I am a huge fan of historical fiction books … especially those written during the WWII time period. However, this one was not as appealing as most of the books I read in this genre. Part of the issue is that I listened to an audiobook version and the narrator did not adjust her voice to represent a variety of characters. It was hard to keep track of the person focused on in each chapter. However, even with those flaws, the story itself had merit. It was interesting to learn how sisters were separated and were brought up in different countries and different lifestyles. It was difficult to read about Karolina’s life in East Germany during the communist era and life in Berlin. But then it was a positive twist to see Agnes’s dedication to rescuing her sister and working to help her escape such a repressive life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

Fiction
Historical
Historical Fiction
Thriller
WWII

I was slow to get into this book, starting and stopping it within a few pages a couple of times. However, once I sat down to focus on it, I devoured it within a single day. The story goes between 1940 and 1968 and does an incredible job drawing you into the stories of Liv, Agnes, and the other characters that have shaped their lives. Gabriel transitions effortlessly between WW2 and the Stasi regime that followed in the eastern block. The details are raw and vivid, the characters are complex, and the storyline weaves a complicated tale of humanity (and the lack thereof in some cases).

The character arcs are interesting. My own misgivings about the book aside, you're immediately drawn into Liv's story and what happened, which isn't given away quickly. From there, your drawn into Agnes's own tragedy and how it influences her own history and her eventual future. You're introduced to a variety of complex characters whose own stories and actions shape the rest of the book and the stories of Liv, Agnes, and other characters that you meet along the way.

I found that this novel shed some interesting light onto some of the lesser known happenings during World War II and things that happened afterwards. The stories from the Stasi regime are congruent with reported accounts. Gabriel does an incredible job of weaving together a truly life-like and believable tale. I found the details so intriguing and so well-written that I'm looking to do more independent research to better understand some of the complexities raised in the book.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

The Lebensborn is something rarely spoken about, so it was interesting to read a novel about it's aftermath for two woman. Add the Cold War and this is a fascinating read.

If you love history fiction you will want to pick this one up

This was a very hard book to read, but also one I couldn't put down. You'll love the characters and root for them through this heartbreaking tale.

Finding out a secret about your birth is devastating. Having to track down your parents with little to no information is terrifying. But, finding out you have a sister is life changing. This was a great novel about the bonds of sisterhood that neither knew they had until they met. I highly recommend this book.

I just finished reading a lovely feel good and fun read so was ready for a more intense read. And this was the one I read and I must say I couldn't put it down once I started it. The secrets, the wars, the lives of the characters in this book all brought a depth and intenseness' to a story that is already full of emotion to start with.

This is a very well researched and written book and the story is filled with believable characters you can't help but feel for. Agnes and Karolina are both well thought-out and written characters and the two timelines worked well together to bring the story together. The story can be quite emotional and in-your-face but I think this is what makes it such a great book. It makes you think, it makes you feel and it makes you grateful.

Thank you NetGalley and Embla Books for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Wow. What a book. The characters are so well written I found myself totally invested in every twist and turn of their story. I for one had never considered the history of these events from this angle. Deeply moving and at the same time educational. Highly recommended.

In this complex Cold War and World War II historical fiction novel, readers follow Agnes, a war orphan after her grandfather’s death in 1968, and Liv in Norway in 1940, the year the Nazis arrive in her village. After her grandfather’s death leaves her wondering about her parents and a secret which changes her understanding of herself, Agnes’s path leads her to Liv in isolation in Norway where her actions in World War II will shape Agnes’s postwar Cold War life. The secret Agnes discovers is dangerous, naturally, but it also leads her to a chance at a new life as her own person. Agnes and Liv are both complicated protagonists, and the two perspectives balance each other out and add to the relationships and connecting story in this novel. The backdrops of the Nazi occupation of Norway and the two European blocs of the Cold War are particularly interesting in conversation with each other, as it creates a unique historical connection and setting not often seen in dual timeline historical fiction novels. With incredibly complex and unique characters in a fascinating historical setting, fans of World War II historical fiction and dual timeline novels are sure to enjoy this fascinating novel from Marius Gabriel.

The German Daughter was unputdownable and literally the true definition of staying up into the wee hours of the night to finish . . . As I write this at 4 am! Katalina and Agnes are two sisters who were conceived by two Nazi enthusiasts via a Lebensborn program in Norway during World War II. Three years apart, both Katarina and Agnes know nothing of each other. Separated from their birth mother at birth, they grow up living worlds apart and never knowing of one another. Fate reunites them, but the Berlin Wall threatens to tear them apart forever. I loved this story was told by the viewpoints of all the major characters. Katarina, Agnes, their mother Liv and their father Ulrich. It wasn’t the typical ever chapter switches a point of view, rather the story was told in chronological order by the most ideal character for each part of the story, and it was so cleverly done.

I loved this story because it’s a story of defeat and victory, love and loss, blood and water, faith over fear, retribution and vindication, and bravery amidst daring to hope in the darkest of times.

This is a must-read for World War II fans as well as those who enjoy reading about life in Germany post World War II.

Note: Thank you to NetGalley, EmblaBooks, and Marius Gabriel for the advanced reader copy of the book. What follows is my unbiased review of the book.

Told in a series of flashbacks from 1968 to World War II, The German Daughter raises questions on many levels. From the standpoint of someone who is adopted herself, I have to say that it hit the mark in many ways when it comes to questions of identity and the disorientation one feels when they are displaced in this world. However, there were other parts of the book that made me quite uncomfortable. Maybe that’,s the point? Maybe I’m supposed to feel that way? I’m not sure.

In England in 1968, Agnes, who is a war orphan who was raised by her grandfather whom she calls “Barbar,” learns her life is not what it seems. Rather than being the daughter of Barbar’s son and his wife who were killed in a German bombing raid, she finds part of a letter following his death which seems to indicate he brought her home from Norway as a baby during the war.

This sends Agnes on a hunt for who she really is. She uncovers a dark secret of the Nazi breeding program to create a perfect Aryan race as well as learning she has a full sister a few years older who is currently in East Germany. Karolina did not have the opportunities Agnes did and is currently under the thumb of the Stasi who intend to use her as a prostitute for the state to spy on rich and politically connected men.

I found it easy to like both Agnes and Karolina and to root for them, despite the very different way they were raised. They are forever linked by biology, and also the lonely, isolated lives they lead. The problem I had was with their biological parents and the way they were presented. Both were Nazis and true believers in Hitler and fascism, not just going along to get along while they were in power. Both are also still alive. While their mother, Liv’s, worst crime was believing in fascism and volunteering to help breed the Master Race, their father, Ulrich, was a member of the S.S. He somehow managed to survive a death sentence for crimes during the war.

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The German Daughter seems to want to make both Liv and Ulrich sympathetic, which I had a hard time with. There also seemed to be a redemption arc in there. Liv’s actions didn’t bother me so much. She’s not very likable, but aside from her white Aryan supremacy, her worst crime was being able to live a comfortable life while so many of her countrymen were suffering. Ulrich, however, killed people, and not just during battles. Likewise, he is connected to other characters who were higher-ups in the Nazi Party. These people populate a part of the book where it seems like the author is trying to get us to root for them because they are now helping the girls. I wasn’t crazy about trying to make Nazis sympathetic. It bothered me enough to knock a star off of the rating.

The story is good and flows well with good attention to detail. Marius Gabriel seems to grasp what it’s like to be adopted and search for your identity. You can love the person who raised you, as Agnes does, and still feel the need to know where you come from, even if the truth is pretty ugly. Agnes’ truth is about as ugly as it gets. Both of her parents tell her she was better off being raised how she was, and that’s probably correct, but it still doesn’t cancel the need to know the truth of where you come from.

I liked The German Daughter but it made me uncomfortable by trying to frame Nazis as being redeemable. Perhaps that’s just my take on it and I’m wrong with what the author meant to do, but I have to caution people who think about reading the book that it’s there.

A different take on an Historical WWII novel. I don't think I read anything like it before. I love that author's keep coming up with new ways to tell WWII stories.

In this captivating story, Agnes discovers that her life is built on lies. When her grandfather passes away, she learns that she is not his biological granddaughter. Instead, she finds out she not only has a sister, Karolina, but they both were born under the Lebensborn program—a Nazi initiative to create an Aryan master race. Agnes embarks on a quest to find her mother and Karolina, leading her on a journey from Norway to East Berlin. If you’re a fan of Marius Gabriel’s work, this novel is a must-read. Prepare to be captivated by Agnes’s determination and the secrets waiting to be uncovered.
**Thank you NetGalley, Embla Books, and Marius Gabriel for an eARC of The German Daughter.

A fantastic read that let me into a world recovering from war. A world still filled of hate and turmoil. The German Daughter was an insight into being a child of “breeding”. A story of resilience, sacrifice, bravery, hope and lose. Fascinating, well written, historical novel. 4 stars

I would like to thank Embla Books, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this complimentary copy for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#TheGermanDaughter #NetGalley #Historicalfiction

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. This was a profoundly moving book. Excellently written, I was captivated from the start. Gabriel explores family against the backdrop of postwar Germany, skillfully bringing together different narratives in an emotional story brimming with interest and compassion. Although the chapters exploring Karolina's experience as a Wolfkind immediately following the war seemed unrealistic, purely due to the character's age, I was still gripped throughout.

The German Daughter, all I can say is wow. One of the best books I’ve read in a long time, with great believable characters and a story so interesting you cannot put it down. Set in a dual time of 1945 and 1968 it tells the story of 2 sisters born into a program to fill Germany with pure Aryan people. 2 sisters who have lived very different lives. A harrowing but addictive book. Definitely worth 5⭐️

This is the first Marius Gabriel book that I've read but it certainly won't be the last. I was absolutely captivated by this heartbreaking story from the very first page. It's defiantly a tear jerker so have the tissues at the ready! The story was enthralling and the writing took me right to the very heart of it all. This is an incredible book and I would highly recommend it. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Marius for allowing me to read and review this book!

This is the first novel I've read by Marius Gabriel, and I'll be looking for more! I really enjoyed The German Daughter, and loved learning about yet another aspect of the Nazi regime that I hadn't read about before.
This is a dual-timeline novel set in 1940 and 1968. In 1940, Liv makes a decision that will forever leave her vilified and broken. In 1968, Agnes accidentally uncovers secrets about her past when her grandfather passes away, and so begins a journey that takes her from her hometown in England to Norway & Berlin, where she begins to unravel the dark secrets of her past.
I was so emotionally invested in this story, particularly with Karolina's character, and was just heartbroken at what she endured. The author sucked me right in - I felt every emotion and felt like I was right there with the characters. I'm still thinking about this book over a week after finishing it and I know it's going to stay with me for a long time. There are many facts woven into the story, and I found myself wanting to learn more about the events covered. This was a truly educational journey for me, so many things I had no idea about.

I found a couple of parts a little slow, but overall found it hard to put this book down and I highly recommend it to lovers of historical WW2 fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley, Embla Books, and Marius Gabriel for an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Himmlers attempt to increase the aryan people by having individuals mate for the state. Very different poij t of view for a wwii book. Cannot say I enjoyed reading it. It envoked such a horrible feel within me that I put the book down after several pages. Found it upsetting g and distressing. Perhaps that was the authors attempt. The product of these mating surely had to pay the price. I found it too difficult to read. I added this to my DNF pile of books.

A really enjoyable book, partly set during WW2. Not your average WW2 story however, it added so much more. Very interesting and gripping.

A great WWII story that will be with you long after you finish reading it. A wartime secret forever changes lives. I have read many of Marius Gabriel’s book. They are great!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.