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The Undertaking (2014)

by Audrey Magee(Favorite Author)

3.83 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1782391029 (ISBN13: 9781782391029)

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Atlantic Books

review 1: A most unusual tale set in the time of the second world war but told through the eyes of Germans who feel privileged to be in that race. The principal characters are a young couple who for expediency marry photographs of each other, never having met. When they do get together they fall in love, but their acquaintance is all too brief and war soon separates them, time distorting their memories and altering their expectations. Audrey Magee captures the horrors and deprivations at the Russian front and the mixed fortunes of the German people before, during and afterwards graphically. She contrasts life at the front with life for the women left behind who obeyed Hitler's diktats and the consequences for those who stepped out of line or were in minority groups. It's a tender ta... morele in some ways but sad and haunting in others.
review 2: Nice idea but not a great read. The love between the two characters happens too quickly so it became unbelievable. From what I gather, the author purposely used simple language to contrast the heavy themes of war, loyalty, love etc. but that just made the book boring to read. I will give her credit for writing a book from the point of view of pro-Nazi Germans with moments that are shocking but most likely very true. If you've got nothing else, it will entertain but just barely. less

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