Tag: World War II
Review: Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon
This was a fantastic historical novel about World War II that is even greater because it is nearly all true. Author Lawhon gives us the story of real-life hero Nancy Wake, an Australian who serves as a British special operative in World War II,… Continue Reading “Review: Code Name Hélène by Ariel Lawhon”
Review: The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman
If you’re looking for a book that explores the horrors of the Holocaust but does so in a really beautiful way, I recommend this book. It begins in Berlin, where a mother, Hanna, is trying desperately to save her daughter Lea. She learns that there… Continue Reading “Review: The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman”
Review: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
I always appreciate historical fiction that covers an event that I should be aware of. Salt to the Sea is about the sinking of the Wilhelm Gustloff, a German transport ship carrying 10,000 German military and refugees from Germany and surrounding countries. Over 9,000… Continue Reading “Review: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys”
Review: All the Lives We Never Lived by Anuradha Roy
I liked this book though it didn’t resonate emotionally as much as I expected it to. It’s a story of man in India who is recalling when his mother abandoned him as a child. Gayatri was a free-spirited artist who clearly felt constrained by… Continue Reading “Review: All the Lives We Never Lived by Anuradha Roy”
Review: Transcription by Kate Atkinson
Readers of historical fiction will enjoy this book about MI5 agents in World War II (and post-WWII) London. I also know there are some Atkinson fans who didn’t love Life After Life and prefer something a little more straightforward, so this book should please… Continue Reading “Review: Transcription by Kate Atkinson”
Review: Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey
I read this book for the Read Harder 2018 challenge, because it had a female protagonist over the age of 60 (thanks to those who recommended it). I was surprised by how few books have protagonists (male or female) over 60, and when they… Continue Reading “Review: Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey”
Review: Code Girls by Liza Mundy
I recommend this book to anyone interested in World War II history and the role women played in it. I had no idea of the sheer numbers of women in the U.S. who were recruited by the Army and Navy, nor did I understand… Continue Reading “Review: Code Girls by Liza Mundy”
Review of Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
I read Pachinko for a book club and also for my Reading All Around the World challenge. This book was also listed frequently as one of the best of 2016. It’s about a Korean family who move to Japan during World War II. While… Continue Reading “Review of Pachinko by Min Jin Lee”
Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan
If you’re a Jennifer Egan fan, you’ve already heard that this book is a bit different from her others, in that it’s traditional historical fiction. If you loved Goon Squad, this book isn’t anything like that one, but don’t let that keep you from… Continue Reading “Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan”
Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave
There’s no shortage of great historical novels written about World War II. This is a good one – probably not one of the best, but I found it more interesting than the Pulitzer Prize-winning All the Light We Cannot See. Although it’s not really fair… Continue Reading “Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave”
A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson
Thank you, Kate Atkinson, for this fantastic book. I’ve been a fan of Atkinson for years, but while I could appreciate Life After Life, the multiple-life plot device made it hard to really get into the story. A God in Ruins was exactly what… Continue Reading “A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson”
The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende
Much as I love Isabel Allende, her books can be somewhat uneven, and this was not one of my favorites. Allende tells the story of Alma Belasco, a girl who emigrates from Poland to San Francisco in 1939. She is adopted by her aunt… Continue Reading “The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende”
