There’s a lot of books I read before I started this blog in June of 2010 and I figured it might be fun to spotlight those! They won’t be an actual review because OMG YOU GUYS THAT WAS SO LONG AGO but I’ll just note a few things about it, if I enjoyed it and what my Goodreads rating was. So thus “Before I Blogged I Read…” was born. Because you know…I’m so original with my names for things. Check out PAST “Before I Blogged I Read” posts.
Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum
(Amazon | Goodreads )
Rating: I gave it 5 stars on Goodreads
Date I Read it: August 2009
1. It’s historical fiction set during the Holocaust that tells the story of a German mother who does WHATEVER she has to do to protect her daughter and herself during the war and the daughter’s search to find out, in the present time, about her mom’s past when she finds a picture of her mother, herself as a baby and a Nazi soldier. Love the point of view of both mother and daughter and the fact that they ARE Germans because so often we never see that side.
2. One of the most powerful and best historical fiction books I’ve read. It shocked me, made my heart just shatter into a million pieces and ultimately made me cry. Definitely an emotionally hard, harrowing read but worth it. Absolutely haunting.
3. I loved the mother/daughter element to it as it is this story of the terrible things a mother will endure because of the selfless love and need to protect. Loved that the story was told from these dual point of views.
4. If you liked The Book Thief or historical fiction set during WWII I recommend this though I think this one was quite a bit harder to read concerning things of the Holocaust than The Book Thief. Definitely more intense and dark I think.
Favorite Quotes:
“Life is so often unfair and painful and love is hard to find and you have to take it whenever and wherever you can get it, no matter how brief it is or how it ends.”
“How could she tell him that we come to love those who save us?”
“”It’s like being in a sort of club, isn’t it? A bereavement club. You don’t choose to join it; it’s thrust upon you. And the members whose lives have been changed have more knowledge than those who aren’t in it, but the price of belonging is so terribly high.”
“She should have known this would happen even with him; she should have know better than to tell him the truth. She can never tell him what she started to say: that we come to love those who save us. For although Anna does believe this is true, the word that stuck in her throat was not save but shame.”
Have any of you read this one? Did you like it/not like it? Can you recommend any other historical fiction books that take place during this time period? I seem to always gravitate to it.
Christina (A Reader of Fictions) says
Dude, I’ve never heard of this, but I will read pretty much anything set during World War I or II, and you vouch for it so, *adds*
Cecelia says
Two other great books are Torn Thread by Anne Isaacs (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1181520.Torn_Thread) and Until we Meet Again by Michael Korenblit and Kathleen Janger (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/462619.Until_We_Meet_Again). I read them both like, ten years ago, but I’ve saved them on my bookshelf because they were so good. I remember really liking Until we Meet Again though. I’ll have to add this book to my TBR list. It’s got historical fiction and mother/daughter relationships, which is different, but two things I really like to read about. Speaking of, have you done a top ten Tuesday for books featuring mother/daughter relationships?
Alexa Y. says
The quotes from the book that you’ve included in this post are wonderfully intriguing. I always get sad reading about that particular historical period, but I also think that it’s one of those situations where I feel compelled to learn more about it and to understand (or attempt to understand) the whys and whats and wheres and whos and all the other facts about it. I’m definitely considering adding this one to my TBR!
Philippa says
I really want to read this book, and your blogpost about it has only reaffirmed that. And it definitely sounds interesting to read a book about WWII from a German’s perspective for a change.
Erin says
Oh, cool idea for a feature. I have this book on my TBR shelf. Found it at the local library yearly sale. The cover is great, I will get to it someday. More curious about it now since you seem to have enjoyed it so much.
Bri says
I’ve always found books based on the Holocaust, despite its gruesome nature, so interesting. I just finished the novel in just three days, and I was just captivated. It’s probably one of my favorite Holocaust books, alongside Night by Elie Wiesel–no, my favorite book of all time. I really do recommend this book, especially if you share in this interest, as well. I’m currently looking for more books alike to Those Who Save Us. Please, if you have any reccomendations, I would love to look ino it. I strongly reccomend you read it!!!!