OVERVIEW
Oh, my goodness! This book is absolutely AH-MAZING!! I inhaled it as I couldn't stop reading it!! This is my first novel by this author as this is only her second book. Now, I am off to find her first novel and inhale it too, I'm sure.
Yes, I know! I have said that I wouldn't read any more WWII historical novels. But, this novel appealed to me because it was about the German Resistance (Red Orchestra). I had no idea that there were so many resistance cells before and during WWII including SS officers, university students, and others who despised Hitler. It was fascinating to learn of the many reasons for the resistance from altruism to love of country to stopping the war.
TRIGGER WARNING: War, Holocaust, sexual assault, starvation, physical violence, blood, confinement, death
OVERALL REVIEW: 5.0 stars
Writing: 5.0 stars
The writing is phenomenal, beautiful, and heartbreaking. It is so appropriate that I was reading this incredible historical novel yesterday on International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp.
This historical novel makes me ponder the similarities in what is currently happening in my country after the change in the administration. It is a warning to us all to never forget and a call to resist!
Character development: 5.0 stars
There are two main characters in each of the dual timelines. In the WWII timeline, they are Audrey (an English-German young woman) and Ilse (Audrey's Jewish best friend). In the more contemporary timeline, they are Audrey (now an elderly woman) and Kate (Audrey's employee).
There is a secondary character in each timeline. In the contemporary timeline, it is Ian (Kate's friend). In the WWII timeline, it is Friedrich (SS officer).
The tertiary characters are Audrey and Ilse's families, Kate's family and husband, and WWII.
This novel had many interesting and nuanced characters developed well to enrich the storyline.
Storyline: 5.0 stars
This novel is told in dual timelines chronologically with a few flashbacks, as needed. The WWII story is about WWII, German resistance, and the end of the war and the contemporary story is about a woman surviving the loss of her parents in a horrible car crash and starting a new life.
The main locations were Berlin, Germany; Alnwick, England; various locales in the Netherlands and Germany.
Memorable/Informative: 5.0 stars
I did not know anything at all about German resistance before or during WWII. The only resistance that I learned about was the French resistance. The assumption was that the Germans collaborated or ignored what was happening around them, but this novel shows that this just wasn't the truth.
This author highlighted so many women who were part of the German resistance who were integral in fighting against Germany to defeat Hitler and end the war.
Book cover: 5.0 stars
Gorgeous!
Book title: 5.0 stars
Excellent!
HIGHLY recommend
NetGalley ARC (eARC/eBOOK)
The Secret History of Audrey James by Heather Marshall
429 pages
Simon & Schuster
FUTURE release date of 2/25/2025
INFORMATIONAL LINKS
Happy reading,
Dorothea 💜
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