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When We Return
Who should be held responsible for public wrongs?
By 2008, it finally seems that the Peruvian government is ready to make amends to its citizens following the violent guerilla movement of the last three decades.
Otilia and Salvador, a mother and son torn apart during the conflict and separated for twenty years, are eager for the government to acknowledge their pain and suffering, but they hit a roadblock when the government denies responsibility in their legal case.
Things begin to look up when Otilia meets Jerry, a kind man and the son of Jewish parents who escaped the Holocaust. Grappling with his own upbringing and the psychological struggles his parents endured, Jerry is just the person to empathize with Otilia's situation. Together, Otilia, Jerry, and Salvador must support one another through the turbulent journey that is healing from historical trauma, and through it, they must find the courage to rebuild their lives and open themselves up to love and companionship.
Artfully weaving together different timelines and countries, Tobias examines the nuanced topic of grief a community endures after a collective tragedy. In this exploration of the culture of remembrance following displacement and loss, we discover what happens when our past calls us back to what we must do to achieve justice and reconciliation when we return.
By 2008, it finally seems that the Peruvian government is ready to make amends to its citizens following the violent guerilla movement of the last three decades.
Otilia and Salvador, a mother and son torn apart during the conflict and separated for twenty years, are eager for the government to acknowledge their pain and suffering, but they hit a roadblock when the government denies responsibility in their legal case.
Things begin to look up when Otilia meets Jerry, a kind man and the son of Jewish parents who escaped the Holocaust. Grappling with his own upbringing and the psychological struggles his parents endured, Jerry is just the person to empathize with Otilia's situation. Together, Otilia, Jerry, and Salvador must support one another through the turbulent journey that is healing from historical trauma, and through it, they must find the courage to rebuild their lives and open themselves up to love and companionship.
Artfully weaving together different timelines and countries, Tobias examines the nuanced topic of grief a community endures after a collective tragedy. In this exploration of the culture of remembrance following displacement and loss, we discover what happens when our past calls us back to what we must do to achieve justice and reconciliation when we return.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 17, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
June 17, 2022
When We Return primarily revolves around Otilia Perez, a Peruvian whose husband Manuel and young son Salvador disappeared while attempting to avoid the Shining Path guerrillas during the 1990s. It is meticulously researched, providing extensive background about the political upheaval in Peru and the government’s subsequent attempts to make reparations.
Eliana Tobias’ first novel, In the Belly of the Horse, follows Otilia’s long and frustrating search for her family before she eventually relocates to San Francisco. Now, twenty years later, she has reconnected with her son who still lives in Peru, and is flying to there to meet with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to apply for compensation for the disappearance of her husband and the illegal sale of her land by her brother. On the flight, she meets Jerry Gold, the son of Miles, a Jewish Czech who had escaped the Holocaust. Jerry has just found out that his father had unknowingly sired a son while in Bolivia, giving him a half-brother Dario. Otilia and Jerry begin a slow-burning romance.
Tobias weaves together the stories of these characters, and draws a number of parallels between those who suffered in the Holocaust and those who suffered in Peru.
The characters face many emotional challenges. Otilia resents having lost so many years of being in her son’s life, feels conflicted about pursuing a romantic relationship when her husband’s body has not been found, and is frustrated when she is met at every turn with bureaucratic roadblocks. Peru no longer feels like home to her. Salvador has to come to terms with his traumatic childhood, endure the pain of identifying his father’s remains, and fight severe depression as he becomes a father and worries that he is not up to the task. Jerry has to deal with the discovery of a half-brother as he comes to the realization that he never really knew his father.
Tobias delves into a number of complex moral issues. For example: 1) Is it better for a country and its citizens to move forward and forget the past, or face its crimes? (This debate is now going on between Republicans and Democrats with regard to to the January 6th riot). Germany and Chile have attempted to come to terms with the atrocities of the past, but Peru has been slow to do so. 2) How should reparations be distributed - by general category or according to individual circumstances? Otilia has suffered hugely but never seems to fit into the right categories for reparation. 3) Should memorials be built at all and, if so, what should they be like and whose voices should they represent?
Tobias doesn’t tie things up neatly because the reality is that things don’t always get resolved. However, she does hint at a way forward at the end of the book - family. “In this family, our stories count,” Otilia says.
Tobias has written a serious, ambitious and intelligent book which explores the long-lasting trauma endured by those forced to flee their homes because their lives are threatened by war and violence. One has only to look to Afghanistan and Ukraine to see that its relevance reverberates beyond Peru.
July 27, 2022
As you might expect from the tagline ‘Who should be held responsible for public wrongs?’, this is a thought-provoking book.
When We Return is written in a distant third person omniscient, to the extent it often feels like a journalist’s account. That in turn helps the reader maintain some sort of distance from the real agonies of separation that afflict most of the protagonists. It also provides space for your own thoughts and opinions on the subject matter, allowing you to connect with your own experiences, however third hand.
The scenes shift between the experiences of Miles, a holocaust avoider, and his horrific journey out of Poland to the relative safety of Peru. He starts to rebuild his life from scratch, a reminder to anyone who reads about refugees that these people were ‘someone’ in their communities before everything went horribly wrong for them – through no fault of their own. Wrong place, wrong time. Otilia has fled Peru to the relative safety of the USA , a little later than Miles – who eventually does the same, to escape the totalitarian government and the rebels creating utter mayhem in the opposite direction. Although that is the enabling background, the root is really the greed of Otilia’s extended family and the failure of local officials to apply the law. It’s complicated, as these things usually are.
Complex is a better word for the answer to the author’s question. How far do you go back to right wrongs, to create reparation? I well remember a tour of Krakow’s Jewish quarter: my host (a professor at the University) explained the difficulties when someone comes back to say this apartment or those properties belonged to my family and were stolen by the Nazis. Those apartments are now lived in by local families, who have made their own payments for the right to live there. And a growing issue in the UK (in among many other self-inflicted problems) is what to do about reparation for our involvement in the slave trade, and all the other wealth gained by the first world – on the backs of the resources and hard work of what is seen as the third world.
In creating this novel, Eliana Tobias manages to untangle several valid and worthy stories, where people have had wrongs done to them, but where reparations may or may not be forthcoming. Where do you draw the line? What is fair? How can people come to terms with their treatment at the hands of those in power, however long ago.
This is an excellent novel, with a more or less satisfactory ending for all. But it will live with you long after you’ve finished.
When We Return is written in a distant third person omniscient, to the extent it often feels like a journalist’s account. That in turn helps the reader maintain some sort of distance from the real agonies of separation that afflict most of the protagonists. It also provides space for your own thoughts and opinions on the subject matter, allowing you to connect with your own experiences, however third hand.
The scenes shift between the experiences of Miles, a holocaust avoider, and his horrific journey out of Poland to the relative safety of Peru. He starts to rebuild his life from scratch, a reminder to anyone who reads about refugees that these people were ‘someone’ in their communities before everything went horribly wrong for them – through no fault of their own. Wrong place, wrong time. Otilia has fled Peru to the relative safety of the USA , a little later than Miles – who eventually does the same, to escape the totalitarian government and the rebels creating utter mayhem in the opposite direction. Although that is the enabling background, the root is really the greed of Otilia’s extended family and the failure of local officials to apply the law. It’s complicated, as these things usually are.
Complex is a better word for the answer to the author’s question. How far do you go back to right wrongs, to create reparation? I well remember a tour of Krakow’s Jewish quarter: my host (a professor at the University) explained the difficulties when someone comes back to say this apartment or those properties belonged to my family and were stolen by the Nazis. Those apartments are now lived in by local families, who have made their own payments for the right to live there. And a growing issue in the UK (in among many other self-inflicted problems) is what to do about reparation for our involvement in the slave trade, and all the other wealth gained by the first world – on the backs of the resources and hard work of what is seen as the third world.
In creating this novel, Eliana Tobias manages to untangle several valid and worthy stories, where people have had wrongs done to them, but where reparations may or may not be forthcoming. Where do you draw the line? What is fair? How can people come to terms with their treatment at the hands of those in power, however long ago.
This is an excellent novel, with a more or less satisfactory ending for all. But it will live with you long after you’ve finished.
May 17, 2022
When We Return By Eliana Tobias is the story of a Peruvian woman, Otilia, who escaped the political, military and terrorist upheavals of the 1990s in Peru, her son, Salvador, who remained in Peru, and Jerry, an American raised by Holocaust/WWII survivors.
When we meet Otilia in 2008, she has reconnected with her son, Salvador, who she was forced to abandon after her husband took her son into hiding for Salvador's protection. They never returned and Otilia was unable to find them. She eventually made her way to San Francisco and was able to make a life for herself. She is traveling back to Peru to meet with the Truth and Reconciliation Committee to apply for reparations for the disappearance of her husband, Manuel, and her loss of land.
We meet Jerry in California in 2008 when he receives an email from someone claiming to be his half-brother. Jerry's Jewish Czech father, Miles, fled Czechoslovakia in the late 1930s, once Germany invaded the country. After travel issues, Miles ends up in Bolivia, where he lives for years. He meets a woman, Soledad, though their relationship will never work due to religion and class. Miles eventually leaves Bolivia for the United States and settles in Niagara Falls. There he meets and marries June, whose family fled the Holocaust.
The story jumps in time from year-to-year and place-to-place. We don't see any character development, just the results of events. For example, we have no idea how Salvador and Otilia's relationship evolved after their reconciliation. Jerry and Otilia meet on a plane ride to Peru, eventually becoming partners. We don't get to see that happen, either. One chapter they're going to a concert and the next one, a year later, they are lovers and then move in together.
Tobias tells the story of the horrible time in Peru under President Alberto Fujimori and the guerrilla war between The Shining Path and the local militias that operated under government auspices. She tells of the countless disappeared, displaced and murdered and how the truth is necessary in order for there to be forgiveness and forward-progress.
Tobias connects what happened in Peru in the 1990s to the effects of the Holocaust on millions of people. She compares how the Germans eventually learned to come to terms with its horrific past, through monuments, memorials and public discourse. She highlights how Chile has honored those that were disappeared and murdered during the Pinochet regime. She focuses a lot on public discourse and who writes the history - the victors or the victims.
Her premise is extremely interesting. In fact, it would make a great doctoral thesis or non-fiction book, comparing how nations face the atrocities of the past in order to move on towards a more peaceful future. As a student of comparative studies and Latin America, I found the historical and sociological parts of the story fascinating. The comparisons are elegant and the realization of the societal needs vs. governmental wants is captivating. As a fictional novel, though, I felt there was a lot to be desired. The dialogue was disconnected from how people talk and the conversations among the characters seemed forced and unnatural. Jerry was always telling Otilia what has to happen and what the world needs to understand about memorials. The writing seemed immature in the sense that I felt I was reading a creative writing piece whose assignment was "create historical fiction".
Again, I love the idea of the story and the comparisons and questions raised, but the writing and storytelling would benefit from more flow.
NB - after I finished reading, I learned that there is a first book that discusses more of Otilia and Salvador's story. That obviously would help provide background to those characters.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #GreenleafBookGroup for an ARC of #WhenWeReturn
When we meet Otilia in 2008, she has reconnected with her son, Salvador, who she was forced to abandon after her husband took her son into hiding for Salvador's protection. They never returned and Otilia was unable to find them. She eventually made her way to San Francisco and was able to make a life for herself. She is traveling back to Peru to meet with the Truth and Reconciliation Committee to apply for reparations for the disappearance of her husband, Manuel, and her loss of land.
We meet Jerry in California in 2008 when he receives an email from someone claiming to be his half-brother. Jerry's Jewish Czech father, Miles, fled Czechoslovakia in the late 1930s, once Germany invaded the country. After travel issues, Miles ends up in Bolivia, where he lives for years. He meets a woman, Soledad, though their relationship will never work due to religion and class. Miles eventually leaves Bolivia for the United States and settles in Niagara Falls. There he meets and marries June, whose family fled the Holocaust.
The story jumps in time from year-to-year and place-to-place. We don't see any character development, just the results of events. For example, we have no idea how Salvador and Otilia's relationship evolved after their reconciliation. Jerry and Otilia meet on a plane ride to Peru, eventually becoming partners. We don't get to see that happen, either. One chapter they're going to a concert and the next one, a year later, they are lovers and then move in together.
Tobias tells the story of the horrible time in Peru under President Alberto Fujimori and the guerrilla war between The Shining Path and the local militias that operated under government auspices. She tells of the countless disappeared, displaced and murdered and how the truth is necessary in order for there to be forgiveness and forward-progress.
Tobias connects what happened in Peru in the 1990s to the effects of the Holocaust on millions of people. She compares how the Germans eventually learned to come to terms with its horrific past, through monuments, memorials and public discourse. She highlights how Chile has honored those that were disappeared and murdered during the Pinochet regime. She focuses a lot on public discourse and who writes the history - the victors or the victims.
Her premise is extremely interesting. In fact, it would make a great doctoral thesis or non-fiction book, comparing how nations face the atrocities of the past in order to move on towards a more peaceful future. As a student of comparative studies and Latin America, I found the historical and sociological parts of the story fascinating. The comparisons are elegant and the realization of the societal needs vs. governmental wants is captivating. As a fictional novel, though, I felt there was a lot to be desired. The dialogue was disconnected from how people talk and the conversations among the characters seemed forced and unnatural. Jerry was always telling Otilia what has to happen and what the world needs to understand about memorials. The writing seemed immature in the sense that I felt I was reading a creative writing piece whose assignment was "create historical fiction".
Again, I love the idea of the story and the comparisons and questions raised, but the writing and storytelling would benefit from more flow.
NB - after I finished reading, I learned that there is a first book that discusses more of Otilia and Salvador's story. That obviously would help provide background to those characters.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #GreenleafBookGroup for an ARC of #WhenWeReturn
October 19, 2022
2 STARS
”’Sometimes you have to swallow the hurt. They say that reconciliation is about compromise.’”
I hate giving books this low of a rating but sometimes it can’t be helped. It seems nowadays that a multitude of historical fiction novels are being released, immersing the reader in the plights of war and the recovery in the aftermath. The subject matter of truth and reconciliation is more rare. Truth and reconciliation is politically fascinating, historically rich, and emotionally, even spiritually, complex. This book tackles post-WW2 and also Peru’s recovery from the dictatorship of Fujimori. Unfortunately, this book makes the topic somewhat boring.
My problem with the entire book was that I felt disconnect from the characters. The writing did not evoke deep emotion as the topic demands it should. Sometimes the book was hobbled by information dumps, and sometimes by lackluster dialogue. I couldn’t really connect with any single character, and I dragged myself through the reading.
This really could have been great.
NOTE: I received a free Kindle copy via Goodreads giveaway. Thank you.
”’Sometimes you have to swallow the hurt. They say that reconciliation is about compromise.’”
I hate giving books this low of a rating but sometimes it can’t be helped. It seems nowadays that a multitude of historical fiction novels are being released, immersing the reader in the plights of war and the recovery in the aftermath. The subject matter of truth and reconciliation is more rare. Truth and reconciliation is politically fascinating, historically rich, and emotionally, even spiritually, complex. This book tackles post-WW2 and also Peru’s recovery from the dictatorship of Fujimori. Unfortunately, this book makes the topic somewhat boring.
My problem with the entire book was that I felt disconnect from the characters. The writing did not evoke deep emotion as the topic demands it should. Sometimes the book was hobbled by information dumps, and sometimes by lackluster dialogue. I couldn’t really connect with any single character, and I dragged myself through the reading.
This really could have been great.
NOTE: I received a free Kindle copy via Goodreads giveaway. Thank you.
July 8, 2022
Grief..a topic we are only too familiar with. Although this is set in Peru, the communal response is universal. Sandy Hook in Newtown, Massachusetts, the recent July 4th mass shootings..the list goes on and on but how does a community grieve, reflect and cope when tragedy unfolds? Do you pretend the horrors don't exist or do you try like the Rwandans to make peace with the situation? Tobias in a follow up to a previous book, examines this through various countries and historical periods. How does one achieve compensation for violations? What does compensation and unanimity look like? How the Germans have responded to the massive deaths from the Holocaust differ from how Peru has responded to the political turmoil in the late 20th Century. Much of the rumination within this story was interesting but I found many instances of superfluous information, stilted dialogue, and other passages that actually needed expansion. Important ideas but imperfect execution.
February 23, 2023
“Get ready to come – there's talk reparations will come into effect.” These were the only word Otilia Perez heard when her son tried to explain why he was calling her at work. Seven years before, after a democratic government took power in Peru, a Truth and Reconciliation Committee was formed to look into complaints of human rights violations during years of civil conflict under past administrations. Otilia and Salvador patiently waited to be called to a hearing requesting compensation for families who'd been separated and forced to flee, as they had been.
When We Return makes a profound statement about reparations for past wrongs, such as the Holocaust and for other war crimes wrought upon people across the world. It also provides a great deal of historical enlightenment about the atrocities and human rights violations which occurred in Peru during thirty years of guerrilla warfare and political upheaval, much which mirrored the same horrors brought about by Hitler and the Third Reich.
He says we need to know how we water our dreams. Water them with worry and fear, and you will produce weeds that choke the life from you; water them with optimism and solutions, and you will cultivate success. Be on the lookout for ways to turn a problem into an opportunity; be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dreams. There are pains that don't go away. Healing doesn't mean the damage never existed; it means the damage no longer controls our lives.
This story brings two families together, and their commonality in facing these trials, and how it forged their future. Otilia Perez lives a new life in California, yet she reconnects with her son after twenty years of separation. During the rise of the “people's war” in Peru, the Shining Path (a communist party which sought to overthrow the government using guerrilla warfare), many citizens faced extreme brutality from the group, and disappearing without a trace. It was during this that Otilia and Salvador, her seven-year-old son, are separated as Otilia goes in search of her husband. Salvador manages to find his way back to his uncle, a crook who uses the opportunity to seize control of Otilia's property. Years pass and the violence increases, forcing Otilia to escape the country for her life.
Salvador grows up in this harsh environment, later becoming a forensic expert with the police department, and finds his mother living in California. With the government ready to “possibly” deliver reparations to the families who suffered, Otilia boards a plane to reconnect with her son and with the homeland she had to leave. While on the plane, she meets Jerry, a Jewish man whose father fled Czechoslovakia during WWII to Bolivia. Their connection, these two people suffering from the past atrocities, is a journey of self-realization, discovery, forgiveness, of facing trauma, and coming to understand their own courage to rebuild their lives and open themselves to love and family.
“This museum is important,” Jerry said. “People have a responsibility to remember the events of the past and break the silence. I am the child of people who lived through the Holocaust and, when I was young, stories like these were not discussed. It's taken seventy years for Germany to pay homage to those who suffered injuries. History becomes distorted when an entire group's memories are not taken into account.”
In Jerry's story, the reader learns about Jerry's father, Milan, and his escape from the Nazi shadow, and how he learns to rebuild his life in the face of having to leave everything he knew behind. The culture and life in South America is vastly different, yet Milan falls in love with a young Bolivian girl, yet they are restricted from being together because of Milan's Jewish background. Milan eventually leaves for the United States, and again rebuilds his life there, marrying another Holocaust survivor and having a family. Jerry, his son, does not expect to one day, as a grown man, get a phone call from someone claiming to be a long lost relative – the son of Milan and the Bolivian woman from Milan's past. Thus, this flight to South America is what brings Jerry and Otilia together... again, a journey which sheds light on so much pain and healing for victims of these war-torn times.
The lessons embedded deep in this story, that of loss, of displacement, of grief, of justice, and reconciliation remind the reader of the scourges still going on in the world today, of the Ukrainian refuges fleeing the brutality of war the same as the Jews fled Europe in the 1940s and as the Peruvians fled Peru in the 1980s. The story goes deep in to a governments responsibility in paying reparations to the victims, and how memorials, such as the one in Peru and the Holocaust Museum in Washington help teach future generations of those horrific times. Not only that, but the story gives a voice to the victims, and shows how it is possible to begin again, to start a new life, and that hope is forever eternal. This book will indeed stay with the reader long after the last page is turned, and shows a universal connectivity between humans no matter their background, culture, or location. Inhumanity and injustice are faced by so many and throughout the generations, and affects not only those who face it initially, but also affects their offspring for generations. Profound and thought-provoking prose.
“Our stories, our collective memories, are important – what we know, what we believe, our fears, the dangers, the hate, the disgust, the anger we feel – are not to be dismissed,”
*****
“When We Return” by Eliana Tobias receives five stars and the “Highly Recommended” award of excellence from The Historical Fiction Company
When We Return makes a profound statement about reparations for past wrongs, such as the Holocaust and for other war crimes wrought upon people across the world. It also provides a great deal of historical enlightenment about the atrocities and human rights violations which occurred in Peru during thirty years of guerrilla warfare and political upheaval, much which mirrored the same horrors brought about by Hitler and the Third Reich.
He says we need to know how we water our dreams. Water them with worry and fear, and you will produce weeds that choke the life from you; water them with optimism and solutions, and you will cultivate success. Be on the lookout for ways to turn a problem into an opportunity; be on the lookout for ways to nurture your dreams. There are pains that don't go away. Healing doesn't mean the damage never existed; it means the damage no longer controls our lives.
This story brings two families together, and their commonality in facing these trials, and how it forged their future. Otilia Perez lives a new life in California, yet she reconnects with her son after twenty years of separation. During the rise of the “people's war” in Peru, the Shining Path (a communist party which sought to overthrow the government using guerrilla warfare), many citizens faced extreme brutality from the group, and disappearing without a trace. It was during this that Otilia and Salvador, her seven-year-old son, are separated as Otilia goes in search of her husband. Salvador manages to find his way back to his uncle, a crook who uses the opportunity to seize control of Otilia's property. Years pass and the violence increases, forcing Otilia to escape the country for her life.
Salvador grows up in this harsh environment, later becoming a forensic expert with the police department, and finds his mother living in California. With the government ready to “possibly” deliver reparations to the families who suffered, Otilia boards a plane to reconnect with her son and with the homeland she had to leave. While on the plane, she meets Jerry, a Jewish man whose father fled Czechoslovakia during WWII to Bolivia. Their connection, these two people suffering from the past atrocities, is a journey of self-realization, discovery, forgiveness, of facing trauma, and coming to understand their own courage to rebuild their lives and open themselves to love and family.
“This museum is important,” Jerry said. “People have a responsibility to remember the events of the past and break the silence. I am the child of people who lived through the Holocaust and, when I was young, stories like these were not discussed. It's taken seventy years for Germany to pay homage to those who suffered injuries. History becomes distorted when an entire group's memories are not taken into account.”
In Jerry's story, the reader learns about Jerry's father, Milan, and his escape from the Nazi shadow, and how he learns to rebuild his life in the face of having to leave everything he knew behind. The culture and life in South America is vastly different, yet Milan falls in love with a young Bolivian girl, yet they are restricted from being together because of Milan's Jewish background. Milan eventually leaves for the United States, and again rebuilds his life there, marrying another Holocaust survivor and having a family. Jerry, his son, does not expect to one day, as a grown man, get a phone call from someone claiming to be a long lost relative – the son of Milan and the Bolivian woman from Milan's past. Thus, this flight to South America is what brings Jerry and Otilia together... again, a journey which sheds light on so much pain and healing for victims of these war-torn times.
The lessons embedded deep in this story, that of loss, of displacement, of grief, of justice, and reconciliation remind the reader of the scourges still going on in the world today, of the Ukrainian refuges fleeing the brutality of war the same as the Jews fled Europe in the 1940s and as the Peruvians fled Peru in the 1980s. The story goes deep in to a governments responsibility in paying reparations to the victims, and how memorials, such as the one in Peru and the Holocaust Museum in Washington help teach future generations of those horrific times. Not only that, but the story gives a voice to the victims, and shows how it is possible to begin again, to start a new life, and that hope is forever eternal. This book will indeed stay with the reader long after the last page is turned, and shows a universal connectivity between humans no matter their background, culture, or location. Inhumanity and injustice are faced by so many and throughout the generations, and affects not only those who face it initially, but also affects their offspring for generations. Profound and thought-provoking prose.
“Our stories, our collective memories, are important – what we know, what we believe, our fears, the dangers, the hate, the disgust, the anger we feel – are not to be dismissed,”
*****
“When We Return” by Eliana Tobias receives five stars and the “Highly Recommended” award of excellence from The Historical Fiction Company
May 13, 2022
Peru is a country that is close to my heart. My husband is Peruvian and I lived with him in Lima for one year. Due to this connection, I’m always on the lookout for books set in Peru (and South America more widely). When I got a newsletter from NetGalley highlighting a book about Peru, I was instantly intrigued.
Much of When We Return details the terrorism Peru faced in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the toxic presidency of Alberto Fujimori throughout the ’90s, and the aftermath of those hard years. Personally, I went into this novel with a fair amount of knowledge about these events. However, if you are unfamiliar with Peru’s recent history, this book provides enough information to understand the conflict and characters.
Eliana Tobias is ambitious in her writing here, drawing comparisons between different events and uniting characters to make those connections clearer. The main focus is on Otilia and her adult son, Salvador. In the late ’80s, Otilia became a refugee and ended up in the United States, far away from her missing son and husband. It was many years before she and Salvador reconnected – by then he was already married – but her husband, Manuel, had gone missing around the time she left. Salvador was raised by his selfish, thieving uncle, who stole Otilia’s property and sold it during her absence. (Much of this backstory from the 1980s is the focus of the author’s previous novel, In the Belly of the Horse. Sadly, I hadn’t realized this book was a sequel to that until after finishing this one.)
Now, in 2008, Otilia and Salvador are seeking reparations for the theft of their property and possessions and for the division of their family. Manuel is still missing, but presumed dead.
Otilia meets an American man around her age, named Jerry, who has just found out he has an older half-brother who grew up in Bolivia. His father, Milan, was a refugee from Prague, a Jew fleeing from the Nazis, who found a temporary home in Bolivia. After a decade there, Milan had gone on to America, where he married and had Jerry. Otilia and Jerry form a connection, bonding over their shared pasts of trauma: hers firsthand in Peru, his secondhand from his parents.
When We Return draws thoughtful comparisons between the Holocaust and the traumas Peru faced at the end of the 20th century. However, there are stark differences in how each society acknowledge their troubled past. Where Germany has put up museums honoring those who were killed in the Holocaust and places importance on remembrance, it seems that Peru is not yet ready to come to terms with its own horrors. Peru’s conflict is much more recent, and this novel offers discussion of what it means to remember, to learn from mistakes made, and to make reparations to those whose lives were torn apart. It also asks who is responsible for righting past wrongs and how justice can finally be attained. How can people move forward with their lives after such horrors?
While I greatly appreciated these discussions and commonalities, When We Return grew to be a bit monotonous. Each chapter – each scene – focuses on the horrors of the past and present, whether in Europe or South America, but there is no room for the characters to breathe. Although the main events of the book span eight years and there are numerous characters, it is heavy-handed and single-minded in its approach. The novel could have improved with more room for levity and character growth.
Some chapters (one about Jerry’s relative Anna in Prague, one about Otilia’s friend Trudy) could have been cut or greatly reduced; they were slightly irrelevant to the plot, instead serving as further examples of past injustices and sustained psychological trauma. There was already enough to work with in looking at the main characters, so those chapters felt a bit like a distraction.
One further issue is in how the characters talk with each other. Their dialogue doesn’t always feel natural: It is often too serious and even academic. Sometimes it sounds like one is a journalist asking questions of the other, rather than a family member having a heartfelt conversation. This added to the one-note feeling of When We Return.
However, I did like the discussions of grief, intergenerational trauma, and Salvador’s depression. The latter two could have been expanded upon further, but in any case, all were important and thought-provoking parts of the novel.
As much as I really wanted to like When We Return – and as much as it offers genuine value and insight – it felt almost more like it should have been nonfiction. As a novel, it needed a bit more balance between pain and joy. If there had been more focus on the characters or the 21st century plot – and more growth in either – it may have felt more complete and satisfying.
When We Return is highly informative about Peru’s 1980s and 1990s conflicts and the continuing aftermath on its citizens. It also draws thought-provoking comparisons to the more well-known atrocities of the Holocaust. While it offers tremendous value on those fronts, it is written in a more academic style, making for a dry and unflinching read. First engaging with Eliana Tobias’s previous novel, In the Belly of the Horse, may make this a more gratifying experience, and that is a book I would like to read.
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
Special thanks to NetGalley and River Grove Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Much of When We Return details the terrorism Peru faced in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the toxic presidency of Alberto Fujimori throughout the ’90s, and the aftermath of those hard years. Personally, I went into this novel with a fair amount of knowledge about these events. However, if you are unfamiliar with Peru’s recent history, this book provides enough information to understand the conflict and characters.
Eliana Tobias is ambitious in her writing here, drawing comparisons between different events and uniting characters to make those connections clearer. The main focus is on Otilia and her adult son, Salvador. In the late ’80s, Otilia became a refugee and ended up in the United States, far away from her missing son and husband. It was many years before she and Salvador reconnected – by then he was already married – but her husband, Manuel, had gone missing around the time she left. Salvador was raised by his selfish, thieving uncle, who stole Otilia’s property and sold it during her absence. (Much of this backstory from the 1980s is the focus of the author’s previous novel, In the Belly of the Horse. Sadly, I hadn’t realized this book was a sequel to that until after finishing this one.)
Now, in 2008, Otilia and Salvador are seeking reparations for the theft of their property and possessions and for the division of their family. Manuel is still missing, but presumed dead.
Otilia meets an American man around her age, named Jerry, who has just found out he has an older half-brother who grew up in Bolivia. His father, Milan, was a refugee from Prague, a Jew fleeing from the Nazis, who found a temporary home in Bolivia. After a decade there, Milan had gone on to America, where he married and had Jerry. Otilia and Jerry form a connection, bonding over their shared pasts of trauma: hers firsthand in Peru, his secondhand from his parents.
When We Return draws thoughtful comparisons between the Holocaust and the traumas Peru faced at the end of the 20th century. However, there are stark differences in how each society acknowledge their troubled past. Where Germany has put up museums honoring those who were killed in the Holocaust and places importance on remembrance, it seems that Peru is not yet ready to come to terms with its own horrors. Peru’s conflict is much more recent, and this novel offers discussion of what it means to remember, to learn from mistakes made, and to make reparations to those whose lives were torn apart. It also asks who is responsible for righting past wrongs and how justice can finally be attained. How can people move forward with their lives after such horrors?
While I greatly appreciated these discussions and commonalities, When We Return grew to be a bit monotonous. Each chapter – each scene – focuses on the horrors of the past and present, whether in Europe or South America, but there is no room for the characters to breathe. Although the main events of the book span eight years and there are numerous characters, it is heavy-handed and single-minded in its approach. The novel could have improved with more room for levity and character growth.
Some chapters (one about Jerry’s relative Anna in Prague, one about Otilia’s friend Trudy) could have been cut or greatly reduced; they were slightly irrelevant to the plot, instead serving as further examples of past injustices and sustained psychological trauma. There was already enough to work with in looking at the main characters, so those chapters felt a bit like a distraction.
One further issue is in how the characters talk with each other. Their dialogue doesn’t always feel natural: It is often too serious and even academic. Sometimes it sounds like one is a journalist asking questions of the other, rather than a family member having a heartfelt conversation. This added to the one-note feeling of When We Return.
However, I did like the discussions of grief, intergenerational trauma, and Salvador’s depression. The latter two could have been expanded upon further, but in any case, all were important and thought-provoking parts of the novel.
As much as I really wanted to like When We Return – and as much as it offers genuine value and insight – it felt almost more like it should have been nonfiction. As a novel, it needed a bit more balance between pain and joy. If there had been more focus on the characters or the 21st century plot – and more growth in either – it may have felt more complete and satisfying.
When We Return is highly informative about Peru’s 1980s and 1990s conflicts and the continuing aftermath on its citizens. It also draws thought-provoking comparisons to the more well-known atrocities of the Holocaust. While it offers tremendous value on those fronts, it is written in a more academic style, making for a dry and unflinching read. First engaging with Eliana Tobias’s previous novel, In the Belly of the Horse, may make this a more gratifying experience, and that is a book I would like to read.
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
Special thanks to NetGalley and River Grove Books for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
August 29, 2022
Story about war and it's aftermath in Peru. Torn families try to get back on their feet and find each other.
Thank you, Goodreads Giveaways, for providing me with this e-copy!
Thank you, Goodreads Giveaways, for providing me with this e-copy!
December 2, 2022
“When We Return” by Eliana Tobias is a punchy historical fiction novel that revolves around Peru’s history, the 1990 terrorism act, the atrocious leadership of President Alberto Fujimori, and the aftermath of the horrible chaos on Peru’s citizens.
The story features Otilia, a woman from Peru who is forced to abandon her seven-year-old son Salvador and her husband Miguel, at the height of devastating political unrest in the nation, which not only swiveled her life and that of her family out of control but also sent her packing to San Francisco as a refugee, miles away from home.
Years later, Otilia struggles to reconnect with her husband and son who are still missing, and with her property getting misappropriated, stolen, and sold away back in her home country, the future looks bleak to her. Salvador, on the other hand, is now an adult, with troubles of his own but a call from the Forensic Medicine Institute where he had left his DNA in the hope of finding his missing father is about to change his life forever.
Eliana Tobias has done impeccable work. The story ping-pongs along at an even pace, suitable for readers to connect with key characters and understand their temperament. She does not offer quick solutions to their problems but instead offers sustainable suspense to keep the reader glued to their seats to the very end. The characters too have their flaws which at times limit their decision-making and at other times, their strengths show off beautifully in various scenes. This culminates in an exquisitely composed story that is bracingly unpredictable, which teaches and informs while also providing romanticist entertainment in equal measure.
“When We Return” swiftly arrays rich historical information and knowledge about a bleak time in history such as the Holocaust, World War II, the rebel group in Peru, and the government’s role, involvement, and response to its priority duty of protecting its citizens. The author encourages justice, healing, truth, and reconciliation while at the same time criticizing the trampling of human rights, lawlessness, and racist violence. Unrivaled storytelling, dazzling characters, and rich historical detail is the trademark of Tobias’ five-star genre-arching work.
The story features Otilia, a woman from Peru who is forced to abandon her seven-year-old son Salvador and her husband Miguel, at the height of devastating political unrest in the nation, which not only swiveled her life and that of her family out of control but also sent her packing to San Francisco as a refugee, miles away from home.
Years later, Otilia struggles to reconnect with her husband and son who are still missing, and with her property getting misappropriated, stolen, and sold away back in her home country, the future looks bleak to her. Salvador, on the other hand, is now an adult, with troubles of his own but a call from the Forensic Medicine Institute where he had left his DNA in the hope of finding his missing father is about to change his life forever.
Eliana Tobias has done impeccable work. The story ping-pongs along at an even pace, suitable for readers to connect with key characters and understand their temperament. She does not offer quick solutions to their problems but instead offers sustainable suspense to keep the reader glued to their seats to the very end. The characters too have their flaws which at times limit their decision-making and at other times, their strengths show off beautifully in various scenes. This culminates in an exquisitely composed story that is bracingly unpredictable, which teaches and informs while also providing romanticist entertainment in equal measure.
“When We Return” swiftly arrays rich historical information and knowledge about a bleak time in history such as the Holocaust, World War II, the rebel group in Peru, and the government’s role, involvement, and response to its priority duty of protecting its citizens. The author encourages justice, healing, truth, and reconciliation while at the same time criticizing the trampling of human rights, lawlessness, and racist violence. Unrivaled storytelling, dazzling characters, and rich historical detail is the trademark of Tobias’ five-star genre-arching work.
July 5, 2022
When We Return by Eliana Tobias is a heartfelt and satisfying historical novel that seamlessly follows two different countries and timelines. We follow Jerry, who uncovers a shocking secret that his father has been keeping. Unable to ask his father the truth because he passed away, Jerry begins to question if he really knew who his father was.
The story shifts to Otilia, who, after being separated from her son for 20yrs due to a civil war, she is now awaiting a hearing for compensation from the government. The story’s direction shifts to Salvador, Otilia’s son, as he is on a mission to understand what happened to his parents after they were separated. Jerry, Otilia, and Salvador’s storylines combine into one story where they team together to overcome several obstacles and uncover hidden truths. They try their best to help one another leave the past behind through love and friendship.
Author Eliana Tobias has written a historical and cultural masterpiece filled with drama and tension, making this one read that you must finish. The author expertly transitions from one character to the next without confusing the reader. I enjoyed that the author starts out by giving the reader a little bit of Jerry, Otilia, and Salvador’s background allowing the reader to get to know them.
From the turn of the first page, drama ensues, and you are immediately invested in their lives. You don’t expect each of the characters to cross paths until they actually do, and you realize that the author has intertwined their stories smoothly and seamlessly. The story is filled with a rich history that adds context to the story and the character’s motives. I enjoyed reading about all the characters, and it was hard not to like and sympathize with them. We learn of a man named Milan and later find that his backstory relates to Jerry. This just shows how powerful of a writer Eliana is. The story’s pace moved smoothly, and I was never lost or confused about what was going on.
When We Return is an excellent read for those who are history buffs but also for those who like heartwarming stories. I look forward to reading more from this author!
The story shifts to Otilia, who, after being separated from her son for 20yrs due to a civil war, she is now awaiting a hearing for compensation from the government. The story’s direction shifts to Salvador, Otilia’s son, as he is on a mission to understand what happened to his parents after they were separated. Jerry, Otilia, and Salvador’s storylines combine into one story where they team together to overcome several obstacles and uncover hidden truths. They try their best to help one another leave the past behind through love and friendship.
Author Eliana Tobias has written a historical and cultural masterpiece filled with drama and tension, making this one read that you must finish. The author expertly transitions from one character to the next without confusing the reader. I enjoyed that the author starts out by giving the reader a little bit of Jerry, Otilia, and Salvador’s background allowing the reader to get to know them.
From the turn of the first page, drama ensues, and you are immediately invested in their lives. You don’t expect each of the characters to cross paths until they actually do, and you realize that the author has intertwined their stories smoothly and seamlessly. The story is filled with a rich history that adds context to the story and the character’s motives. I enjoyed reading about all the characters, and it was hard not to like and sympathize with them. We learn of a man named Milan and later find that his backstory relates to Jerry. This just shows how powerful of a writer Eliana is. The story’s pace moved smoothly, and I was never lost or confused about what was going on.
When We Return is an excellent read for those who are history buffs but also for those who like heartwarming stories. I look forward to reading more from this author!
May 17, 2022
This historical fiction novel follows the journey of Otilia, a Peruvian woman who flees South America, and Jerry, the son of a Jewish Immigrants who fled Europe during WWII. Otilia has recently been reunited with her son Salvador who she was separated from during the political chaos in Peru. Salvador was only 7 years old and was also separated from his father at the same time. Though reunited at long last, both carry the trauma of their separation and their struggles to survive. Jerry recently finds out his father had a son in Bolivia which he never knew about. He meets with his new half brother, now living in DC. The reader is given Jerry’s father’s backstory of how he fled from Europe during WWII to South America and eventually to the US.
Otilia and Jerry meet on a plane on their way to Peru and end up finding companionship after years of being alone. Jerry supports Otilia and her son as they seek reparations from the Peruvian government and attempt to gain back the property they lost.
This novel has a lot going on in it. There’s the Jewish backstory relating to the trauma of the Holocaust and there’s the backstory of fleeing Peru during a dangerous era and of family being separated for decades. I learned a lot about the political chaos in Peru that I knew little about. But I felt the story was not as engaging. The conversations between characters felt dry and void of normal banter and at times felt more like an informative lecture than 2 people casually talking. Also to note, this is a sequel to In the Belly of the Horse, which I did not know of and might have added a bit more depth to my engagement with the novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and River Grove books for this Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for my honest review.
Otilia and Jerry meet on a plane on their way to Peru and end up finding companionship after years of being alone. Jerry supports Otilia and her son as they seek reparations from the Peruvian government and attempt to gain back the property they lost.
This novel has a lot going on in it. There’s the Jewish backstory relating to the trauma of the Holocaust and there’s the backstory of fleeing Peru during a dangerous era and of family being separated for decades. I learned a lot about the political chaos in Peru that I knew little about. But I felt the story was not as engaging. The conversations between characters felt dry and void of normal banter and at times felt more like an informative lecture than 2 people casually talking. Also to note, this is a sequel to In the Belly of the Horse, which I did not know of and might have added a bit more depth to my engagement with the novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and River Grove books for this Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 9, 2022
I was very interested in learning about Peru’s history when starting When We Return. I had no knowledge of Alberto Fujimori’s regime or the Shining Path Guerrillas. This book was light on the actual history and focused instead on the aftermath and emotional turmoil of the people. I didn’t realize that this is the second book in a series. The history may be covered more in depth in the first book.
The book features two main characters: Otilia, a Peruvian woman and victim of the human rights violations and Jerry, the son of a Czech Jewish immigrant. Much of the story involves Otilia and her son building their case for government reparations and dealing with their emotional trauma. The author portrayed the challenges well but it became very repetitive and mundane. I kept wondering why Otilia didn’t go to a therapist to work through her pain.
The author draws interesting parallels between the recovery of holocaust victims and Peru’s victims and describes the challenges with building a memorial in Peru with dissenting public opinion.
There is a compelling story in this book but unfortunately it reads like an early draft. The characters felt like shells with the sole purpose to convey scripted educational messages. The dialogue was unnatural and robotic. The characters were not engaging and the story was very repetitive and jumped around too much in time and place. Too much telling and not enough showing.
Thank you to Goodreads for this kindle giveaway.
The book features two main characters: Otilia, a Peruvian woman and victim of the human rights violations and Jerry, the son of a Czech Jewish immigrant. Much of the story involves Otilia and her son building their case for government reparations and dealing with their emotional trauma. The author portrayed the challenges well but it became very repetitive and mundane. I kept wondering why Otilia didn’t go to a therapist to work through her pain.
The author draws interesting parallels between the recovery of holocaust victims and Peru’s victims and describes the challenges with building a memorial in Peru with dissenting public opinion.
There is a compelling story in this book but unfortunately it reads like an early draft. The characters felt like shells with the sole purpose to convey scripted educational messages. The dialogue was unnatural and robotic. The characters were not engaging and the story was very repetitive and jumped around too much in time and place. Too much telling and not enough showing.
Thank you to Goodreads for this kindle giveaway.
June 18, 2022
I'm sure that there is a group of who would enjoy this book much more than I did. At first, I was very excited, I enjoy learning the truth about WWII and the Holocaust and some characters had tied to that and then it brough in the issues of fighting in Peru, that while different had some similarities. The problem being, I don't know much about this history in Peru and there were not a lot of details given about the uprising of a rebel group and the corrupt government at the time, so it was difficult to put a lot of things into perspective. You learn little snippets about everyone's life, what they experienced or their ancestors, but not in enough detail to learn more about the upheaval in Peru.
The best part was that Peru ended up in a situation where they were trying to create memorials that were similar to those from WWII, but because of the differences, they were failing, especially since many in the country did not want to remember. The characters went through a lot, but in many cases the emotion of the trials that they faced was lost because they didn't want to face what they had gone through and didn't want to talk about their experiences in an open way.
A good start, but more historical information would have been awesome.
The best part was that Peru ended up in a situation where they were trying to create memorials that were similar to those from WWII, but because of the differences, they were failing, especially since many in the country did not want to remember. The characters went through a lot, but in many cases the emotion of the trials that they faced was lost because they didn't want to face what they had gone through and didn't want to talk about their experiences in an open way.
A good start, but more historical information would have been awesome.
June 26, 2022
When We Return has stayed in my heart and mind since I first read it ( and I plan to read it again).
The intersecting personal stories of oppression - fleeing the holocaust, the family losses and separations that happened in Peru during the 1980’s and 90’s - and the profound effect this had on individuals and families is highlighted as two of the characters in the novel come together from these backgrounds. And the effect on the next generation as well, as the son who lost his father struggles to be a father himself.
The novel reverberates with many current conditions in the world- the way reparations for harm done to individuals and families can we so difficult to obtain or do not happen at all, how governments refuse to acknowledge what has happened, and the somewhat heartless ways past wrongdoings can be memorialized- and examples of ways that what has happened can be truly acknowledged.
I admire and respect the author’s ability to speak to all these issues- the deeper understanding we gain on the personal level, and even a call to act in response to our own governments’ handling of reparations and acknowledgment of what has happened.
The intersecting personal stories of oppression - fleeing the holocaust, the family losses and separations that happened in Peru during the 1980’s and 90’s - and the profound effect this had on individuals and families is highlighted as two of the characters in the novel come together from these backgrounds. And the effect on the next generation as well, as the son who lost his father struggles to be a father himself.
The novel reverberates with many current conditions in the world- the way reparations for harm done to individuals and families can we so difficult to obtain or do not happen at all, how governments refuse to acknowledge what has happened, and the somewhat heartless ways past wrongdoings can be memorialized- and examples of ways that what has happened can be truly acknowledged.
I admire and respect the author’s ability to speak to all these issues- the deeper understanding we gain on the personal level, and even a call to act in response to our own governments’ handling of reparations and acknowledgment of what has happened.
September 2, 2022
“History becomes distorted when an entire group’s memories are not taken into account.” This is a quote from the book. To me, it is the central theme of "When We Return." It doesn’t matter if it is The Holocaust or the brutal take-over by fanatical guerillas, members of the Shining Path, in Peru in 1979. Some nations do this appropriately with meaningful reparations, memorials, and museums. Others, not so much, and in fact, the lack of sincerity and a half-hearted attempt is more harmful for the survivors.
"When We Return" is about a Peruvian family that experiences just this dilemma: the inability and the disregard of a nation to atone for its sins. The author shows how one nation, Germany, refused to cover up its painful past by teaching new generations and making amends to all those who suffered in the Holocaust. Peru has not figured this out. It is still struggling to do so.
I am always looking for books that can teach me something new. "When We Return" is just that book. The devastating events of the last two decades of the 20th century in Peru fit that requirement. It is a history I was unaware of. Thank you, Eliana Tobias, for bringing your work to my attention.
"When We Return" is about a Peruvian family that experiences just this dilemma: the inability and the disregard of a nation to atone for its sins. The author shows how one nation, Germany, refused to cover up its painful past by teaching new generations and making amends to all those who suffered in the Holocaust. Peru has not figured this out. It is still struggling to do so.
I am always looking for books that can teach me something new. "When We Return" is just that book. The devastating events of the last two decades of the 20th century in Peru fit that requirement. It is a history I was unaware of. Thank you, Eliana Tobias, for bringing your work to my attention.
May 2, 2024
Survivors of Fujimori’s brutal dictatorship in Peru in the 1980s and the 1990s are brought together with the offspring of a Holocaust survivor in an unlikely but very effective conjunction in this moving, thoughtful and thought-provoking novel, which deals with exile, political oppression, reparations, memorials and responsibility for inter-generational trauma. Weighty themes indeed, and dealt with with insight and understanding. Sadly the time and place might be different but the issues remain equally relevant in our contemporary world making this an important exploration of the themes. I wish I liked it more than I do, but as a literary novel I felt it had some flaws. The main one is the dialogue, which doesn’t feel natural but more like a lecture or academic exposition. People don’t chat with each other; they explain the issues for the reader. Too much didacticism and not enough genuine human interaction. I found it all rather dry and although I fully empathised with the characters’ plight I didn’t fully engage with them as characters. Nevertheless it’s an interesting and informative book and well worth reading.
July 18, 2022
A story about the presidency of Alberto Fujimori in Peru and the aftermath he left behind. He was president from 1990-2000 and was later found guilty of embezzlement, kidnapping, and murder. Sadly, it was also a time when Peruvian citizens lost family members, their homes, and their land. Many human rights violations took place, and people disappeared without a trace.
Otilia and Salvador, mother and son, lost their husband and father and their land during this time. They tried to get compensation through the Truth and Reconciliation process, but the Peruvian government was slow, unorganized, corrupt, and inefficient. Throughout the story, comparisons were made to the Nazis in Germany and all of the lives and homes that were also lost.
The descriptions of Lima and other parts of Peru brought me back to my visit there. At times, though, I found the story somewhat disjointed and difficult to follow.
Thank you, Netgalley, author and publisher.
Otilia and Salvador, mother and son, lost their husband and father and their land during this time. They tried to get compensation through the Truth and Reconciliation process, but the Peruvian government was slow, unorganized, corrupt, and inefficient. Throughout the story, comparisons were made to the Nazis in Germany and all of the lives and homes that were also lost.
The descriptions of Lima and other parts of Peru brought me back to my visit there. At times, though, I found the story somewhat disjointed and difficult to follow.
Thank you, Netgalley, author and publisher.
October 21, 2022
The story of displaced and disappeared people due to government corruption is what we might call historical fiction. Yet, such tragic events continue to this day in countries around the world. History without reparations is an attempt at erasure of atrocities and human rights. Otilia and Salvador have and continue to face the cost of these evils. Even Jerry, who has not personally been violated, is dealing with the generational trauma such injustices inflict upon survivors' families.
The book reads like a fictional memoir with a slow pace. It is also contemplative and detail oriented. Some will find this tedious, yet it is a well-written story about perilous times that we must pay attention to. By doing so, we might spare ourselves from the collective grief illustrated within these pages.
The book reads like a fictional memoir with a slow pace. It is also contemplative and detail oriented. Some will find this tedious, yet it is a well-written story about perilous times that we must pay attention to. By doing so, we might spare ourselves from the collective grief illustrated within these pages.
April 10, 2023
Daytona Beach Shores Community Center Book Club Reader Lynn says: The story of 2 people from different backgrounds who meet on a flight from CA to Lima, Peru.
Both have been deeply affected by political conditions of their past. She, by the "Shining Path" who wrecked devastation in Peru in the 1980s. He, by his father who escaped to South America during WWII and avoided the Holocaust, but his family didn't.
The author treats their experiences with compassion and empathy. Together the two are able to work through their past with the help of the other.
I found the book very interesting as it brings to light how different people can be affected by things that happened to other generations, as well as to them. #booktribbc #daytonabeachshorescommunitycenterbookclub
Both have been deeply affected by political conditions of their past. She, by the "Shining Path" who wrecked devastation in Peru in the 1980s. He, by his father who escaped to South America during WWII and avoided the Holocaust, but his family didn't.
The author treats their experiences with compassion and empathy. Together the two are able to work through their past with the help of the other.
I found the book very interesting as it brings to light how different people can be affected by things that happened to other generations, as well as to them. #booktribbc #daytonabeachshorescommunitycenterbookclub
September 29, 2022
This is a great story of the history of the consequences of WWII. The Nazis just through the world taking what they wanted without any regard to the people it was affecting. And some countries like Peru also had violence from the own people and the government that was supposed to protect them. This book is a generational story of that hardship. It tells a really vivid account of what happened and how people lived as a result of the violence. While it was great the Peru was trying to make things right for the country, many individuals never got back what was taken from them. This really a wonderful gripping story.
May 26, 2022
"When We Return" by Eliana Tobias was a tender, reflective, refugee rebuilding story, knitting together a broken Peruvian family, with a Prague holocaust survivor descendent. Thoughtful regrowth, with a supportive cast, all recovering from traumatic experiences, political victims searching for a brighter future. Thank you NetGalley, The author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
June 3, 2022
This novel describes recent history; Peru in the 1990s, when Alberto Fugimoro was president and feared by many, while the terrorist group, the Shining Path, was feared by others. I got an interesting history lesson while reading this novel, but an no small price. This was the most poorly written book I have ever finished. It reads like a first draft that needs a lot of work. Thank you to Net Galley for this Advance Readers Copy. The opinions expressed are my own.
October 29, 2022
This is a sweet story. The characters are good people who are trying to do the right thing, love their friends and family, are kind to each other and are people you root for. It was also nice to read about a history and culture I'm not well versed in. Education in the States is so focused on European history and events that I was excited to read about South American politics and culture.
That being said, this was not a well written book. The dialogue was so stilted and didactic that it felt like you were reading, at various times, a history book, a political screed, a travel guide, or a psychoanalysis text. Completely unlike how normal people speak, characters were so overly well articulated, so able to express how not only they, but how others, and how the world at large truly feel, that it just took you out of what should have been a good message. And the author tried to cover so many topics from political upheaval in South America to the traumas of Nazi Germany, from understanding depression to the emergence of Peruvian cuisine on a global scene.
I wanted to love this book, but it was very poorly executed and felt exhausting.
That being said, this was not a well written book. The dialogue was so stilted and didactic that it felt like you were reading, at various times, a history book, a political screed, a travel guide, or a psychoanalysis text. Completely unlike how normal people speak, characters were so overly well articulated, so able to express how not only they, but how others, and how the world at large truly feel, that it just took you out of what should have been a good message. And the author tried to cover so many topics from political upheaval in South America to the traumas of Nazi Germany, from understanding depression to the emergence of Peruvian cuisine on a global scene.
I wanted to love this book, but it was very poorly executed and felt exhausting.
January 2, 2023
Not all rainbows and sunshine
War. Violence. Displacement. Broken families. Peace. Politicians. Promises. Excuses. This book examines the impact war can have on families and future generations. It follows two separate families as they recall stories of their loved ones through war. After the war, governments make promises to the survivors. Then the government makes it very difficult to get compensation or even recognition.
#GoodreadsGiveaway
War. Violence. Displacement. Broken families. Peace. Politicians. Promises. Excuses. This book examines the impact war can have on families and future generations. It follows two separate families as they recall stories of their loved ones through war. After the war, governments make promises to the survivors. Then the government makes it very difficult to get compensation or even recognition.
#GoodreadsGiveaway
May 21, 2022
This novel was difficult to get through. The writing was convoluted and imprecise. The plot seemed uncertain and preachy. The characters were neither relatable nor likable. While the historic events are accurate and there is a firm opinion regarding these, the doesn’t appear to be a point; no resolution, no redemption, and no completion.
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August 5, 2022Eliana has progressed her story from "The Belly Of The Horse" into a further family journey. The story of two past tragedies to a culmination of family and growth for the future. Adversity can be survived through perseverance. Joining on this journey of eclectic people has been a pleasure. A thoroughly great read!
December 8, 2022
This deals with both the history of the Holocaust and the civil unrest in Peru. Many people around the world have had to deal with loss of family, lands and properties and never receive just restitution. I enjoy books like this that reveal history that I was unaware of and how people cope with it. I did find the story a little repetitive.
June 8, 2022
There was good effort in researching the historical events and keeping the characters on a realistic timeline. The execution of the characters and their stories was severely lacking. As a reader, I felt disconnected from them and struggled to finish the book.
August 2, 2022
A part of history I was unfamiliar with. Learned history, view point of immigrants, as well as new thoughts about effects of trauma. Good story but at times hard to follow. Given this kindle version by publisher.
July 6, 2022
Heartrending story that touches the heart. Lots of raw emotion!
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