Status Updates From The Blood Years

So many dead. Esther Glassman, Conrad, Ruth and her mother, Dotti, and now, the saddest death; Heinrich Fischmann (aka Opa). And yet, despite all this sadness, the poison pill is gone. Did Astra get rid of it while Rieke was being treated and/or evacuated?

Rieke finally goes to the hospital for treatment. But what will it cost her? Or her family?

I was surprised that Rieke and her family were allowed to return home. And lucky that their permits were approved. Still, it's a terrifying thought. But that last chapter...

Mr. Weissinger, HOW COULD YOU?!

I feel ill. And angry.

Man, this truly is a tragedy. Rieke's health is only getting worse. How will she survive? Will any other family members survive? Or her friends and neighbors like Esther and Conrad?

RIP Ruth. You deserved so much better. But the worst is yet to come... Onto part 3...

Okay... a lot has happened. Almost done with part 2. I will admit, as much as I didn't like Marcel, I suppose he's not as bad as he could have been. And Russia isn't really helping the people of Czernowitz. I'm sorry- they call it Chernovtsy now. Yet their house administrator/spy Vadim Glazkov is surprisingly kind. But what will become of Ruth, and her dance partner, Anatoly Tokarev?

So Astra is sixteen going on seventeen. And while Marcel's age is never given, it's heavily implied that he's at least in his 20's. Honestly I don't like where this seems to be going. And it turns out there is more than one reason for the titleThe Blood Years. And as foolish as Astra is, she's right about prejudice against Jews getting worse. Will it break her relationship with Frederieke even more?

I have many questions. Why is Astra dating a man that's older than she is? How old is Marcel Goldmann? What the heck is Rieke and Astra's father Alfred doing at Cafe Europa? Where has he been all these months or years he's been gone?! And will Madame Lucia become an ally in the events to come? What of Conrad? Or Goga, Cuza, Collette, Miss Rosen, Ruth, Esther, Penny or even Didi?

-Երբեք մի՛ աղոթիր նոր թագավորի համար։


- Հաշե՛մ… դու գիտես, որ ես սիրում եմ քեզ, բայց դու սարսափելի որոշում ես կայացրել՝ ռուսներին մեր քաղաք ուղարկելով։ Չգիտեմ, թե ինչ ես մտածում, իսկապես չգիտեմ։