Book Synopsis:
Our parents were taken. And if we go home, the Nazis will take us too…’
Hamburg 1938. Fifteen-year-old Asta is hurrying home from school with her twin brother Jurgen. The mood in the city is tense – synagogues have been smashed with sledgehammers, and Asta is too frightened to laugh as she used to.
But when she and Jurgen are stopped in the street by a friend, her world implodes further. Her Jewish parents have been dragged into the streets by German soldiers and if she and Jurgen return to their house, they will be taken too.
Heartbroken at the loss of her parents, Asta knows they must flee. With her beloved brother, she must make the perilous journey across Germany and into Denmark to reach their only surviving relative, her aunt Trine, a woman they barely know.
Jammed into a truck with other refugees, Asta prays for a miracle to save herself and Jurgen. Crossing the border is a crime punishable by death, and what she and Jurgen must embark on a dangerous crossing on foot, through the snowy forest dividing Germany and Denmark. And when barking dogs and armed soldiers find Jurgen and Asta escapes, she must hold on to hope no matter what. One day she will find her twin, the other half of herself. Whatever the price she has to pay…
A gripping and poignant read that will break your heart and give you hope. Fans of Fiona Valpy, Kristin Hannah and Catherine Hokin will be gripped by the story of a brave brother and sister seeking safety during one of the darkest times in our history.
The German Girl is available in ebook and paperback now. You can purchase your copy using the link below or through your local indie bookstore.
My Review:
The German Girl is a heartbreaking and gripping piece of historical fiction that will stay with me for a long time. I have read all of Lily’s books and in my opinion she keeps getting better and better.
The thing that most stood out for me was how real the book felt. The author has clearly done her research and the book had a very authentic feel to it. Obviously we know from history that these events actually happened but the author manages to put such emotion and anguish into the story that you feel as if you are reading about real people rather than fictional characters. I hadn’t read much about wartime Denmark so it was interesting to learn more about events there and the gradual increase of hatred towards the Jewish people.
The twins were amazing main characters who I loved following throughout the book. Their close bond was lovely to read while their strength and determination made them easy to get behind. I found I had to keep reading as I really wanted to find out what happens to them, while also dreading finding out as I expected it wouldn’t be the happy ending I was hoping for
The tension in the book gradually increases as the story goes on and we follow the twins on their dangerous journey to their aunts house. The author has cleverly written the book so that the reader feels they are running alongside the twins experiencing everything alongside them. My heart was in my mouth as I read and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough as things unfolded. Throughout the book I had grown close to the twins and I found myself really caring about what happens to them. I kept wishing I could somehow have helped and wondering what I would have done in a similar situation. I now can’t wait to read more from this talented author.
Huge thanks to Sarah Hardy for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Bookouture for my copy of this book via Netgalley.
About The Author:
Lily Graham is the author of the bestselling, The Child of Auschwitz, The Paris Secret and The Island Villa, among others. Her books have been translated into numerous languages, including French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Turkish. She grew up in South Africa, and was a journalist for a decade before giving it up to write fiction full time. Her first three novels were lighter, women’s fiction, but when she wrote The Island Villa, a story about a secret Jewish community living on the tiny island of Formentera during the Spanish Inquisition, she switched to historical fiction and hasn’t quite looked back since. She lives now in the Suffolk coast with her husband and English bulldog, Fudge. Her latest book, The Flight of Swallows, set in Denmark and Sweden, will be out in January 2021.
Over The Rainbow Blog 
Excellent review Joanna. This was an amazing story and I also felt that I was right there with the characters. I am still thinking about them.
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