Winner of the International Book Award contest Readers’ Favorite in the Historical Fiction category (2018)Poland, 1939. A country, torn by the occupation of two unlikely allies – Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. On the border of this newly divided territory, a young Wehrmacht Unteroffizier, Werner and a Soviet Military Interpreter, Kira meet and fall in love against all odds. Both forced into … fall in love against all odds.
Both forced into the military against their will, they wish for one thing only – a peaceful life together. Everything is set for Kira to defect and marry Werner…
But the German army invades the Soviet Union, and now the two lovers are forced to fight against each other on the opposite sides of the frontline; trying to keep their humanity as more and more atrocities are committed by both armies. They have to decide if their love is stronger than the devastation surrounding them or succumb to the hate as sworn enemies should.
Partially based on true events, this novel will take you on the unforgettable journey through war-torn countries, where hope can be lost in no-man’s-land, and one will have to go to great lengths not to lose sight of it.
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This was original and well-detailed. One of the grittiest ww2 novels I have read, and I’ve read many.
Highly recommend to all readers.
I’ve read all of Midwood’s books and in my opinion, this is the best yet. Loved the read and was completely lost in the story.
When their two countries are at peace, a German soldier and a Russian interpreter fall in love and plan to marry. When their countries go to war both are forced to fight, Werner in the Wehrmacht, Kira as a snipper.
At its heart, this is a love story against impossible odds but it also gives a breathtaking look at the reality of war.
Brilliant read.
Ellie Midwood gets better and better with every book of hers I read. This is another great book that perfectly intertwines history with the story. Her characters are unique, three dimensional. Trust me, you’ll love this story.
This us the story of Kira Miloslavskaya, a Russian girl who became a valued sniper for the Russian army in the war against Hitler’s Germany. The novel is a work of fiction but is based on actual historical events and is engrossing, appalling and original. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading WWII stories and who appreciates well-written stories.
An exceptionally powerful and “no holds barred ” story set in Russia and Germany during World War II. Besides the atrocities of war, there is an enduring love between two people who should have been enemies.
Brilliantly written and researched, this a book that I found hard to put down, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
A beautiful story…well written…of love triumphing in war…enjoyed thoroughly
Wonderful novel of love and war, of life and death, of vengeance and compas, that leaves you haunted by its intense emotions. This book brings to life some of the horrors of World War II in an unforgettable love story about a young German man and a young Russian woman who fall in love while their countries are allies but then endure a war as enemies to find that they cannot forsake their love for each other. Well written book with beautiful characters and a fabulous story.
War is hell – especially when the lovers are on opposite sides.
Great historic fiction.
Such A Soul-Gripping Book!
Ever since I was introduced to Ellie Midwood, I have admired her thorough research, fine depictions of past eras, great plots, and well thought out characters. Having just finished her newest, I can add another category to that list: vivid and heart wrenching descriptions.
The core of this book is the touching Romeo and Juliet romance between Kira, a young Russian girl, and Werner, a German boy. When they first meet in 1939 Poland, their puppy love is filled with hope and naiveté. Germany is Russia’s ally, and although the two teens come from different countries, different cultures, they feel they are forever destined to be together. Not so, apparently. As they both go their separate ways, innocently swearing they will not forget one another, Hitler reneges on his pact with Russia and abruptly, Kira’s and Werner’s worlds are turned upside down. Werner is slated to invade Russia, and unbeknownst to him, Kira takes on a dangerous mission. Great detail is given to the harsh realities of war––the Siege of Leningrad, the unexpected fierceness of the Russians fighting the onslaught of Nazi soldiers, whether it be in the cities or out in the dense forests. So detailed are Midwood’s descriptions, I felt as though I, too, marched, hid, or suffered along with both sides; heard the blasts of weaponry; saw the horror of the maimed and killed; felt the rain, mud, bitter cold, and the crunch of snow. And ultimately, also witnessed the dehumanization of people and their souls. As the author writes, “They all want blood and revenge––anything just to soothe that bloodthirsty monster that has awakened in each and every one of us.” Truth be told, as I turned the pages I kept wondering: How could their faraway, diminishing love possibly win out, mired as it was in such horrific circumstances? Highly recommended!
A wonderful story written by a great writer. I’m not a fan of wartime stories but I couldn’t put this one down. The most heart touching romance I’ve read. The writer focused on the human aspects of the war: love within hate, and good among evil. Kira and Werner survived the grisly war by holding on to the hope of seeing each other again, and I as a reader suffered through the gruesome details of the war in order to see their dream come true. Besides her superb storytelling skills, the author has also done a good job researching and the details feel real and believable.
Very good historical fiction set in Poland/Russia/Germany during WWII.
I regret giving this book five stars – but only because it deserves at least seven. I usually read such books very quickly, skimming over them for the essence of the story and avoiding getting bogged down. In this book, I could not. I read it slowly, savoring each page, each section, each chapter. I looked forward to reading it when I was unable to read anything. I chose to read it over anything else I might be doing at the moment – and that is most unusual for me. I normally take breaks in my reading, but in this book, the break was to catch another section of it.
I describe my latest novel as ‘A love story for men and a war story for women,’ but this book is just as much so. It is entirely different – different people, different separations, different situations, a very different war, but it is just as much that war story and that love story. It is a book to be read thoroughly, to be treasured and to fall into.
I was close to tears when I finished it – again, a rarity for me. Characters I could not identify with normally don’t inspire that sort of reaction, but these, while I was never able to identify with them, nevertheless became so real to me as I read that I almost expected a note at the end to tell me more about the real characters whose story was told in the pages.
Usually I am happy to reach the end of a book. The story is told, the conflicts are resolved and it’s time to move on to the next book. Not so here. I was as sorry to reach the end, satisfactory as the ending was (and no, I’m not going to give it away), as I was to reach the end of a twenty-five year fifteen-book series. And that’s saying a lot.
A good perspective.
I enjoyed reading about the German invasion of Russia and the ensuing war. The stories of a young in love couple, one from Germany and one from Russia. Nice history of another side of WW11.
Couldn’t put it down. Learned what the Rusians had to endure during WW11. Such a beautiful love story
I couldn’t put this book down because I had not read much about the battles between the Russians and the Germans in WWII. The story involves two lovers, each on opposing sides. At times they had to shoot towards each other. It was pretty intense and gritty, so if you have no stomach for it, don’t read this book.
Kira and Werner meet when they are nineteen years old, in 1939., in Poland when Russia and Germany signed a peace accord. Unfortunately in the fall of 1939, Hitler attacked Poland, starting World War II. Kira, a Russian, has been studying the German language and is bilingual, so she becomes a translator who intercepts radio messages. Werner, on the recommendation of his uncle, has joined the German infantry. He fights first in Poland, and then in France, but he finally sent to the Eastern Front in Russia. While stationed in Paris, Werner gets a leave and meets Kira; they become engaged to be married. Kira, living in Moscow, learns that her father has been killed in Leningrad. In order to fight for Mother Russia, Kira becomes a sniper. Over the next several years, Kira becomes know as “The Red Death” because of her skilled shooting. Unfortunately, Werner is still stationed in Russia, often in the same sectors as Kira. Both characters face moral dilemmas, and both characters are deeply scarred and damaged by the war. This excellent book was as powerful for me as All Quiet on the Western Front. One of the best aspects of the book was that the chapters alternated telling the from Kira’s and Werner’s points of view.
This was one of the better books I’ve read in a while. Keeps you in suspense and gives you a real insight into how horrible world II (any war) was. Just when I thought I had it figured out, here comes a twist. Loved this book and would recommend it.
I thought it was one of the best WWIi books I have every read. You could feel the heart wrenching moments of war.