Member Reviews
I was initially drawn to this book because I enjoy reading historical fiction from this time period and I was intrigued by the summary. The book was clearly well-researched, but the writing style was not for me. The biggest issue I had was that the text generally doesn’t follow the ‘show don’t tell’ rule: the first chapter immediately starts with third-person narration that directly lays out the relationship between Elizabeth and her father for the reader. This is not achieved though showing us a specific time or incident where he was abusive and hateful, but rather though the narration directly stating that he was simply full of hate. The fast pacing, and direct characterization sometimes makes it feel like you’re reading an outline for a story where the details will be fleshed out later and the reader is not given much time to linger on a single scene before the story moves along to the next time skip. This might be a stylistic choice on the part of the author to follow her characters’ lives throughout the war in a ‘snapshot’ format, but it leaves very little room for reader interpretation and involvement.
Overall, the premise and characters of the book are technically fine but the execution prevented me from truly engaging with the story.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC!
WWII historical fiction is one of my favorite genres. A Promise is a novel about a group of friends in Germany who are initially wary of Hitler's rise in the late 30's and then are faced with the realities of war that tears their lives apart. The story details each of their individual wartime experiences as they endure the impossible odds and atrocities of war. Who will live and who will not? Will they keep their promise?
I enjoyed the story and the narrative voices. The reading pace is extremely fast and it's almost like reading an outline of entries or an overview for a book but not the final copy, yet it still gets the message to the reader.
Thank you NetGalley for the complimentary copy of the book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.
I really liked this book! The more I read, the higher my star-rating climbed. The style is straightforward and initially it struck me almost like stage directions: "Character X did this." "Character Y said that." "The flat was dark, the only light from a flickering candle."
And, the more I read and became invested in the characters, the better that format worked for me. The plot was realistic - not everyone got a happy ending, "regular" Germans were portrayed (as I what I imagine) they really were: living in abject fear and hatred of Hitler yet bound to save themselves by unkind/ungenerous means, women were awful to each other, and a few bad guys actually got their comeuppance.
Life and death in the camps was depicted in raw and stark detail. many times often clinically described, much like what it is said the Nazi behaviors really were. Not all books lay it all out there.
Finally, I love a good epilogue and the final chapters (+20 years) read that way for me. The follow ups on characters and how they lived/survived/managed post-1945 was an excellent culmination.
Thanks to Netgalley and 5 Hawks Publishing for an advance cope in exchange for an honest review ♥️
As I turned the pages of this book, I felt my heart heavy with sorrow and my soul stirred by the resilience of the human spirit. The story of Elisabeth, Adam, and Hannah transported me to a time and place where the unthinkable became reality, and yet, hope refused to surrender. I felt my eyes well up with tears as I witnessed their lives unfold, their friendship tested by the brutal hand of fate. The author's masterful storytelling made me feel like I was right there with the characters, my heart racing with fear, my spirit soaring with their small victories. I felt a deep sense of empathy and outrage, my mind reeling with the thought that such atrocities actually occurred. And yet, the book also left me with a sense of awe and admiration for the strength and courage of the human heart. It's a book that will stay with me forever, a poignant reminder of the power of friendship, love, and the human spirit in the face of unimaginable darkness.
2.5 stars
The premise of this one was more interesting than the actual book. For WW2 historical fiction, it was just okay. It was written in 3rd person, mostly staying in present tense, but occasionally changing to past tense.There were many characters besides the three main ones to keep track of, several with similar names. The storyline itself was difficult to follow, because no indication was given about time passing. (For example, a character would seem to be a young child for several chapters, then be suddenly old enough for Hitler Youth, with no explanation for the “jump”.)
It had some chilling details, as most Holocaust books do, but they almost seemed to be presented in textbook fashion, not narrative form.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this story for my honest review.
This story is Historical fiction set in WWII Germany. It follows three friends that make a promise to stay together forever and then war hits. Life then becomes nothing they ever imagined it would be.
This one fell a little flat for me. I wasn’t at all invested in the characters and found myself getting confused with the different points of view. It became kind of a chore to get through. I think the author did do a great job in portraying how horrific that period in time was, I just couldn’t connect with the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this amazing historical fiction.
This is a beautiful and heartbreaking story of three friends lives' during the raise and fall of Hilter and Nazi time period. From the first page, this story drew me and made it very difficult to break this reading into two sections, but when it's 2am and you have to wake up at 6am it's time to put down the book.
The book follows the life of a poor German girl who's father is a Nazi supporter, a poor Jewish German boy who works for a Nazi supporter and a upper class Jewish girl who aspires to pursue the medical field rather than marry. You watch has the Nazi party gains control and how all their lives are turned upside. There were many moments that brought the full spectrum of emotions. Although this story is heartbreaking at times, the author leaves in a place of contentment for the character's lives and how they have made peace with that time of their life.
I highly recommend this story to anyone who is looking for a different perspective on this time period of history.
I was really looking forward to this read, however, it wasn’t quite what I expected it to be.
I didn’t personally jive with the point of view that this book was written in, and I also didn’t love that it felt like there were a lot of characters thrown at us right from the get go, but whom we don’t know enough about to be invested in.
There were some poignant moments, and you could tell the author did a fair amount of research for the story, but this one just wasn’t it for me. And that’s okay, because not every book is for everyone.
"A Promise" is a longitudinal look at the lives of three best friends, from different circumstances, as they are thrust into WWII. Their promise to stick together becomes challenged over the war and their lifetimes. This book offers a n in-depth look at some of the paths that German citizens were subject to during times of war. Historically, the facts of the war were accurate and well-woven throughout.
This book was fast-paced, and often times paragraphs jumped days, weeks, or months. Story developments come quickly and shockingly, which makes for an entertaining read. The writing is straight to the point, no nonsense or flowery language. It feels as though the writing was used strictly as a tool to get the story told. The characters may have benefitted from slightly more up-front development, as characters were introduced rapidly spanning the three friends' stories, however, I was engrossed in their stories all the same. This book has stuck with me for a few days after finishing, which to me is often the sign of a story well-told.
Overall, I would rate this book 4-stars, and would recommend it to fans of historical fiction.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
A Promise is the story of three friends growing up in Germany prior to and through World War II. Two of the friends are Jewish. The plot of how they navigate that friendship during the changing policies of Hitler and the National Socialist Party are what drives this story.
I was intrigued by the plot summary prior to reading this book. I expected twists and turns relating to the circumstances each character found themselves in as each chapter alternately focused on the situation of one of the three friends. Unfortunately, this book did not hold my interest and I stopped reading it about halfway through.
While the author did a great job of keeping the story going with dramatic situations and issues the characters needed to overcome, I did not feel that each character was fully developed. There were no adjectives used when introducing the main characters. What did they look like? How did they dress? What did the part of the city they lived in look like? Even the secondary characters seemed one dimensional and like stock characters found in any story taking place in Europe between the world wars.
I wanted to like this novel. I wanted to care about the characters and what the author was trying to say. However, I could not get past the lack of character development and some of the dialogue that did not sound realistic.
Intense. Riveting. Emotional. Suspenseful. Addictive. Complex. This book brings it ALL! Truly a MUST for your TBR list!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
I wanted to love this book, as it seemed really interesting from the start, but I could not get into it and stay with it.
An amazing and sweet story of a group of young people growing up in Nazi Germany and trying to put their lives together afterward. This reminds me of the miniseries, Generation War.
Germany:
This historical fiction opens in years leading to WW11 and moves along during the war and some years later. It tells us the story of three friends: Elizabeth, Adam and Hannah who sought comfort in each other as they grew up during these turbulent times. They lives will ever by changed with the rise of Adolf Hitler.
In alternate chapters, the voice of each character brings to life their experience as they try to survive the horrors imposed by the Nazi to the German population. This story is very touching but very predictable I read multiple books from that time so imagining the outcome was easy. Of course it still a difficult read, the story through the characters dabbles in a multitude known evens such as the ocean liner that was denied entry to Central and North America to its Jewish passengers and the organization that took Jewish children to safety as examples, you will find more cringing accounts as the story moves towards its conclusion. Not all outcomes were good, not everyone survived. Years later, some of the survivors found each other and “A Promise” to stay in touch was made. Their friendship will last for ever....
Although this subject is one of my favourite I admit to have struggled staying with it. The writing style and presentation somewhat choppy: short and disjointed paragraphs at time, some even read like a chopping list. It did not flow smoothly and this distracted me. As for the characters Ms. Martin penned them with a solid stroke, they are we well rounded, charismatic and brilliantly represent those who were present during this terrible time. So I can’t say I love this novel but I also can’t say I hated it, so I stand on the fence and will let you enjoy it. Don’t take my words for it judge for yourselves.
Wow wow wow!
This beautifully written book embodies hope in the darkest of times.
The story follows 3 friends who experience the atrocities of Hitler’s rein in very different ways.
I especially appreciated Elisabeth’s POV as the only non-Jewish character she still despised Hitler and his views.
Adam’s story was the story that I resonated with the most of the 3 friends as his story is similar to my own family’s.
If you read this, be prepared to cry crocodile tears 😭
Wrapping up my year with one final book before midnight. A promise follows three friends through the 1930s wrapping up post World War Two. The first half of the novel really helped develop each of their stories but I felt the second half read with less emotion. The characters went through awful things in the second half but were quickly described then moved on from.
Thank you to Book Whisperer, Netgalley and the author for the eARC
I really enjoyed this book. The style it’s written is fast paced and to the point but it keeps you needing to know more even if it is harrowing at times. Would recommend highly, I think this book is going to stick with me for some time to come!
A Promise is a story told in the three distinct voices of three best friends growing up in WWII Germany - Hannah and Adam, who are Jewish, and Aryan Elizabeth, whose brutish father is a Nazi. Hannah and her husband move to Paris during the period when Germany was taking away the rights of Jewish citizens, and Adam ends up escaping Germany to England. There is so much going on during this story - it was difficult to read at times since Hannah greatly suffers at the hands of the Nazis - but even in the midst of the brutality, Hannah meets people who help her to survive. The characters are likeable and their friendship is their strength. I found this book very moving and I recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The Promise by Amelia Martin is a story about friendship, love, and survival. Germany in the late 1930’s/early 1940’s is a country that is trying to build itself up after the Great War. A man by the name of Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor. He is determined to make Germany the greatest world power and believes that to do this, his country has to be pure aryan. Anyone that does not fit into his vision needs to go, including but not limited to the Jewish people and anyone he considers undesirable.
Elizabeth, Hanna, and Adam grew up together. They are the best of friends. But as they grow and so does their country, their friendship is jeopardized. Hannah and Adam are Jewish. When the country starts rounding up the Jews they are all separated and struggle to survive. Adam and Hannah attempt to leave the country to stay alive. Hannah married Otto and had a little girl named Helena who she was forced to send away in hopes that she would have a better chance for survival. The book takes us through their struggles and and how each is forced to deal with their lives. Not all of the outcomes are good.
I struggled a bit in the beginning of the book as it seemed to go slowly. However it did pick up as it went along and I became so absorbed that I did not want to put it down. I felt Amelia’s writing was good and I did like how she went back and forth between the characters. It made me want to keep reading to find out how they continued to deal with their problems. I would highly recommend this to anyone that enjoys reading historical fiction. Thank you Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read this pre-release.
"If you thought only love was blind, you haven't witnessed the true darkness of hate."
This is the first sentence in a debut book by Amelia Martin, immediately setting the tone for the reader. Through the lives of three best friends, we bear witness to the horrors of Nazi Germany. This novel is impressive in scope, from the early 1930s through the mid-1960s, and well-researched. I particularly liked that this book takes the reader full circle, leaving no questions unanswered concerning the three main characters. (The inclusion of more dates would have been most helpful, though.) It's unsettling to read about the gradual Nazification of Germany by Hitler, using techniques and language that we are seeing once again. That makes reading books like this one more important than ever. This is a quick read and well worth your time. I enjoyed it.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Book Whisperer for the digital ARC. All opinions and the review are my own.