22 Brittania Road by Amanda Hodgkinson, 323 pages. Available in hardcover, Kindle, Nook, and ebook from Penguin.
In her powerful debut, Hodgkinson takes on the tale of a family desperately trying to put itself back together after WWII. Silvana and Janusz have only been married a few months when the war forces them apart. Silvana and their infant son, Aurek, leave Poland and disappear into the forests of Eastern Europe, where they bear witness to German atrocities. Meanwhile Janusz, the sole survivor of his slaughtered military unit, flees to France. There, he takes up with a local girl and, though he loves her, awaits the war's end so that he can go in search of his wife and son. He eventually finds them in a refugee camp and they travel to England together, where they attempt to put the past behind them. But the secrets they carry pull at the threads of their fragile peace. Hodgkinson alternates viewpoints to relay the story of three desperate characters, skillfully toggling between the war and its aftermath with wonderfully descriptive prose that pulls the reader into a sweeping tale of survival and redemption.
Obviously books about WWII have the potential to be depressing, but the darkness here was too much even for me, and I am a fairly seasoned reader in this area. As Silvana and Janusz attempt to move forward after such bleakness and suffering, there is no relief from the despair. This was an emotionally draining read- the weight never lifted and I waited for some softness that never arrived. Author Hodgkinson created a stark and realistic picture of the anguish that plague survivors of horrific events. The characters were too hollow and brittle for the reader to bond with them properly. Even after uncovering their secrets, there was not enough dimension to the characters to hold onto any emotion except sadness. And the resulting lack of any apparent affection other than shared tragedy was not enough to carry the heavy baggage here. I don't do gloomy very well.
The Last Time I Saw Paris by Lynn Sheene, 368 pages. Available in paperback, Kindle, Nook, and ebook from Berkley Trade.
May 1940. Fleeing a glamorous Manhattan life built on lies, Claire Harris arrives in Paris with a romantic vision of starting anew. But she didn't anticipate the sight of Nazi soldiers marching under the Arc de Triomphe. Her plans smashed by the German occupation, the once- privileged socialite's only option is to take a job in a flower shop under the tutelage of a sophisticated Parisian florist.
In exchange for false identity papers, Claire agrees to aid the French Resistance. Despite the ever-present danger, she comes to love the enduring beauty of the City of Light, exploring it in the company of Thomas Grey, a mysterious Englishman working with the Resistance. Claire's bravery and intelligence make her a valuable operative, and slowly her values shift as she witnesses the courageous spirit of the Parisians.
But deception and betrayal force her to flee once again-this time to fight for the man she loves and what she knows is right-praying she has the heart and determination to survive long enough to one day see Paris again.
While the previous book suffered from being too heavy, this one suffers from a lack of substance. The character of Claire was written as a femme fatale, which I was not expecting. The tone seemed a little off - maybe trying too hard to keep the balance between romance and intrigue. It was almost soap opera-ish. Claire was a little looser (ahem) than I prefer my heroines, although it could be argued she was trying to survive, but was too conniving to be a victim and too opportunistic to be sympathetic. A quick read that turned out to be closer to chick-lit than historical fiction, it might appeal to fans of that genre. I was looking for a little more Le Femme Nikita (I know, ridiculous) and a little less Jessica Rabbit. (While I browsed goodreads, I saw it categorized in a folder called fiction-vixen and laughed out loud.)
The Lost Wife by Alyson Richman, 352 pages. Available in paperback, Kindle, Nook, and ebook from Berkley Trade.
In pre-war Prague, the dreams of two young lovers are shattered when they are separated by the Nazi invasion. Then, decades later, thousands of miles away in New York, there's an inescapable glance of recognition between two strangers. Providence is giving Lenka and Josef one more chance. From the glamorous ease of life in Prague before the Occupation, to the horrors of Nazi Europe, The Lost Wife explores the power of first love, the resilience of the human spirit- and the strength of memory.
Inspired by a true story the author overheard while at the hair salon, The Lost Wife imagines the story before the reunion of a husband and wife separated during World War II, who recognize one another decades later at the wedding of their grandchildren. As someone who reads a great deal of WWII fiction, I was captivated by this story, particularly of the artists exiled to the Nazi-created "model" ghetto of Terezin. Lenka's experiences as a Jewish artist, her loyalty and strength made this book stand out as unique among the other historical fiction books from this period. Despite the grim details, I appreciated the undercurrent of hope that is evident from the powerful prologue. Of all the WWII stories I have read, this one stands out as a favorite and I highly recommend it. (I am also struck by how this cover is a poor fit for the lovely tale inside the pages.)
I am reminded, while skimming my thoughts on these, of the Story of the Three Bears - too hot, too cold, just right :)
The End.
