Gemma Liviero

I normally read library books, but the pandemic has changed my habits. Thus I was forced to continue reading “The Road Beyond Ruin” while waiting for other books to arrive in the mail. I found it ridiculously plotted with characters completely unbelievable. The plotline that most intrigued me was between the Italian and the boy he adopted, but the boy is completely dropped from the story about a third of the way in (though he may reappear at the end, I was unable to force myself to show more finish the book). Sentimental claptrap. I should have known from the cover, which shows a man and little boy from the rear. For some reason, sentimental fiction, mostly marketed to women, invariably pictures characters from the rear. show less

This book started very well and I enjoyed how the narrative was shared between Elsi, Willem and Matilda. They were all intelligent, generous people who came from vastly different backgrounds, but fate and the horrors of the Nazi regime brought them, unexpectedly, together. Whilst I found Elsi and Matilda's stories interesting, it was Willem's that really captured my attention. He was a complex character and even though, as a high ranking Nazi doctor, he took part in the medical show more sterilisations at Auschwitz, he was basically a kind man with a conscience, and tried to atone for his mistakes.

I was enjoying "Broken Angels" until about three-quarters of the way through when the characters who I had regarded as broken angels became avengers, seeing their own justice. It wasn't believable and spoilt the book. The ending was rushed and too tidy. However, I did like Matilda's final letter. Overall, a good, but not great, novel set against the backdrop of World War II. show less

The book had an interesting plot but the action was low-key. While many residents of Eisbach were accused and executed for witchcraft, there was no overriding concern to find one person responsible for the several child murders that had occurred. Everyone assumed the devil took their lives because their bodies were mutilated. We read about out one wealthy townsperson after another accused of witchcraft by those who wanted their property. Although there was no search for one villain as you show more would see in a typical mystery, the story kept me interested and reading even though there was no suspense ending the chapters. The historical part of the book was more prominent than the plot. Even so, I enjoyed the book despite it's dark storyline. show less

Half in Shadow tells the story of romance and intrigue during WW I. Its complex plot and large cast of characters engage in deceptions on many levels. The primary characters hide from the enemy, WWI Germany, as they spirit various war participants out of the country and away from enemy lines. Along the way, there is romance, duplicity, heartache, loss, and courageous actions.
The novel excels in defining characters who are interesting, believable, and engaging while also delivering a show more worthwhile plot against the backdrop of WW I.
Because this novel deals with war, there are many deaths and losses which occur. The death early in the novel of a young child results in a portrayal of maternal grief and suffering that is the best I have ever seen in a novel. The author understands grief and in chapters 5 and 6, the reader is brought almost to tears sharing the grief of a mother whose child has become the innocent victim of war. show less