Against all odds
Grace is the American-born wife of Dr Ho Fengshan, the Consul General of China, currently based at the Chinese consulate in Vienna. As a diplomat’s wife, Grace is expected to accompany her husband to social gatherings and official functions. However, although being half Chinese herself, she can speak neither Chinese nor German. Coupled with the fact she is also shy, she therefore finds the fulfilment of these societal obligations both difficult and challenging.
Fluent himself in German, Fengshan is keen for his wife to learn the language too. However, despite his attempts to introduce Grace to several tutors, she successfully manages to avoid them all until, running out of excuses, she eventually agrees to meet Lola Schnitzler, a young Viennese Jewish woman with whom she strikes up a close friendship.
Unfortunately, with Austria now in the grip of the Third Reich, their friendship is a problem for Fengshan. Even though the Führer’s policies had strained relations between China and Germany, Fengshan’s superior had ordered him to maintain a functional diplomatic tie to the new regime – which meant avoiding contact with all Jews. With no other friends in Vienna, Grace refuses to abandon Lola, causing Fengshan to re-evaluate his loyalty. Torn between his duty to China, his love for his wife, and the growing injustice towards the Jews, Fengshan finally makes a decision that could put all their lives in danger.
Having read the blurb, I was not sure at first whether I was going to enjoy this novel. However, I was glad I decided to depart from my usual preference for crime thrillers and take a chance, as ‘Night Angels’ proved to be not only enjoyable but totally engrossing.
Set against a backdrop of Hitler’s growing hostility towards the Jewish population, the author has combined the heroic actions of the real Dr Ho Fengshan with the fictional story of two women, from very different backgrounds, whose forbidden friendship eventually destroys both their lives. This combination of both fact and fiction makes for both an exciting and moving read.
Fluent himself in German, Fengshan is keen for his wife to learn the language too. However, despite his attempts to introduce Grace to several tutors, she successfully manages to avoid them all until, running out of excuses, she eventually agrees to meet Lola Schnitzler, a young Viennese Jewish woman with whom she strikes up a close friendship.
Unfortunately, with Austria now in the grip of the Third Reich, their friendship is a problem for Fengshan. Even though the Führer’s policies had strained relations between China and Germany, Fengshan’s superior had ordered him to maintain a functional diplomatic tie to the new regime – which meant avoiding contact with all Jews. With no other friends in Vienna, Grace refuses to abandon Lola, causing Fengshan to re-evaluate his loyalty. Torn between his duty to China, his love for his wife, and the growing injustice towards the Jews, Fengshan finally makes a decision that could put all their lives in danger.
Having read the blurb, I was not sure at first whether I was going to enjoy this novel. However, I was glad I decided to depart from my usual preference for crime thrillers and take a chance, as ‘Night Angels’ proved to be not only enjoyable but totally engrossing.
Set against a backdrop of Hitler’s growing hostility towards the Jewish population, the author has combined the heroic actions of the real Dr Ho Fengshan with the fictional story of two women, from very different backgrounds, whose forbidden friendship eventually destroys both their lives. This combination of both fact and fiction makes for both an exciting and moving read.
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