CITY OF WOMEN was the June 2013 pick in my online book club, The Reading Cove.
The most interesting thing about the story is the setting: Berlin, 1943. The timeline flipped back and forth in a confusing vs. clever way, as the author gave no indication that something was taking place in the past - the reader must figure that out for himself.
On top of that, most of us found the narrative flat, dull and disengaging. I tried to engage, because for me, it was a first look at the Holocaust from within Germany itself, but it never pulled me in and I never connected with Sigrid and her affairs, her heroic efforts to help people, etc. I just don't think the author did this slice of history much justice at all...
Readers who don't mind a series of (uneventful) events may be able to overlook the dreariness and enjoy the story or identify with certain aspects of its characters and events.
Unfortunately, after mostly struggling through the first 100 pages (mainly because it was a book club pick ;) I had to skim heavily to reach the end.
So I give it a C- and rename it: City of Yawning.
The most interesting thing about the story is the setting: Berlin, 1943. The timeline flipped back and forth in a confusing vs. clever way, as the author gave no indication that something was taking place in the past - the reader must figure that out for himself.
On top of that, most of us found the narrative flat, dull and disengaging. I tried to engage, because for me, it was a first look at the Holocaust from within Germany itself, but it never pulled me in and I never connected with Sigrid and her affairs, her heroic efforts to help people, etc. I just don't think the author did this slice of history much justice at all...
Readers who don't mind a series of (uneventful) events may be able to overlook the dreariness and enjoy the story or identify with certain aspects of its characters and events.
Unfortunately, after mostly struggling through the first 100 pages (mainly because it was a book club pick ;) I had to skim heavily to reach the end.
So I give it a C- and rename it: City of Yawning.
