Thank you Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read and review The Enemy Beside Me on NetGalley.

Narrator: Gina Murray

Stars: 2.5

1. Inspired by true events
2. Narration was whiney.
3. Didn't connect with the characters.

With respect for the actual real life events of which I have no knowledge this story is underrated for me. The story would have been better in book form. This is one of less than a handful where the narration got the better of me.

During the deepest and darkest intimate dialogues, the whiney voice had me question portions and lose my train of thought. There is a dangerous line in historical fiction to begin with, and factoring inspired by and a not so well known war event to me with a potentially made up romance, the performance took me back to creative writing classes.

I do think there is an audience for this book, my recommendation is be prepared to utilize the E-, physical and/or audio book.

The Enemy Beside Me exceeded my expectations. I requested it without knowing much of the story.

I loved the main character. Milia is a force to be reckoned with. I loved her courage and bravery throughout the story. She constantly has people trying to silence her but she never backs down. I also enjoyed the characters of Dr. Vidas. He is able to change his mind as he learns the truth about his family and country’s history. Both characters go through a transformation throughout the story and are fully fleshed out.

This was not an easy read. The description of the violence and brutality aimed at the Jewish people of Lithuania was very difficult to hear. I have not read many books as heartbreaking as this one.

I thought the narration by Gina Murray. The book was easy to follow. I especially enjoyed the way she brought Milia to life.

The Enemy Beside Me is a heartbreaking and informative read. Both the story and characters are unforgettable.

THE ENEMY BESIDE ME
Naomi Ragen

Milia has been invited to give a speech at a Holocaust conference in Lithuania. She wants to make sure that her voice is clear, and that her words are not coerced or misconstrued. She doesn’t have a lot of faith, in fact, she has little. What she does have is hope. Hope that her message will be heard and that others will understand history better.

Hope is what drives her.

I truly feel that I do not know enough about the subject and that time in history to give a solid opinion one way or the other as to the correctness of statements made about the atrocities committed and spoken about in this book. What is spoken about is devastating and relayed with passion and a heartfelt desire to inform and enlighten others.

This is not light reading, but it was illuminating, and I felt stretched as a reader which I considered to be a great thing. Without a doubt my toughest read of the year. I found THE ENEMY BESIDE ME to be split between romance and historical fiction and I found myself wishing Ragen had left the romance out of it. I do not feel it lent to understanding the characters better or furthering the plot.

I’m glad I read THE ENEMY BESIDE ME, and I know this book is important. I would recommend it to select readers, however, I struggled with the material and ended up with a three-star rating.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, and MacMillan Audio for the advanced copies!

THE ENEMY BESIDE ME…⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This was definitely an eye opening read. I can't say I've ever really read/learned anything about Lithuania and the holocaust so the hard truths in this novel were new to me. I think everyone should read this just for those facts alone. I would have been happy without the "romance" between the main characters, it didn't really do much for me but also didn't take away from the story. The only issue I had with this was how much anti-Palestinian atmosphere there was, but that's just me.

It's incredibly clear that history is a passion for Naomi Ragen as The Enemy Beside Me is inspired by true events and showcases so much of Lithuania's past. Without a doubt, this is a heavy book, but there is so much knowledge to be learned from reading such a powerful historical fiction.

It seems there is a thread of romance within many books of this genre, but Ragen does a good job of making it not become the focus. Milia Gottsein is head of the Survivors' Campaign, determined to bring justice to those that can no longer speak of the horrors they endured, while Dr. Darius Vidas is set on proving that not all Lithuanians were out to cause harm to the Jewish population and to prove that there were those who indeed did good. The two are brought together by Darius requesting Milia give a speech in Lithuania. There is a strong need for these two characters to understand what transpired in their lives, causing their perspective, and I loved how there was a melding and understanding between them.

This book shows you primarily the history and the facts in the first half, then slowly reveals the heart and personal accounts of those murdered in the second. Being written this way allows for so much learning and then so much heartbreak. As this book revolved around a part of history I somehow had no idea about, it broke my heart repeatedly and made me cry.

The audiobook narration is done really well; Gina Murray really acted the parts with respect and empathy. I also enjoyed the voices the narrator used for each of the characters' dialog, which made it easy to follow along with.

How long do we hold one accountable for the decisions of their ancestors' previous sins? How big does your heart need to be to accept that some members of this generation do not have the same views of previous ones? When do individuals stand up and reject government propaganda?

This book is simply so well done.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

It has been my experience over the last many years that whenever Naomi Ragen has written a new book I try very hard to get my hands on it so I can read it. I have never been disappointed with any of her books and that includes her newest book, The Enemy Beside Me. Naomi Ragen’s latest book, The Enemy Beside Me, was both thought provoking and so powerful. It was inspired by true events as well. I had previously read about the treatment of the Lithuanian Jews by their own countrymen in the past but Naomi Ragen was able to take this subject to a higher degree of credibility. Naomi Ragen was able to accurately portray Lithuania’s part in the Holocaust during World War II and their adamant denial of all accusations in current times. I listened to the audiobook that was well narrated by Gina Murray.

Milia Gottstein was happily married to a very successful surgeon. Both Milia and her husband respected each other’s careers and ambitions. Milia had dedicated her life to helping Holocaust survivors and making sure their voices and stories were heard. She was head of the Survivor’s Campaign just as her father and grandfather had been before she took over the role. Milia was a wife, mother and grandmother but her position as head of the Survivor’s Campaign superseded her other duties. She was intent on bringing as many Nazi war criminals to justice as humanely possible. Milia was very good at what she did and she put her entire heart and soul into accomplishing her goals. Her family had immigrated to Israel after the war and she continued to live there with her entire family.

Recently, Milia had considered cutting back on her hours and slowing down so that she could spend more time with her husband, children and grandchildren. Then Milia became privy to information that made her rethink everything she thought was important in her life. The news she received was unexpected, life changing and so shocking. At about the same time as she received confirmation of the news, Milia received an invitation from a Dr. Darius Vidus to be the keynote speaker at a Holocaust conference that would take place in Lithuania. Much of Milia’s family had lived in Lithuania during World War II and the Holocaust and had been murdered. Milia wasn’t sure she wanted to attend this conference mostly because of the mindset of the Lithuanian people. It was well known that the Lithuanian people continued to deny any responsibility for the thousands of Jews that were murdered by the “Partisans “ of Lithuania during that time. The people of Lithuania today celebrated and honored the “Partisans” as heroes. They were led to believe that the Partisans aided the Jews living in Lithuania and hid them from the Nazis. The opposite was proven true. Milia’s ancestors had been some of the victims. She grew up hearing stories about her ancestors who had either just disappeared or had been murdered. The Lithuanian people were intent on forgetting what really happened back then. Officials fabricated scenarios where the Lithuanian people back then appeared as true heroes to the rest of the world with the way they supposedly helped the Jewish people avoid persecution at the hands of the Nazis. The Lithuanian people that now resided in Lithuania wholeheartedly believed that their ancestors aided their Jewish neighbors. Of course, none of that was true. Milia knew it and so did the rest of the world. The Lithuanian people were the only ones in denial.

Milia decided to attend the conference. She needed to put distance between herself and the new life she faced. Her life as she knew it had been upended. If she accepted, her only condition for Dr. Darius Vidus was that her speech would not censored or altered in any way. The itinerary that was arranged for Mila brought her to speak in front of Lithuanian students and adults. Her goal was to persuade the Lithuanian people to embrace the truth about what their ancestors had really done and accept responsibility for it and the consequences that followed those actions. Milia was determined to make the Lithuanian people of today acknowledge the atrocities the people they thought of as heroes committed against their Jewish neighbors during that horrific time.

The Enemy Beside Me by Naomi Ragen was such a moving and compelling book. Some parts were completely heart wrenching. Naomi Ragen developed strong believable characters. I particularly liked Milia. Her devotion to Holocaust survivors was selfless and genuine. She was completely committed to both her career and her family, although balancing both was sometimes difficult. She was strong, determined and intelligent. I admired those character traits in her. The Enemy Beside Me was well plotted. It focused on the themes of truth, deception, shame, loss, love and acceptance. I really enjoyed reading The Enemy Beside Me by Naomi Regan and highly recommend it.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Enemy Beside Me by Naomi Ragen through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Heartbreaking doesn’t cut it. Anything related to the Holocaust stirs anger, devastation, horror, deep sorrow. An unlikely pair come together to expose the truth of Lithuania’s whitewashing of their involvement in exterminating Jewish people. Not surprising, their plight is also at risk of being shut down by those unwilling to accept and admit to the atrocities of their history.

The dialogue in this novel gave great insight into both sides of the story as well as how easily history can be rewritten and how difficult it can be to correct.

The Enemy Beside Me, is a heavy read due to the retelling of monstrosities committed against the Jews by the Lithuanians. This is something I had never heard of before and it was hard to listen to ( I read the audio version ) but it was done in a respectful way. It is fiction based on a true story.

I found Milia and Darius to be strong moral characters. Even though they came from separate backgrounds and were considered enemies they were both concerned with telling the truth. They wanted to make sure that the massacres were not forgotten and that the Lithuanian youth knew the truth about their countries’ past.

At first, not being Jewish, my thought was, why does it matter after all this time? The children had no part in what their ancestors did. But Naomi Ragen addresses this in the book. To forget what had happened was to behave as if those dear people were worthless. That they had never existed. Thrown away as trash (Which they were.) That is not to say that monstrosities weren’t committed against the non-Jewish Lithuanians as well, but to totally forget one people over another so that your country’s reputation is not blemished is appalling.

Of course, there is much more going on in the book but I don’t want to spoil anything. It is an intense, enlightening and beautiful read. Learning that people are willing to stand up for truth, no matter the consequences left me with hope in my heart.

Many thanks to Macmillian Audio and Naomi Ragen for the ARC via NetGalley!

Book Review: The Enemy Beside Me by Naomi Ragan

The Enemy Beside Me is a contemporary novel about a woman who is asked to be a keynote speaker at a Lithuanian conference despite being considered a “public enemy” to the state.

Milia Gottstein is a third generation Nazi Hunter and Holocaust historian that has made enemies in Lithuania due to their policy of celebrating war criminals and denying their own atrocities during the Nazi occupation. As Milia’s marriage is hitting a critical point she accepts a surprise invitation to return to Lithuania to speak at a Holocaust conference headed up by Dr. Darius Vidas. But not everyone is willing to listen to what she has to say and Darius will have to decide if he’s willing to risk his personal and professional life to support one of Lithuania’s biggest detractors.

This book is hard for me personally to review. I appreciated the details about Lithuania’s past, its actions during the Holocaust and what it takes to be a modern day Nazi Hunter. The parts I did not enjoy involved the two main character’s personal lives and relationships. I felt zero chemistry between Darius and Milia despite the attempt to throw them together as a romantic pairing. I also found the conclusion a little lacking and when it was over I didn’t feel any sense of resolution. In the end, it was just an okay read for me although I would like to read further about Lithuania.

🎧Audiobook notes: this book is narrated by Gina Murray. I don’t know enough about Isreali or Lithuanian accents to comment on that but found some of the “voices” for other smaller characters grating. Overall, it was an okay audiobook experience.

OMG this was such a hard read, I was enraged for at least 3/4 of the book! And then I look around and here we seem to be going down the same path again in regards to race and religion...people are just dicks. I love how dedicated and strong and passionate Milia is. I want to be like her when I grow up! This was my 1st book by Naomi Ragen but will absolutely not be my last!!

This is a difficult review to write. On one hand the historical aspect of this story needs to be told and is vitally important. Lithuanian ‘partisans’ who voraciously participated in the mass murder of their Jewish neighbors during the Holocaust need to be put on the world stage. The Lithuanian government’s subsequent minimization by comparing their state sponsored participation in the Holocaust to Soviet occupation is also a grave injustice. The focus of the novel centers around true events and Milia Gottstein-Lasker’s life work of bringing Nazi perpetrators to justice as well as bringing her family’s true history forward to receive Lithuanian public recognition.

On the other hand, this is a work of fiction and the attempt is to gain the readers’ interest into the life of Milia as she struggles with these difficult tasks. This fell flat for me. The novel reads as a historical account with some random love life struggles thrown in. I felt most of the dialogue was one incredibly long speech on repeat from Milia. I also in no way believed that her nor Darius had any true affection for one another. I believe these were unnecessary distractions from the true impact of the historical account.

The task of writing a fiction with such weighty subject matter may have been too big of a feat. I did feel I learned a lot from reading this work and I would absolutely recommend reading it. I would recommend this not so much as a novel, but as a historical retelling.

I’m having a hard time reviewing this book, due to its content. It read like non-fiction for a good part of the book. The story involves an Israeli woman whose life work is the “Survivors’ Campaign”, trying to bring Nazis to justice, even so many years after WW2 ended. One day she receives an invitation from a Lithuanian professor to speak at a conference in Lithuania. She is a “persona non grata” in Lithuania due to her outspoken condemnation of their continuing Holocaust distortion and their refusal to acknowledge historical facts - so she is rather surprised by the invitation. There is a bit of a story about her husband who had recently left her for another woman, and her family (a bit of a yawn, honestly), but the main part of the book involves a lot of facts and figures about the Lithuanians’ despicable actions against their Jewish population once the Nazis took over from the Soviets.

I’m Jewish and know a lot of WW2 history, but even I was overwhelmed with the data dump of horrors contained in this book. I nearly DNF’d this book about 25% of the way through it, because of this. But I’m glad I persevered and read/listened to the whole thing so that I could give a fair review.

The Enemy Beside Me is definitely an eye-opener in terms of how horribly the vast majority of Lithuanians behaved at that time, either actively working to kill their Jewish neighbors or standing by while it all happened. A major theme is that descendants of these people are not responsible for their ancestors’ actions, but that these actions have to be acknowledged and dealt with. Apparently Lithuania has not taken that path, even naming a school after one of the leaders of the genocide, and destroying the careers of people who speak out. In a small way, it reminded me of the controversy in the US about what to do about a lot of Civil War statues of Confederate heroes, whether to rename schools, and so forth.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient. The audiobook was well-narrated by Gina Murray, who had to use a variety of accents and pronounce a lot of non-English words. I hope that the finished audiobook will include the author’s notes at the end (not included in the early listener copy I received) because it includes a lot of valuable information about people and events discussed in the book and gives some items for further reading, for those who are interested.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Thank you for allowing me to listen to this ARC. Unfortunately I did not finish the book because it sounded like a textbook.

DNF at 20%
I like the premise. The book is clearly well-researched but the slow plot was frustrating and the protagonists minimally characterized. There are too many books out there to read one that I did not find enjoyable.

Thanks for Macmillan Audio via NetGalley for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.