In January 1945, in the waning months of World War II, a small group of people begin the longest journey of their lives: an attempt to cross the remnants of the Third Reich, from Warsaw to the Rhine if necessary, to reach the British and American lines.Among the group is eighteen-year-old Anna Emmerich, the daughter of Prussian aristocrats. There is her lover, Callum Finella, a twenty-year-old … twenty-year-old Scottish prisoner of war who was brought from the stalag to her family’s farm as forced labor. And there is a twenty-six-year-old Wehrmacht corporal, who the pair know as Manfred–who is, in reality, Uri Singer, a Jew from Germany who managed to escape a train bound for Auschwitz.
As they work their way west, they encounter a countryside ravaged by war. Their flight will test both Anna’s and Callum’s love, as well as their friendship with Manfred–assuming any of them even survive.
Perhaps not since The English Patient has a novel so deftly captured both the power and poignancy of romance and the terror and tragedy of war. Skillfully portraying the flesh and blood of history, Chris Bohjalian has crafted a rich tapestry that puts a face on one of the twentieth century’s greatest tragedies–while creating, perhaps, a masterpiece that will haunt readers for generations.
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Very powerful, beautifully researched, moving. The characters were rich and well defined. I knew them. and last but not least, it was a page turner.
Great story with complex character development. Full of historical information too!
One of my favorite books
The reader gets to see the hidden side of war-refugees and how they try to survive at the end of that war
I loved it
Delivers a powerful impact, reminding us that war injures ordinary citizens as well as soldiers . Each character is an individual, unique and not always predictable in his or her behavior. A totally engrossing story that I found myself thinking about long after I finished reading.
I had read this author’s most recent work, The Fight Attendant, so I took a chance on Sketetons at the Feast which was recommended by my book club. I was unprepared for the differences in plot, setting, and syntax. I could not be more pleased with this earlier novel.
This book is thoughtful, sensitive, and haunting. I almost did not try it, but …