The Bernot family live in Saarland, a small area between the French and German divisive line; a line that has become even more unclear with the advance of the German army. In the last years of the war, thirteen year old Max has been conscripted while his mother is at home trying to keep her daughter and herself alive.

Max flees the army and walks home, writing letters to his family along the way. While his mother struggles after being trapped into working for a Nazi officer. The two stories are interwoven throughout, poignantly articulating loss of innocence and the impact of German idealism on a generation.

Thank you to Netgalley for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! This book can be found everywhere in stores today!

The End and the Beginning is absolutely stunning historical fiction! It is so meaningful to find new accounts of the events of World War II, as a defining era that few people alive have lived through, new takes on the same time period bring altered perspective and nuance that is deeply needed. It is one of my favourite time periods, and this book is so movingly written that it is one of my favourites of the year!

A WW2 story of one family in Germany. A sad view of people getting caught in the crosshairs of being German but and having to live in the Nazi realm.

History is written by the victors, so it was refreshing to read this story about a German family torn apart by the events of the Second World War. Living next to the border between Germany and France, without love or loyalty for the Nazis, they were herded into a trap from which there was no escape. Their young son was drafted into Hitler youth and much of the story concerns his desperate attempt to escape and return to his family. His mother was also forced into working for a Nazi official whom she feared and detested. Based on a true story, this book highlights the plight of all those civilians who never wanted war, and whose lives were changed forever by the evil that resulted. I received an Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! The End and the Beginning by K. J. Holdom is a work of historical fiction which takes place in the last few months of the Second World War. Max, a young boy, dreams of being part of the military and fighting for Germany. However, his ethnicity prevents him from living his dream. Together, with Hans, his best friend, they leave the train station which will lead them to the front lines. The story takes us on a journey through Germany as the boys try valiantly to make is back home to the Saarland. Though the storyline was quite good, I found it moved too slowly for me. I would, however, recommend it to others who have an interest in events near the end of the war.