The Road Beyond Ruin

by Gemma Liviero

For some people in post–World War II Germany, the battle is not over.

August 1945. As Stefano, an Italian POW, heads toward home across war-ravaged Germany, he encounters a young child beside his dead mother. Unable to leave him to an unknown fate, Stefano takes the boy with him, finding refuge in a seemingly abandoned house in a secluded woodland.

But the house is far from vacant. Stefano wakes at the arrival of its owner, Erich, a former German soldier, who invites the travelers to stay until they can find safe passage home. Stefano cautiously agrees, intrigued by the disarming German, his reclusive neighbor Rosalind, and her traumatized husband, Georg. Stefano is also drawn to Monique, the girl in a photograph on Rosalind’s wall, who went missing during the war.

But when he discovers letters written by Monique, a darker truth emerges. This place of refuge could be one of reckoning, and the secrets of the past might prevent the travelers from ever getting home.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, World War II, Historical, War, Germany, Audiobook

444 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[Cookie M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a child in the 1960's and 70's it never occurred to me their was more to the story of the end of World War II than the news reel clips and photos I saw of happy people cheering, and grateful European civilians thanking American GI's for liberating them.

What we learned in school didn't paint any clearer of a picture. There was something called, "The Marshall Plan" by which the good ol' US of A single handedly, through the goodness of our hearts set all of Europe back on the road to prosperity. There was some controversy about this plan, but "I don't understand it, and it's almost time for recess, and I have to figure out if I can hang out with Mary Sorenson's crowd today or if this is one of those days I am a pariah, so forget Europe. Their fine now anyway."

It wasn't until I was a grown woman in my 30's, when I started mall walking in a frigid Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin shopping center, and got to know some of my fellow walkers that I learned the truth. I met several holocaust survivors in that walking club. While they never spoke about their time in the camps, except to mention loved ones who didn't make it, they were very willing to share the further horrors of what befell them when the gates were opened.

You see, they had nowhere to go, no one to be with. They were not even in their own country. Who would help them. One woman told me about sitting down right outside the fence and crying, because she had no life beyond where she was at that moment.

"The Road Beyond Ruin" is not about Jews. It is about the people who were unlucky enough to have been born on the other side of the conflict. They were Germans and Italians who just wanted to live their lives but were unable to, because of the Nazis and the fascists and what they were willing to do to their own people to achieve their despicable goals.
These unfortunates, some innocent, some complicit, were left struggling to survive in a ruined world, a civilization torn to shreds, where they never knew whom they could trust. The fears of betrayal were still deep.
The story centers on a quintet of people, four of whom grew up together in what would become Russian held East Germany, and the fifth, an Italian resistance fighter who finds his life entwined with the others throughout the war and it's aftermath.
The story is stark, brutal and deeply emotional. I came away with what I believe to be a better understanding of the confusion of life in Germany after the fall of Hitler.

.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's the end of the second world war and everyone is telling lies about the part they played in the conflict. Stefano claims to be an Italian soldier who fought with the Germans but was imprisoned when Italy changed sides. He is making his way back to Italy when he meets an orphaned young boy and feels compelled to take him under his wing. They take refuge in a house but are discovered by a former German soldier. There's clearly something sinister about this man. In the house next door there's another former German soldier and his wife. This soldier is shellshocked and addicted to drugs. The novel is split into four narratives, becoming five later in the novel. Each chapter also features flashbacks, showing us the wartime experiences of each of the characters. Though the author sustains much of the mystery by withholding information.
What this novel does best is show how much emotional damage the war did. It's a competently written and very well researched novel. The reason it didn't warrant five stars for me was I felt the author rather overegged the melodrama towards the end. The withholding of key information at times was a little heavy handed. And she used the same scenario at least a dozen times - showing someone on the verge of being killed who later we discover miraculously escaped. It became a little predictable as a ruse. It also got a bit over complicated. But on the whole an edifying read.

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love it

This is very vivid with details without getting gory. Historically good information and felt realistic. My big problem was that it was not in order. She didn't reveal information unless it suited the situation, in attempt to keep it mysterious. It only led to a very untidy, confusing, rushed ending. She didn't transition well between new characters and didn't reveal purposes for being there. It forced myself to read 95% of this book because I really wanted to like it. WWII setting was cool and it made me feel for the people who suffered because of it. She spent too much time in the first half of the book which makes several ending chapters unnecessary. Leaving plot holes that could've made a fantastic ending, such a let down.

[Stefanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Road Beyond Ruin, by Gemma Liviero, was one of my Kindle First picks.
This story is set during and after WWII. The stories of Erich, Rosalind and Georg, Monique, and Stefano. It is a tale of their time during the war and what becomes of their lives after. I’ve been drawn to historical novels lately, especially those set during the WWII era, no particular reason other than I find this time period fascinating.
Now, this book starts out in the months after the war has ended, with Stefano, an Italian, trying to find his way back home amongst the destruction and brokenness. He runs into Erich, Rosalind and Georg, and tries to learn their stories to glean some insight. The present timelines were quite boring in my opinion compared to the past timelines. There was nothing moving it along other than wandering what has become of Rosalind’s cousin, Monique. It’s just a lot of talking, starving, and figuring each other out.
The story is told from the perspective of Erich, Rosalind and Stefano. Each chapter starting with one of them in the present time and in the middle of each chapter taking them back in time to where they were and what they were doing during the war. I enjoyed the past references of each character and looked forward to those sections of the book versus the present sections.
Like I said, the story is really slow moving until the last 25 percent of the book when things start to unfold and you learn the significance of these characters meeting. Once I hit that point I couldn’t put it down. There were some things that were revealed that disappointed me in a way and I was hoping for a different turn, but as far as the historical aspect of this book I thought it was very well written.
It wasn’t my favorite book of historical fiction that I’ve read lately, but I liked a good portion of the book and the final story that was told with the revealing.

[Candace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complex, multi-layered, brilliant story telling. A handful of survivors from Berlin and Italy converge in the immediate aftermath of WWII. Included are a psychotic SS officer (is that redundant?) and an orphaned boy found next to his mother's shattered remains, fiercely clutching a basket that holds his baby brother's body. This is not to be missed!

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~]

DNF @ 41%

I had to pause this since I got two library loans come through back to back and it was somewhat of a relief. I tried to get back into it today but alas, just not feeling it. The structure of the present day to flashbacks to present day is hampering the story and dragging it down. The flashbacks are probably meant to create suspense, but it seemed pretty clear what happened, and I'd prefer the characters just fess up already.

Also, dual narration. Both narrators are fine, but it's not a narration technique I like and it didn't help with my lack of interest.

[Stephanie Anze · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I did hate once, but hate now lives in the past. And I prefer to remember the past, not live in it."

Stefano is an Italian POW walking across Germany, making his way back home. On his journey, he comes by a boy who is now an orphan as his mother is laying dead next to him. Hesitant, he has the boy join him on his journey, hoping to find a place for him on the way. They are fortunate to find an empty house where they can take refuge only this house is not vacant. It is the home of Erich, a former German soldier. Erich invites Stefano and the boy to stay and they, cautiously, accept. As he gets to know Erich and his neighbours, Stefano realizes that not all is as it seems.

What initially attracted me to this book was the cover. The darker tonalities suggest a somber read. Stefano is walking across Germany, trying to get back to Italy. The war is over but the consequences are just starting to become felt. Along his way, he comes across a boy and while he would prefer to be on his own, the boy joins him. They find a house where they can rest only to learn that it belongs to a former German soldier. Surprinsingly, Erich invites them to stay. In the next few days, he meets Rosalind and Georg, the closest neighbors. He learns of Monique, whose picture hangs in Rosalind's house and whose name seems to haunt his new acquaintances. In post-war Germany, reasons abound to be evasive and secretive but Stefano suspects somthing here is greatly amiss.

In all honesty, this is a tough book to rate. At first, I did not like it finding the pace much too slow and not much actually happening. As I read on however, the intentions of the author became clear. Slowly meting out bits of each protagonist's story, Liviero gradually builds a narrative in which all their lives intersect in unexpected ways. The characters are multi-faceted and complex. No one is who they claim to be and everyone has hidden intentions. The approach of this book is more subtle than that of ther books set in the aftermath of WWII. I like that Liviero focused on the aftermath for the war does not simply end once the fighting is over. The prose is well executed. I was fully prepared to give this book five stars but the last quater was lacking to me. The timeline became confusing and certain events happened without any explanation as to how. Still, I am glad to have read this book.

[Megan Beckelhimer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hated this book.

This was my December pick for Amazon First Reads, and I so wish I had gone with something different. I'm usually a huge fan of historical fiction, but this was just not good at all.

I'm a fairly intuitive reader, so I usually have a good idea of where a plot is headed before it gets there. I'm usually happy to be surprised. This, however, is only the case if the plot twist is well-executed.

This book has a few twists, but they are so poorly thought out that it makes what could have been an outstanding novel absolutely terrible. The twists don't even make sense. My advice to this writer is that if you're going to write from multiple perspectives, at least be consistent with your characters' thought processes. This book would have been far better if only told from the perspective of one or two people, probably Erich and/or Rosalind. If you want to surprise your readers, make it a surprise that isn't completely unbelievable.

I rarely write a review this harsh, but this book actually made me angry.

Two out of five stars.

Blog: https://emeganboggs.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MBeckelhimer...

[Esther Koncyk Mortensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

So confusing that I have to re-read this book

Overall, the story is fascinating & well told except that the author made it a difficult to understand read. Each chapter focused on a different character. And each character's story in each chapter went back in time.
Now, focusing on different characters in each chapter is acceptable. And going back in time is also acceptable. BUT mixing the two together gets very, very confusing.
By the end, I was totally confused & so just went with the story until I finished it. I now have to re-read the book & keep notes to keep everything straight & enjoy the book more than I did the first time. If you understand the fact that I seldom see - read books, you'll understand how frustrating the book was.
Why didn't I rate the book lower? Because it really is a good story.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this book! 😍 I chose this as my @amazon First Reads pick, and it was so good!! THE ROAD BEYOND RUIN is a historical fiction novel set in Germany during WWII. I was captured from the first page and read well past my bedtime because I had to see where this story was headed. If you loved The Alice Network and/or The Nightingale, you’ll love this one just as much!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have thought long and hard about this book. I found it very difficult to read. But, in the end my thoughts are these.

First, I loved the heart of the book. I have read many novels about the war itself. But this is the first book that I have read having to do with the aftermath and how affected the population was in general. Here we have former military, civilian and a child all confronted with how to literally live after the mass the destruction that was WWII. This is what held my attention.

However, I was confused by the back and forth of the story. I'm not sure I understood that. The characters were strong, the drama between Stefano and Erich particularly intrigued me. But I kept having to go back to find the thread I needed to proceed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review. I will remember it for a long time!

[Jph12 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I'm done with books involving heavy doses of flashbacks. Creating tension by withholding information that the characters know is nothing but a cheap parlor trick. Don't give me access to multiple characters' thoughts and feelings while withholding not just their motivations but their reasons for being involved in the story at all.

And as the information we should have known from the beginning is revealed, the story goes from "well this is odd" to "you really expect me to believe this is all a coincidence" to "well this is a plan worthy of the Leverage team, but without any of the style or panache."

[Balroop Singh · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Road Beyond Ruin by Gemma Liviero is painfully slow, disconnected and confusing, as it moves back and forth in time and leaves loopholes to keep some information secret. The pleasure of reading is snatched from the reader when most of the incidents are left hanging. This could have been a brilliant novel if the plot had been professionally handled and astutely edited. Some parts of the book shine despite inept editing but on the whole, with disorderly ending, this book failed to impress me.

None of the characters develop during the meandering incidents, which break off suddenly; they don’t know what they want, just like the author doesn’t seem to know! War is just a backdrop to win some sympathy for those involved in it but none of them evoke any emotions. I would never recommend this book to anyone.

[Lori Keeton · Rating 2 out of 5]

Awful! This was not historical fiction. It was a psychological thriller/revenge narrative masked in historical fiction using the period just after WW 2 ends when there is nothing but chaos in the aftermath of the war. Three different POVs are followed as it starts out very slowly, and I actually thought there was potential. However…once the ridiculous connections and multitude of secrets are hinted at and finally revealed, the reader is left exhausted and rolling eyes after skimming the final third just to get to the end! Thank goodness that is done and over. I chose this book because of my task of reading the books I already own this year. This was a kindle download most likely during the time I was heavily in to reading WW 2 historical fiction. It has lingered for quite a while, and I should have DNF’d.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating 4.3

For some people in post–World War II Germany, the battle is not over.

August 1945. As Stefano, an Italian POW, heads toward home across war-ravaged Germany, he encounters a young child beside his dead mother. Unable to leave him to an unknown fate, Stefano takes the boy with him, finding refuge in a seemingly abandoned house in a secluded woodland.

But the house is far from vacant. Stefano wakes at the arrival of its owner, Erich, a former German soldier, who invites the travelers to stay until they can find safe passage home. Stefano cautiously agrees, intrigued by the disarming German, his reclusive neighbor Rosalind, and her traumatized husband, Georg. Stefano is also drawn to Monique, the girl in a photograph on Rosalind’s wall, who went missing during the war.

But when he discovers letters written by Monique, a darker truth emerges. This place of refuge could be one of reckoning, and the secrets of the past might prevent the travelers from ever getting home.

The setting for this book is the end of World War II as the Russians are entering Germany and other countries and plundering it. There are constant flashbacks for the main characters as their own stories develop and we see how people reacted to war and the Nazis in Germany and Italy. I enjoyed the historical setting and glimpse into the stresses caused by war. Each has his own story and has learned not to trust others or what they appear to be while also trying to find a way back from the terrible emotional destruction of the war. The story twists and turns until all the stories are told and only then can the characters move forward.

[Ginger Byrnes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantastic story - with a disappointing ending

I loved this book and had a hard time putting it down, I longed to be back with the characters and find out the whole truth, the entire story.
This is a book that show another side of the war- how so many people suffered, those who dared to speak against the war, free thinkers and also the terrible aftermath. A side often not mentioned or written about.
This would be a great movie.
Sadly, the ending was missing a lot of components for me, feels like the final chapters were hurried. And several pieces of the storyline was never revealed.
Another issue is the way this was edited, lots of funny sentences- perhaps a translation issue?

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an intriguing story that tells of the lives of five young people all caught up in World War II Europe, including the tense pre war years and the devastation following the war. Centered around the brutal emotional and physical ordeal that the three men and two women experience as their paths cross and merge over a ten year period, from childhood to adults, spanning a whole range of love and hate. Full of surprising and unexpected plot twists, "The Road Beyond Ruin" keeps the reader engrossed until the end. Another good WW II novel.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully rich and vivid story of postwar Europe. It is absolutely spellbinding and full of characters that keep you guessing. It is historical fiction at its best since you will learn what it means for a country to recover from losing a war as well as being swept away into the lives of people on both sides of that war. Incredibly well written. I highly recommend it.

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful and tragic

A touching and heartbreaking tale of WW2 and its life altering effects on those involved and scarred from its violence and destruction even among and between lifelong friends and family.

[Jypsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm drawn to anything about WWII. This was a fantastic story with all the feels. Great writing and memorable characters make this book one to read and enjoy.

[Joy D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in Germany in 1945, immediately after the war in Europe has ended, this novel tells the story of an ensemble of characters. Stefano is a former Italian soldier, just released from a Prisoner of War Camp. He is walking home to Italy through Germany, meets an orphaned child along the road, and cannot leave him to his fate, so he takes him along. He and the child find a house he thinks is abandoned. They stay the night. Erich arrives at the house and tells Stefano he owns it. Each is initially suspicious of the other, but Erich invites Stefano to stay for a while to recover his strength. Rosalind and Georg are a married German couple living next door. Georg served in the German Army and is now mentally impaired due to a war wound. Rosalind, a former nurse, is attending to his medical needs. Stefano finds a series of letters, written by Rosalind’s cousin, the mysterious Monique. Her letters reveal a darker side to the background of these people. It is a story of secrets, good and bad decisions, and revenge.

I ended up with mixed feelings. On the positive side, it is about a period of WWII that is not often covered – the war’s immediate aftermath in Germany. The characters reveal their emotional scars through their actions. It is atmospheric in its descriptions of the devastations of war. On the negative side, it is slow in developing and the storyline feels disjointed, almost as if the author started to write one story and changed her mind mid-stream to focus on another. It gets very dull in the middle, and I almost abandoned it. It contains the seemingly required twists, which did not work well for me. They make the story increasingly unbelievable. It is a novel with lots of potential that fails to deliver in its execution.

[Charlotte Cumming · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please read this book

Ms. Liviero has presented a book that has characters deeply flawed, yet incredibly sympathetic. I normally don't choose this type of book but it came up on my Prime selections and I have to say that I am happy that I selected it! Thanks Prime! She managed to give me an experience that has moved me deeply and brought to the forefront of my life a time period that I have little thought to in the past. I cannot express how important this novel is and how touching and deep the emotions. I am not a professional reviewer but am a voracious reader who will happily delve deeper into this time period and genre. I hope my heart can withstand the incredible heartbreak and deep emotions that this novel presented in future reads. Thank you Ms. Liviero for an incredible read! Please read this book of you read anything at all this year!

[Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This shares the same template as The English Patient - three men and a woman sharing an isolated house at the end of the war with an absent woman supplying much of the drama. It's a much darker book though. It's also much longer, too long. I felt a harsh editor might have made this a more rewarding read. Entire chapters could have been removed without losing any vital information. Rosalind, the German householder, was a good character, deranged by jealousy and the war. Then there's Stefano, the mysterious Italian who arrives at her door with his war wounds. And the intermittent visitor Erich, a committed Nazi, who is constantly scheming. The atmosphere is thick with mistrust and secrecy. 3.5 stars.

[Fred Shaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gemma Liviero has written a powerful story of family, friends and enemies attempting to survive atrocities and make it home alive after WW II has ended. Of German and Italian allegiance, both as allies and the resistance to Nazi horrors, they seek vengeance to wrongdoings done by each. The author uses flashbacks in time to tell the story of each character.

This particular version is an audiobook, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld and Angelo Diloreto. Plenty of suspense and surprises keep the reader turning pages, and I recommend this historical novel to lovers of the genre.

[Robert Intriago · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book told by three characters living near Dresden, Germany right after the end WWII. Two are German and one an Italian prisoner of War on his way home. They all have secrets which unravel throughout the story. The author does a wonderful job of unraveling the mystery layer by layer and of using flashbacks to give you a historical view of Germany and Italy prior to the beginning and during the war. Of particular interest is the transition of Italy from being an ally of Germany to being a resistance to Nazi troops. The ending of the book is a little unstructured and melodramatic.

[Christina J. · Rating 1 out of 5]

So boring

I could only get 30% of the way through this. It is so incredibly boring. I've read Liviero's other books and loved them. It has taken me three weeks to even get to 30 percent. I generally read two books a week. It just plods along so slowly. I almost always finish books, but I can't waste anymore time on this one.

[Yv · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ik laat je niet achter neemt je mee naar de periode vlak na de Tweede Wereldoorlog. De Italiaanse Stefano is na zijn krijgsgevangenschap weer op vrije voeten en onderweg terug naar zijn familie. Tijdens zijn reis stuit hij op een huilend jongetje dat bij het lijk van zijn moeder zit. Na wat twijfelen besluit Stefano zich over de jongen te ontfermen. De tocht brengt slecht weer en de twee vinden onderdak in het huis dat van Erich blijkt te zijn. Ze raken aan de praat en leren over elkaars persoonlijke nachtmerries. De buren, Georg en Rosalind, komen al snel ter sprake wanneer ze elkaar bij toeval ontmoeten. Maar in hoeverre zijn deze vertelsels op de waarheid gebaseerd?

Door middel van tijdsprongen komen we steeds meer te weten over de personages. Elk karakter wordt grondig uitgediept doordat de flashbacks het gehele boek aanhouden en ook van perspectief wisselen. Ze zijn stuk voor stuk erg interessant en hun verledens bewogen. De vele informatie die je tot je krijgt is echter niet altijd even gemakkelijk. Vooral het eerste gedeelte van het boek kan wat verwarrend zijn. Doordat je nog lastig een beeld bij de personages kunt vormen, zijn de wisselende invalshoeken en de sprongen in de tijd niet altijd even goed te plaatsen.

Toch is de keuze van Liviero om het boek op deze manier te presenteren ook positief, omdat het een scherp beeld van de individuen schetst. Hoe makkelijk is het om te zeggen dat de oorlog is afgelopen en verder nergens meer bij stil te staan? Ik laat je niet achter toont als geen ander welke beschadigingen een oorlog bij mensen kan achterlaten. In dit geval de beschadigingen die de personages aan de Tweede Wereldoorlog hebben overgehouden en met deze strop hun leven moeten zien te vervolgen. Het constante wantrouwen en de vooroordelen die ze zijn aangeleerd, maar ook het leven met angst en herinneringen De denk- en handelswijze van nu heeft álles te maken met gebeurtenissen uit de jaren ervoor. De periode is niet zonder slag of stoot doorstaan en hoewel de oorlog is beëindigd, is alle narigheid nog lang niet verdwenen uit de gedachtes.

De link die de personages met elkaar hebben wordt pas laat in het boek bekend gemaakt. De sfeer van het boek verandert op dat moment overduidelijk. Van informatief en onderhoudend wordt een explosieve stap richting spanning gemaakt. Een verrassende stap, gezien de eerdere toon van het boek er geen aanzet toe geeft. Tijdens de lange aanloop naar het eind weet je dat je nog niet alle informatie tot je hebt gekregen en dat er iets onder de oppervlakte broeit. De manier waarop Liviero haar ontknoping weergeeft is verbluffend op een positieve manier.

Ik laat je niet achter weet huiveringwekkende gebeurtenissen doordringend en realistisch over te brengen. Het is geen gemakkelijk boek, maar de doorzetter zal na het lezen een voldaan gevoel hebben en bepaalde kwesties nog eens overdenken.

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4 ⭐️
Europe at the end of WWII was chaotic. People were emotionally exhausted, physically ravaged & literally displaced. This novel does an excellent job of drawing us into the turmoil of the 5 protagonists. The impact of decisions made years before haunts them. The confusion of time & place is apparent.
I found this to be an engaging novel. However, the back and forth between the beginning of the war and October 1945 was often hard to follow. After finishing the novel, I felt like there were pieces missing. I had to go back to reread the last 30 pages searching for the details that supported the ending. Thus why I give it 3.5 ⭐️

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This took wayyyyyy too long to get going, and there are so many characters that I gave up on keeping them straight (especially Stefano's relatives). It picked up about halfway through, though, so I'm glad I stuck with it. The plot twists and turns are kinda crazy, and though I've finished the book, I'm still not quite sure what the true story was! :D

[Thereadingbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stefano is an Italian POW walking across Germany, making his way back home. On his journey, he comes by a boy who is now an orphan as his mother is laying dead next to him. Hesitant, he has the boy join him on his journey, hoping to find a place for him on the way. They are fortunate to find an empty house where they can take refuge only this house is not vacant. It is the home of Erich, a former German soldier. Erich invites Stefano and the boy to stay and they, cautiously, accept. As he gets to know Erich and his neighbors, Stefano realizes that not all is as it seems.

Gemma Liviero has written a powerful story of family, friends and enemies attempting to survive atrocities and make it home alive after WW II has ended. Of German and Italian allegiance, both as allies and the resistance to Nazi horrors, they seek vengeance to wrongdoings done by each. The author uses flashbacks in time to tell the story of each character. The chapters where written to describe each character in individual chapters.

I am a fan of historical fiction and I enjoyed this story but not as much as I enjoyed other stories about this time period.