Midnight Train to Prague

by Carol Windley

An unforgettable tale of what we owe to those we love, and those we have left behind

In 1927, as Natalia Faber travels from Berlin to Prague with her mother, their train is delayed in Saxon Switzerland. In the brief time the train is idle, Natalia learns the truth about her father and meets a remarkable woman named Dr. Magdalena Schaefferová, whose family will become a significant part of her future.

Shaken by these events, Natalia arrives at a spa on the shore of Lake Hevíz in Hungary. Here, she meets the journalist and writer Miklós Count Andorján. In time, they will marry, and Natalia will devote herself to life on a rural estate in Hungary.

When war breaks out in Europe, Natalia loses contact with Miklós. She believes they are to meet in Prague, a city under Nazi occupation. She sets up shop as a fortune teller with a pack of Tarot cards. In this guise, she meets Magdalena Schaefferová’s young daughter, Anna. Accused by the Nazis of spying, Natalia is sent to a concentration camp. In April 1945, Natalia and Anna are reunited, and with courage and determination, find the strength to begin again in a changed world. 

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, World War II, Literary Fiction, War, Holocaust

352 pages, ebook

First published April 14, 2020

About the author

Born in Tofino, British Columbia and raised in British Columbia and Alberta, Windley's debut short story collection, Visible Light (1993) won the 1993 Bumbershoot Award, and was nominated for the 1993 Governor General's Award for English Fiction and the 1994 Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize.

She followed in 1998 with her first novel, Breathing Underwater. In 2002, Windley won a Western Magazine Award for "What Saffi Knows", which later featured as the opening story in her short story collection Home Schooling (2006). That book was shortlisted for the 2006 Scotiabank Giller Prize.

Windley has also taught creative writing at Malaspina University-College.

Reviews

[Jaidee · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 "elegant, ultrafeminine, romantic and then..." stars !!

10th Favorite Read of 2022 Award (tie)

Thanks initially to Netgalley, the author and Grove Atlantic for an ecopy of this book. When I went to access the book had expired. So I borrowed from the library and I thank them as well. This was released November 2020. I am providing my honest review.

This is an immensely skillful and artful piece of historical literary fiction.

I was at first charmed and then frightened and finally hopeful and always immensely moved.

I will not talk about the plot except to say the first half is the most delightful and deft romance and family drama and then the author moves us to how the German occupation impacts a variety of people during WW2 and the suffering and destitution to the aftermath and rebuilding of primarily Czechoslovakia and Hungary.

The characters are painted in impressionistic watercolors and depending on your distance and vantage point appear differently depending on your own angles and the quality of light and darkness. The plot is intricate and fascinating and the psychologies are deep and sound.

This was wholly satisfying, thought provoking and tragically beautiful.

Warmest thanks to Canadian author Ms. Carol Windley.

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Natalia Faber travels from Berlin to Prague with her mother Beatriz in 1927, she’s just finished high school, and their train is delayed in Switzerland. A man falls ill aboard the train, a doctor tends to him and her name is Dr Magdalena Schaeffer. Mother and daughter continue their journey to a spa near a lake in Hungary, and here they meet Count Miklos Andorjan, a journalist, and his girlfriend Zita Kuznetsova.

Zita leaves with Beatriz, both women are flighty and selfish, and they travel to Argentina together. Natalia and Miklos marry a year later, when WW II begins, Miklos travels to the Russian front, and Natalia waits for him in Prague. Her mother-in-law taught her to read tarot cards, she sets up a shop reading people’s fortunes and meets Anna Schaeffer. The little girl she first met on the train in Switzerland all those years ago, the Germans accuse Natalia of spying, she’s sent to a concentration camp, and Anna’s sent to Germany to work as a maid.

Midnight Train To Prague, is a historical saga, and it’s a long story that spans two decades. You discover what happens to Natalia and Anna during the war, their terrible suffering, loss of family, property, and the atrocities the Germans committed in Czechoslovakia and Hungary. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, at times the plot was a little confusing, and three stars from me.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

“She wanted peace, sanctuary, untroubled days slipping past like rosary beads.”

Midnight Train to Prague by Carol Windley is the story of a girl named Natalia who is tossed about by war (and a silly, irresponsible mother). We follow Natalia from her girlhood to falling in love, to marriage and her experience in Hungary and Prague in World War Two all the way to her experiences in a post-war world.

What I Loved:
1. The Writing Style: Excuse me, what? Considering most all of these negative reviews are about the writing style, I can imagine some people might be confused. Basically, what’s going on with the writing style that OTHER PEOPLE (not me) don’t like is:
A. Grammar: Many instances of dialogue don’t have quotation marks. (It was very good, he said. [at 8%])
B. Passive Voice: I didn’t even notice the use of the passive tense in this story, but apparently other people did. I think what a lot of people were referring to is the level of “passiveness” in the story (see “exposition”) but I find that to be a stylistic choice that I enjoy.
C. Time Jumps: People say the story is choppy. Yes, it does jump through major passages of time, but that didn’t bother me. A lot of time needed to pass in this story. I found it refreshing to have a story that took place over such a span of time, actually.
D. Exposition:
I think the biggest complaint everyone has is that they feel like this story has too much exposition, but this is what I love about it. GIVE ME LENGTHY PASSAGES OF DESCRIPTION PLEASE. Especially when it’s done as well as this author does. This author writes nature and food in a way that is tangible: “She drank coffee from a translucent china cup and spread sweet, golden butter on a warm, floury scone,” and all my senses were engaged in this story (as were my poetic sensibilities).
2. The history:
This book covers eastern Europe during wartime and communism. I learned a lot about countries I normally don’t hear much of-- Hungary, Czechoslovakia (at the time), Russia, etc. and overall found it really intriguing.
3. The ridiculous mother:
There is a silly, wild mom names Beatriz in this story who is quite the character, and I laughed a lot at her but also really enjoyed the complexities of the mother-daughter relationship that was a byproduct of this mother’s behavior. Compelling.



What I Didn’t Love:
1. An email I received from the publisher:
This has nothing to do with the book and everything to do with the publisher. The email I got from NetGalley when the publisher agreed to let me read their book felt really condescending to me. I felt like it assumed that since I was not a “librarian, bookseller, or professional book reviewer (whatever that is)” that my opinion on the book was somehow less valid. I’m sure the publishing company is lovely, but maybe we can change the phrasing “If you are simply an avid reader,” to something a bit more condescending, considering us “simply avid readers” are the ones buying the books. Whew. Rant over.
2. The second story line:
The second storyline following Anna didn’t seem necessary to me. I ended up liking Anna a lot, but I felt like her story didn’t add anything to the principal storyline.

Who I Would Recommend This Book To:
1. People who love classics or literary fiction: I think part of the reason I enjoy the level of exposition is because my mind formed itself around classic literature, so if you are a person who enjoys classics or literary fiction, you will be able to appreciate the author’s writing style and go on a sensory-rich adventure.
2. People who want to learn more about eastern Europe: I always learn best through stories and feel like I understand a bit more about what happened in Russia, Hungary, Argentina during the war.


Thanks to Grove Atlantic for allowing me early access to this book via NetGalley.
To see me talk about more books (historical fiction, classics, and contemporary) check out my YouTube channel, Perks of a Bookflower: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAa3...

[Lee Husemann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love World War II Historical Fiction but this book was disappointing to me. I did not care for the passive narration of the story, the too numerous characters and numerous places. The story seemed to jump from one time line and place to another one which was very confusing. The characters seemed very superficial and I really could not pick a favorite. I think the author did do a very good job researching this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Vonda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rambling and disconnected. There were too many characters in the story with a very thin story line. It should have been kept a bit more simplified instead of including every person it seems the characters met! This book fell way short.

[Candace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm simply stunned by the lackluster reviews of "Midnight Train to Prague," which I found to be a standout in the field of World War II novels. Set mostly in the East--Czechoslovakia and Hungary with some stops in Berlin and Buenos Aires. The characters are so relatable and appealing that any reader will fall under their spells.

Carol Windley launches the book in 1927, meaning that the relationships are well-rooted long before the war starts. An encounter on a train introduces young Natalia to a Czech doctor and her son. They part, but this meeting will influence the rest of the novel.

Perhaps the negativity is because this book is complex, covering nearly twenty years with Eastern European settings and a number of characters. Beloved characters die and there is real tension about who will survive and whose fate will be unknown.

A wonderful read. Thanks to Grove Atlantic and Edelweiss for the experience.

~Candace Siegle, Greedy Reader

[RoseMary Achey · Rating 1 out of 5]

The passive point of view did nothing to engage the reader or engender the characters. The first 250 pages were particularly difficult to read with the final 25% of the book picking up the pace. By then my mind had already numbed. Not only am I surprised this book passed editing, but extremely surprised it was published.

[K. M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of Midnight Train to Prague in exchange for a review::

I did not enjoy this. I was really looking forward it, as I love historical fiction and love Berlin, but those loves were soon ignored as I couldn’t get a handle of this book. It was all-over the place.

First of all, it didn’t help that the majority of the story was told in the passive (tell). There was a lot of: ‘When they finished doing this, X did this and Y then did that.’ Pages and pages of tell (which does not make me a happy reader); very little active/ present voice. I felt like I had a narrator standing behind me telling me things I was already watching.
It also didn’t help that there was lots of backstory. In fact, on the very first page, the hopping back and forth between present and past was rather jarring.

I might give the book a “re-read” when the audiobook comes out, I don’t know why, but that sometimes helps polish out the bumps that I, as a reader, experience.

[Cheryl Sokoloff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Midnight Train to Prague is Carol Windley's ode to the people of Hungary, in particular, and to the people of Germany, who carried out Hitler's orders.

I loved all the characters that Windley created, and there are a lot in this book, so be prepared. As well, there is a lot of detail about the history of the Czeckoslovakia.

Carol Windley ingeniously intertwines the players in her story. In the first chapters of the book, Nathalia, as a child, from her seat on the train, first sees Milõs (and Zita), through the window, driving in his Bugatti, all of them heading to Prague. From those opening moments the book follows them through the war, through Europe and South America.

If you are looking for a WW2, historical fiction novel, with an emphasis on Hungary, then this oneis for you. I really enjoyed reading it and I am always proud to read books by Canadian authors. #5stars for Carol Windley's #midnighttraintoprague. Thank you #netgalley for an early edition, in return for my honest review.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Midnight Train to Prague by Carol Windley is an excellent historical fiction that follows Natalia Faber from childhood, 1920s Berlin, and through WWII in Prague.

We see Natalia’s interesting and eccentric mother, Beatriz, and her upbringing to the point where Beatriz and Natalia travel on a train from Berlin to Prague. This seemingly benign trip becomes monumental, pivotal, and full of surprises. Little does she know how much this trip will change the rest of her life. She meets Miklos Andorjan and also a woman named Magdalena Schaefer. Through this trip Natalia finds out the father she thought had perished many years before, is in fact not dead. (I won’t divulge more as I want the readers to still have some surprises.)
The book eventually covers the atrocities of WWII and we find Natalia struggling with her other half sent off to war and a friend, Anna, sent off to a concentration camp. We can see the events of WWII through the eyes of Natalia and Anna.
This book definitely brought forth many emotions and at times really was hard to read. To see how so many people were permanently effected by war was important, but challenging, to read. This is a book about love, loss, friendships, sacrifice, the concept of people entering, affecting, and leaving our lives.

This was a great book and I did enjoy the ending.
I definitely enjoyed it.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic/Grove Press for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately (as of 3/23/2020 no BB listing has been created) and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this novel. At its heart, it is a love story, though like all good love stories it is much else besides. The action spans several decades, two world wars, and is told from the point of view of three different characters. Glancing at the other reviews, I see some people had difficulty with the time jumps, the multitude of characters, the language and the general unwieldiness of the thing. Yes, it is long, and perhaps towards the end I felt it could have been shorter; the Anna point of view, in particular, I could have done without. And it’s not The Girl on the Train - it’s gentle, thoughtful, reflective rather than especially page-turney. But, for me, it was worthwhile. I found it a moving, intelligent, hugely enjoyable read.

[Sometimes IRead · Rating 3 out of 5]

Midnight Train to Prague by Carol Windley was such a quiet and gentle read but still captured a powerful message. It’s one of those books that reminds me that not everything needs to be about pacing, or plot climaxes, or impactful messages. There can be important lessons to be learnt in the quieter moments in life as well.

When I read the blurb, I thought I was in for a sucker punch to my gut because of the atrocities of the Second World War. However, Windley chooses to skip past the graphic, leaving that to our imagination. Instead, she focuses on the characters, their lives before the war, and their motivations as they navigate through the increasingly difficult times.

At first, I was a little thrown by the style and choices made by Windley. However, I realized that it made sense since it all ties back to the fairytale of Water and Salt. Plain old salt doesn’t seem like a great metaphor for love, but when we realize how vital salt is for life, we understand how important the unassuming things in life are.

Likewise, by not focusing on the horrors of war or the heroics of those who resisted or overcame, Windley illuminates the idea that it is the small things in life that gives us hope and keeps us going. Things like a hot bath, the soil bringing forth fruit, having a meal with family.. it is these things that stitch the fabric of our lives together and helps us through the toughest times of our lives.

Diversity meter:
Jewish voice

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely recommend this. It started out really strong. The first half of the book had me so hooked. The second half felt a bit rushed, but overall I think this is an excellent addition to the genre. At the beginning of the story, Natalia is on a train to Prague with her mother. In quick succession, she sees a Bugatti racing past and wonders about the passengers, meets a female doctor and her son, and then learns the truth about her father. Her life would never be the same. As they are all headed toward WWII, this metaphor seems to work for what is to become of all their lives. Or at least it sets the scene nicely and introduces the main characters. The first part is truly engaging. Once WWII begins, this seems more like all of the other novels in this genre. That isn't bad. I was just hoping for something spectacular.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was very surprised to read so many negative reviews for this book. I found it one of my favourites in the historical fiction category.
At first , I was concerned about the writing style of "passive narration " and felt that I may not get through the book.......but very quickly I came to love the style and found that it made the story so fascinating. All of the minute details of the lives of the main characters enhanced the story telling and I was totally enthralled with the tale.
So much pain, so much sadness and so much loss ! I find it hard to believe the world allowed this suffering at the hands of the SS and the German military and Hitler. Stated so poignantly in Anna's letter to Natalia : " the names you can't say except when you are alone, and then only silently ".
Beautiful book, Carol Lindsey !

[Allison Speakmon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was really excited for this book. While I think the story line could have been great the narration was a huge turn off for me. The passive narration through the whole book and the abundance of characters made it really difficult to get involved with the story. It sounded like more like a textbook than a novel.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

At times, you don't understand the value of a book until you finish it. "Midnight Train to Prague" was one of those poignant reads. I love historical fiction, especially WWII's chapter. However this book chugged along on a journey but I couldn't discover its direction.

The second half I felt was stronger than the first and through Anna, I began to care about Natalia. Anna's innocence mixed with Natalia's fortitude paralleled lost girls in terms of family and fortune. As the story continued into Eastern Europe, that's where I began to feel connected to #MidnightTraintoPrague.

I lived in Budapest and traveled to Prague. The protagonists' journey reawakened my fond memories of Hungary. There's something special about being able to picture yourself in the story and watch the scenes come to life.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition in exchange for an honest review. Looking back, the story line came together in the final chapters. That being said, I struggled with the first section. I had trouble caring about the characters especially Beatriz's flighty nature and Natalia's aloofness. When the novel reached its climax, it quickly extinguished itself instead of lingering in falling action. I would have preferred more weighted content as that sequence warranted exploration.

To close, I was intrigued by Anna's story and that's what kept me reading. I don't know why but I found Natalia unlikable throughout the novel. I felt empathy for her but didn't feel engaged with the character. Anna's perseverance made Carol Windley's novel worth reading.

Rating: 2.5

[Weina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Windley brought those people to life. I love the language, the description of the cultures, and the clothing and food! Take me to Prague!

[Jeanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful novel of friendship, love and resilience. Beginning in the mid 1920’s in Berlin, Germany it moves to war-torn Hungary and Czechoslovakia into the conclusion in the mid-forties. The writing is compelling and the descriptions of the varied characters is very well done......you get to know them. There isn’t a lot of give and take conversation in this story but it is rich in detail and accurate in the history that’s presented. I enjoyed this novel very much since it really gave the feel of that time in history and how those who survived were able to continue with their lives. There are some harsh reviews of this novel and frankly, I fail to understand why.

[Kristen Cook - A Book Ninja · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so looking forward to this book as a big historical fiction fan especially of WW2. While, the general story was fine the style of the book fell way short for me. The passive narrator was like reading a history book of facts. This narration style in addition to the excessive amount of characters, details and places was a miss for me. I found it hard to connect to Natalia and her story.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Midnight Train to Prague by Carol Windley is an excellent historical fiction that follows Natalia Faber from childhood, 1920s Berlin, and through WWII in Prague.

We see Natalia’s interesting and eccentric mother, Beatriz, and her upbringing to the point where Beatriz and Natalia travel on a train from Berlin to Prague. This seemingly benign trip becomes monumental, pivotal, and full of surprises. Little does she know how much this trip will change the rest of her life. She meets Miklos Andorjan and also a woman named Magdalena Schaefer. Through this trip Natalia finds out the father she thought had perished many years before, is in fact not dead. (I won’t divulge more as I want the readers to still have some surprises.)
The book eventually covers the atrocities of WWII and we find Natalia struggling with her other half sent off to war and a friend, Anna, sent off to a concentration camp. We can see the events of WWII through the eyes of Natalia and Anna.
This book definitely brought forth many emotions and at times really was hard to read. To see how so many people were permanently effected by war was important, but challenging, to read. This is a book about love, loss, friendships, sacrifice, the concept of people entering, affecting, and leaving our lives.

This was a great book and I did enjoy the ending.
I definitely enjoyed it.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic/Grove Press for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately (as of 3/23/2020 no BB listing has been created) and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

[Mairy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely intergenerational story around World War II in Hungary set in Hungary and Czechoslovakia. I sometimes felt overwhelmed trying to keep up with all the characters coming and going, but overall, this was a story about Natalia Faber, from the time she is living with her over-the-top mother Beatriz up to her middle-age self and how life has changed her.. This is a story about love, loss, the ugliness of war, hope, disappointment, friendship, starting over, and basically life in general for all those souls who have lived through or died during WWII.

There was something special about Carol Windley's prose; it felt like I was cozy in my bed and she was reading to me. Subdued, simple, yet gripping, emotional, making readers feel like they are being narrated an old story. I particularly enjoyed the old folks tales like the salt girl.

I am giving this book a 5-star because I enjoyed the story, the characters which all had depth, the historical context which was well placed, and I appreciated all the historical information I learned throughout my read, and of course the meaning of the title,

I recommend this book to anyone looking for an emotional and quiet read of two families destined to be in each other's lives.

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Mrs. Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had issues with this novel. FIRST...I received a bit of a snarky email from the publisher essentially criticizing me for not being a "professional reviewer" and forced me to subscribe to their email digests since I was only an "avid reader". While I totally get where they are coming from, business wise, I am a history and English teacher and do read a lot of novels for myself, my knowledge, my students, my lessons etc. So yes, I am NOT a professional reviewer and don't rack up the likes on my 3-sentence reviews, it doesn't mean I don't promote or use the books LESS because of my online presence. Anyways...

This book was a bit all over the place. It lacked finesse. I had to re-read big sections because I thought I missed certain aspects of the novel and I was confused. There were just a lot of ideas, a lot of characters and they didn't meld well together. The passive voice didn't bother me, like some reviews mention, but if a writing style doesn't flow or doesn't have an ease to it, then yes it detracts from the readability of the novel.

Overall, while I love historical fiction, WWII, and Eastern Europe, this one was a bit of a mess and I am left disappointed.

Thank you NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jennifer Cook Nafziger · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. The book sounded so interesting from the description and I enjoy reading fiction centered around World War II. While there were parts of the book I devoured quickly, it didn’t really follow a logical sequence. There were times when things would take an abrupt jump and I would find myself going back several pages to see if I had missed something... which I hadn’t. There were many characters and a lot of back story on parts that didn’t matter in the overall concept of the book. The story was just bogged down with too many ideas to truly make it flow.

[Roger · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a terribly disjointed story! She spends pages and pages on trivial events that lend little to the story, and then glosses over months in a couple of pages. Earlier this month I read what I thought was the worst book in five years, little did I know Midnight Train to Prague would surpass. In the last 20 years, I have only stopped reading a book in the middle one time. This should have been two!

Did I say this was a terrible novel - do not waste your precious time.

[Jennifer N · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried - it seemed like it would be up my alley but I was so bored that I put it down 100 pages in.

[Soni S · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book follows Natalia Faber, between the 1920s-1940s. She is on a train to Prague with her mother when she finds out the truth about her father, meets Dr. Schaefferová, and this sets off a series of events that unfold in her life. Her mother has a life of her own and Natalia is left trying to figure out where she belongs. She eventually marries and settles down, but everything is turned upside down when war breaks out in Europe. She meets various people whom are within 5 degrees of separation, and she survives the war, despite having been sent to a concentration camp, and looks forward to moving on.

I appreciated the intent and the story behind this book but unfortunately found it difficult to follow. I felt that there were too many characters and locations so I kept losing track of who/where meant what to the protagonist. I enjoyed the love story between Natalia and Miklos, and the characters of Beatriz, Zita and Natalia's mother-in-law.

I feel that this book would be appreciated by someone who is more familiar with Czechoslovakia, Germany & Hungary, or someone who is particularly interested in the WWII era, because they would be able to understand and appreciate the references to those locations better.

Thank you to Harper Collins and Netgalley for the eGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

On a train to Prague strangers meet. More strangers meet while in Czechoslovakia at a health resort in the mountains. Their lives intersect later on in ways they never imaged during WWII after the Germans invade Czechoslovakia. This story takes readers from Berlin, to Buenos Aires, to Hungary, to Prague and Seattle as it highlights the devastation caused by the Nazis during WWII.

There are a lot of different characters in the book, initially making it hard to follow the novel during the first half of the book. It moves slowly and jumps around between the characters without a lot of rhyme or reason. I feel that the story is one worth telling as it's the first in many of this WWII genre that I've read that does take place in both Czechoslovakia and Hungary. I feel like there could have been more than one story out of this novel instead of cramming all of these people into one story and would honestly love to read more about someone who fled Europe to South American as two characters in this novel did rather just in passing as was done here.

If you are a hard core fan of WWII fiction, this one could be worth a read. If not, it's a much harder read than others of this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Monthly Press for the chance to review this ARC.

[Jennifer Hoffert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t love this one. The writing style of the author was slightly abrupt and strange. It was overly descriptive where it wasn’t necessary, interspersed with short spurts of dialogue. The book got better in the second half, but the author tried to span too long of a time frame with too many characters. The descriptions during WWII in the second half were heart wrenching and well written. Being a foodie, I did love reading any of the descriptions about the foods they were eating, as I’ve never been to Hungary or Prague and the dishes seemed quite unique. I didn’t give up on this book midway because it’s written by a B.C. author and was happy to support!

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I skipped the middle section which violates my personal rule about not reading books above the atrocities of WWII. I enjoyed the first section and Nathalie’s adventures in Hungary and neighboring countries.
The book is well written and has a great sense of place and time. I would consider reading another of Windley’s novels.

[Mary Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was slow starter and some of the literary references and politics went over my head but I am glad I continued to push through. As with every WWII novel I read, this one taught me something new through its Hungarian setting. The tie-ins to Argentina also gave it a different spin.