Book Review: THE GERMAN WIFE by Debbie Rix

                

THE GERMAN WIFE

by

Debbie Rix

Publication Date: 13 January, 2022

Publisher: Bookouture

About the Book

Inspired by true events, this is a heart-stopping, unforgettable story of ordinary people fighting for survival in the darkest of times. Fans of Orphan Train, The Tattooist of Auschwitz and My Name is Eva will be utterly gripped by this beautiful, tragic World War Two novel.

Germany, 1939: Annaliese is trapped in a loveless marriage. Her husband Hans has become cold and secretive since starting a new job as a doctor at Dachau. Every morning she watches from her kitchen window as he leaves in his car. The sight of him in the dark uniform of the SS sends shivers of fear down her spine and she longs to escape…

When a tall, handsome Russian prisoner named Alexander is sent from Dachau to work in their garden, lonely Annaliese finds herself drawn to him as they tend to the plants together. In snatched moments and broken whispers, Alexander tells her the shocking truth about the camp. Horrified, Annaliese vows to do everything she can to save him.

But as they grow closer, their feelings for each other put their lives at risk. And Annaliese finds herself in grave danger when she dares to fight for love and freedom…

America, 1989: Turning the pages of the newspaper, Annaliese gasps when she recognizes the face of a man she thought she’d never see again. It makes her heart skip a beat as a rush of wartime memories come flooding back to her. As she reads on, she realizes the past is catching up with her. And she must confront a decades-old secret – or risk losing her only son…

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Buy Link

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3eY8DIg

 Audio Buy Links

UK: https://zpr.io/rnRJutqSL5Yh
US: https://zpr.io/vM8zekifH6C6

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My Thoughts

How do you reconcile yourself to being directly involved in heinous crimes against humanity? How is it possible to live your life without knowing what atrocities are happening around you? How do you survive living in a country that espouses only one correct way of living, and if you step out of line, punishment and death are real possibilities?

THE GERMAN WIFE by Debbie Rix poses these and other questions in her book about Hans and Anna Vogel, a married couple living a prosperous life in wartime Germany. We follow them from their meeting in the pre-WWII years, their life during WWII in Germany, and the fallout that results from Germany losing the war.

I thought Rix did an admirable job in her portrayal of Hans and Anna. They are typical people: Hans is an ambitious doctor who wants to become a medical researcher to find cures for diseases. Anna, his wife, expects to have a ‘normal’ life: children, a household to run, and a husband to be her lifelong companion.

When WWII begins to impact on their lives, this places all kinds of pressure on their lives and their marriage. The horror, the shame, the anger, the fear, the disillusionment all comes through. In its own way, theirs is also a story of survival. I know many fiction books about WWII are stories about unsung heroes, and while this one doesn’t fit that bill, I do think it is likely more representative of the majority. 

Review copy courtesy of Netgalley and Bookouture. 

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About the Author

Debbie Rix has had a long career in journalism, including working as a presenter for the BBC. Her first novel, The Girl with Emerald Eyes was set around the building of the tower of Pisa and she has since released Daughters of the Silk Road and The Silk Weaver’s Wife. Debbie writes heartbreaking historical novels about love, tragedy and secrets.

http://www.debbierix.com/ 

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