Wartime Holland. Who can you trust? Deep in the Veluwe woods lies a secret that frustrates the Germans. Convinced that Jews are hiding close by they can find no proof.The secret is Berkenhout, a purpose-built village of huts sheltering dozens of persecuted people. Young tearaway Jan roams the woods looking for adventure and fallen pilots. His dream comes true when he stumbles across an American … stumbles across an American airman, Donald C. McDonald. But keeping him hidden sets off a disastrous chain of events.
Sofie, a Jewish Dutch girl, struggles to adapt to living in Berkenhout, away from her family and friends. As weeks turn to months, she’s worried they’ll abandon her altogether.
Henk Hauer, head woodman, is in charge of building the underground huts and ensuring the Berkenhout inhabitants stay safe.
But many grow suspicious of his liaisons with the Germans. Is he passing on secret information that could endanger lives?
All it takes is one small fatal slip to change the course of all their lives for ever.
Review, May 2018:
“It’s a cracking book, gripping, sensitive heartfelt and excruciating all at the same time. I’ve already recommended it to loads of people. It’s a wonderful story as well and the characters are so human. You do a wonderful job of not making them ‘war caricatures’ that so often happens in literature set in that time, but they all come across as believable humans, with flawed personalities caught in personal as well as political turmoil. Although it’s a book set in war-time, it’s more a book about people and their relationships struggling in a given situation; the war is the backdrop. Which is as it should be. Human stories first. I’ll be sad to finish it!” – Liam Gerrard, BAFTA-nominated actor.
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I found this book sad and realistic to a very tragic period in world history.
Sad but good, the characters were strong
A different WW2 scenario
WWII story about the village built in Holland to hide Jews, German defectors, young men not wanting to be forced into serving the German effort, shot down pilots, etc. The efforts and risks by the underground are depicted in their historical fiction. I learned so much about “The Hidden Village” that I hadn’t ever heard about! Excellent book!
Based on history during WW II.
A WWII story written from a different perspective than usual. I learned something new, the characters were interesting and I considered it a page-turner.
It was ok. Ending felt abrupt and never found out the fate of a major character and all of a sudden a minor character has front stage in the ending?????? Weird.
interesting historical novel.
Didn’t really get interested,slightly bored.
Book really dragged for me. I never even finished it.
Interesting, easy read
I confess I did not give it a lot of time. I couldn’t get into it and abandoned it.
The book was very interesting and informative about a situation of which I was unaware. I think the ending was too abrupt and might have been better if lengthened and more thoroughly developed.
This book was boring to me. It seemed to hardly show the hardships of WWII. It seemed more like a soap opera of how the Jewish refugees got along. I didn’t finish it.
Good historical book
I liked the book. The characters were admirable and fearless. Having read many books about the Holocaust and WWII, I was amazed that I had never even heard a whisper about this incredible town.
It was a really good book, taking place in Germany during WW2. The Jews were starting to be rounded up to be taken to concentration camps. But many of the Germans in this little town sheltered many Jewish families. They also built a little village out in the woods that was completely camouflaged. It was up to the town’s people to make sure they were protected and feed. This went on for a couple years until one man made a big mistake.
Excellent book, love it
Book reads like it was written by a robot. What should have been an edge-of-the-seat read was just pedestrian. Lacked the odor, the grime, the despair, the tragic stretching thin of men’s souls which was the Holocaust.
While the book was enjoyable, the prose was at times lacking in elegance. The wording tended to be a little staccato with short sentences as if the narrator were unsophisticated. Much of it is seen through the eyes of children and that may account for some of it. However the story of the hidden village hiding Jews and others from the Nazi soldiers was terrific.