Mother Country: A Story of Love and Lies

by Monique Charlesworth

A true story of the passionate and tragi-comic relationship between a mother running from her past in Hitler’s Germany and a daughter running towards it.

Inge was German, half-Jewish and a Holocaust survivor, all of which she chose to deny. Talented and able, charismatic and infuriating, she surged through life constantly reinventing herself. Sent out of Nazi Germany to the souks of Meknes, she fled a freezing attic in war-torn Brussels to land in a council estate in Birkenhead. London offered the escapee a new start until her past caught up with her. Triumph finally came in France where nobody knew who she was – least of all the friends who adored her.

Led by emotions she could barely understand, let alone control, Inge divided, and often she conquered. After her death, deep secrets emerged. Her daughters knew that she had always misled others – but not that they, too, might be collateral damage.

Compelling, frank, and witty, this memoir is part detective story, part daughterly fury. Drawn to embrace the identity her mother could not bear, Monique Charlesworth has dug deep into Inge’s story, unveiling tragedy, passion, heartbreak and, finally, the truth.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, France

303 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 2, 2023

Reviews

[Simon Prince · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the rather unpromising premise --- a memoir about the author discovering her mother's secrets after her death -- this book is an absolute page turner. It's not the kind of thing that I would usually pick up, but someone bought if for me and I always make a point of reading books that were gifts.

I read the whole 300 pages in two sittings. The writing is absolutely beautiful. It has moments of great sadness and regret and some extremely dark humor that found me chuckling at things that really shouldn't be laughed about.

Despite being non-fiction, it has a surprisingly satisfying literary arc and it keeps you guessing about it's biggest secret until the last few pages.

This is the best memoir, I have read since Educated, and if you enjoyed that, I'd definitely encourage you to give this a whirl.

[Matt Lipson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tears, love, nazis and lies - a brilliant read.

I thought I'd like this book based on the basic premise: a woman clearing out her deceased mum's flat finds out her mum is not who she thought she was. I was wrong. I loved it.

My expectations were continually exceeded as the plot unravelled. Part detective story, part family saga, part historical novel. The truth is the sum is so much more than the sum of its parts.

This makes it a rare and special novel. It defies over-simplistic genres and captures the raw highs and lows of a very real life.

[Bunky Leatherwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author relates to us an intimate work that truly appealed to me.
As the pages are turned, there are new twists and surprises throughout, giving the reader many details of her family’s past. I loved the development and descriptions of the people we come to know, especially the author’s mother.
The facts and history of the time period are gripping. The photos, especially the cover photo, make the work all the more heartfelt.
I can relate to discovering unknown history of anyone who has passed-the secrets and stories that are lost.
This is a captivating book and I loved it.

[Kathrin Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book moved me very much because there were so many parallels between Monique's mother Inge and my own mother. The complex relationship stemming from a young girl living through the horrors of the Nazi period (as Inge and my mother did) and then finding themselves responsible for bringing up a child after the end of the war. My mother missed the extra dimension of a clandestine love affair but this left enough challenges to navigate. While I loved the book, I feel it could have done with a little more stringent editing.

[Margaret Almond · Rating 5 out of 5]

An honour and a privilege to read

This is an absorbing and impeccably researched account of one family's horrific treatment at the hands of the Gestapo. It is also a wonderful demonstration that love, a determination to expose the truth and the pursuit of the good things in life eventually brings some peace and understanding. Many thanks to Monique Charlesworth and her family/friends for this wonderful book. I am honoured to read it.

[CR Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Well done to the author. The author discovers her recently deceased mother's history and comes up with some surprising findings.

I enjoyed this book partly because I have an interest in the period because it is such a well written tome. It may not be everyone's choice because it deleves into aspects of the Holocaust as Monique researches her German-Jewish family history. The exercise of writing brings Monique much closer to her sister as they reclaim their stolen German citizenship.

The book entices me read more from this author.

[Kokeshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This memoir was excellent. A fascinating story that was meticulously researched and had a deep introspection that I very much appreciated. I would recommend focusing on this book solely when reading as it can get quite complicated. 5 stars

[Maryellen C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

a heartbreaking tale

pain on pain story of how family survived wwii and the cruelty of nazi germany. a cautionary tale of complete humanity in the face of dictatorship, murder and attempted genocide. i felt so deeply for the author and her family

[Tbrowne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story well told, got better with every page.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book and story

[Ali Hill]

DNF

[Julie Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have written this review a while after finishing the book. Very interesting. Monique writes in a way which I took time to get used to. Highly recommend. It took some time to wrap my head around the fact that her mother had lied all her life.