The German Wife by Kelly Rimmer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Thank you to the publisher, Graydon House, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The German Wife in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Gist
I grew up in Germany and am well informed about the time during the Nazy Regime in Germany as well as WWII.
In the past I have read many books and stories taking place during this time frame and often have been slightly irritated about distorted or even just untrue reflections in said books.
Kelly Rimmer has done her homework, though. I am delighted and impressed by her thorough research. One of her main characters is based on the life of Werner von Braun.
The Details
We have two female protagonists and then said portrait of Werner von Braun, called Juergen in the book.
Both women live through the same time frame and are affected differently by the political events.
Sofie, as the wife of Juergen, experienced the influence of the Nazy Regime directly and even brutally.
Lizzy lives on a farm in far away Texas and has to endure the devastating consequences of the Great Depression.
Both women display immense strength and survival instincts.
But as all characters in this book, they are so well portrayed I often forgot they are just characters in a novel and not women I have met personally.
I loved, admired and, on occasion, hated them.
This story was designed with care and love. The passion of the author and the need to share her thoughts and findings of extremely well researched facts are impressive.
The writing is inviting and once you start you will not be able to stop until the very end.
It will become an obsession to know how life unfolds for Sofie and Lizzy and how the men in their lives will influence and accompany them.
I loved the flow of the novel. Even though the story switches back and forth, it is easy to follow. It completely captured your attention.
The Verdict
Overall, if I have one point of criticism, it would be the reflection of life in Germany, particularly Berlin. It is not represented in the most correct way and, for me, was not deep or clear enough.
But I can overlook it. This is the story of those two women and how they are connected.
One thing will become very clear for the reader: There are no winners in a war, ever.
I recommend this book. For me it is a must-read!
About the Author
Kelly Rimmer is the worldwide, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Before I Let You Go, The Things We Cannot Say, and Truths I Never Told You. She lives in rural Australia with her husband, two children and fantastically naughty dogs, Sully and Basil. Her novels have been translated into more than twenty languages.
