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The French Baker's War
ABSENCE ISN’T A HOLE. IT’S A PRESENCE LIVING INSIDE YOU, EATING ITS WAY OUT.
Occupied France, 1943
Returning home from the daily hunt for the rationed ingredients necessary to keep his family pâtisserie open, André Albert finds his four-year-old son in the street, his wife gone, and an emaciated Jewish woman cowering behind the display case.
Without Mireille, the foundation of André’s world crumbles. He desperately searches for her, but finds more trouble than answers. Lives are further jeopardized when he agrees to hide Émilie, the escapee, and a Nazi officer shows up to investigate Mireille’s disappearance.
André will do anything to bring his wife home, catapulting him, their son, and Émilie on a perilous journey impeded by temptation, past trauma, and stunning revelations.
The French Baker’s War is as relevant today for its themes of duty to strangers and sacrifice for family.
Recommended for readers who enjoyed The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Book Thief, and The Nightingale.
Occupied France, 1943
Returning home from the daily hunt for the rationed ingredients necessary to keep his family pâtisserie open, André Albert finds his four-year-old son in the street, his wife gone, and an emaciated Jewish woman cowering behind the display case.
Without Mireille, the foundation of André’s world crumbles. He desperately searches for her, but finds more trouble than answers. Lives are further jeopardized when he agrees to hide Émilie, the escapee, and a Nazi officer shows up to investigate Mireille’s disappearance.
André will do anything to bring his wife home, catapulting him, their son, and Émilie on a perilous journey impeded by temptation, past trauma, and stunning revelations.
The French Baker’s War is as relevant today for its themes of duty to strangers and sacrifice for family.
Recommended for readers who enjoyed The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Book Thief, and The Nightingale.
298 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2021
About the author
Michael Whatling
2 books26 followersMichael Whatling began his career as a technical writer for engineering firms in Canada and Japan. Leaving to teach at the secondary and university levels, he returned to writing by penning A Vigil for Joe Rose, a collection of young adult short stories, based on his doctoral research, that made the American Library Association’s Rainbow List.
He’s the writer of the award-winning independent film, “The Dancing Dogs of Dombrova.”
He’s the writer of the award-winning independent film, “The Dancing Dogs of Dombrova.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
June 5, 2021
I was pleasantly surprised by Michael Whatling's debut book about love, duty and sacrifice. Inspired by a true event, this story takes place in a small village in occupied France over a 2-month period in 1943.
Why I enjoyed this story:
1. Characters: Definitely a character-driven story! Pastry baker Andre Albert runs the gamut of emotions after his wife, Mireille, disappears - confusion, anger, frustration, hopefulness. Sometimes his actions were questionable, but that just makes him more realistic. I was eager to learn more about Emilie, an escaped Jewess - what was her story? I also learned more about Mireille and Frederic (Andre and Mireille's non-speaking 4-year-old son). I think a separate book about Monsieur Durand, the neighboring bookseller, would make a fine story.
2. Plot: At the beginning, we get a tease of events leading up to Mireille's disappearance, a subtle build-up of action and characterization, culminating with a powerful, bittersweet conclusion which answered all my questions, plus more!
3. Quotes: I was moved by the following quotes:
- Sorrow is a heavy fruit, ... But we have to trust the Almighty doesn't let it grow on branches too weak to bear it."
- "...being disappointed means having hope."
- "It's nothing to die; it's everything not to have lived."
The following points may have earned that extra star:
1. well-written descriptive prose, but I would have liked a little more dialogue; and,
2. I was confused that although Andre was hiding a Jew, he allowed her to be seen by several people in this small town - going for walks, answering doors, serving customers. Considering she had recently escaped from a concentration camp, she would look emaciated, thereby raising suspicions about her obvious identity, with someone possibly turning her in to the authorities.
I'm aware that there are loads of stories about WWII, but this one is quite different from those I've read - in a good way!
Thank you to author Michael Whatling for providing a hard copy for me to read and write an honest review.
Why I enjoyed this story:
1. Characters: Definitely a character-driven story! Pastry baker Andre Albert runs the gamut of emotions after his wife, Mireille, disappears - confusion, anger, frustration, hopefulness. Sometimes his actions were questionable, but that just makes him more realistic. I was eager to learn more about Emilie, an escaped Jewess - what was her story? I also learned more about Mireille and Frederic (Andre and Mireille's non-speaking 4-year-old son). I think a separate book about Monsieur Durand, the neighboring bookseller, would make a fine story.
2. Plot: At the beginning, we get a tease of events leading up to Mireille's disappearance, a subtle build-up of action and characterization, culminating with a powerful, bittersweet conclusion which answered all my questions, plus more!
3. Quotes: I was moved by the following quotes:
- Sorrow is a heavy fruit, ... But we have to trust the Almighty doesn't let it grow on branches too weak to bear it."
- "...being disappointed means having hope."
- "It's nothing to die; it's everything not to have lived."
The following points may have earned that extra star:
1. well-written descriptive prose, but I would have liked a little more dialogue; and,
2. I was confused that although Andre was hiding a Jew, he allowed her to be seen by several people in this small town - going for walks, answering doors, serving customers. Considering she had recently escaped from a concentration camp, she would look emaciated, thereby raising suspicions about her obvious identity, with someone possibly turning her in to the authorities.
I'm aware that there are loads of stories about WWII, but this one is quite different from those I've read - in a good way!
Thank you to author Michael Whatling for providing a hard copy for me to read and write an honest review.
August 26, 2021
The French Baker’s War by Michael Whatling was a very compelling and powerful story. It was unique in that it explored the fates of ordinary people trying to live their lives the best they could in occupied France during 1943. It was well paced and well written. The French Baker’s War was based on a true story. It was most definitely a character driven book with some characters more likable than others. The time period for The French Baker’s War spanned from the middle of October to the beginning of December 1943. That was a matter of seven weeks. In that short period of time lives would be turned upside down and many questions that were posed would find no answers. This was Michael Whatling’s debut novel and I found it to be quite impressive. It was an emotional read that was hard to read at times.
Andre and Mireille Albert were happily married and lived in a small town in occupied France with their four year old son, Frederic. When Frederic was born, Mireille and Andres were told that their son would not learn like other children. His birth had been difficult and culminated with presenting Frederic with many challenges especially in the way he learned and talked. Frederic was almost mute and possessed very few distinguishable words. Mireille and Andres loved him even more because of and in spite of his challenges. In their eyes, Frederic was their little prince. Times were hard in Andres and Mireille’s little village. The war and the occupation brought rationing with it. Andre was a talented baker. Together Mireille and Andres ran the Patisserie that had been in Mireille’s family for generations. Mireille’s father had even personally trained Andres. Mireille’s parents, now gone, left the patisserie to her and Andres. Each morning, Mireille and Andres’ routine was the same. Bakers rose early to complete their baking and line their shelves with their treats before their customers arrived. The morning in question, saw Andre and Mireille having done just that. When the baking was complete, Andres took off his apron and headed out, ration book in tow, to seek out the ingredients they so desperately needed to keep their shop going. Mireille remained at the shop with Frederic to await potential customers. In an instance, Andre’s life would change with no prior warning. When Andre returned to the shop Frederic was outside by himself. The shop door was wide open. Andres sensed that something was very wrong. He scooped up Frederic and ran into the shop shouting for Mireille but she was nowhere to be found. In her place, Andre discovered a young, dirty and disheveled woman hiding behind the display case. After some coaxing, Andres learned that her name was Emilie and surmised that she was an escaped Jewess. Andres was beside himself. Where could Mireille be? At first he thought that she had gone to help a neighbor but as more and more time passed and she did not return he started to panic. Mireille was his life. He could not exist without her. Where had she gone? What should he do in regards to this Jewish woman? Mireille would surely have known the right thing to do but she was not there. Should he help this Jewish woman by helping her hide from the Nazis? Where could he look for Mireille? What had happened to life as he had known in just that short time he was out getting the much needed ingredients for their shop? Would Mireille have left him? Could she have merely run off? Andre was distraught and had no answers. He just knew he would not give up until he found Mireille again and put his family back together.
The French Baker’s War was about sacrifices, guilt, love, family, times of panic, lust, shame, fear, friendship, and devotion. The dialogue was realistic as it portrayed the human elements in this story. There were moments of sadness and desperation. The characters and the plot stayed with me long after I completed reading this book. The ending was both sad and up lifting. I recommend this book very highly and without hesitation.
Thank you to Mortal Coil Books for allowing me to read this digital version of The French Baker’s War through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This book was published in April 2021.
Andre and Mireille Albert were happily married and lived in a small town in occupied France with their four year old son, Frederic. When Frederic was born, Mireille and Andres were told that their son would not learn like other children. His birth had been difficult and culminated with presenting Frederic with many challenges especially in the way he learned and talked. Frederic was almost mute and possessed very few distinguishable words. Mireille and Andres loved him even more because of and in spite of his challenges. In their eyes, Frederic was their little prince. Times were hard in Andres and Mireille’s little village. The war and the occupation brought rationing with it. Andre was a talented baker. Together Mireille and Andres ran the Patisserie that had been in Mireille’s family for generations. Mireille’s father had even personally trained Andres. Mireille’s parents, now gone, left the patisserie to her and Andres. Each morning, Mireille and Andres’ routine was the same. Bakers rose early to complete their baking and line their shelves with their treats before their customers arrived. The morning in question, saw Andre and Mireille having done just that. When the baking was complete, Andres took off his apron and headed out, ration book in tow, to seek out the ingredients they so desperately needed to keep their shop going. Mireille remained at the shop with Frederic to await potential customers. In an instance, Andre’s life would change with no prior warning. When Andre returned to the shop Frederic was outside by himself. The shop door was wide open. Andres sensed that something was very wrong. He scooped up Frederic and ran into the shop shouting for Mireille but she was nowhere to be found. In her place, Andre discovered a young, dirty and disheveled woman hiding behind the display case. After some coaxing, Andres learned that her name was Emilie and surmised that she was an escaped Jewess. Andres was beside himself. Where could Mireille be? At first he thought that she had gone to help a neighbor but as more and more time passed and she did not return he started to panic. Mireille was his life. He could not exist without her. Where had she gone? What should he do in regards to this Jewish woman? Mireille would surely have known the right thing to do but she was not there. Should he help this Jewish woman by helping her hide from the Nazis? Where could he look for Mireille? What had happened to life as he had known in just that short time he was out getting the much needed ingredients for their shop? Would Mireille have left him? Could she have merely run off? Andre was distraught and had no answers. He just knew he would not give up until he found Mireille again and put his family back together.
The French Baker’s War was about sacrifices, guilt, love, family, times of panic, lust, shame, fear, friendship, and devotion. The dialogue was realistic as it portrayed the human elements in this story. There were moments of sadness and desperation. The characters and the plot stayed with me long after I completed reading this book. The ending was both sad and up lifting. I recommend this book very highly and without hesitation.
Thank you to Mortal Coil Books for allowing me to read this digital version of The French Baker’s War through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. This book was published in April 2021.
July 6, 2021
Andre, Mireille and their four year old son Frederic live in an apartment above their patisserie shop in France and the Albert’s are a happy family. Due to the Second World War, it’s difficult to find baking supplies and Andre has to extend his search further. He returns one day to find his young son playing in the street, Mireille missing and a starving Jewish woman hiding behind the display case.
He has no idea what to do, Mireille's gone, she wouldn’t leave the shop empty, abandon him and Frederic! He desperately tries to find her, he asks the owners of all the other businesses in the street and everyone living nearby. Nothing, they didn’t see her leave, no one knows what happened to her and he’s distraught.
Andre’s a compassionate man, he helps Emilie, and she’s hurt, terrified, hungry and filthy. She stays at the apartment, it’s impossible to get her out of town without someone noticing and very dangerous. Andre reports Mireille missing to the police, he didn’t want to involve the Germans and he’s horrified when a German officer visits his shop. Is Nazi officer Egger interested in a French woman mysteriously going missing or is he really looking for a Jewish woman who has escaped?
The French Baker’s Wife plot is about Andre searching for Mireille and he will do whatever it takes to find her, he will never give up and he needs help from the French resistance. A story full of mystery, suspense, danger, intrigue, secrets, desperation, and a few shocks. Michael Whatling has written a very unique WW II historical fiction story, it’s dramatic, intense, engrossing and has a cast of interesting characters.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and four stars from me.
He has no idea what to do, Mireille's gone, she wouldn’t leave the shop empty, abandon him and Frederic! He desperately tries to find her, he asks the owners of all the other businesses in the street and everyone living nearby. Nothing, they didn’t see her leave, no one knows what happened to her and he’s distraught.
Andre’s a compassionate man, he helps Emilie, and she’s hurt, terrified, hungry and filthy. She stays at the apartment, it’s impossible to get her out of town without someone noticing and very dangerous. Andre reports Mireille missing to the police, he didn’t want to involve the Germans and he’s horrified when a German officer visits his shop. Is Nazi officer Egger interested in a French woman mysteriously going missing or is he really looking for a Jewish woman who has escaped?
The French Baker’s Wife plot is about Andre searching for Mireille and he will do whatever it takes to find her, he will never give up and he needs help from the French resistance. A story full of mystery, suspense, danger, intrigue, secrets, desperation, and a few shocks. Michael Whatling has written a very unique WW II historical fiction story, it’s dramatic, intense, engrossing and has a cast of interesting characters.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and four stars from me.
July 1, 2021
A very compelling story.
This brilliantly written story set in France during World War II is such a compelling and powerful read; I found it hard to put down.
The characters each have their dark secrets, yet do everything in their power to survive in these horrific times.
A very highly recommended read.
This brilliantly written story set in France during World War II is such a compelling and powerful read; I found it hard to put down.
The characters each have their dark secrets, yet do everything in their power to survive in these horrific times.
A very highly recommended read.
April 22, 2021
The French Baker’s War is a powerful story. Unlike other WWII fiction, the characters are not fighting for some higher cause, but to protect themselves and each other, a real human instinct that I found refreshing.
There’s some great imagery and excellent dialogue here, and brilliant sections where we experience everything the characters do. You can almost smell the pastries baking. I especially liked the realistic dialogue, and there are some great lines in this book that caused me to stop and think about. Few books do that any more. Bravo!
The characters don’t always do things that are likable, but these are complex people trying to muddle through the situations they find themselves in. Like the quote at the beginning of the book says, “The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but the one who causes the darkness.” I grew to like them because of the hard decisions they had to make, often ones with no winner.
The French Baker’s War is well-written even if the style is a bit unique. Overall a wonderful book with an interesting plot that kept me reading long after I promised myself to go to bed.
There’s some great imagery and excellent dialogue here, and brilliant sections where we experience everything the characters do. You can almost smell the pastries baking. I especially liked the realistic dialogue, and there are some great lines in this book that caused me to stop and think about. Few books do that any more. Bravo!
The characters don’t always do things that are likable, but these are complex people trying to muddle through the situations they find themselves in. Like the quote at the beginning of the book says, “The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but the one who causes the darkness.” I grew to like them because of the hard decisions they had to make, often ones with no winner.
The French Baker’s War is well-written even if the style is a bit unique. Overall a wonderful book with an interesting plot that kept me reading long after I promised myself to go to bed.
July 9, 2021
Although I felt the story idea was fine, with points of view from both the male and female protagonists, the writing itself did not inspire me at all. It lacked the eloquence and warmth to inspire empathy with the characters. As well, the ending was brusque, anti-climactic and unsatisfactory.
August 1, 2021
“They hold great advice. Having books is an act of faith – beams of light in the darkness.”
– Monsieur Durand
Rather than battle-focused, this five-star historical fiction novel highlights the difficult choices ordinary French citizens made in wartime and how their lives were transformed as a result. It’s set in a small town in Nazi occupied France during a 7-week period from October 19 – December 5, 1943. Andre and Mireille Albert own the town’s patisserie and it’s been difficult to keep open because baking supplies have been so difficult to obtain. One day Andre returns home, haggard from obtaining rationed ingredients, only to find his four-year-old son, Frederic, alone in the street, his wife’s torn apron lying beside him, and a starving and disheveled Jewess hiding in his bakery. His wife is nowhere to be found. Is the arrival of this cowering woman in his shop a coincidence?
What an absorbing read! I didn’t need confirmation that the author was a teacher – I could tell by the splendid metaphors and similes and how they were incorporated into his well-structured writing. The fantastic pacing of the plot kept me reading and the masterfully created and authentic characters pulled me deeper into the story. Whatling, in his debut novel, has managed to accurately convey the tension of France under German occupation. I was aware of Andre’s desperation; he was torn finding someone to trust, yet reticent under the circumstances. Does he look for his wife? Should he continue his life as if she has left him? What does he do with this woman in the shop? What about his son? The light in the midst of this was the ever-present helping hand of Monsieur Durand, the local bookseller. What I loved about this novel were the twists and turns which made the plot unpredictable. The ending left me wanting more…but, perhaps the author has future plans to continue Andre and Mireille’s tale.
A fellow Canadian and a fellow teacher, Whatling penned this tale during COVID lockdowns “in order to feel productive.” It checks all the boxes for a great historical read and I’d recommend it to others.
I was gifted this copy by Michael Whatling, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
– Monsieur Durand
Rather than battle-focused, this five-star historical fiction novel highlights the difficult choices ordinary French citizens made in wartime and how their lives were transformed as a result. It’s set in a small town in Nazi occupied France during a 7-week period from October 19 – December 5, 1943. Andre and Mireille Albert own the town’s patisserie and it’s been difficult to keep open because baking supplies have been so difficult to obtain. One day Andre returns home, haggard from obtaining rationed ingredients, only to find his four-year-old son, Frederic, alone in the street, his wife’s torn apron lying beside him, and a starving and disheveled Jewess hiding in his bakery. His wife is nowhere to be found. Is the arrival of this cowering woman in his shop a coincidence?
What an absorbing read! I didn’t need confirmation that the author was a teacher – I could tell by the splendid metaphors and similes and how they were incorporated into his well-structured writing. The fantastic pacing of the plot kept me reading and the masterfully created and authentic characters pulled me deeper into the story. Whatling, in his debut novel, has managed to accurately convey the tension of France under German occupation. I was aware of Andre’s desperation; he was torn finding someone to trust, yet reticent under the circumstances. Does he look for his wife? Should he continue his life as if she has left him? What does he do with this woman in the shop? What about his son? The light in the midst of this was the ever-present helping hand of Monsieur Durand, the local bookseller. What I loved about this novel were the twists and turns which made the plot unpredictable. The ending left me wanting more…but, perhaps the author has future plans to continue Andre and Mireille’s tale.
A fellow Canadian and a fellow teacher, Whatling penned this tale during COVID lockdowns “in order to feel productive.” It checks all the boxes for a great historical read and I’d recommend it to others.
I was gifted this copy by Michael Whatling, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
December 7, 2021
As a debut novel, The French Baker’s War is an impressive effort. Author Michael Whatling did a fine job bringing the reader into life in France during the Nazi occupation. The hopelessness and despair felt very real and tragic. I was fully invested in the story of André, his search for his wife Mireille and the plight of Emilie, a young Jewish woman who escaped captivity and was being hidden by André. These are complex characters in impossible situations. However, after initially connecting with the characters, I felt that each made decisions that felt too unbelievable based on the way they were initially portrayed.
Many thanks to the author for sending me a digital copy of The French Baker’s War. Books like these are not easy to read but are important so that all aspects of the horrors of the Holocaust continue to be told.
Rated 3.25 stars.
Many thanks to the author for sending me a digital copy of The French Baker’s War. Books like these are not easy to read but are important so that all aspects of the horrors of the Holocaust continue to be told.
Rated 3.25 stars.
Want to read
May 6, 2021
July 8, 2021
3.5 Stars
The novel is set in occupied France between October 19 and December 5 of 1943. André Albert, a pastry chef, returns home from shopping to find his young son Frédéric playing in the street with no sign of his mother Mireille. Hiding inside the pâtisserie is Émilie, a young Jewish woman. André, desperate to find his wife, is willing to do anything to find her and bring her home, though his search often leads him into danger, as does his decision to shelter Émilie. Though Émilie helps to look after Frédéric, she is reticent to speak about her past, and it soon becomes obvious that she is keeping secrets from André.
The book’s focus is not on wartime battles but on the difficult choices people face during wartime. Much of the conflict is internal; more than one character faces choices which are “cliffs with only rocks below.” How can André get information about Mireille without drawing dangerous attention to himself? Does he have a moral duty to help Émilie, a stranger, even though helping her endangers him, his son, and the entire neighbourhood? Does a person have an obligation to speak up and defend a friend or reveal a truth if doing so puts one’s life in jeopardy?
What the book also shows is the ways war transforms people. Neighbours turn on neighbours or do nothing to help. A man may rail against those who choose silence and lack the will to help others but, later, faced with “not only an obligation to his friends, but a moral duty, as well” finds that his own “resolve is fragile as a bird’s wing.” One woman, because of her traumatic experiences, “resigns herself to endure life like it’s an affliction, anticipating nothing more than the bittersweet comfort of memories.” Another woman cannot see to be forgiven, “Not after what she’s had to do – what she’s been made to do. What she did to others.”
A strong element is the complex characterization. André, faced with the unexplainable absence of his wife, experiences a wide spectrum of emotions. He’s confused and “imagines scenarios where Mireille could leave them, willingly or not.” He’s hopeful that he can find out what happened to her and bring her home, but as time passes, he gives in to despair. Certain actions he takes the reader may find difficult to approve, but given the circumstances, they are realistic.
There are some events which I found problematic. At one point André leaves Frédéric entirely alone in the house when he goes to the church? A person would be accepted as a member of a Resistance cell without any real hesitancy? A man tells some Resistance fighters about a munitions factory as if it is news when it would probably have been common knowledge because a location with guards around its perimeter would surely have caught people’s attention? Monsieur Durant gives money to Émilie without asking why she needs it? On a Tuesday, André is supposed to be going to work, but he just doesn’t show up because he has a plan to follow someone, and there are no consequences to his truancy? André decides not to go to a friend to apologize after an argument because “Already too much time has passed” when the argument took place only the previous evening?
There is an aspect of style which bothered me. Though the author is obviously trying not to use clichéd comparisons, some of the similes and metaphors are awkward. Some examples: “A burst of their laughter skims across the water, taunting as the key to a dungeon cell dangling just out of reach.” And “Her stomach heaves like she’s swallowed one of those squalls that come out of nowhere to capsize everything in its path.” And “he’s lost somewhere under the surface of an ice-covered lake. Whatever took place seems distant to him as the planets.” And “Memories . . . she’d thought forgotten, return like an executioner to his duty after pausing to sharpen his axe.” And “What started as a pebble in a shoe, soon will be the size of a rock under the surface of a calm sea waiting to cause shipwrecks.” (As a former English teacher, I couldn’t help but notice the incorrect punctuation in these last two examples.)
Some of the comparisons are meant to fit the thoughts of a particular individual, but I still found them stilted. A seamstress, for instance, has difficulty broaching a topic in conversation and so thinks, “It would be easier to fit a wedding dress on a spider”? André, the pastry chef, “eases into sleep again like he’s being lowered into a cave black as a Périgord truffle” and “scrutinizes each face with the meticulousness of making a dozen identical entremets” and compares his tension and excitement to “what Cordon Bleu chefs feel before meal service”?
Though not flawless, the book has much to offer. It excels in its depiction of characters faced with very difficult choices. And there are some surprising twists which the reader will not see coming but which are appropriate.
Thank you to the author, Michael Whatling, for a print copy of the book.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/DCYakabuski).
The novel is set in occupied France between October 19 and December 5 of 1943. André Albert, a pastry chef, returns home from shopping to find his young son Frédéric playing in the street with no sign of his mother Mireille. Hiding inside the pâtisserie is Émilie, a young Jewish woman. André, desperate to find his wife, is willing to do anything to find her and bring her home, though his search often leads him into danger, as does his decision to shelter Émilie. Though Émilie helps to look after Frédéric, she is reticent to speak about her past, and it soon becomes obvious that she is keeping secrets from André.
The book’s focus is not on wartime battles but on the difficult choices people face during wartime. Much of the conflict is internal; more than one character faces choices which are “cliffs with only rocks below.” How can André get information about Mireille without drawing dangerous attention to himself? Does he have a moral duty to help Émilie, a stranger, even though helping her endangers him, his son, and the entire neighbourhood? Does a person have an obligation to speak up and defend a friend or reveal a truth if doing so puts one’s life in jeopardy?
What the book also shows is the ways war transforms people. Neighbours turn on neighbours or do nothing to help. A man may rail against those who choose silence and lack the will to help others but, later, faced with “not only an obligation to his friends, but a moral duty, as well” finds that his own “resolve is fragile as a bird’s wing.” One woman, because of her traumatic experiences, “resigns herself to endure life like it’s an affliction, anticipating nothing more than the bittersweet comfort of memories.” Another woman cannot see to be forgiven, “Not after what she’s had to do – what she’s been made to do. What she did to others.”
A strong element is the complex characterization. André, faced with the unexplainable absence of his wife, experiences a wide spectrum of emotions. He’s confused and “imagines scenarios where Mireille could leave them, willingly or not.” He’s hopeful that he can find out what happened to her and bring her home, but as time passes, he gives in to despair. Certain actions he takes the reader may find difficult to approve, but given the circumstances, they are realistic.
There are some events which I found problematic. At one point André leaves Frédéric entirely alone in the house when he goes to the church? A person would be accepted as a member of a Resistance cell without any real hesitancy? A man tells some Resistance fighters about a munitions factory as if it is news when it would probably have been common knowledge because a location with guards around its perimeter would surely have caught people’s attention? Monsieur Durant gives money to Émilie without asking why she needs it? On a Tuesday, André is supposed to be going to work, but he just doesn’t show up because he has a plan to follow someone, and there are no consequences to his truancy? André decides not to go to a friend to apologize after an argument because “Already too much time has passed” when the argument took place only the previous evening?
There is an aspect of style which bothered me. Though the author is obviously trying not to use clichéd comparisons, some of the similes and metaphors are awkward. Some examples: “A burst of their laughter skims across the water, taunting as the key to a dungeon cell dangling just out of reach.” And “Her stomach heaves like she’s swallowed one of those squalls that come out of nowhere to capsize everything in its path.” And “he’s lost somewhere under the surface of an ice-covered lake. Whatever took place seems distant to him as the planets.” And “Memories . . . she’d thought forgotten, return like an executioner to his duty after pausing to sharpen his axe.” And “What started as a pebble in a shoe, soon will be the size of a rock under the surface of a calm sea waiting to cause shipwrecks.” (As a former English teacher, I couldn’t help but notice the incorrect punctuation in these last two examples.)
Some of the comparisons are meant to fit the thoughts of a particular individual, but I still found them stilted. A seamstress, for instance, has difficulty broaching a topic in conversation and so thinks, “It would be easier to fit a wedding dress on a spider”? André, the pastry chef, “eases into sleep again like he’s being lowered into a cave black as a Périgord truffle” and “scrutinizes each face with the meticulousness of making a dozen identical entremets” and compares his tension and excitement to “what Cordon Bleu chefs feel before meal service”?
Though not flawless, the book has much to offer. It excels in its depiction of characters faced with very difficult choices. And there are some surprising twists which the reader will not see coming but which are appropriate.
Thank you to the author, Michael Whatling, for a print copy of the book.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/) and follow me on Twitter (https://twitter.com/DCYakabuski).
June 24, 2022
This is a very compelling book. There are so many emotions attached to it.
Taking place during WWII. You can feel the pain and heartbreak with the grim reality these people went through. But yet a healing is found as well.
Hard to put down.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Taking place during WWII. You can feel the pain and heartbreak with the grim reality these people went through. But yet a healing is found as well.
Hard to put down.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.
September 14, 2021
I was really conflicted with this one. While the story was good, the writing style was TERRIBLE. I think writing in present tense is the WORST thing an author can do, and that just dragged this book down so BAD, there were so many holes in the story. The narrative was SO BAD. I read it because I wanted to find out what happened. But I was so disappointed in the end. Andre is such an unpredictable character. Emilie is absolutely unlikeable and because everything is written in the present tense, people awkwardly change their behaviours and it is somehow supposed to be okay? There was no depth to how people would behave and how their personalities would be.
There were good bones, but then the writing style was way too amateur. Present tense really killed the book. Let me give you an example. So, Andre is sitting at home having dinner and suddenly he gets furious. But because this is written in the present tense we don't understand the reason WHY he is upset about something. What drives him to madness?
Emilie has got to be an unlikeable character. There is such little time spent on talking about her, her back story, that it just seems really mish mashed. I honestly feel this book is like a first draft that got published that NOBODY read before being published, not even beta readers. I have read WW2 fiction and this was not one of the better ones. Everything here, the bookseller, the Resistance, everything seems to sort of be jammed together without much of a purpose.
I honestly think you should skip this. The only saving grace was the whole picturization of how it was being in Occupied France. But, I don't know how much of it was because of the author's writing or how much of it was because of my own prior knowledge on this.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There were good bones, but then the writing style was way too amateur. Present tense really killed the book. Let me give you an example. So, Andre is sitting at home having dinner and suddenly he gets furious. But because this is written in the present tense we don't understand the reason WHY he is upset about something. What drives him to madness?
Emilie has got to be an unlikeable character. There is such little time spent on talking about her, her back story, that it just seems really mish mashed. I honestly feel this book is like a first draft that got published that NOBODY read before being published, not even beta readers. I have read WW2 fiction and this was not one of the better ones. Everything here, the bookseller, the Resistance, everything seems to sort of be jammed together without much of a purpose.
I honestly think you should skip this. The only saving grace was the whole picturization of how it was being in Occupied France. But, I don't know how much of it was because of the author's writing or how much of it was because of my own prior knowledge on this.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 18, 2021
“The French Baker's War”by Michael Whatling is a terrific WWII tale. I have read many WWII books but this one is presented from a very different perspective of the war.
The characters are simply superb. Be prepared to experience a roller coaster of feelings, most were very relatable. Lies, deceit, love, kindness and uncertainty.
The pace of the book is quick and enjoyable.
I recommend
I received an advance copy of this book. The opinions expressed in the review are my own.
The characters are simply superb. Be prepared to experience a roller coaster of feelings, most were very relatable. Lies, deceit, love, kindness and uncertainty.
The pace of the book is quick and enjoyable.
I recommend
I received an advance copy of this book. The opinions expressed in the review are my own.
January 9, 2022
The book is set during the occupation and focuses on a few months during 1943. Mireille and André are the married couple that own the local pâtisserie in the village of St-Léry d'Espoir in Bretagne. But it's October and the weather is getting colder. The hardships of the occupation are getting more stringent and there's an ingrained fear that permeates the village which comes with being constantly watched, being unable to be sure who can be trusted. That pervading and ever growing sense of fear is in the words and actions of all the characters throughout the whole of the story.
In many ways this is a dark tale set during France's années noires and yet the over-riding theme is love. When Mireille suddenly and without explanation disappears, André is completely lost. Add into the mix the arrival - unannounced and unexpected - of a woman who has clearly been held prisoner and has escaped and you have a scenario that it is dangerous for the whole village, not just the pâtissier and his small son.
The story is told - in beautiful prose - from various points of view and mostly in the present tense, which puts the reader right at the heart of the action. The reader has the opportunity to feel what André feels, to instantly understand his anguish at his wife's disappearance and his frustration with the new situation in which he finds himself. As the story unfolds and the motivations of the various characters are revealed, it becomes clear that not everyone has acted for the best of reasons. In that respect, this story reads a little like a mystery as it moves to a surprising conclusion.
In many ways this is a dark tale set during France's années noires and yet the over-riding theme is love. When Mireille suddenly and without explanation disappears, André is completely lost. Add into the mix the arrival - unannounced and unexpected - of a woman who has clearly been held prisoner and has escaped and you have a scenario that it is dangerous for the whole village, not just the pâtissier and his small son.
The story is told - in beautiful prose - from various points of view and mostly in the present tense, which puts the reader right at the heart of the action. The reader has the opportunity to feel what André feels, to instantly understand his anguish at his wife's disappearance and his frustration with the new situation in which he finds himself. As the story unfolds and the motivations of the various characters are revealed, it becomes clear that not everyone has acted for the best of reasons. In that respect, this story reads a little like a mystery as it moves to a surprising conclusion.
July 17, 2021
3-1/2 stars
This is a WW2 story set in France, the story of a baker whose wife suddenly and mysteriously disappears, leaving her young boy alone, at the same time he finds a Jewish woman hiding in his shop. It was an interesting story that kept me reading, but the writing style was so understated and almost aloof to the feelings and inner workings of the characters, that I felt apart from the story and never as involved as I like to get. This is a good story but just ok for me. It’s the first book I’ve read by this author. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free advance copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is a WW2 story set in France, the story of a baker whose wife suddenly and mysteriously disappears, leaving her young boy alone, at the same time he finds a Jewish woman hiding in his shop. It was an interesting story that kept me reading, but the writing style was so understated and almost aloof to the feelings and inner workings of the characters, that I felt apart from the story and never as involved as I like to get. This is a good story but just ok for me. It’s the first book I’ve read by this author. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free advance copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.
July 7, 2021
Firstly my thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this novel, but possibly a bit numb given the very dramatic ending. Survival of German prison camps, only to bring about the downfall of innocent bystanders was doubtless a common-place story during the war. The novel is well written, with empathy and emotion. The characters played their roles in this realistic period of fear and dread, displaying their strengths and weaknesses with conscience eventually taking precedence. My congratulations to Michael Whatling on this extremely engaging historical novel.
I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this novel, but possibly a bit numb given the very dramatic ending. Survival of German prison camps, only to bring about the downfall of innocent bystanders was doubtless a common-place story during the war. The novel is well written, with empathy and emotion. The characters played their roles in this realistic period of fear and dread, displaying their strengths and weaknesses with conscience eventually taking precedence. My congratulations to Michael Whatling on this extremely engaging historical novel.
July 10, 2021
Twists and Turns and a surprise ending
Andre owns a pastry shop in Nazi occupied France. He runs it with his wife Mireille and his young son Frederic. One day upon returning from purchasing baking supplies he finds his son standing in the street, his wife is missing and a very scared Jewish woman is hiding behind the display case.
As his wife stays missing, Andre tries to find out what happened to her and gets nowhere. He allows the Jewish woman to stay and care for his son, reluctantly as he wishes her to leave but she has nowhere to go and he has no one to care for Frederic.
Andre's life crumbles more and more and his life becomes one of nothing but trying to find his wife. This is the story of that search and of his home life with Frederic and the Jewish woman while he searches. It has a lot of twists and turns, and it ends in a surprising way.
If you like WWII and mysteries you will like this book. It is more about the human relationships and how they deal with the occupation and with Andre and his missing wife.
I thought it was interesting to hear about the French pastry shop and the small town. I wondered why the author only had the story from the point of view of Andre and the Jewish woman and not from Mireille as well. She came into the picture only at the end of the book. I would have liked to have more development of her character as to where she was and how she was dealing with being away from her family at the same time as Andre was dealing with her absence.
It was a good mystery, but I did feel it was missing part of the story.
Thanks to Michael Whatling, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in return for an honest review.
Andre owns a pastry shop in Nazi occupied France. He runs it with his wife Mireille and his young son Frederic. One day upon returning from purchasing baking supplies he finds his son standing in the street, his wife is missing and a very scared Jewish woman is hiding behind the display case.
As his wife stays missing, Andre tries to find out what happened to her and gets nowhere. He allows the Jewish woman to stay and care for his son, reluctantly as he wishes her to leave but she has nowhere to go and he has no one to care for Frederic.
Andre's life crumbles more and more and his life becomes one of nothing but trying to find his wife. This is the story of that search and of his home life with Frederic and the Jewish woman while he searches. It has a lot of twists and turns, and it ends in a surprising way.
If you like WWII and mysteries you will like this book. It is more about the human relationships and how they deal with the occupation and with Andre and his missing wife.
I thought it was interesting to hear about the French pastry shop and the small town. I wondered why the author only had the story from the point of view of Andre and the Jewish woman and not from Mireille as well. She came into the picture only at the end of the book. I would have liked to have more development of her character as to where she was and how she was dealing with being away from her family at the same time as Andre was dealing with her absence.
It was a good mystery, but I did feel it was missing part of the story.
Thanks to Michael Whatling, BooksGoSocial, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in return for an honest review.
December 24, 2021
I did not care for this book. I expected a book about the French resistance, and there was barely any of that. The main character. Andre, was unlikable and unsympathetic. His temper tantrums were tiresome. The plot was weak, and the writing was all over the place. Events happened that were not completely explained. Like, why did the Nazis raid the town? Was it the missing soldier or the train crash? What happened to the people who were taken? Who was on the train? The ending was unsatisfactory, also. After an entire book where he searches for his wife, he becomes impotent when asked to identify her. I will not read another book by this author.
September 7, 2021
This is a heartbreaking story of love persevering through the hardest of times. The characters are all written with equally complex and emotional pasts. It’s a well-written tale told from a unique perspective.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for a review.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for a review.
July 22, 2021
This is another great WWII novel, it is a bit different than the others I have read in that it is a bit more of a storyline amongst family life during that time. André Albert has a pastry shop that him and his wife run, although with the war and rations, it is getting harder and harder to fill their bakery with various pastries. They’ve learned to cut back and how to change recipes to use what is available to them as time goes on and the war starts to accelerate.
After striking out for baking supplies for the bakery, André returns home to an odd, unsettling scene. Their non-talking four year old son is outside, the door to the baker is left wide open and his wife is no where to be found. But her apron is laying in the street, abandoned in a haste it appears. Frantic, and becoming more and more worried, André cannot find her, and no one will talk. Everyone claims they did not see anything and no one is helping him.
Not only does he have a missing wife, and upset child missing their mother- upon his return a starving, dirty Jewish woman was hiding behind one of the bakery cases. Quickly realizing he is all on his own in finding his wife, he does the right thing and allows the woman to stay- she is helping comfort his son after all and has showed she means no harm. André has a caring heart, and his wife would want him to help this woman as well.
As André begins to do his own interviewing of others in the area, he starts to fear the worse. Not only was his wife more than likely taken against her will, there is a missing Jewish woman the Nazi’s are looking for, and they’ve been in his bakery acting as though they want to help look into his missing wife, or are they? Is this worth risking his and his son’s life and will he ever find his wife, or the truth behind what happened to her?
Thank you to the author for sending me a free copy in exchange for my honest review. I enjoyed that this novel was a different side of the war, in that it had mystery involved but the forefront of what was also happening to families and those who risked everything to save others. I would suggesting adding this to your WWII novels pile!
After striking out for baking supplies for the bakery, André returns home to an odd, unsettling scene. Their non-talking four year old son is outside, the door to the baker is left wide open and his wife is no where to be found. But her apron is laying in the street, abandoned in a haste it appears. Frantic, and becoming more and more worried, André cannot find her, and no one will talk. Everyone claims they did not see anything and no one is helping him.
Not only does he have a missing wife, and upset child missing their mother- upon his return a starving, dirty Jewish woman was hiding behind one of the bakery cases. Quickly realizing he is all on his own in finding his wife, he does the right thing and allows the woman to stay- she is helping comfort his son after all and has showed she means no harm. André has a caring heart, and his wife would want him to help this woman as well.
As André begins to do his own interviewing of others in the area, he starts to fear the worse. Not only was his wife more than likely taken against her will, there is a missing Jewish woman the Nazi’s are looking for, and they’ve been in his bakery acting as though they want to help look into his missing wife, or are they? Is this worth risking his and his son’s life and will he ever find his wife, or the truth behind what happened to her?
Thank you to the author for sending me a free copy in exchange for my honest review. I enjoyed that this novel was a different side of the war, in that it had mystery involved but the forefront of what was also happening to families and those who risked everything to save others. I would suggesting adding this to your WWII novels pile!
August 21, 2021
This was a good WWII story set in a small town in occupied France in 1943. This book besides from the main plot is very much about the characters.
I love a story that delves into the complexities of all of the characters, making me feel for them or not, and able to slowly find out the many stories that they each bring to the story, and why they are driven to do what they do..
Andre Albert, his wife Mireille and there son Frederic, own a Patisserie, which like all of the other businesses on their street are struggling to survive under the German rule.
One day Andre comes down stairs to find his wife missing, his son wandering around alone and a Jewish woman, Emilie, hiding behind his pastry display cases, and from this point on the search begins for Andre, to find his wife.
The story keeps you on edge wondering what will happen to the main characters and their friends, through many Nazi officers, encounters, and the secrets they all keep.
I would like to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for a copy of this book.
I love a story that delves into the complexities of all of the characters, making me feel for them or not, and able to slowly find out the many stories that they each bring to the story, and why they are driven to do what they do..
Andre Albert, his wife Mireille and there son Frederic, own a Patisserie, which like all of the other businesses on their street are struggling to survive under the German rule.
One day Andre comes down stairs to find his wife missing, his son wandering around alone and a Jewish woman, Emilie, hiding behind his pastry display cases, and from this point on the search begins for Andre, to find his wife.
The story keeps you on edge wondering what will happen to the main characters and their friends, through many Nazi officers, encounters, and the secrets they all keep.
I would like to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for a copy of this book.
August 29, 2021
The publisher's blurb is a great hook, but only hints at the pathos and self delusion contained in the story of the essence of five people and those all around them in a time of occupation in a sleepy village in France. The wife disappears, the husband is undone, the fugitive becomes important, the child cannot comprehend the changes in his world, the bookseller sees them all as his family. It is a wrenching tale that kept me reading on relentlessly.
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley. Thank you also to Mortal Coil Books.
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from BooksGoSocial via NetGalley. Thank you also to Mortal Coil Books.
September 7, 2022
Well, it kept me guessing right up to the end. The rare book that doesn't telegraph the ending...you just really can't imagine how it's going to turn out. It was a most unusual perception of a microcosm of life in France in 1943, during the German occupation. Not an uplifting story, to be sure, but there really wasn't too much that was uplifting during that time. As a book club partner of mine pointed out, "was it really believable?" Well, I think that's going to be left to the individual reader to decide. It's definitely worth the read.
September 2, 2022
Not sure exactly how I fell into reading this story. Thankfully, it wasn't very long. Set in a bakery during WWII, a man's wife disappears at the same time a Jewish hide-away shows up at the shop. She becomes a part of his life and that of his young son as he continues to search for his missing wife. I just couldn't relate to the characters of Andre, Emilie or Mireille. There were too many things that happened that didn't seem at all historically accurate for the time. Usually, in the WWII stories, you are praying for a good outcome for the main characters. In this one, I just wasn't invested in any of them, really didn't even like them, save for maybe Frederic, the little boy, and Monsieur Durand, the bookseller. The ending was not at all satisfying on any level. I notice it says it was "based on a true story." What part of it was true? With all the magnificent stories out there set during WWII, this is not one I would recommend.
September 30, 2021
Author Michael Whatling has written a truly heart-wrenching story that captures your attention from the very first page and holds you there throughout the entirety of his book, "The French Baker's War".
This is a story of a baker whose wife goes missing and while he is desperately searching for what has happened to his wife, he is also harboring a Jewish woman in his home. There is wonderful character development and you greatly come to sympathize and a love several of the characters in this book. While you want to see the baker find his wife, you also realize that there will probably be a cost to her recovery.
Because this story is set during World War II, and involves the Nazi occupation of France, it has the element of recounting the atrocities and hardships during these times for the people in the country. I have read many novels which take place during World War II and always I am reminded about the great inhumanity that exists in our world and that existed during that war. The author captures these times, and especially the frustration of people turning their heads, not wanting to be involved and, even understandably so, knowing that to be involved could be at a cost to themselves and even to their families.
As I closed the last page of this book I realized my fear of how this book might end was different than I expected, but also just as heart-wrenching as I was afraid it would be. I do feel like the book, in many ways, helps keep our faith in our fellow man to do the right thing. This author wrote a story that was so poignant that it has resonated with me and is still replaying in my mind.
I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley for my honest opinion—I can honestly say that this book is very well written, very emotional, and will leave you thinking about it long after you have finished the story. In addition, I can say without reservation that I would have gladly paid to read this book—it is truly a book that is well worth purchasing.
This is a story of a baker whose wife goes missing and while he is desperately searching for what has happened to his wife, he is also harboring a Jewish woman in his home. There is wonderful character development and you greatly come to sympathize and a love several of the characters in this book. While you want to see the baker find his wife, you also realize that there will probably be a cost to her recovery.
Because this story is set during World War II, and involves the Nazi occupation of France, it has the element of recounting the atrocities and hardships during these times for the people in the country. I have read many novels which take place during World War II and always I am reminded about the great inhumanity that exists in our world and that existed during that war. The author captures these times, and especially the frustration of people turning their heads, not wanting to be involved and, even understandably so, knowing that to be involved could be at a cost to themselves and even to their families.
As I closed the last page of this book I realized my fear of how this book might end was different than I expected, but also just as heart-wrenching as I was afraid it would be. I do feel like the book, in many ways, helps keep our faith in our fellow man to do the right thing. This author wrote a story that was so poignant that it has resonated with me and is still replaying in my mind.
I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley for my honest opinion—I can honestly say that this book is very well written, very emotional, and will leave you thinking about it long after you have finished the story. In addition, I can say without reservation that I would have gladly paid to read this book—it is truly a book that is well worth purchasing.
July 28, 2021
This is Michael Whatling's first novel and it's truly impressive.
The book takes place from mid-October to early December 1943. Just seven weeks. But it turns out quite a lot can happen and people can change dramatically in that time when they are living through the horrors of a world war.
Based on a true story, this historical novel begins by meeting the talented French bakers André and Mireille Albert, a married couple with a four year old son, Frédéric, -- all three of them living in a small town under German occupation. Food and money are scarce, businesses are feeling pinched, but André and Mireille are devoted to one another and to maintaining their business, which has been in Mireille's family for generations.
Then one day, happenstance. A random event, born of desperation and terror, changes the Albert's world forever. And without giving anything away, what happens during the rest of the novel, is the slow unfolding of what happens to people who are tested by circumstances. The range of emotions is exhaustive. Panic, guilt, fury, lust, shame, fear -- just to name a few. Whatling looks at how such dispiriting experiences can alter people. Even in a short period of time.
This is a taxing, emotional novel, often difficult to read. But it's also powerful in its ability to translate the whole experience of war into the story of one small family. It is also masterful in exposing the strange, varied, and sometimes pitiful processing of the human mind under pressure. Like me, you will no doubt end the book realizing that no one escapes any war unscathed. Strongly recommended.
The book takes place from mid-October to early December 1943. Just seven weeks. But it turns out quite a lot can happen and people can change dramatically in that time when they are living through the horrors of a world war.
Based on a true story, this historical novel begins by meeting the talented French bakers André and Mireille Albert, a married couple with a four year old son, Frédéric, -- all three of them living in a small town under German occupation. Food and money are scarce, businesses are feeling pinched, but André and Mireille are devoted to one another and to maintaining their business, which has been in Mireille's family for generations.
Then one day, happenstance. A random event, born of desperation and terror, changes the Albert's world forever. And without giving anything away, what happens during the rest of the novel, is the slow unfolding of what happens to people who are tested by circumstances. The range of emotions is exhaustive. Panic, guilt, fury, lust, shame, fear -- just to name a few. Whatling looks at how such dispiriting experiences can alter people. Even in a short period of time.
This is a taxing, emotional novel, often difficult to read. But it's also powerful in its ability to translate the whole experience of war into the story of one small family. It is also masterful in exposing the strange, varied, and sometimes pitiful processing of the human mind under pressure. Like me, you will no doubt end the book realizing that no one escapes any war unscathed. Strongly recommended.
July 25, 2021
What do you do when your wife, the love of your life and mother to your small son suddenly disappears and you find a young Jewish woman hiding in your pastry shop? That is the question Andre faces in his small Nazi occupied village in France. Does Andre turn out the young Jewish woman? Or does he let her stay, knowing that he will be killed if found out. Told in multiple viewpoints, this story tackle some of the hard choices people faced in Europe during World War II. As Andre struggles to find out what happened to his wife we are introduced to a cast of characters that includes villainous Nazis, resistance fighters and neighbors both friendly and vindictive. Andre, at times is not a very likeable character, yet his reactions, wrong though they may be, are believable and consistent with how many of us might react in similar circumstances. This tale of love, duty and sacrifice is recommended for fans of World War II historical fiction. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 6, 2021
Very disappointing and not at all realistic. Great premise but so unbelievably unrealistic. I finished it because I had to see if it redeemed itself in the end. It didnt! Basically wife, husband, and small child living though WW2 and occupation by many. Wife just disappears one day and there is a new woman (on the run, she is Jewish) is in the shop hiding where she will stay for now and not one person questions anything! It continues to get more unbelievable from there
Don’t want to say too much other than don’t waste your time.
Don’t want to say too much other than don’t waste your time.
October 27, 2021
I almost put this book down after several chapters; but, I decided to finish it to see if it got any better. Big mistake! There is nothing about this book that drew me in other than my determination not to leave a book started and not finished. It was a weak story line that told nothing but despair, betrayal and sadness.
I'm being generous with one star.
I'm being generous with one star.
January 25, 2022
Full of Despair
There is not one joyful, positive, uplifting moment in this entire book. It is sadness, gloom, pain and grief from beginning to end.
There is not one joyful, positive, uplifting moment in this entire book. It is sadness, gloom, pain and grief from beginning to end.
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