The Postcard by Carly Schabowski

An emotional WW2 story which was about friendship, family and forgiveness.

The Postcard has a dual timeline, 1940s and present days.

In the present days, Mia arrived in Gorlitz in Germany which was connected by a bridge to the Polish border.. She went there urgently to visit her beloved grandma Ilse who was in hospital. Ilse asked for a man called Szymon which Mia had never heard of. Mia was confused and she decided to go back to Ilse's home to search for the answer. Mia then found a stack of postcards and see the name Szymon.

The story then followed along a lifelong hidden secret was going to reveal. This secret that grandma Ilse buried to protect her loved one, but this secret was finally revealed before it was too late.

The Postcard presented a different side of WW2 story. It was an emotional ,heartbreaking but also a heartwarming read. A various POVs provided a fuller perspectives from the characters which worked very well here.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and Carly Schabowski for this historical fiction which based on true story to review.

Book Review: "The Postcard" by Carly Schabowski

I just finished reading "The Postcard" by Carly Schabowski, and let me tell you, it's a brilliant heart-puller of a read. From the moment I started flipping the pages, I was completely captivated by the story's emotional depth and historical intrigue.

The novel follows Mia, who rushes to Germany to care for her ailing grandmother, Ilse. The catch is, Ilse has a mysterious request—she wants to see a man named Szymon. This sends Mia on a quest to uncover the truth behind her grandmother's wish, leading her to discover a bundle of faded postcards tied together with a name that holds immense significance: Szymon.

As Mia delves into the past through these postcards, the narrative takes us back to the eve of the Second World War, revealing a tale of friendship and young love against the backdrop of wartime chaos. The author does a remarkable job of painting the emotional landscape of those times, making us feel the intensity of the characters' experiences.

The heart of the story lies in Ilse's brave efforts to save Szymon from Nazi imprisonment. The portrayal of her courage and determination is both inspiring and heartrending. It's as if the pages themselves hold the weight of their sacrifices and choices.

Carly Schabowski weaves together the past and the present in a seamless manner, keeping me engaged with each twist and turn. The way the final pieces of the puzzle fall into place is incredibly satisfying, as secrets from the past are unearthed, reshaping Mia's understanding of her grandmother's history.

What truly struck me was the authenticity of the story, as it's based on true events. This adds an extra layer of poignancy, reminding us of the strength of the human spirit even in the darkest of times.

In conclusion, "The Postcard" is an emotional rollercoaster that takes you on a journey through love, courage, and the indomitable power of hope. If you're a fan of historical fiction that tugs at your heartstrings, this book is an absolute must-read. Carly Schabowski has crafted a masterpiece that will linger in my thoughts for a long time.

Throughout The Postcard, the new book from Carly Schabowski, there is a stifling and stilted atmosphere of things not said and now after many years secrets and truths cannot be left buried as the main character Ilse is nearing the end of her life. The weight of the burden she carries is felt by the reader with every turn of the page and that’s what makes you keep turning the pages to discover what has she kept hidden close to her chest since the war years. How has this affected how she has lived her life and also raised her granddaughter Mia, since the death of Mia’s parents in a car accident. Now as Ilse rests in a hospital bed knowing her time is near, will she be ready to reveal everything to Mia and will those she seeks acceptance and forgiveness from be willing to grant her this as she prepares to leave this world? Has too much water flown under the bridge for absolution to be granted to Ilse? Can Mia fill in the blanks to piece together the missing jigsaw pieces in her family story and in doing so can she too heal from her recent trauma?

The story is told in a dual timeline format moving back and forth between the present day and the 1940’s. In the present day Mia has arrived in Gorlitz, in Eastern Germany, which is very near to the Polish border. Mia has no job or boyfriend and we are drip fed titbits as to what has recently happened to her rather like we are slow fed snippets of the overall story which at times did prove frustrating as I waited for something monumental to happen which would drive the book on. Mia’s grandmother Ilse had returned to her home town after many years living in England where she had come as a refugee during the war. But Ilse was lonely and longed for her home place. Now Ilse has cancer and not long left and as Mia visits her hospital in a state of confusion and pain she cries out for a man named Szymon, a name which Mia has never heard before.

Mia finds postcards addressed to Szymon written by someone called Tadeusz. Her curiosity is aroused and combined with her grandmother calling out for Szymon Mia knows she needs to investigate further. To be honest, I think everything going on with her grandmother allowed Mia to focus on something else rather than her own problems and although there wasn’t an overwhelming sense of Mia really setting out and uncovering things rather that through friends of her grandmothers and eventually Ilse’s diary she discovers the truth, there was enough in the second half of the book to keep me invested.

Ilse has kept Szymon in the deep recesses of her mind along with many other memories she does not wish to revisit but slowly we learn of her childhood growing up in Gorlitz. She came from a well to do German family and her father ran a factory. Marlena is a long time friend of hers and still is in the present day. I will say I would have loved a solid confirmation on Ilse’s part regarding the Marlena situation. I felt left in a bit of a limbo with the reader having to make up their own mind. One hot summer Ilse and Marlena meet Syzmon and his cousin Tadeusz by the riverbank and Ilse’s world is transformed as boys and romance have entered it. She desperately wants to be in love but her thoughts are misplaced and this is where her selfishness affects others. She only ever thinks of herself and is not aware of the feelings of others and the repercussions of her actions. As she is German but Tadeusz and Szymon are Polish she has no idea nor do I think did she really care initially that as the war approached that they would be on opposite sides. She felt invincible and untouchable and that she was destined for great things.

Ilse’s family leave for Berlin and return after five years. It is 1942 and her homeplace is much changed with the continuing war. She has little or no relationship with her mother and has no concept of the danger that is on her doorstep. I think she returned believing she could pick up where she had left off with Tadeusz and Syzymon but they have signed up and are away fighting. To say much more around what happens to the two young men would give too much away but suffice to say something significant and impactful occurs and this for me is the turning point of the book where the plot wasn’t relying as much on being so character driven and just detailing how Ilse and Marlena spent their time. Now there was a sense of urgency and of wanting to do one’s bit but yet again I really saw Ilse’s sense of self coming to the fore. She believed danger was some form of excitement but yet at the same time she shielded herself from the realities of what was going on at her front door. It was like she was playing a game completely unaware of the ramifications of her actions for everyone involved. In a way she was a childish narcissist caring only for herself and what impact her choices would have on her own life. This will only lead to sins and regrets that she will carry through the rest of her life. She seeks redemption but is it too late or can Mia help bring the story full circle and by reading the postcards, asking questions and making people open up will everyone be happy with the eventual outcome?

By no means is this book action packed, instead I found the first half to be quite slow as it sets the scene for what is to come in the later half. I found it hard going and heavy at times as it was very character driven and I felt there was a lot of reading between the lines to decipher a deeper meaning as to what the characters were feeling and going through. At times, it felt as if nothing was really happening and I couldn’t sense in what direction the story was going to go but then around the midway point as I have found with several historical fiction books recently all of a sudden there was a complete turnaround and things really started to happen. My excitement grew. My interest was piqued, and little twists and turns were starting to appear and the sense of joining the dots together and unearthing secrets really started to become apparent. That’s not to say my opinion of Ilse changed at any point in the story as there were very little redeeming features, I could find about her despite the suffering and trauma she endured.

The Postcard asks the question what would a German woman do if her friends from before the war find themselves in danger and it did so in a very good manner despite in my opinion the shaky start. The bonds of friendship, the power of resilience and forgiveness are explored and I am glad that I stuck with it as all these characteristics come to the fore and I found myself gasping with the revelations and twists and that sprang forth as the book neared its conclusion. It’s not my favourite book by this author but is well worth the read for the story of friendship that evolves.

A tender story of a grandmother and granddaughter plus decades of secrets.
Ilse is very Ill in Poland when Mia arrives only to have her grandmother mention a Syzmon, a name she’s never heard.
The mystery depends as she finds postcards from Syzmon and gets the full story of Jose’s past.
It’s a story of regrets, heartache, war, and forgiveness.
Schabowski has a knack for pulling on readers’ heartstrings.
How many stories do our elderly relatives possess that will never see the light of day?

"The Postcard" had an interesting story line but it was a spotty execution. The main character, Mia, was hard to connect to. She is described as having just experienced a difficult situation that was not explored very well and seemed unrelated to the main story line. Her recounting of it to her grandmother's best friend, Marlena was unnecessary and I wasn't sure why it was included. Mia's grandmother Ilsa was frankly difficult to like. I enjoyed reading about Mia connecting with her grandmother's past life. I just couldn't find any sympathy for Ilsa.

This is a moving & gripping tale excellently told by Carly. The narrative is very expressive & full of emotion. It highlights the plight of the Polish people during WW2. It’s a very personal story of Mia & her grandmother, & the lives & loves they touched. The grandmother’s story is told in different time periods. Be sure to read the chapter headings with name, location & date to keep track.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley & I am writing a voluntary honest review.

I had mixed feelings about The Postcard by Carly Schabowski.
It is a novel with two timelines - one set in the world of today and one set in late 1930's to early 1940's - and has two main characters with a number of significant supporting characters. The two main characters are Mia, a woman in her early 20's, and her grandmother Ilse, who we are introduced to in Mia's world of today as an aged, dying woman with secrets. It is definitely Ilse as a very emotional, self-centered, strong willed teenager who is the main character in the late 1930's to early 1940's storyline.
The characters were well-written and all of the historical situations and references were described extremely well. My mixed feelings about the book are due to the nature of Ilse's personality and actions which were annoying to me and the fact that overall the book was just so well written that it had me staying up late each night to see what would be happening next. Even the book's ending left me wondering if there would be a sequel which would pick up Mia's story starting where this book left off.
I realize that my strong reaction to Ilse's personality was due to having known someone like that in real life. However, if a person really enjoys well-written WWII novels with realistic pictures of life during that time and intriguing storylines and won't be turned-off by Ilse's personality, then this would be a good book for them to read.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

This book by Carly Schabowski is an emotional, page turner, a story of guilt, love and forgiveness.

Mia, has not only lost her job, but her boyfriend too. She goes back to Germany and finds that her Grandmother is in hospital.

Whilst she’s back in her Grandmother’s flat she comes across old correspondence and soon learns about her Grandmother’s life from the past.

A story of Ilse, a girl who wanted adventure and excitement, and what outcomes the decisions she made during WWII had on her and others.

The story was well written, about the real impacts of the war and of friendship.

I highly recommend this book.

The Postcard
By: Carly Schabowski

Mia was raised by her grandmother after her parents died. Now her grandmother is in the hospital in Germany and as Mia’s life has had a lot of challenges lately, she flies over to take care of her.
When her grandmother sees her, she seems confused and ask her about a man called Szymon. Since Mia is staying at her grandmothers, she starts cleaning her apartment and finds clues to the man called Szymon on a postcard. In fact there are many postcards.

Her grandmothers friend Marlena knows of this person but is reluctant to talk. Mia is sent on one incredible journey to find out what happened to this person and what made her grandmother who she is today. She gets some difficult news about her grandmother’s health. Can she find Szymon and will Marlena help her?

I absolutely was so invested in Mia and her grandmothers story. Full of compassion, childhood memories, the war and so much more. Thank you Bookouture for this advanced copy. This is based on a true-story with makes it even more emotional. Due out August 29th.

The Postcard by Carly Schabowski is a powerful dual timeline novel that totally consumed me.
The action is set during World War II and in 1999 in a small town that straddles the German/Polish border. It is a heartbreaking read as we hear of the horrors that the Poles suffered. As the novel opens in 1937 life is carefree and there is a gaiety as Germans and Poles exist side by side. As war looms, the atmosphere becomes oppressive as the Poles are hunted down and persecuted.
There are those who cannot stand idly by. “I don’t want to be like the others. I don’t want to do nothing, say nothing.” Unfortunately, youthful enthusiasm fails to project forwards to anticipate the consequences of actions.
The reader travels to Bergen Belsen as we witness the absolute horrors of mans inhumanity to man. We ‘meet’ Janek, a brave Pole, who sees goodness even though He walks through hell on earth. He believes that as long as we take control of our minds, we can never be in captivity. The Nazis can take bodies but not minds, without permission.
Lives have been held captive by thoughts of bitterness and unforgiveness. One can never live in freedom until forgiveness is given.
The novel is written in alternating points of view. We become intimately acquainted with the characters who are all well drawn, likable and realistic.
Carly Schabowski invades our hearts and our emotions with her tale. The horrors of war are not always found on the battlefield but in the black hearts of fellow human beings.
The Postcard was a powerful read. It’s a tale that must be read in memory of the six million innocents who died and of those who survived.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

The Postcard by Carly Schabowski is a riveting WWII dual timeline saga, moving from the present back in time to the war. As Mia's grandmother is on her deathbed, Mis discovers her grandmother has many secrets from her past. Will Mia learn what they are before her grandmother passes? How will the answers affect Mia's future?

A copy was provided for my review, but all opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book. Again dual timelines are my favorite. I love the glimpses into the past that set up the present. Mia was an engaging character as was her grandmother. The writing and the story were both a pleasure. Looking forward to more books by this author in the future.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Great but heartbreaking WWII read.
When someone has been through trauma it is easy to shut down, bury your hurt and take it out on others. On the other hand, it really hurts worse while you are reliving your horrors to start healing. This story reflects so much of the WWII generation.
There is also the extreme racism and any German who did it openly fight against Hitler was the enemy.

The Postcard is a well written novel following a granddaughter trying to understand what her grandmother did during WW2. Set in Tadeusz on the boarder of Poland and Germany. It tells of how only a few metres difference; lives became so different. How a young, naïve, self-centred girl changed the lives of those that loved her and its never to late to amend the mistakes you made and ask for forgiveness. Based on a true story, this page turning dual timeline will take you from the past to the present seamlessly. Carly Schabowski is becoming one of my favourite authors and doesn’t disappoint.

I would like to thank Bookouture, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this complimentary copy for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A beautiful story of how friends became family and lost ones remain "alive" when they are stay in our memories. Heartbreaking and and enjoyable at the same time.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and author Carly Schabowski for providing me with this eARC

I really enjoyed this book.
I liked the dual timeline and the dual POV of Mia & Ilse.
Young Ilse was so naive, self absorbed and blind to the world around her and we have older Ilse who absolutely knows how horrible she was in her youth, but I wish we would have seen more of that development of her character throughout the book.
I absolutely loved Marlena at every point in the story! She is such an amazing friend and person!

As someone who speaks German, one thing that always annoys me in media is when authors write in German but don’t bother to have anyone who actually speaks the language proof it, so it’s grammatically wrong! Sadly this happens in one or two scenes in this book too.
3.5 stars

When Mia is called to her grandmother's deathbed, secrets from the past begin to be told. Mia has no idea of Ilsa's past and the consequences of those actions to herself, her family, and her friends. The Postcard, by Carly Schabowski, is a heart-breaking story of people who chose to carry guilt and place blame instead of finding joy. Forgiveness and joy can be found if people will let go of the past.

What an emotional read. A story of overcoming past mistakes, secrets, forgiveness and survival.
Author Carly Schabowski shares a heartbreaking and emotionally charged story that is hard to forget about.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this story! The way the author describes the setting and events makes you feel like you are really there. You become emotionally attached to the characters and the story. I love how each chapter is written from a different character's point of view and time period. You feel like you are there with them, reliving every moment. I love this author and The Postcard is her best book yet. I was fully invested and couldn't put it down. A must read for sure.

This was an interesting story. Mia has come to Germany when she finds out her grandmother is in the hospital. She is in no way prepared to what she learns when she arrives. Her grandmother is dying and has called out for Szymon, but won't tell her who he is. Her grandmother's best friend Marlena, will only tell her some of the story, She meets the old man in her grandmothers apartment. He is rude and won't talk to her and she tells him off and tells him her grandmother is dying and he hasn't even gone to visit her. When next she sees him, he is at her grandmother's side.
The story jumps back and forth from 1939 and 1944 to 1999 to tell a fascinating story of friendship, betrayal and living through WW2 as a Polish person There were misunderstandings, bravery and finally forgiveness. I was amazed at the sacrifice of one friend to another. Friendship meant everything to these two men in the story. The women were friends even through their differences. The story told of friendship, hardship and a willingness to do the right thing.

I got this story from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review