Powerful, sad, totally gripping, heart pounding story combing facts and fiction flawlessly.. I really didn't want to read another WW2 story, but this is Andrew Gross' book and he's one of my favorite. It's a must read. 5 Stars!
A thriller with vivid characters, authentic historical background and lots of heart. Made me cry. Highly recommended.
A great read - right up there with Life in a Jar in my opinion!
I've read many books on the holocaust and even though they are all usually dark and disturbing, now and then one stands out as exceptional because of the heroic actions of one person or a small group of people . This is one of those books. Highly recommended - 4.5 stars. Looking forward to the sequel: The Saboteur which should be out August 2017.
I've read many books on the holocaust and even though they are all usually dark and disturbing, now and then one stands out as exceptional because of the heroic actions of one person or a small group of people . This is one of those books. Highly recommended - 4.5 stars. Looking forward to the sequel: The Saboteur which should be out August 2017.
Book Description
"As moving as it is gripping. A winner on all fronts."Booklist (starred review)
"Heart-pounding...This is Gross's best work yet, with his heart and soul imprinted on every page."Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Poland. 1944. Alfred Mendl and his family are brought on a crowded train to a Nazi concentration camp after being caught trying to flee Paris with forged papers. His family is torn away from him on arrival, his life's work burned before his eyes. To the guards, he is just another prisoner, but in fact Mendla renowned physicistholds knowledge that only two people in the world possess. And the other is already at work for the Nazi war machine.
Four thousand miles away, in Washington, DC, Intelligence lieutenant Nathan Blum routinely decodes messages from occupied Poland. Having escaped the Krakow ghetto as a teenager after the Nazis executed his family, Nathan longs to do more for his new country in the war. But never did he expect the proposal he receives from "Wild" Bill Donovan, head of the OSS: to sneak into the most guarded place on earth, a living hell, on a mission to find and escape with one man, the one man the Allies believe can ensure them victory in the war.
Bursting with compelling characters and tense story lines, this historical thriller from New York Times bestseller Andrew Gross is a deeply affecting, unputdownable series of twists and turns through a landscape at times horrifyingly familiar but still completely new and compelling.
My Review
I have always loved Andrew Gross' novels but this one will end up on my favorites list. It was hard to put this book down as the tension builds and builds all the way to the last page. The characters were very believable and the plot was very suspenseful. It's the type of story that will stay with you for a long time. There are a lot of WWII novels and sometimes we can get inundated with too many but this is one that should not be missed if you enjoy a gripping historical read.
"As moving as it is gripping. A winner on all fronts."Booklist (starred review)
"Heart-pounding...This is Gross's best work yet, with his heart and soul imprinted on every page."Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Poland. 1944. Alfred Mendl and his family are brought on a crowded train to a Nazi concentration camp after being caught trying to flee Paris with forged papers. His family is torn away from him on arrival, his life's work burned before his eyes. To the guards, he is just another prisoner, but in fact Mendla renowned physicistholds knowledge that only two people in the world possess. And the other is already at work for the Nazi war machine.
Four thousand miles away, in Washington, DC, Intelligence lieutenant Nathan Blum routinely decodes messages from occupied Poland. Having escaped the Krakow ghetto as a teenager after the Nazis executed his family, Nathan longs to do more for his new country in the war. But never did he expect the proposal he receives from "Wild" Bill Donovan, head of the OSS: to sneak into the most guarded place on earth, a living hell, on a mission to find and escape with one man, the one man the Allies believe can ensure them victory in the war.
Bursting with compelling characters and tense story lines, this historical thriller from New York Times bestseller Andrew Gross is a deeply affecting, unputdownable series of twists and turns through a landscape at times horrifyingly familiar but still completely new and compelling.
My Review
I have always loved Andrew Gross' novels but this one will end up on my favorites list. It was hard to put this book down as the tension builds and builds all the way to the last page. The characters were very believable and the plot was very suspenseful. It's the type of story that will stay with you for a long time. There are a lot of WWII novels and sometimes we can get inundated with too many but this is one that should not be missed if you enjoy a gripping historical read.
