Strong women survive
I love a book that looks at
things from a different perspective. I
have read loads fo WWII fiction and it still surprises and delights me when an
author takes a different view of things.
This history we know, but a skilled storyteller ills in the embroidery
of the story, filling out the characters and their feelings as the future
unfolds.
I really enjoyed The First Spark of Fire, by Marion Kummerow, especially the female characters, and how they drew strength from each other and from within themselves. This is a story of hope, that ends (not a spoiler) on a question, making me be sure to look out for a sequel.
Who are we?
One of the questions that rose
up during my reading of the novel is the question of what it means to be a
Jew. Are you born a Jew, and can you
essentially change who you are. History tells us that Hitler’s Germany believed
that you are a Jew, not by choice, but by birth, or history. Even a Jewish grandparent was enough. It got me thinking of who I am and a little
bit tempted to do that DNA testing, just to see where my own heritage lies.
Book description
Germany, 1938. ‘No,’ she cries out as she falls to the floor, fear clutching desperately at her chest, ‘They can’t have taken him, they can’t have taken my husband.’ As her tear-filled eyes dart wildly around the empty room, she realises she has no one to turn to. She is his only hope. But how can she possibly save him?
When shy, beautiful Edith first met Jewish-born Julius it was love at first sight. Julius swept her off her feet, whisking her from humble beginnings into the sparkling society and glittering ballrooms of Berlin’s powerful elite. It felt like all her dreams had come true.
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But her perfect world begins to crack with rumblings of the Nazi party growing in power and influence. Every day there are new laws to strip Jews of their money and their freedom. And there are even more frightening rumours, of horrifying camps, and people disappearing in the night…
Then when Edith’s own brother Joseph enlists as an SS officer, and her whole family turn their backs on them, she knows that it is only a matter of time before they come for her husband. She pleads with Julius that their only chance is to run away and start again. Who cares about worldly possessions if they can still be together, their lives intact? But despite everything, he refuses to believe he is in danger.
Then one terrible night, the sounds of cries and breaking glass ring out across the city as the Nazis wreak their destruction. Edith’s worst fears have been realised — Julius has been taken.
For so long, Edith has led a sheltered life, secluded from the real world. But the only way to save her beloved husband is to defy the Nazis and put herself in grave danger. Can she draw on every bit of strength she has to fight for love and save him… or is she already too late?
A totally devastating, powerful, and ultimately uplifting story, perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, My Name is Eva and Sold on a Monday.
Author Bio:
Marion Kummerow was born and
raised in Germany, before she set out to “discover the world” and
lived in various countries. In 1999 she returned to Germany and settled down in
Munich where she’s now living with her family.
Inspired by the true story about her grandparents, who belonged to the German
resistance and fought against the Nazi regime, she started writing historical
fiction, set during World War II. Her books are filled with raw emotions,
fierce loyalty and resilience. She loves to put her characters through the
mangle, making them reach deep within to find the strength to face moral
dilemma, take difficult decisions or fight for what is right. And she never
forgets to include humor and undying love in her books, because ultimately love
is what makes the world go round.
Treat yourself to The First Spark of Fire here
Amazon: https://geni.us/B0BSXTKG9Ksocial
