Mandy Robotham

The Scandalous Life of Ruby Devereaux has something that I really love in a book. I always enjoy stories that look back over a long life and which follow history, whether that be important events or social history.

Ruby is now in her 90th year. She's an acclaimed author and her publishers hope she has one book left in her: her memoir. Agreeing to go forward with the project, Ruby sets about telling her life to her new assistant but this memoir has a difference: it's told by means of her show more memories of twelve men in her life and the adventures she had both home and away. Via New York, Berlin, Budapest, Venice and Vietnam, and of course England, the reader accompanies Ruby on a journey through her past. What a life she had!

My favourite sections were those set in England. In many ways these were the least adventurous but for me they were the most interesting and the men in those sections seemed the most fleshed out. However, as a whole this book is quite fascinating, a romp through the second half of the 20th century with several of those scandals referred to in the title making an appearance.

Ruby really has some quite incredible experiences. She's a wonderful character, feisty, no-nonsense, strong, wily and fun, and when life knocks her down she gets back up again. She has her good times and her bad, just like in any life. Her tale felt fresh and real, and yet also surreal at times. I enjoyed reading it and think M J Robotham has done a really great job at crafting this fictional memoir. I don't think I'll forget Ruby in a hurry. show less

Don't read this review if you are worried about spoilers. It's hard to write about this book without addressing the main event in this book and I was spoiled myself before I started this book. Although that just intrigued me...

Anka Hoff, a midwife sent to a camp is the "lucky" one to be selected to help a woman through her pregnancy and upcoming delivery. The woman is Eva Braun. Yup, she's expecting Adolf Hitler's love child. But, what you think now. Eva and Adolf did not have any children. show more Right, this is a "what if" story. Totally fiction. However, it's so very well written that you for the moment you read this book actually starts to think about what would have happened if this would have been the truth. An heir to Hitler. But, also an innocent child. This story is interwoven with flashbacks to Anka's time at Ravensbrück. How she came to be there and what she experiences there. It's a very strong story, with some tough moments. Anka herself falls in love with someone, but can their love last?

A Woman of War is a tough book to read, but well worth it. If you enjoy "what if stories" or like to read WW2 novels than I recommend this book warmly!

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review! show less

Although "The Girl Behind the Wall" started slowly, the pace soon picked up once the Berlin Wall was erected and Jetta discovered a small hole she could escape through to see her twin sister, Karin, on the East side.

The risks the sisters took were nail-biting and I was a nervous-wreck fearing that their secret would be discovered. Their last meeting had me on the edge of my seat! I loved the bond Jetta and Karin shared and the fact that it was breakable despite the sacrifices, politics and show more dangers they constantly faced. I also liked many of the secondary characters including Dr Walter, Danny and Otto.

"The Girl Behind the Wall" gave a realistic insight into the impact the Wall had on families who suddenly found themselves divided simply because they were in the wrong place and the wrong time. The author captured the fear, confusion and atmosphere well and the plot was suspenseful. I will be looking for other novels by Ms Robotham. show less

Having twins who rarely spend time apart, this book tugged at my heartstrings. I cannot imagine the two of them being separated such as Jutta and Karin were when the Berlin wall was constructed. To pull at the heartstrings even further, Karin must choose between love and her sister.

The writing is beautiful in this novel. Mandy Robotham does a wonderful job bringing to life the real dilemmas faced by those in Berlin during this time. I recommend this book for anyone who is a fan of show more historical fiction. show less