When the World Went Silent is easily the best book that Ellie Midwood has written in some time. I flew through it in two sittings so completely engrossed and gripped was I by the story that was unfolding. Who’d have thought science and physics would have held my attention and have me reading the pages as quickly as possible to see what was going to happen next? But that’s exactly what happened. Although this is a work of fiction it’s based on true facts and the story that developed was fascinating with a female heroine who had such unwavering resolve, an unbroken spirit and such a gutsy attitude. Mina became a character whom I couldn’t get enough of as she is sucked deeper and deeper into the German’s world as they race to create an atomic bomb which could change the face of the world forever if they succeeded.

A shocking, hard hitting and very descriptive and visual prologue has the reader sitting up and paying attention instantly and from this point on my interest never wavered. As the story progressed this prologue connected back very well to the work that Mina was under taking highlighting the consequences of said work if they could make it come to fruition. Nuclear physics and its role in the war was not a topic I had given any previous thought to whilst reading historical fiction but here it was stimulating and thought provoking and really broadened my horizons and opinions when it came to World War Two and how it was won.

There was a danger that the book could have become bogged down in scientific terms and explanations and to be honest I initially thought this is way too complicated for my liking and that the majority of it would go over my head. Thankfully this didn’t turn out to be the case at all and that’s some feat from the author. Clearly she had undertaken meticulous research and to write said information is a way that was accessible to the reader was a great achievement. I feel as if I have had a challenging and exhilarating science lesson but instead of sitting in a classroom I was taken right to the heart of the German research and in doing so I discovered an competent and impressive young woman who ‘in a world gone mad, the pursuit of truth, the defence of the defenceless, is the greatest act of rebellion’.

It was so refreshing to have a female character so different from the norm. For Mina was only five when complications from the measles left her deaf. She is extremely clever and bright and obsessed with maths and the sciences and has long excelled at school resulting in her being given work to do beyond her age level. But now her beloved home country of Austria has been overtaken by the Germans and Mina is viewed as a undesirable and a scourge on society. ’The Germans came and she turned into an undesirable overnight, a handicapped girl, the dark stain on the immaculate genetical imprint of the Ayran race’. She can no longer attend school and must be home-schooled. She wants to prove that she is more than just a deaf girl and she does this time and time again showing how gutsy, spunky and talented she is.

There is a small subplot near to the beginning of the book which at the time of reading I thought was this necessary to have included it in the story? But upon reflection it was essential and paved the way for what was to come. It also taught Mina an important lesson regarding how Jews were treated during the war and it fuelled her fire even further. Mina can’t hear things but she feels them and sees them with her eyes. She is highly principled and quietly obstinate and these qualities see her enrolled in university where she keeps her disability a secret. Here is where her talents are observed by the Germans. She meets Siggy a fellow student and they strike up a friendship. I loved how this aspect of the storyline was completely downplayed and very much understated. It needed to be as this was not the kind of book given over to gushing moments or a will they won’t they scenario as there were far more important issues and problems to deal with. Yet still it was subtly there in the background and I appreciated it’s inclusion.

Such brilliance and a quick and sharp mind when it comes to maths and physic means Mina is taken from her university in Austria and brought to Berlin to work with The Uranium Club. She is very much a women in the midst of a man’s world but this doesn’t stop her in her tracks at all. Instead, it’s like she has come home and is doing what she had always wanted to do and that is to be a scientist. But things take on a different meaning when she discovers what the scientists are actually working towards. They are attempting to build the atomic bomb that will ultimately help Germany win the war. The more Mina researches and the deeper into the experimentation the club delve the more Mina understands that if this bomb were to be created the effects would be deadly and horrific. ‘The die is cast, and with each new discovery, they’re approaching something that shall forever change the very life on earth’.

Here is where the tension really ramps up as there is a desperate race to hinder the progress of the reactor prototype. Mina is astute she knows that the Americans are hard at work probably creating their own bomb but if she can stall the Germans in their tracks she feels she will have done something to help humanity. For humanity is whom Mina is always thinking of and through her research and observations she knows that the consequences will be catastrophic if the Germans build the bomb first. ’Science has been turned into a tool of annihilation instead of hope’. Huge responsibilities lie on her shoulders but my admiration for Mina just grew and grew the further I read and you completely forget that she even had a disability so strong was she in her beliefs and actions. ‘They may not be in the physical trenches, but their invisible war, is no less dangerous and, perhaps even more detrimental to the fate of mankind’.

To use the word enjoyable for When the World Went Silent would be wrong but that’s what I am going to say. I didn’t feel like leaving when the story ended and I was completely consumed by it. This was such an important topic to write about and as you read it you are aware of the eventual outcome in terms of world history and also thinking this is still very much relevant to today and perhaps even more so. Mina is an outstanding character full of grit, resilience and courage who takes you on an exhilarating and dangerous journey exploring a riveting time in history. Ellie Midwood has done herself proud with this book and I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.

Mina has been deaf since 5, but brilliant in Math and Science. She heads to an Austrian University to study physics at the start of WWII, hiding her disability so that she can pursue her studies. She ends up being recruited to do research in Berlin. They are researching how to build the atomic bomb, but can she prevent this from happening?


This was a fascinating, page-turner of a story. There was a lot of scientific information on building the atomic bomb and the effects of radiation on others. However, I loved Mina and her determination to do the right thing. She was extremely passionate about physics, and math. When she was forced to work with a group of scientists she was in awe of them, and as determined as they were that the knowledge of how to make the bomb not fall in Nazi's hands. She also met and fell in love with Siggy, a fellow student who also ended up working for the Nazis in Berlin, as a coder. It’s also a powerful statement about the dangers of the atomic bomb. I also loved that it focused on ordinary German citizens and what they went through during this time. Especially if they disagreed with the Nazis. This is the second story that I read by this author and it won’t be the last. I loved them both.


Thanks to @bookouture, @netgalley, and the author of this ARC

I found this such an intriguing book! At its core is Germany's program to build an atomic bomb during World War 2, and I was fascinated by the historical details and all the science that Midwood expertly incorporated into the book. But mostly, I adored Mina, a brave young heroine with a gift for physics who finds herself at the very center of a pivotal momen in history.. Terrified that the Nazis have targeted her for euthanasia because she has been deaf since age five, she ultimately learns that it's her scientific mind that has attracted them--and she is directed to participate in a project with potentially catastrophic consequences. I found Mina's story so compelling, as she manages her deafness while wrestling with nothing less than the fate of the world. Highly recommend!

When the World Went Silent by Ellie Midwood was an incredible read.
This well-crafted historical novel takes readers on a poignant journey.. The evocative storytelling ensures that the reader feels every emotion, from heartache to hope.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this gobsmacking book

oh man what a read.. i was captivated and horrified at the same time.... at times i had to put the book down to recover from some of the shocking things i was reading...knowing that it was all based on truth

mina shouldnt even be alive.... she should have been euthanise... she is deaf and in the nazi world she just should not be.... but mina is a child prodigy and fools most people...

she badly wants to learn and as long as people are facing her when they talk she can more or less know what is being said and she can reply as she was only deaf because of the measles that she caught when she was 5

now war is breaking out and her place at school is in jeopardy. she is taking the place that a good german boy should have and so she is sent home

but mina has a plan....

this book is shocking in its extreme.... but it was oh so good... looking forward to reading more from this author

Mina has been deaf since the age of five and when the SS bursts into her home and tears her from her family she is terrified. Germany wants her to use her brilliant mind to help them build an atomic bomb to win the war. But Mina doesn’t want to help them and knows the terrible outcome. It is a horrible dilemma for her, if she doesn’t help them they will kill her and her family. If she does help them, the death of millions of innocent people will be heavily carried on her shoulders.

When the World Went Silent, written by author Ellie Midwood is an emotional story of doing the impossible. This phenomenal story was well written and had a lot of physics involved. It was a heartbreaking story of the terrible decisions people constantly had to make and the sacrifices they made in order to survive. This amazing story is filled with great characters and I found it easy to connect with them. Mina was brilliant and overcame so many obstacles in her life. This an inspiring story that I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of When the World Went Silent by Ellie Midwood. This is my third book by this author. This book was a little bit different from the other two by offering a lot of scientific info. It had a bit too much physics for me to totally enjoy the book. The storyline itself was great and I enjoyed it. It was also nice to have a disability highlighted in a unique story. I would recommend this to others and I rated it as a 4 star rating.

A very interesting story about Mina who is brilliant with numbers but who listened using her eyes.
I loved that phrase because I’d never heard deafness described that way.
My eyes did roll back in my head with all the math, numbers, and science information because that has never been nor will, it ever be my forte.
It was quite interesting how Mina navigated through a hearing world back in the 1930-1940s.
It’s a different angle to WWII historical fiction.

When the World Went Silent by Ellie Midwood
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC ebook!

When the World Went Silent by Ellie Midwood is a historical fiction novel set in WWII. I have read many WWII historical fiction novels but this is the first one I have read about physicists in Germany. I appreciate the unique perspective on a very popular topic for these novels.

This was a good book. The story moves along nicely and the characters are easy to root for. I think it provided enough information about the history of the time period for someone to have a good jumping off point to do their own research on the topic. It definitely felt more character focused than history focused to me. That’s not a bad thing, just a note. As a historian and not a scientist, I did feel like I was skimming some of the physics sections just to get through them.

Overall, I am rating this at a 3.5 rounded up to a 4. If you enjoy WWII novels you will probably enjoy this book!

This is my second Ellie Midwood book and although I enjoyed it but I did not enjoy it the same as I Have To Save Them. I do not think it was the writing I think it was the subject matter and physics it contained. I did not connect with the characters in the same way. I look forward to reading other Ellie Midwood books. Expected release date Aug. 9,2024

Thank you Net Galley, Ellie Midwood and Bookouture for the opportunity to preview this title and the opinions expressed are my own.

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

I enjoyed reading this beautifully written book.

Mina has been deaf since she was five and had since had to work hard and fight for whatever she has now, even being at the university in Austria to study physics.

But when the SS turn up and take her to Berlin, everything changes for her. She’s so scared that the reason for this could be because of her deafness, especially as she’s heard about the euthanasia program.

When she’s informed that the reason she’s brought there is because she has a sharp mind, Mina relaxes and is happy to know she will be working for the government.

I love how the author writes stories about great, strong women. Every book is well written.

I highly recommend this book.

Mina lives in Berlin, it’s 1941, and is an outstanding physicist. Due to going deaf at the age of five, she has to keep it hidden from the Germans.

When the SS take her away, her parents are devastated, as they have no idea where her daughter has been taken or if she is okay.

The Germans want to be the first to make an atomic bomb, but Mina and the team she works with, don’t want this to happen, and try all they can to delay it. If the Germans find out, they will all lose their lives.

This is a beautifully told story, that was emotional at times. It is a romance story as well as historical fiction, which worked well.

The characters were endearing and I found myself on edge a lot throughout the story, worrying about them getting caught.

I tore through the story, it was gripping and held my attention from the start.

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a good story. This is a quiet story as it's not set on the frontline or in the concentration camps. This is solely based on the scientists, theorists to be exact, "working" on the atom bomb in Germany during WW2.

It was a solid read and the writing is absolutely gorgeous but I did find myself skimming here and there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoture for the ARC

WOW! Such a gripping and enthralling historical fiction. It was brutal and heartbreaking and fantastic. I wish everyone would read it. And the fact that our fmc is deaf is a major plus point for me as I don't often see this representation, especially in historical fiction. It made the horrendous crimes of the nazis even worse. I also liked how strong our fmc was and the sweet romance between the couple. Devestating, but fantastic.

I love Ellie Midwoods books and this one was just as good.

I was on the edge of my seat the whole story I was rooting for Mina

Ellie sure knows how to make me feel like I was right there along side Mina the whole time. I loved that despite her disability she was determined and strong. I loved this story and this is one story I won't stop talking about anytime soon.

Thank you Bookouture and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and aren't influenced by anyone else.

This is the first book by Ellie Midwood that I’ve read, and I can wait to check out her other works! This is a great telling of a girl who finds herself involved in the race to build an atomic bomb during WWII simply because she has a love for physics. A fascinating, unique look at a part of WWII that was the most secretive, but in the end had the biggest impact. If you like historical fiction, especially about WWII, this is a must read!

Another captivating read from Ellie Midwood. The story got lost in the physics speak at some parts, but overall Mina is a character who is extremely likeable despite her inner turmoil over her part in researching the atomic bomb. I have read many books set during WWII, but never one about the building of the atomic bombs. 3.5 stars out of 5 ⭐️

Mina was deaf, a side effect of the measles she had when she was five. She lived in Austria and was a genius with mathematics and theoretical physics. Her main interest was nuclear physics. Because the Germans considered her “damaged” she had to finish school at home, and pretend to hear when she applied to university. She was picked by the Germans to work with a group of scientists on a uranium project which the military wanted to use to develop an atomic bomb.
When The World Went Silent, by Ellie Milwood, chronicles the delaying tactics used by Mila’s group. The were fearful of what would happen if Germany developed the atomic bomb first. They were not the only ones quietly trying to undermine the Nazi war machine. Whether this is based on factual information or not, it made for an interesting read. Would that everyone was as interested in protecting the innocents as Mika and her friends. I was able to read an AArC on #NetGalley.

When the World Went Silent by Ellie Midwood is an intriguing World War Two story of resilience, determination, and a heroic effort to overcome the growing threats of the Nazi regime. Nina defies the odds as a deaf girl with an insatiable desire to learn about nuclear physics. The SS recruits Nina to work for the government due to her bright scientific mind. The Germans are determined to build an atomic bomb to win the war. Alone and isolated from her Austrian family, Nina reaches out to Siggy her friend from the university. With Siggy’s help, Nina is determined to sabotage the atomic bomb project. Together, these two try to save the world from a devastating catastrophe.
I loved the relationship Nina has with her family and the fact that being deaf does not prove to be disabling. There is a lot of scientific language in the book, and at times, the story lagged a bit due to the elaborate explanations, However, if you are interested in nuclear physics, that part of the story will intrigue you. Overall, the story was engaging and kept my attention. I was on the edge of my seat hoping for Nina and Siggy to achieve their goal! There are some sad moments that will bring you to tears due to the harsh treatment of the Jewish population in Nina’s hometown. The overarching theme of resilience and determination to defeat the odds was beautifully written. I look forward to reading more books by Ellie Midwood.

I found this really interesting and it wasn't a topic that I had really thought about before, so I am glad I took the opportunity to read this. I found it really interesting that it was written in a way that was neuro divergent aware, although I did not know this until I read the afterword but then in hindsight it made sense.
I learnt a lot and it was written in a way that made it accessible and entertaining.