This is an excellent book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, so much so that I had it read in 2 days and it's not exactly short. This book examines WWII, the people caught up in it, the atrocities, the landscape of Europe itself, in a way that never feels clichéd, never feels like the same old same old. In fact there is never a Jewish person that is secreted away in some attic or basement of some kind hearted villager! Not that that did not happen of course, and admirably, but yes, we've already examined that issue in countless other books. Rather, it is a story about family ties and how war can tear apart those ties in a blind instant. (OMG that's a bad pun. I'm sorry LOL) It is a tale of perseverance, of courage, even of dreams and wonder of ordinary people amidst such a terrible backdrop. Oh, there are atrocities, this is WWII Europe of course but they are not examined closely only alluded to, or dispassionately mentally recorded by the characters . But what shines forth is the human will, the dreams and desires of our deepest selves that survive despite the horror and pain of war. Not just despite but defiantly! It is a testament to what makes us human, what makes some people excellent specimens of the human race.

What keeps me from awarding this 5 stars??? The ending seemed forced even if I understand why it was needed.

Read this book. It reads effortlessly but rewards nonetheless.