ReviewsByErin

Eva's family has made their living making beautiful musical instruments. But in Hungary in 1944, music is one of the last things on people's minds. The Nazis have occupied their country, the Jewish population is being rounded up and forced into camps, and the country is under frequent bombings from Allied forces.

Zophia, Eva's Jewish sister-in-law, has so far escaped notice from the Nazis. But that's bound to change as she gets more and more involved with the Zionist Youth movement. She and Eva's fiance Patrik work with the group, trying to help Jews receive false papers and be able to flee to safety. Patrik has lost his family, though his false papers give him some security as he assists others. But he's keeping his background a secret—even from Eva.

When Zophia is threatened, the Bognar family is willing to do anything to help her. But it may be more than they do can. When Patrik won't tell Eva or the Bognar family about the measures they've taken to keep her safe, Eva begins to doubt Patrik's intentions. Will the lies and secrets ever end?

I'd never read a book set in Hungary during WWII, and I learned a lot about about the history and culture of this European country. With the setting, one would expect a heavy story, and it certainly is at times. You'll ache with Eva, Patrik, and Zophia as they hope for the best, but in war there are no guarantees. I would recommend this story for fans of of serious WWII fiction, or anyone who wants to learn more about the time period.

I received my copy of the book from the author. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Europe was a frightening place in the early 1940s, especially if one was Jewish. The musical Zadok family lost much when the Nazis took over Czechoslovakia and outlawed Jewish ownership of instruments. Now they are losing even more, as most of the family is taken to the Terezin concentration camp. Only Anna and her grandmother remain in Prague, waiting for the order to join their family in that place from which none have returned.

German officer Horst Engel is horrified at what his fellow soldiers are doing and thankful that he has a cushy architectural job that keeps him away from the brute terrorizing of Czech citizens. When he moves in downstairs from Anna and hears her playing her forbidden violin, Horst realizes that he can no longer try to remain neutral - the time has come to take a stand and do what he can to protect God's people. When Anna and her grandmother receive notice that they are to be transported to Terezin, Horst instead takes them into hiding.

Anna is puzzled by Horst. He's the enemy and yet he is helping them, risking his own life over and over. With all her heartache because of what the Germans have done to her family and her country, Anna doubts she could ever fully trust Horst, even in his role as protector.

As the war draws closer to an end, the Nazis become even more vigilant in searching for Jews or those who are assisting them. You'll have a hard time putting this book down as you race through the pages to see if all will remain safe or if even greater sacrifices will be required before the Third Reich falls.

This is another wonderful World War II novel from this author, who does such an amazing job bringing real slices of history to life. I especially appreciated the delicate balance in this one, of showing the atrocity but also showing that there will always be good people to take a stand when it matters. We might not be able to impact the whole world, but we can impact our world. I'd recommend her books to any fans of this genre.





I received my copy of the book from LitFuse Publicity. All opinions in this review are my own. If you would like to see what other people are saying about "The Melody of the Soul," click here.