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The English German Girl
This powerful, meticulously researched novel is a moving tale of one girl's struggle against a world in turmoil. In 1930s Berlin, choked by the tightening of Hitler's fist, the Klein family are gradually losing everything that is precious to them. Their fifteen-year-old daughter, Rosa, slips out of Germany on a Kindertransport train to begin a new life in England. Charged...more
Kindle Edition, 340 pages
Published
(first published April 1st 2011)
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Just started - impressed so far - Finished it and I really enjoyed it. I was fascinated by the story of the kindertransport and some passages in the book were really moving. I felt quite emotional at some parts of the story and it was quite a cliff-hanger - the day the war started, and what that meant for Rosie was devastating. If I have any criticism at all (and this is minor)I sometimes got a bit frustrated with the length of descriptive passages when I was longing for the action to move on -...more
Overall this one really wasn't too bad. You can tell it's been very well researched (especially pre-war & post-war that you don't really learn too much about elsewhere) and generally that makes for an interesting and coherent whole. Though sometimes I wondered if maybe the writer just was determined to use every interesting sounding detail and built the story from that, which is why some of the plot aspects were a little bit far fetched [in a deus ex machina sense].
When the plot was tickig...more
When the plot was tickig...more
I came across this Kindle book on offer during the sale at Amazon over Christmas. It had an excellent rating and the synopsis sounded interesting.
Although a work of fiction, this book is based on fact and was written by a very well researched author. The book is dedicated to the children of the Kindertransport. I myself had never heard of the Kindertransport before but for those of you who don't know, it was basically a special train that ran from Germany to England to help Jewish children escap...more
Although a work of fiction, this book is based on fact and was written by a very well researched author. The book is dedicated to the children of the Kindertransport. I myself had never heard of the Kindertransport before but for those of you who don't know, it was basically a special train that ran from Germany to England to help Jewish children escap...more
This book was well written and I felt like I was looking over the shoulder of little Rosa as she grew into a remarkable woman struggling first with her identity of being a Jew, then with leaving her family behind, and finally settling down in England.
Although I could not fault the descriptions or writing style, I was uneasy over the relationship between Samuel and Rosa, and the unhappiness that comes out of it, nor did I appreciate the climax of the story, hence the 3 stars (due to personal tast...more
Although I could not fault the descriptions or writing style, I was uneasy over the relationship between Samuel and Rosa, and the unhappiness that comes out of it, nor did I appreciate the climax of the story, hence the 3 stars (due to personal tast...more
This novel was well researched and dealt with an aspect I haven't really read much of in literature: the gradual deterioration of the Jews' status in Berlin (even they couldn't believe it could get much worse) and the Kindertransport where hundreds of children were separated from their Jewish families and sent to England in order to survive.
The story of Rosa and her family in Berlin is written in an almost unemotional manner which makes it even more chilling to read. Simons describes every day l...more
The story of Rosa and her family in Berlin is written in an almost unemotional manner which makes it even more chilling to read. Simons describes every day l...more
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This book was good, but very sad. It was about a Jewish girl in Germany being sent to England. It gave a personal side to a struggle that a German Jewish family went through before the war and then during it. I own the book so if any would like to have it let me know.
I have enjoyed most parts of the book. It touched sad themes of family loss and the holocaust, and it gave me new knowledge about the situation in Britain during second world war. However, by the ending chapters of the book it became quite predictable, and I skipped the long paragraphs to read the dialogues. overall, a good book and very researched.
not bad...
The first part of the book describing life for Jews in Germany of the '30s was very interesting and thought-provoking.
The second part dealing with Rosa's life in England was not as good.
The first part of the book describing life for Jews in Germany of the '30s was very interesting and thought-provoking.
The second part dealing with Rosa's life in England was not as good.
I had to force myself to stay engaged with this book at times. The initial chapters full of descriptions of Jewish life are interesting but don't make for a gripping story. For me I felt the whole book to be warming me up for the real heart of the story...and then it was finished. I feel like I read a description of a story rather than an actual story and I wasn't overly connected to the characters.
That being said it is well written if a little long winded and I learned a lot about the kindertr...more
That being said it is well written if a little long winded and I learned a lot about the kindertr...more
The best novel I read last year (and probably for some time before that), and taught me some history, too.
Tale of a German girl arriving in the UK on one of the Kindertransport trains.
Story-line a bit predictable.
Story-line a bit predictable.
Simultaneously heartbreaking and uplifting, chronicles a part of the Second World War story that is rarely mentioned.
Disturbing and thought-provoking, this new book was beautifully written and meticulously researched. I could not put it down.
The English German girl is an absorbing read spaning the years of the 2nd world war in Germany and England. With a rich expression of feelings ranging from hatred, patriotism, survivor's guilt, friendship, betreyal...this novel is one of the best dramas I have read about wars. I must admit that the story line was some what predictable, especially if you have read other books of the sort. However, the novel way expression will help you carry on turning the pages. A good catch if you are into hist...more
I found the beginning of the book set in Germany more interesting than the second half.
Beautiful and devastating.
Just not for me.
Apr 22, 2013
Maryann Cole
marked it as to-read
Apr 15, 2013
Ahuva
marked it as to-read
Apr 12, 2013
Michael
marked it as to-read
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