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Under the Same Blue Sky
From the USA Today bestselling author of When We Were Strangers and Swimming in the Moon comes a lush, exquisitely drawn novel set against the turmoil of the Great War, as a young German-American woman explores the secrets of her past.
A shopkeeper's daughter, Hazel Renner lives in the shadows of the Pittsburgh steel mills. She dreams of adventure, even as her immigrant parents push her toward a staid career. But in 1914, war seizes Europe and all their ambitions crumble. German-Americans are suddenly the enemy, "the Huns." Hazel herself is an outsider in her own home when she learns the truth of her birth.
Desperate for escape, Hazel takes a teaching job in a seemingly tranquil farming community. But the idyll is cracked when she acquires a mysterious healing power--a gift that becomes a curse as the locals' relentless demand for "miracles" leads to tragedy.
Hazel, determined to find answers, traces her own history back to a modern-day castle that could hold the truth about her past. There Hazel befriends the exiled, enigmatic German baron and forges a bond with the young gardener, Tom. But as America is shattered by war and Tom returns battered by shell-shock, Hazel's healing talents alone will not be enough to protect those close to her, or to safeguard her dreams of love and belonging. She must reach inside to discover that sometimes the truth is not so far away, that the simplest of things can lead to the extraordinary.
Filled with rich historical details and intriguing, fully realized characters, Under the Same Blue Sky is the captivating story of one woman's emergence into adulthood amid the tumult of war.
A shopkeeper's daughter, Hazel Renner lives in the shadows of the Pittsburgh steel mills. She dreams of adventure, even as her immigrant parents push her toward a staid career. But in 1914, war seizes Europe and all their ambitions crumble. German-Americans are suddenly the enemy, "the Huns." Hazel herself is an outsider in her own home when she learns the truth of her birth.
Desperate for escape, Hazel takes a teaching job in a seemingly tranquil farming community. But the idyll is cracked when she acquires a mysterious healing power--a gift that becomes a curse as the locals' relentless demand for "miracles" leads to tragedy.
Hazel, determined to find answers, traces her own history back to a modern-day castle that could hold the truth about her past. There Hazel befriends the exiled, enigmatic German baron and forges a bond with the young gardener, Tom. But as America is shattered by war and Tom returns battered by shell-shock, Hazel's healing talents alone will not be enough to protect those close to her, or to safeguard her dreams of love and belonging. She must reach inside to discover that sometimes the truth is not so far away, that the simplest of things can lead to the extraordinary.
Filled with rich historical details and intriguing, fully realized characters, Under the Same Blue Sky is the captivating story of one woman's emergence into adulthood amid the tumult of war.
236 pages, Paperback
First published May 5, 2015
22 people are currently reading
1114 people want to read
About the author
Pamela Schoenewaldt
7 books110 followersPamela Schoenewaldt lived for ten years in a small town outside Naples, Italy. Her short stories have appeared in literary magazines in England, France, Italy and the United States. Her play, “Espresso con mia madre” (Espresso with my mother) was performed at Teatro Cilea in Naples. She taught writing for the University of Maryland, European Division and the University of Tennessee and now lives in Knoxville, Tennessee with her husband, Maurizio Conti, a medical physicist, and their dog Jesse, a philosopher.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
May 26, 2015
Where did Hazel belong? Did she belong in Dogwood, Pittsburgh, or somewhere else.
Hazel Renner's mother left her and left Dogwood, and Hazel's aunt and uncle lovingly raised her in Pittsburgh. The smog of Pittsburgh and the effects of war upon the citizens also had an effect on Hazel.
Like her mother, Hazel wanted to leave and find where she really belonged. She first tried teaching in Galway, but things happened there that necessitated her leaving and coming back home. Hazel then tried Dogwood where her she was born to see if that would help her find her roots.
UNDER THE SAME BLUE SKY will pull you in because of the beautiful descriptions and wonderful characters. You will love Hazel and her parents and feel sorry for her and all the problems she encounters. Hazel's father was quite intense about his heritage and the war. You could vividly feel his every concern and the emotions of every character because Ms. Schoenewaldt has a marvelous knack for words and for descriptions of characters and situations.
UNDER THE SAME BLUE SKY was set during the first world war when German-Americans were under attack just as they were in Europe. History and a beautiful story make up UNDER THE SAME BLUE SKY.
You will enjoy UNDER THE SAME BLUE SKY because of the nicely flowing storyline. The only complaint I have is that I was really confused at the beginning. The healing power of Hazel was a bit confusing too and not sure why it was in the story.
UNDER THE SAME BLUE SKY is worth reading because of the wonderful writing style of Ms. Schoenewaldt and her marvelous research of WWI. She has a very descriptive and in-depth writing style.
Sadness and heaviness do prevail in UNDER THE SAME BLUE SKY as we read of worries about war, the Influenza Pandemic of 1918, and the aftermath of the effects the war had on its returning soldiers. UNDER THE SAME BLUE SKY is a book you will want to read but a book that will pull at your heart strings. 4/5
This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher and TLC book tours in return for an honest review.
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May 19, 2015I was under the impression the story would lean more towards WWI not solely serving as a backdrop during this time period.
This was more of a coming of age story of a young German-American woman as war looms on the horizon. I liked reading of Hazel and her family’s perspective living in America as tension builds, they face discrimination, prejudice, harassment as well as wrestle with the peril of family and friends in Germany. Truly this family is caught in the middle, torn between two countries.
I found the narrative too busy for my liking, the ‘healing gift’ came and vanished serving more as filler, didn’t really fit with the overall story. Katarina’s visions came on strong and faded, nonsensical as the story progresses. Predictability ran high.
Hazel came across as too aloof, never building a connection with the reader. She grew by the author ‘telling’ as opposed to ‘showing’ which in this case was problematic. She felt flat and lifeless despite the turmoil surrounding her. Fleshing out the characters might have helped, you only know the minimum of the players.
If the narrative covered one storyline as opposed to the many offered it would have been a marked improvement. As is there is just too much going on creating distraction and plausibility issues. Contrived. The pace was too fast especially with attempting to thoroughly cover what was chaotically presented.
For this and other review visit http://ravenhairedgirl.com
This was more of a coming of age story of a young German-American woman as war looms on the horizon. I liked reading of Hazel and her family’s perspective living in America as tension builds, they face discrimination, prejudice, harassment as well as wrestle with the peril of family and friends in Germany. Truly this family is caught in the middle, torn between two countries.
I found the narrative too busy for my liking, the ‘healing gift’ came and vanished serving more as filler, didn’t really fit with the overall story. Katarina’s visions came on strong and faded, nonsensical as the story progresses. Predictability ran high.
Hazel came across as too aloof, never building a connection with the reader. She grew by the author ‘telling’ as opposed to ‘showing’ which in this case was problematic. She felt flat and lifeless despite the turmoil surrounding her. Fleshing out the characters might have helped, you only know the minimum of the players.
If the narrative covered one storyline as opposed to the many offered it would have been a marked improvement. As is there is just too much going on creating distraction and plausibility issues. Contrived. The pace was too fast especially with attempting to thoroughly cover what was chaotically presented.
For this and other review visit http://ravenhairedgirl.com
May 26, 2015
Folks, I'm scratching my head over this one. There are definitely some wonderful things about this book, and I enjoyed the experience of reading it, but there were issues that I just can't overlook.
I'll start with the positive. This is my second book by Pamela Schoenewaldt (Swimming in the Moon was the first) and, once again, I was drawn in by the language in this book. It is not overly verbose, but the prose is still lovely and completely readable.
I was immediately attracted to Hazel as a character. She is a young woman very much at a crossroads in her life. As is typical among young people of that age, she is restless and then she discovers a family secret that leads her to question her life as she knows it. I liked that while Hazel was a proactive character, Shoenewaldt still gave her time to process these things that go on in her life.
The real draw for me with this book is how well Schoenewaldt draws America during World War I. I've read a fair amount of WWI fiction, but I think it was all from a European viewpoint. The United States had a unique experience with the war--while we didn't join in until late in the game, the war was fought by citizens on the streets of America. Schoenewaldt captures this expertly and, for that alone, I would recommend this book.
But, as I said, there were things that just didn't work. My biggest problem is that it seemed like Schoenewaldt took 3 passes at this before settling on a plot, but the first 2 possible plots are still included, but never finished. The first of these is Hazel's family secret, which is introduced, ignored for a bit, and then brought up briefly before being dropped for the rest of the book. The second story line involves some magic realism. It is not that I don't like magic realism--I actually quite like it when done well--but I do believe that it is something that an author needs to commit to and carry through the entire work. Schoenewaldt does not do this. It happens in only one part of the book and then is dropped again. Throughout the rest of this book, I kept hoping I'd see a return, or at least an explanation, of the magic realism, but it never happened. Because of this, I felt like I was reading 3 distinct stories (or 2 beginnings of stories and one complete story) instead of one cohesive novel.
I really think that a but more editing and the removal of "story stumps" would have greatly improved this novel. But, I cannot discount the beautiful language and Schoenewaldt's description of WWI-era America. Even with its flaws, I would still recommend this book.
I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review. I received no other compensation for this post.
I'll start with the positive. This is my second book by Pamela Schoenewaldt (Swimming in the Moon was the first) and, once again, I was drawn in by the language in this book. It is not overly verbose, but the prose is still lovely and completely readable.
I was immediately attracted to Hazel as a character. She is a young woman very much at a crossroads in her life. As is typical among young people of that age, she is restless and then she discovers a family secret that leads her to question her life as she knows it. I liked that while Hazel was a proactive character, Shoenewaldt still gave her time to process these things that go on in her life.
The real draw for me with this book is how well Schoenewaldt draws America during World War I. I've read a fair amount of WWI fiction, but I think it was all from a European viewpoint. The United States had a unique experience with the war--while we didn't join in until late in the game, the war was fought by citizens on the streets of America. Schoenewaldt captures this expertly and, for that alone, I would recommend this book.
But, as I said, there were things that just didn't work. My biggest problem is that it seemed like Schoenewaldt took 3 passes at this before settling on a plot, but the first 2 possible plots are still included, but never finished. The first of these is Hazel's family secret, which is introduced, ignored for a bit, and then brought up briefly before being dropped for the rest of the book. The second story line involves some magic realism. It is not that I don't like magic realism--I actually quite like it when done well--but I do believe that it is something that an author needs to commit to and carry through the entire work. Schoenewaldt does not do this. It happens in only one part of the book and then is dropped again. Throughout the rest of this book, I kept hoping I'd see a return, or at least an explanation, of the magic realism, but it never happened. Because of this, I felt like I was reading 3 distinct stories (or 2 beginnings of stories and one complete story) instead of one cohesive novel.
I really think that a but more editing and the removal of "story stumps" would have greatly improved this novel. But, I cannot discount the beautiful language and Schoenewaldt's description of WWI-era America. Even with its flaws, I would still recommend this book.
I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review. I received no other compensation for this post.
August 10, 2016
A jaw-dropping portrayal of life on the home front during WWI, this book surprised me. I had braced myself after reading a few lukewarm reviews. However, I was sucked in by Hazel herself, the amazing atmospheric writing, and an engrossing story of a woman finding herself in a world gone mad. While not perfect, this book still stands as an outstanding example of historical fiction done right.
Hazel herself was a great POV to tell the story through. She started out an idealistic dreamer, facing the world with rose-tinted glasses as she started her teaching career. This was a mirror for the world, pre-WWI, where man could conquer anything and everything was possible.
As the story progresses, Hazel faces tragedy, war, illness, and death. Everything shapes her into a mature woman, equipped to face the trails of life with proficiency. I adored growing with her. Her journey and shaping was the heart of the story, connecting with the reader on a basic level.
If Hazel’s journey is the heart of the book, then its portrayal and tale of German-Americans plight during the war years are the soul. Never have I come across a book that goes this in-depth on the subject. I’ve seen it touched on and used as background before. Yet, this book had something special. The visceral reality of prejudice, violence, and cruelty that became the everyday life of German-Americans comes to vivid life. The author doesn’t scrimp; we get to see the gritty details with no holds barred.
The addition of a healing touch added a nice element to the story at first; in fact, it’s one of the things that attracted me to the book. A little fantasy is always welcome in my historical fiction. Yet, as the story went along, it became more of a burden than a blessing to the story.
I felt like the healing took the story into a different direction than expected; as the second half of the book started, we went in a different direction that didn’t have much to do with healing touch at all. That element of the story was dropped to the wayside and seemed to take precious story time in the beginning that went nowhere.
Despite that one little bump in the road, this book stands as an excellent piece of fiction. Telling an astounding tale of growth and perseverance through adversity, it can’t be paralleled. Even the healing touch aspect added to Hazel’s growth as a person and shaped how she approached the rest of her life decisions. Recommended for its unapologetic look at a dark time in our history and how it shaped the people that experienced it. It’s a tale that will suck you in!
Hazel herself was a great POV to tell the story through. She started out an idealistic dreamer, facing the world with rose-tinted glasses as she started her teaching career. This was a mirror for the world, pre-WWI, where man could conquer anything and everything was possible.
As the story progresses, Hazel faces tragedy, war, illness, and death. Everything shapes her into a mature woman, equipped to face the trails of life with proficiency. I adored growing with her. Her journey and shaping was the heart of the story, connecting with the reader on a basic level.
If Hazel’s journey is the heart of the book, then its portrayal and tale of German-Americans plight during the war years are the soul. Never have I come across a book that goes this in-depth on the subject. I’ve seen it touched on and used as background before. Yet, this book had something special. The visceral reality of prejudice, violence, and cruelty that became the everyday life of German-Americans comes to vivid life. The author doesn’t scrimp; we get to see the gritty details with no holds barred.
The addition of a healing touch added a nice element to the story at first; in fact, it’s one of the things that attracted me to the book. A little fantasy is always welcome in my historical fiction. Yet, as the story went along, it became more of a burden than a blessing to the story.
I felt like the healing took the story into a different direction than expected; as the second half of the book started, we went in a different direction that didn’t have much to do with healing touch at all. That element of the story was dropped to the wayside and seemed to take precious story time in the beginning that went nowhere.
Despite that one little bump in the road, this book stands as an excellent piece of fiction. Telling an astounding tale of growth and perseverance through adversity, it can’t be paralleled. Even the healing touch aspect added to Hazel’s growth as a person and shaped how she approached the rest of her life decisions. Recommended for its unapologetic look at a dark time in our history and how it shaped the people that experienced it. It’s a tale that will suck you in!
March 24, 2015
This is the first book I've read by this author. The story takes a unique look at what it was like to be a German-American in the US during WWI. As we approach so many of the 100th anniversaries for dates during the war, this book brings many of the experiences of those who lived through that time period to life.
Hazel's journey twists and turns through the war and the year after it through the pages of the book. The plot wanders through her story with some aspects never fully resolved -- yet that's much like real life. There was some sense of coming full circle by the end. Yet there was also a definite sense that all was not and could not be fully resolved. This book contains elements of a search for the truth in the past, war come to life in the way it effected those left on the home front, and a hint of romance. There's also the mystery of a healing power that comes and goes. Most of all, it's a story about coming to terms with the loose threads of life...the ones that don't always come together in a seamless fashion.
Hazel's journey twists and turns through the war and the year after it through the pages of the book. The plot wanders through her story with some aspects never fully resolved -- yet that's much like real life. There was some sense of coming full circle by the end. Yet there was also a definite sense that all was not and could not be fully resolved. This book contains elements of a search for the truth in the past, war come to life in the way it effected those left on the home front, and a hint of romance. There's also the mystery of a healing power that comes and goes. Most of all, it's a story about coming to terms with the loose threads of life...the ones that don't always come together in a seamless fashion.
May 8, 2015
Hazel Renner is a German-American living in Pittsburgh with her parents at the dawn of the Great War. Hazel longs for more and feels restless within the steel city. Her parents hold on to the American Dream for her and want her to go to school to be a doctor. They believe that Hazel has the healing touch since she has a way with her father’s headaches. Hazel follows her own dreams and takes a teaching position at a one room schoolhouse in the country. Hazel feels like she is fitting in and doing well at the school until someone there discovers her healing touch also; when the rumors start to fly, Hazel is asked to move on. As the effects of war reach American, the German-Americans are ostracized, called “Huns” and Hazel’s father feels the death of every soldier. Hazel returns to her family and learns a tightly-held secret of her birth; now with another dream to chase, she sets off to find a German Baron’s castle in New Jersey to find the ghosts of her past.
From the very first paragraph, I was captivated by Under The Same Blue Sky, I knew Hazel was going to be special as she painted and described memories of a grand castle that her mother dismissed as dreams. The story begins as a great piece of historical fiction, the writing emotionally capturing and describing the immigrant experience and the discrimination they face; Hazel’s name is changed from Hilde to seem ‘more American’ and her father reads the German newspaper behind an American newspaper. The characters were all very real, raw and complex. Hazel’s father was the most intense for me as he took to heart every death and dealt with every blow from the discrimination he received from being a German-American. Hazel’s character intrigued me more as the story progressed, her ‘healing touch’ drew me in, but as a person Hazel was determined and intelligent. I enjoyed watching her mature as she found herself and her history. Some things could have been resolved a little more at the end for me, but overall this was a great mix of historical fiction and magical realism.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
From the very first paragraph, I was captivated by Under The Same Blue Sky, I knew Hazel was going to be special as she painted and described memories of a grand castle that her mother dismissed as dreams. The story begins as a great piece of historical fiction, the writing emotionally capturing and describing the immigrant experience and the discrimination they face; Hazel’s name is changed from Hilde to seem ‘more American’ and her father reads the German newspaper behind an American newspaper. The characters were all very real, raw and complex. Hazel’s father was the most intense for me as he took to heart every death and dealt with every blow from the discrimination he received from being a German-American. Hazel’s character intrigued me more as the story progressed, her ‘healing touch’ drew me in, but as a person Hazel was determined and intelligent. I enjoyed watching her mature as she found herself and her history. Some things could have been resolved a little more at the end for me, but overall this was a great mix of historical fiction and magical realism.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
March 16, 2015
I love Pamela Schoenewaldt's writing, this just wasn't my favorite. I never really connected with the main character. Hazel seems to initially be searching for the story of her late mother who was a wanderer and never satisfied. Hazel leaves home to become a teacher, meets some fascinating characters, and discovers she has a gift of healing. But things go bad, she leaves, and begins a totally new life living in a castle with a German social outcast. The characters are beautifully drawn and complex. The horrors of the war from the perspective of the people left at home, especially Hazel's tormented father (adoptive), are a major part of this story that moved me. But I kept thinking the relationships Hazel made as a teacher would come back around to complete her story and that the meaning of what she had learned about her mother would be explained. Characters move in and out of her life without real meaning. While she does go back to the town where she taught, there is never any more of her healing touch and I was disappointed by that. I just felt that the threads weren't completely wrapped up in the end.
I would definitely read the author's next book. This one just wasn't the best in my opinion.
I would definitely read the author's next book. This one just wasn't the best in my opinion.
May 5, 2015
I decided to give this book a try because it was described as historical fiction sent during World War I. However, WWI was not the main focus of the book. Hazel moves from Pittsburgh to a small town where she takes a teaching job. She then discovers that she has a special "healing" gift and this is where the book went off the rails for me. Sometimes her healing works and sometimes it doesn't. Then Hazel traces her biological mother's steps back to a "castle" and a reclusive baron in New Jersey. Then Hazel falls in love with the Baron's gardener.
Just too much going on that the story became ridiculous.
Just too much going on that the story became ridiculous.
September 11, 2019
About 1/3 of the way through, when Hazel Renner has gone back to her hometown, it's almost like a whole new story starts, and I thought, "I wonder if this author originally wrote this as a short story." And sure enough, Schoenewaldt has also written short stories. It's a weird book because it's almost like 3 different stories: 1) 2) Hazel's time teaching and healing in Galway, 2) her time working for a Baron at the castle in Dogwood (I hated this for a name, BTW, I kept thinking of the Blondie cartoon because of her husband, Dagwood), and 3) her going to Prussia . WWI is the backdrop that connects all three stories, and there are certain things that bring everything together (like her constant need to find her home/feel settled) BUT my initial impression reading this was that Schoenewaldt combined two or three ideas for short stories.
I liked that it was set from 1914-1918 because I don't know much about the WWI years, especially as it affected Germans living in America/German-Americans.
It's a charming story, and I of course liked that the narrator's name was Hazel. The world felt real to me
I liked that it was set from 1914-1918 because I don't know much about the WWI years, especially as it affected Germans living in America/German-Americans.
It's a charming story, and I of course liked that the narrator's name was Hazel. The world felt real to me
June 10, 2018
Nice story. Fast reading. Emotional. Sad. Happy. Historical.
A shopkeeper's daughter, Hazel Renner lives in the shadows of the Pittsburgh steel mills. She dreams of adventure, even as her immigrant parents push her toward a staid career. But in 1914, war seizes Europe and all their ambitions crumble. German-Americans are suddenly the enemy, "the Huns." Hazel herself is an outsider in her own home when she learns the truth of her birth.
Desperate for escape, Hazel takes a teaching job in a seemingly tranquil farming community. But the idyll is cracked when she acquires a mysterious healing power--a gift that becomes a curse as the locals' relentless demand for "miracles" leads to tragedy.
Hazel, determined to find answers, traces her own history back to a modern-day castle that could hold the truth about her past. There Hazel befriends the exiled, enigmatic German baron and forges a bond with the young gardener, Tom. But as America is shattered by war and Tom returns battered by shell-shock, Hazel's healing talents alone will not be enough to protect those close to her, or to safeguard her dreams of love and belonging. She must reach inside to discover that sometimes the truth is not so far away, that the simplest of things can lead to the extraordinary.
A shopkeeper's daughter, Hazel Renner lives in the shadows of the Pittsburgh steel mills. She dreams of adventure, even as her immigrant parents push her toward a staid career. But in 1914, war seizes Europe and all their ambitions crumble. German-Americans are suddenly the enemy, "the Huns." Hazel herself is an outsider in her own home when she learns the truth of her birth.
Desperate for escape, Hazel takes a teaching job in a seemingly tranquil farming community. But the idyll is cracked when she acquires a mysterious healing power--a gift that becomes a curse as the locals' relentless demand for "miracles" leads to tragedy.
Hazel, determined to find answers, traces her own history back to a modern-day castle that could hold the truth about her past. There Hazel befriends the exiled, enigmatic German baron and forges a bond with the young gardener, Tom. But as America is shattered by war and Tom returns battered by shell-shock, Hazel's healing talents alone will not be enough to protect those close to her, or to safeguard her dreams of love and belonging. She must reach inside to discover that sometimes the truth is not so far away, that the simplest of things can lead to the extraordinary.
January 22, 2018
I loved this author's other book, "Swimming in the Moon," so I decided to read this one too. It is written very well, and I liked the story. However, the first part of the book deals with the heroine's inexplicable ability to heal people by touching them. And then it suddenly stops and the second half of the book is about WWI and her dealing with loss and illness. The healing powers she previously possessed are barely mentioned and don't seem to have any importance in the story whatsoever. It is a loose end that is never tied up. We don't find out why she could heal people and suddenly not anymore. Then, when characters could really use healing, there is virtually no reference to it. Just a very odd plot element that is completely unnecessary. Maybe the author should have written two novels instead.
March 22, 2020
An unpopular topic: German-Americans during the time of the Great War. Germany that was just Kaiser-mad, not the worse thing it became later. More frightening is the ease with which hatred is dredged up in the US, even while most do not wish to partake in the war in faraway Europe. The war was a vast whirlpool, churning plans apart, Hazel observes, and she stops making plans. The atmosphere of intolerance and ignorance of the second part of the book is foreshadowed by the same in peacetime, when Hazel takes a job teaching in a small town. And it was sad to read about the Spanish flu while Covid the 19th is spreading over the world right now. As much as I liked the book, I can occasionally see the author's research through the story, and I shouldn't. But there are many wonderful layers to explore, and whatever you do, make sure you buy the version with the stollen recipe in the back.
March 26, 2020
I read this book in one sitting, hoping it would progress smoothly as the beginning didn't captivate me and unfortunately, it didn't keep my attention either. Hazel's story is powerful and uplifting but the only thing I liked about the book were a few witty quotes and how Hazel grew as a person throughout the story and not the actual story itself.
After finishing this book, I decided to rate it 3/5 stars simply because I know someone worked hard on this book and they probably loved every moment of writing the story but for me, it just wasn't enjoyable. The book was truly something I haven't read before but Hazel's character was very typical in the sense of how rebellious she was and wanted to find her true self in a world in which you're dead if you try.
I'd recommend this book to those who like a classic WW1 story with a few twists along the way.
After finishing this book, I decided to rate it 3/5 stars simply because I know someone worked hard on this book and they probably loved every moment of writing the story but for me, it just wasn't enjoyable. The book was truly something I haven't read before but Hazel's character was very typical in the sense of how rebellious she was and wanted to find her true self in a world in which you're dead if you try.
I'd recommend this book to those who like a classic WW1 story with a few twists along the way.
January 16, 2022
A very well written book that held my attention and was hard to put down. The story was very interesting but there was a darkness that loomed over the entire read. Even the ending, while most would say as happy, just couldn’t help feeling the dark cloud. I suppose that is life but as we so often turn to reading to escape a bit I couldn’t help feeling that I could never really do that throughout the whole book. I really liked it though as I said, it was so well written and I felt like the characters were people I knew. I really appreciated the historical aspects as it helped me understand the circumstances of those who lived in these times.
June 23, 2018
This was an interesting read, taking place during WWI. The story takes place in PA and the main character Hazel Renner is the daughter of German immigrants. She has a gift for healing, art, and teaching, but is unsure of her calling in life.
I hadn't really ever thought about the discrimination and hatred that German immigrants suffered from in the US during WWI. It was a good read, but there were times that felt a bit slow. I would be interested in reading more books by the author.
I would give this book a pg rating with nothing objectionable in it.
I hadn't really ever thought about the discrimination and hatred that German immigrants suffered from in the US during WWI. It was a good read, but there were times that felt a bit slow. I would be interested in reading more books by the author.
I would give this book a pg rating with nothing objectionable in it.
October 29, 2022
Schoenewaldt uses the Renner family from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to share a story of the German immigrant experience during the time of WWI. The narrator is only daughter Hazel, who as the book opens has her entire life in front of her. But some missteps at Hazel's first job as a teacher find her making changes; as life does to all, the changes continue.
The book provides some perspective but tries to cover many themes, sometimes taking the reader too far away from Hazel and her family.
The book provides some perspective but tries to cover many themes, sometimes taking the reader too far away from Hazel and her family.
July 18, 2017
The story of a girl of immigrant parents during World War I and the struggles and prejudice that they had to endure. This was a riveting and heartbreaking story that I found very interesting and informative.
December 13, 2020
Ummmmmm?
The first part of the book was pretty interesting. I quickly became invested in knowing what Hazel was going to do with her magic touch?! Spoiler alert..... nothing. This magical touch never again makes an appearance. What was the point of even writing it in? Incredibly disappointing.
The first part of the book was pretty interesting. I quickly became invested in knowing what Hazel was going to do with her magic touch?! Spoiler alert..... nothing. This magical touch never again makes an appearance. What was the point of even writing it in? Incredibly disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2023
I found it interesting to read about the effect of World War I on people in the US and particularly on German Americans. The main characters were also interesting- and some plot twists to keep you reading.
September 6, 2018
This book was slow reading for me. At times, I was caught up in the story, but I would find myself making myself read it.
October 11, 2018
I enjoyed the perspective on the horrors of war from the civilian perspective.
June 12, 2020
Read during the age of the coronavirus (June 2020). The bits about the impact of the Spanish flu were quite apt for what we’re going through now.
January 29, 2022
I really liked reading this book, although the transitions between the parts of her life seemed not connected enough. I learned a lot about WW I and I really liked the characters. A good read!
March 8, 2017
I liked the book, but there was a weird supernatural-type element (trying not to leave spoilers). I like supernatural books, but I think the plot would have been fine without that element, and the same events could have occured and made it much less weird, in this particular circumstance.
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March 15, 2016This review first appeared on my magic realism review blog http://magic-realism-books.blogspot.com
I started writing this review several times only to give up. This was not because I did not like the book, but because my feelings were mixed about it.
One topic at the heart of the novel - the experience of German immigrants to the United States in the period leading up to and during the First World War - is a timely one in the light of that war's centenary. It is also a subject that I am interested in, being an immigrant in another land myself. And I felt that Pamela Schoenewaldt did an excellent job in portraying the mental and emotional turmoil Hazel and her family feel as their mother (Germany) and bride (America) move towards a terrible war and they find themselves alienated from the neighbours. The anti-German feelings are however not overdone and do not constitute a major threat to the central characters. The focus is on the corrosive emotional pain of loss (of both family and identity) and how some sensitive people, like Hazel's father, is unable to cope with it.
A second theme in the book is the post-traumatic stress or shell-shock suffered by the survivors of conflict and how little people understood what it entailed at the time. There are two men in the book who survive war (two different wars in fact), but are psychologically wounded by it. This theme appears at the beginning of the book and reappears at the end, thus tying two very different parts of the story together.
The magic realist element of the book is that Hazel may have the power of healing. This may or may not be related to blue paint and a previous murder in the house she is given when she becomes the schoolmistress in a small town. What the blue paint and the murder have to do with her healing powers is not explained, nor why her powers fail sometimes. I confess I got confused about this. In fact I have to say I found the magic realism bit the least satisfying aspect of the book. I don't see how it moves things along nor that it works as some sort of metaphor. I was much more interested in the enemy alien strand in the story.
Indeed for me the book picks up when Hazel arrives at the castle of German baron. He too is exiled from his homeland by his family for reasons that are hinted at. The strongest section in the book is when Hazel travels with the baron to a destroyed Germany after the war to try and save his mother, who has not protected him. Now that I think about it, there is another thread in the book about mothers who turn their backs on their children - Hazel is looking for the mother who abandoned her when she arrives at the Baron's castle and whilst in Germany the two of them adopt a lost boy.
There are perhaps too many themes and too many strands that are picked up and never fully examined. And through it all goes Hazel, a strong-minded young woman, but one whose emotions were not depicted as strongly as they might have been. All of which made this book a frustrating read, as tit could potentially have been very good indeed, as it was good in parts.
I started writing this review several times only to give up. This was not because I did not like the book, but because my feelings were mixed about it.
One topic at the heart of the novel - the experience of German immigrants to the United States in the period leading up to and during the First World War - is a timely one in the light of that war's centenary. It is also a subject that I am interested in, being an immigrant in another land myself. And I felt that Pamela Schoenewaldt did an excellent job in portraying the mental and emotional turmoil Hazel and her family feel as their mother (Germany) and bride (America) move towards a terrible war and they find themselves alienated from the neighbours. The anti-German feelings are however not overdone and do not constitute a major threat to the central characters. The focus is on the corrosive emotional pain of loss (of both family and identity) and how some sensitive people, like Hazel's father, is unable to cope with it.
A second theme in the book is the post-traumatic stress or shell-shock suffered by the survivors of conflict and how little people understood what it entailed at the time. There are two men in the book who survive war (two different wars in fact), but are psychologically wounded by it. This theme appears at the beginning of the book and reappears at the end, thus tying two very different parts of the story together.
The magic realist element of the book is that Hazel may have the power of healing. This may or may not be related to blue paint and a previous murder in the house she is given when she becomes the schoolmistress in a small town. What the blue paint and the murder have to do with her healing powers is not explained, nor why her powers fail sometimes. I confess I got confused about this. In fact I have to say I found the magic realism bit the least satisfying aspect of the book. I don't see how it moves things along nor that it works as some sort of metaphor. I was much more interested in the enemy alien strand in the story.
Indeed for me the book picks up when Hazel arrives at the castle of German baron. He too is exiled from his homeland by his family for reasons that are hinted at. The strongest section in the book is when Hazel travels with the baron to a destroyed Germany after the war to try and save his mother, who has not protected him. Now that I think about it, there is another thread in the book about mothers who turn their backs on their children - Hazel is looking for the mother who abandoned her when she arrives at the Baron's castle and whilst in Germany the two of them adopt a lost boy.
There are perhaps too many themes and too many strands that are picked up and never fully examined. And through it all goes Hazel, a strong-minded young woman, but one whose emotions were not depicted as strongly as they might have been. All of which made this book a frustrating read, as tit could potentially have been very good indeed, as it was good in parts.
June 3, 2015
I'd give this a 3.5 stars - but sadly we can't use half stars on goodreads!
In 1914 Pittsburg, Hazel Renner, is a German-American girl that is trying to decide what to do with her life. She loves art and teaching, but her ambitious parents want her to be a doctor with her healing touch. As WWI starts in Europe, Hazel and her family start to experience unpleasantness from other people in Pittsburg for their German or “enemy” heritage. Hazel decides to take a teaching job in a small town, but her healing touch ends up being more of a curse than a benefit. Hazel discovers that there is more to her past then she realized and she goes in search of pieces of the puzzle to solve this mystery. She discovers her past included living in an American castle in New Jersey as the daughter of a servant of an exiled German baron. She uses her artistic gifts to help the Baron and meets Tom, the gardener, who was her childhood playmate. As America enters WWI, the lives of all of them are forever altered.
This novel is a hard one to classify. It had magical realism with the healing gift, but also was a fantastic look at how German-Americans were treated in WWI. There was loss, romance, war, and a search for identity and belonging. I enjoyed all of the characters and Hazel learning more about them and herself as the book progressed.
For me, I really loved seeing how German American immigrants were treated in America during this time period. My own Great-Grandpa immigrated to America in 1898 as a 6 year old boy with his father, a veteran of the Prussian-Franco war. My Great-Grandpa was very proud to be a German and family lore has it that he was too proud and put into jail for this during WWI. Reading how German Americans were treated in this novel, I can imagine that this most likely did occur. I never realized that German measles were renamed “Liberty Measles” and dachshunds were renamed “Liberty Pups.” Ha! It was a tragic time in history with the fall-out after the war with the return of so many soldiers with “shell shock” and the terrible flu epidemic that took so many lives.
I also enjoyed how the book ended with a great interview with the author who gave more details on how she researched the novel and that indeed the way that Germans were treated in America was based on fact. There is also a great reading group guide if this is chosen by your book club.
Book Source: Review copy from William Morrow – Thanks!
This review was first published on my blog at: http://www.lauragerold.blogspot.com/2...
In 1914 Pittsburg, Hazel Renner, is a German-American girl that is trying to decide what to do with her life. She loves art and teaching, but her ambitious parents want her to be a doctor with her healing touch. As WWI starts in Europe, Hazel and her family start to experience unpleasantness from other people in Pittsburg for their German or “enemy” heritage. Hazel decides to take a teaching job in a small town, but her healing touch ends up being more of a curse than a benefit. Hazel discovers that there is more to her past then she realized and she goes in search of pieces of the puzzle to solve this mystery. She discovers her past included living in an American castle in New Jersey as the daughter of a servant of an exiled German baron. She uses her artistic gifts to help the Baron and meets Tom, the gardener, who was her childhood playmate. As America enters WWI, the lives of all of them are forever altered.
This novel is a hard one to classify. It had magical realism with the healing gift, but also was a fantastic look at how German-Americans were treated in WWI. There was loss, romance, war, and a search for identity and belonging. I enjoyed all of the characters and Hazel learning more about them and herself as the book progressed.
For me, I really loved seeing how German American immigrants were treated in America during this time period. My own Great-Grandpa immigrated to America in 1898 as a 6 year old boy with his father, a veteran of the Prussian-Franco war. My Great-Grandpa was very proud to be a German and family lore has it that he was too proud and put into jail for this during WWI. Reading how German Americans were treated in this novel, I can imagine that this most likely did occur. I never realized that German measles were renamed “Liberty Measles” and dachshunds were renamed “Liberty Pups.” Ha! It was a tragic time in history with the fall-out after the war with the return of so many soldiers with “shell shock” and the terrible flu epidemic that took so many lives.
I also enjoyed how the book ended with a great interview with the author who gave more details on how she researched the novel and that indeed the way that Germans were treated in America was based on fact. There is also a great reading group guide if this is chosen by your book club.
Book Source: Review copy from William Morrow – Thanks!
This review was first published on my blog at: http://www.lauragerold.blogspot.com/2...
May 27, 2015
Originally posted on Peeking Between the Pages: http://www.peekingbetweenthepages.com...
Having read Pamela Schoenewaldt’s first two books When We Were Strangers and Swimming in the Moon and loving them I was excited to read her newest novel Under the Same Blue Sky. As with her other books her wonderful storytelling shines through as she weaves fact and fiction in this emotionally wrought tale.
Hazel is a German-American living with her parents in Pittsburgh as World War I begins. Life changes for Hazel and her family as they are shunned because of their German heritage. Still Hazel has her dreams – dreams where she’s at a castle. Her mother just tells her it’s a dream but Hazel could swear it’s a memory. When an old family secret comes to light Hazel realizes her dreams may be more real than she ever could have imagined.
As Hazel searches for answers to her past she first takes a teaching position where she finds a town that she feels she fits into until her gift of healing instead becomes a curse. She moves on and discovers some answers to her past as well as beginning to find her place in the world. She also finds many new friends that become a very important part of her life, especially one young man named Tom. When he goes off to war she is left worrying about him all the time. When the opportunity to take a trip across the sea with her benefactor and boss arises she take it in the hopes of being able to find Tom who has gone missing. What the trip does is bring to light the horrific effects of the war and the devastation it has left everywhere.
What I enjoyed most about this book was the historical aspect. The author vividly brings to life how the war affected people during and after it ended. I liked Hazel’s story although I never really felt a connection to her until the end of the novel. I also felt it moved around a bit too much. While the characters are well developed I felt a bit jarred with the changing scenes maybe wishing that the book had been more focused. Still the story is an excellent one that showcases just how devastating the war was and specifically how it affected German-Americans and the soldiers.
Recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction. I’ll be excitedly looking forward to Pamela Schoenewaldt’s next novel once again!
Having read Pamela Schoenewaldt’s first two books When We Were Strangers and Swimming in the Moon and loving them I was excited to read her newest novel Under the Same Blue Sky. As with her other books her wonderful storytelling shines through as she weaves fact and fiction in this emotionally wrought tale.
Hazel is a German-American living with her parents in Pittsburgh as World War I begins. Life changes for Hazel and her family as they are shunned because of their German heritage. Still Hazel has her dreams – dreams where she’s at a castle. Her mother just tells her it’s a dream but Hazel could swear it’s a memory. When an old family secret comes to light Hazel realizes her dreams may be more real than she ever could have imagined.
As Hazel searches for answers to her past she first takes a teaching position where she finds a town that she feels she fits into until her gift of healing instead becomes a curse. She moves on and discovers some answers to her past as well as beginning to find her place in the world. She also finds many new friends that become a very important part of her life, especially one young man named Tom. When he goes off to war she is left worrying about him all the time. When the opportunity to take a trip across the sea with her benefactor and boss arises she take it in the hopes of being able to find Tom who has gone missing. What the trip does is bring to light the horrific effects of the war and the devastation it has left everywhere.
What I enjoyed most about this book was the historical aspect. The author vividly brings to life how the war affected people during and after it ended. I liked Hazel’s story although I never really felt a connection to her until the end of the novel. I also felt it moved around a bit too much. While the characters are well developed I felt a bit jarred with the changing scenes maybe wishing that the book had been more focused. Still the story is an excellent one that showcases just how devastating the war was and specifically how it affected German-Americans and the soldiers.
Recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction. I’ll be excitedly looking forward to Pamela Schoenewaldt’s next novel once again!
October 26, 2015
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. Hazel is a young German American living with her parents in Pittsburg during WWI. After accidently overhearing the truth about her birth, Hazel is intrigued about her mother’s inability to find peace in the places that she lived, as Hazel worries she may be fighting the same emotional battles. After accepting a job as a teacher in Galway, she finds peace residing in a town whose inhabitants don’t know her German ancestry and aren’t as enflamed by the war as Pittsburg. This peace soon ends, as she discovers a magical healing ability. At first excited and amazed at her ability to heal, the townspeople soon become angry at her abilities’ inclination to heal some, but not others. Because of the drama in the town over this, she is asked to resign.
Hazel decides to visit Dogwood, where her mother lived for some time, working for a German baron. During her visit, she asks the baron if she could temporarily fill a position that was employed by the barons’ friend, who went overseas to fight the war. The baron agrees, as he needs assistance while his friend is fighting in the war. She soon forms great friendships with the baron and his other live-in employees. Hazel, for once, feels accepted and at peace in her home.
Hazel invites her parents to visit at the baron’s castle, as her father grows increasingly distressed about the war. They love it there, and while it doesn’t totally distract her father from his troubles, it helps. They decide to move to Dogwood and remain at the castle. Life spirals downward for Hazel, as her friend/love, Tom, is sent off to war, and her father takes a turn for the worst in his mental anguish over the war. After emotional devastations, dangerous trips, and realization, Hazel moves back to Galway. To avoid spoilers, I will avoid specifics about the ending.
I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend to read.
August 29, 2015
A century ago, beginning in 1914 and ending in 1918, "The Great War", World War I, forever changed civilization. While the conflict centered in Europe, the dire effects spread around the world. "Under the Same Blue Sky", a novel by Pamela Schoenewaldt, thoughtfully details the trials and tribulations of German-Americans during this difficult time. Hazel Renner dreams of life beyond that of a shopkeeper's daughter in Pittsburgh. However, when WWI breaks out, suspicion looms and friendships are forgotten. Peaceful existence is elusive, and Hazel seeks solace in a small rural community, but a sudden, unexpected gift of healing brings about complications of its own. On a quest to discover her true heritage, Hazel will meet a German baron living a life of exile in America, and through him she will meet a gardener, Tom, who will suffer greatly from his own war experiences. The struggle for power and dominance is as old as the origins of man. One hundred years after the "war to end all wars", the world has seen many more horrific conflicts and further loss of innocence and loss of life--horrible suffering which never really ends. Yet, when the human heart has faith and reaches for hope, miracles can occur. People have a remarkable capacity for survival and reinvention, and life goes on. "Under the Same Blue Sky" touches upon many deeply emotional issues, and readers will not be unaffected. As a reminder to enjoy the sweet moments in life where you find them, the author has included a wonderful recipe for "Gudrun's Stollen"--a rich, sweet bread made with dried fruit and nuts. The warm loaves are brushed with melted butter and then dusted with powdered sugar--truly a treat for the senses and the spirit.
Review Copy Gratis Library Thing
Review Copy Gratis Library Thing
May 6, 2015
As WWI storms across Europe, Hazel Renner’s Pennsylvania family becomes a dreaded “hyphen” – shunned in the place they’ve called home simply for their German bloodline. As grievances escalate, Hazel, determined to find some peace in the world, takes a teaching job in a small town, where she is mysteriously equipped with healing powers. But the power quickly wanes, leaving the town angry and a man dead. Back at home, her father is losing himself in grief for the war’s amassing dead, and when Hazel unexpectedly learns the truth of her birth, she leaves again for a strange castle from her memory in hopes of learning about her mother. From castle gardens to broken, war-torn Germany, Hazel finds tragedy and hope, and the love of a fragile man.
Pamela Schoenewaldt shows the struggles of a German-American family during the war in a compassionate, though tough, light. We feel for the innocent people of Germany pitched into war, and the men and women on all fronts who were left scarred from its horrors. Hazel Renner is a curious, determined heroine who in the end finds not only herself but also the love of others along the way.
The writing is deftly done, the research thorough and informative. Because of Hazel’s many travels, at times it is difficult to feel grounded or invested in a particular story point, and we are left pondering the mysterious powers, but in all, this is a lovely story with a suitably accomplished ending.
*Book read and reviewed for the Historical Novels Review*
Pamela Schoenewaldt shows the struggles of a German-American family during the war in a compassionate, though tough, light. We feel for the innocent people of Germany pitched into war, and the men and women on all fronts who were left scarred from its horrors. Hazel Renner is a curious, determined heroine who in the end finds not only herself but also the love of others along the way.
The writing is deftly done, the research thorough and informative. Because of Hazel’s many travels, at times it is difficult to feel grounded or invested in a particular story point, and we are left pondering the mysterious powers, but in all, this is a lovely story with a suitably accomplished ending.
*Book read and reviewed for the Historical Novels Review*
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