturated with powerful narratives. I rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars, acknowledging its strengths while recognizing its place among the many WWII novels.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced reader copy of the novel.

In 1993, Clara Vogel seeks an answer to the secret her mother kept from her—the truth of who her father was. Her only clue is a rare porcelain figure that her mother said had been made for her by Clara's father, the Porcelain Maker of Dachau. Told in parallel with Clara's search is the story of her mother, Bettina, and father, Max, who meet in Germany in 1929 and fall in love. But Max is Jewish, which means their relationship—and his very life—is in peril. When he is arrested and sent to Dachau, even working as an artist in the porcelain factory doesn't assure his safety. Bettina will do anything she can to help the man she loves, even if it means putting herself in danger.

I always appreciate a book that gives me insight into something I didn't know before, especially when related to a subject matter that a lot has already been written about. Historical fiction set during the Holocaust is prevalent, but the art and porcelain factory angles were new for me, and I did learn some interesting facts about the Nazis' push for a certain style of art during their rise to power, mostly as a means of propaganda. Since I am not an artist and have never studied art or art history, a lot of the nuances of the different styles that were preferred by "degenerates" compared to the Nazis were lost on me, which is unfortunate, since it's a big theme in the book. There are also several scenes about the making of porcelain figures that did provide some vague explanation, but not enough for a complete novice like me. So I definitely skimmed a lot of descriptions and discussions about expressionism, romantic realism, and other art styles that don't mean much to me.

I felt for Max and Bettina, but I don't think I got enough of a sense of their relationship—what brought and kept them together—to have quite the anguish the author would have preferred to provoke in the reader when they faced being apart. Of course, considering the circumstances of their forced separation, the reader doesn't necessarily need a connection to the characters to understand how terrible it is. On top of that, though, the pacing of this book is very slow. I often found myself wondering if whole sections were really needed, such as a scene about a little girl and a rabbit that seemed completely unnecessary to me. I can't even say I believe the more modern timeline with Clara added all that much to the story. Then, the last few chapters speed through the rest of the story, with very little detail given on matters I would have liked to know more about.

For those like me who like to know about graphic content before reading a book, there are references to a physical relationship (and Max and Bettina are not married), but nothing graphic, though there is one brief mention of nudity early in the book (Bettina during a party). I can't recall a single bit of foul language, though God's name is taken in vain a few times. I didn't dislike this book, but overall, I think I wasn't quite the right audience. I do think that most fans of historical fiction, especially WWII/Holocaust-related fiction, will like this book more than I did.

I really need to pay more attention before I agree to read books. This is not a book I would have read if I'd realized what it was about and not because it was bad or because of the content, but because once you get started, you realize there is no way there will be a happy ending and it will be heartbreaking. This book was clearly translated from German because second words in sentences were capitalized as well as German words sometimes translated and sometimes not and it still needed some cleanup, but it didn't distract me, if anything it kind of immersed me in the story more. This book was perfectly plotted and was heartbreaking and wonderful! I'm glad I didn't pay attention and agreed to read it.

Thank you to St Martin's Press for a lovely book. All opinions are my own.

The Porcelain Maker, by Sarah Freethy, is a beautifully written debut novel which shines light on the Nazis' attempt to create and use art to promote the regime's beliefs. Told in two connected timelines, Freethy's story first focuses on the artists during the early days of Hitler's power. The second timeline involves one of the artist's daughter and granddaughter, who search for answers about their own ancestry. Both storylines are compelling, although I found the more recent the most satisfying. Freethy's masterful use of language and imagery complimented every aspect of this novel. I also learned a great deal about porcelain and the use of art in general to advance political and social agendas. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read a digital ARC. It was my pleasure.

The Porcelain Maker started slowly for me. I debated abandoning it several times before I found I just could not put it down. It is a powerful read depicting the tragedy and cruelty of the Nazis during World War 2.

I really liked this novel, despite navigating some difficult spots. First, it takes place in two time periods and alternates back and forth -- which usually annoys me as a reader to keep track. Fortunately, the cast of characters differs and the chapters are carefully labeled in terms of the time periods. Second, the two time periods take place mostly around German locations, one during WWII and one in the 1990s. The scenes of the Holocaust and Nazi oppression may be triggering, especially for some Jewish readers given the current events in Gaza and Israel. Finally, the subject matter -- about artists who make porcelain miniatures and paintings -- may not appeal to everyone.
But despite these difficulties, it is a bang-up great read. The characters -- in both eras -- are fascinating and well drawn,. While emotions run high, they are all believable and interesting and the drama moves the plot points along and in a very believable manner. I highly recommend this book, given my caveats above.

In 1993, Cincinnati, we meet Clara Vogel, acquiring several porcelain figurines in an auction, among which is a piece called The Viking, which was inspired by one of her late artist mother’s most famous works. Clara’s search for the figure is motivated by her quest to find her father – a man she never met and whose identity is a mystery to her. All she knows is that he was “the porcelain maker of Dachau” – as revealed to her by her ailing mother, Bettina, before she passed away. The porcelain figure has a historically significant maker’s mark, which could be instrumental in tracing its origin and shed light on Clara’s family history. Her quest takes her into a deep dive into her mother's past, Bettina’s life in Nazi-occupied Europe and the man she loved. Told through dual timelines, Bettina’s story begins in 1929 and the Bauhaus movement and how she, a German painter, falls in love with Max, an Austrian Jew studying to be an architect. As they struggle to stay together and make plans to eventually leave Germany, fate might not be on their side.


The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy is a compelling work of historical fiction that revolves around love, loss, courage and artistic expression with an element of mystery at its core. The characters are well thought out and the author captures the time and place in history quite well. Both timelines are well developed and the narrative flows well, though I would have enjoyed this novel a tad more delved deeper into Clara’s life. Art plays a pivotal role in this novel, and I appreciated how the author utilized the theme of artistic expression and interpretation of the time to carry the story forward also shedding light on how censorship impacted artistic endeavors in Nazi Germany in the era leading into WWII. Labeled “Degenerate Art” Bettina’s early works like those of her modernist peers were deemed “unsuitable”, forcing many to abandon their passion and others to succumb to the pressures of creating works of art in keeping with the norms established by the regime.

This was the first time I came across any reference to Allach porcelain (originally the factory near Munich and the second location outside the Dachau concentration camp) and the patronage of SS head Heinrich Himmler and how the works were meant to symbolize the ideals of the Third Reich. I read a lot of WWII fiction and I appreciate it when a story incorporates an aspect that was previously unknown to me.

Novels set in this era are seldom happy reads and this novel is no exception. However, this is a beautifully written , emotional story that I would not hesitate to recommend to those who enjoy historical fiction set in the WWII era.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press for the physical ARC and the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The Porcelain Maker was published in the USA on November 7, 2023.