Author: Pam Jenoff
Publisher: Harlequin Mira
Published date: 2014
Paperback: 341 pages (ARC version)
FTC: Received ARC from publisher to review
I'd heard of Pam Jenoff but I had never read any of her books before. I'd been wanting to read her WWII books The Kommandant's Girl and its follow up The Diplomat's Wife. So when I received another WWII book The Winter Guest to review I delved in. I have to admit it took me longer to finish than normal. It was great writing, interesting area in Poland, it just seemed to drag a bit. BUT it did have a nice twisty turn at the end. A good read but not my favorite WWII book.
Back of the book:
A stirring novel of first love in a time of war and the unbearable choices that could tear sisters apart, from the celebrated author of The Kommandant's Girl
Life is a constant struggle for the eighteen-year-old Nowak twins as they raise their three younger siblings in rural Poland under the shadow of the Nazi occupation. The constant threat of arrest has made everyone in their village a spy, and turned neighbor against neighbor. Though rugged, independent Helena and pretty, gentle Ruth couldn't be more different, they are staunch allies in protecting their family from the threats the war brings closer to their doorstep with each passing day.
Then Helena discovers an American paratrooper stranded outside their small mountain village, wounded, but alive. Risking the safety of herself and her family, she hides Sam—a Jew—but Helena's concern for the American grows into something much deeper. Defying the perils that render a future together all but impossible, Sam and Helena make plans for the family to flee. But Helena is forced to contend with the jealousy her choices have sparked in Ruth, culminating in a singular act of betrayal that endangers them all—and setting in motion a chain of events that will reverberate across continents and decades.
My thoughts:
I always enjoy books about sisters. I have a sister (and brother) and I always find reading about the different sibling dynamics so interesting. While I know all siblings have their unique odd idiosyncrasies, I just didn't quite buy the disconnect between Ruth and Helena. The narration is told from both Ruth and Helena's perspectives and it was pretty obvious that the reader wasn't supposed to quite like Ruth and root for Helena. That said I did like getting into the heads of both sisters and how these twins had such different experiences and perspectives. I really felt for the sisters who were left taking care of their siblings, such an enormous responsibility in peace time and an almost impossible task during wartime.
It was interesting to read about Poland during this period as the Nazi's are moving in and no one can hide from their presence. If you are looking for a really good romance, this probably isn't the one to pick up. There is a romantic story between Helena and Sam, the downed American but for some reason I didn't really find it too stirring. Not bad, just ok. It all seemed a bit juvenile but then again, they were all young, just teenagers so there's that.
Like I said above, the story didn't really pick up until almost the end, around 250 pages in. Yeah. So while good writing, engaging characters and a good historical time period, it just kind of dragged a bit. I still want to check out her book The Kommandant's Girl. Pam Jenoff is a wonderful writer and I was fascinated by her as an author in her acknowledgments. She worked at the Pentagon and was in Slovakia for the 50th Anniversary of WWII when she heard a true story that inspired this story. I think that's why I still am drawn to WWII stories because it was such a perilous and tumulus time that the true stories (and thus fictional ones) to come out of that period are so numerous and fascinating.
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