Just before the outbreak of World War II, Fabienne, a young German girl flees her abusive, widowed father and takes a job, caring for disabled children in a home on the outskirts of Berlin. When Jurgen, a young soldier, turns up on the doorstep of the home, asking if he can take Fabienne to the local dance, the women running the organisation agree, against their better judgement. Soon the young … young couple are in love.
With the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party, comes persecution of anyone seen to be “inferior to the German master race”. This includes children with disabilities and Fabienne and the women flee the Nazi wrath, taking the vulnerable children with them on an epic journey across Germany. Some will survive the Nazi punishments, others will not. But in the background is her relationship with Jurgen. Will he stay loyal or betray her to his masters in the Nazi party?
When she hears that her father is in jail, awaiting the death penalty for murder, she is forced to come out of hiding to visit him and make her peace. The risk is enormous, but in doing so, Fabienne learns some extraordinary news, which changes the course of her life.
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I thoroughly enjoyed this one! It’s always an interesting read when it’s a story from a historical event such as world war two from the victims. This one grabs you from the get go as Fabienne runs away from her abusive dad and goes to work at a home for disabled children. She’s enjoying her new job and home until the Nazi regime started hunting disabled people, intent on killing them for being inferior. As the story unfolds, there’s more going on behind the scenes as plots of revenge unfolds, with Fabienne and the children caught in the crosshairs. There’s plenty action, drama, and a few surprises that will keep you turning the pages just to see how it plays out. I highly recommend this one!
Saving Fabienne
A story of Barnhard and Louis, two friends for life. Louis joins the Nazi party and Barnhard does not believe in it. Barnhard marries and has a daughter while Louis becomes a Nazi officer.
Fabienne is Barnhard’s daughter. She goes to work in a home for disabled children. As Hitler passes his proposition to kill the disabled those running the home hide the children.
The book deals with their flight their escape. Some survive and some do not. Behind the scenes is a Nazi officer wanting revenge on Barnhard and his family. Louis now an officer works to save Fabienne.
You will read about harrowing escapes, heartbreaking losses and how it all ends for the children and their keepers.
I love the story, the ending and the characters. The book is very well written and I do recommend it.
I love the way it leads into the second book and I will be reading it.
Fabienne’s story begins with a drunken Father who believes a woman’s place is in the home. Fabienne feels differently and searches for a job. The book then takes you through a roller coaster of emotions with a powerful insight of WW2, including, the disappearance of disabled children and some vivid scenes of life in concentration camps, the author does a great job in fitting the story around actual events which really makes the book come to life.
A strong recommendation for a book that makes you aware of the atrocious power of Hitler and the Nazi’s
I read ‘Almighty’ a few weeks after reading ‘The Tattooist of Auschwitz’. While there are similarities, in that both deal with the Holocaust, ‘Almighty’ focuses on the attempts of the Nazis to weed out all weak (‘deformed’) children. This is a story about a brave, defiant group of carers for such kids. The plot has a few twists and turns and many lives are sacrificed to the Nazi altar. Still human compassion knows no bounds, and this book portrays that amply. Recommended!
A harrowing tale expertly told.
This story has everything – history, romance, tragedy – with well developed characters and a perfectly paced narrative. Looking forward to more from P.G.R. Wright.
Seeing this part of history through the lens of the disabled children gave me a whole new understanding of the time. Fabulous narrator, an incredible story. Five star!