My concern was the time and place of the historical fiction, Wildflowers of Terezin. The suffering of the Jews during WWII can be too graphic for me. I hurt for the pain and death that was fostered on men, women, and children. But I was intrigued by the setting, Denmark. My ignorance never ceases to amaze me and here I found another aspect of it. I thought I knew all about WWII, but found I knew nothing of the history of the WWII and the Danish people, and the Danish Jews in Denmark.
The story of the preacher, Steffen, the resistance fighter, Henning, and the Danish Jewish nurse Hanne revealed an epoch in the broad canvas that was that terrible war. I love to read historical fiction and learn at the same time from historical fictions such as Wildflowers of Terezin.
Word of caution, I found that the beginning was a little dull, mostly Steffen. He couldn't seem to comprehend the danger. I wanted to slap him and say, "Wake up. Don't you understand the evil that is loose on your world?" Of course, many people of that time did not understand the danger until it was upon them. I found the character very believable. But once he did see the terror approaching he acted to the point of putting his own life at risk. I found it fascinating to confirm the historical facts of the bravery of the Danes in helping to save thousands of their citizens. A good read, I recommend it.
Soon I will be hosting Robert Elmer for a interview. Have any questions for him? If so, leave them as a comment.
2 comments:
Great review, AJ. I found myself frustrated at Steffen too. I think maybe the author wanted to shake us out of our complacency. I agree that he was very believable.
Thanks for the comment. It also made me wonder what dangers might be coming our way that we're not willing to see. Makes you think, which is what a good book will do.
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