The Bottom Line: A remarkably intelligent, strong story that evokes a wide range of emotions. Definitely worth a read, or two.
I loved this book from the beginning, and did not find it to be slow at all. I was fascinated by Trudy and her story from the very beginning. I am so sick of the usual run of the mill books, I found this book to be a refreshing change right from the beginning. I also did not find it to be too long. I wished it could have continued, as it is unusual to find books that are this well developed, with such complicated characters. I also love books that incorporate a lot of history, especially from another country's perspective, and this one certainly fits that bill.
Trudy is a truly captivating character even as a young infant. I thought the character development, even of the less important characters was remarkably well done. You get a very good sense of who these people are, and what makes them tick. None of the characters are the typical good or bad, they are complicated people, whose genes and life histories created their unique personalities. I was even fascinated by the townspeople who Trudy encountered daily.
I did find this book to be somewhat depressing, though I prefer this type of 'realistic' fiction to the kind where all the "good" guys end up living happily ever after. I wanted so bad for Trudy to find some true happiness and peace in her life. Though she might have eventually found some peace in who she was and where she was, she never seemed to find true happiness for very long. (Yeah, kind of like most people, though her life was certainly more difficult than what most of us experience.)
I found the WWII experiences, told from a German perspective, especially provoking. It stirred up a lot of different, and very deep feelings and emotions -- exactly what a good work of fiction should do.
I really enjoyed experiencing Trudy's life with her, and going through the ups, downs and terrible pain that life can bring. She came out a remarkably capable, and strong woman, despite her difficulty in finding peace with her outer body. I just wish I could experience the rest of her life with her. I missed her the moment I finished the book.
Recommended:
