Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC (Advance Reader Copy) of When the World Went Silent by Ellie Midwood. This is my third book by this author. This book was a little bit different from the other two by offering a lot of scientific info. It had a bit too much physics for me to totally enjoy the book. The storyline itself was great and I enjoyed it. It was also nice to have a disability highlighted in a unique story. I would recommend this to others and I rated it as a 4 star rating.

A very interesting story about Mina who is brilliant with numbers but who listened using her eyes.
I loved that phrase because I’d never heard deafness described that way.
My eyes did roll back in my head with all the math, numbers, and science information because that has never been nor will, it ever be my forte.
It was quite interesting how Mina navigated through a hearing world back in the 1930-1940s.
It’s a different angle to WWII historical fiction.

When the World Went Silent by Ellie Midwood
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC ebook!

When the World Went Silent by Ellie Midwood is a historical fiction novel set in WWII. I have read many WWII historical fiction novels but this is the first one I have read about physicists in Germany. I appreciate the unique perspective on a very popular topic for these novels.

This was a good book. The story moves along nicely and the characters are easy to root for. I think it provided enough information about the history of the time period for someone to have a good jumping off point to do their own research on the topic. It definitely felt more character focused than history focused to me. That’s not a bad thing, just a note. As a historian and not a scientist, I did feel like I was skimming some of the physics sections just to get through them.

Overall, I am rating this at a 3.5 rounded up to a 4. If you enjoy WWII novels you will probably enjoy this book!

This is my second Ellie Midwood book and although I enjoyed it but I did not enjoy it the same as I Have To Save Them. I do not think it was the writing I think it was the subject matter and physics it contained. I did not connect with the characters in the same way. I look forward to reading other Ellie Midwood books. Expected release date Aug. 9,2024

Thank you Net Galley, Ellie Midwood and Bookouture for the opportunity to preview this title and the opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I enjoyed reading this beautifully written book.

Mina has been deaf since she was five and had since had to work hard and fight for whatever she has now, even being at the university in Austria to study physics.

But when the SS turn up and take her to Berlin, everything changes for her. She’s so scared that the reason for this could be because of her deafness, especially as she’s heard about the euthanasia program.

When she’s informed that the reason she’s brought there is because she has a sharp mind, Mina relaxes and is happy to know she will be working for the government.

I love how the author writes stories about great, strong women. Every book is well written.

I highly recommend this book.

Mina lives in Berlin, it’s 1941, and is an outstanding physicist. Due to going deaf at the age of five, she has to keep it hidden from the Germans.

When the SS take her away, her parents are devastated, as they have no idea where her daughter has been taken or if she is okay.

The Germans want to be the first to make an atomic bomb, but Mina and the team she works with, don’t want this to happen, and try all they can to delay it. If the Germans find out, they will all lose their lives.

This is a beautifully told story, that was emotional at times. It is a romance story as well as historical fiction, which worked well.

The characters were endearing and I found myself on edge a lot throughout the story, worrying about them getting caught.

I tore through the story, it was gripping and held my attention from the start.

My thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a good story. This is a quiet story as it's not set on the frontline or in the concentration camps. This is solely based on the scientists, theorists to be exact, "working" on the atom bomb in Germany during WW2.

It was a solid read and the writing is absolutely gorgeous but I did find myself skimming here and there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookoture for the ARC

WOW! Such a gripping and enthralling historical fiction. It was brutal and heartbreaking and fantastic. I wish everyone would read it. And the fact that our fmc is deaf is a major plus point for me as I don't often see this representation, especially in historical fiction. It made the horrendous crimes of the nazis even worse. I also liked how strong our fmc was and the sweet romance between the couple. Devestating, but fantastic.

I love Ellie Midwoods books and this one was just as good.

I was on the edge of my seat the whole story I was rooting for Mina

Ellie sure knows how to make me feel like I was right there along side Mina the whole time. I loved that despite her disability she was determined and strong. I loved this story and this is one story I won't stop talking about anytime soon.

Thank you Bookouture and Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own and aren't influenced by anyone else.

This is the first book by Ellie Midwood that I’ve read, and I can wait to check out her other works! This is a great telling of a girl who finds herself involved in the race to build an atomic bomb during WWII simply because she has a love for physics. A fascinating, unique look at a part of WWII that was the most secretive, but in the end had the biggest impact. If you like historical fiction, especially about WWII, this is a must read!

Another captivating read from Ellie Midwood. The story got lost in the physics speak at some parts, but overall Mina is a character who is extremely likeable despite her inner turmoil over her part in researching the atomic bomb. I have read many books set during WWII, but never one about the building of the atomic bombs. 3.5 stars out of 5 ⭐️

Mina was deaf, a side effect of the measles she had when she was five. She lived in Austria and was a genius with mathematics and theoretical physics. Her main interest was nuclear physics. Because the Germans considered her “damaged” she had to finish school at home, and pretend to hear when she applied to university. She was picked by the Germans to work with a group of scientists on a uranium project which the military wanted to use to develop an atomic bomb.
When The World Went Silent, by Ellie Milwood, chronicles the delaying tactics used by Mila’s group. The were fearful of what would happen if Germany developed the atomic bomb first. They were not the only ones quietly trying to undermine the Nazi war machine. Whether this is based on factual information or not, it made for an interesting read. Would that everyone was as interested in protecting the innocents as Mika and her friends. I was able to read an AArC on #NetGalley.

When the World Went Silent by Ellie Midwood is an intriguing World War Two story of resilience, determination, and a heroic effort to overcome the growing threats of the Nazi regime. Nina defies the odds as a deaf girl with an insatiable desire to learn about nuclear physics. The SS recruits Nina to work for the government due to her bright scientific mind. The Germans are determined to build an atomic bomb to win the war. Alone and isolated from her Austrian family, Nina reaches out to Siggy her friend from the university. With Siggy’s help, Nina is determined to sabotage the atomic bomb project. Together, these two try to save the world from a devastating catastrophe.
I loved the relationship Nina has with her family and the fact that being deaf does not prove to be disabling. There is a lot of scientific language in the book, and at times, the story lagged a bit due to the elaborate explanations, However, if you are interested in nuclear physics, that part of the story will intrigue you. Overall, the story was engaging and kept my attention. I was on the edge of my seat hoping for Nina and Siggy to achieve their goal! There are some sad moments that will bring you to tears due to the harsh treatment of the Jewish population in Nina’s hometown. The overarching theme of resilience and determination to defeat the odds was beautifully written. I look forward to reading more books by Ellie Midwood.

I found this really interesting and it wasn't a topic that I had really thought about before, so I am glad I took the opportunity to read this. I found it really interesting that it was written in a way that was neuro divergent aware, although I did not know this until I read the afterword but then in hindsight it made sense.
I learnt a lot and it was written in a way that made it accessible and entertaining.

Wow, what a book! I won’t lie I was a bit unsure at first as it felt like it had the potential to be quite dense - I know nothing about science, let alone nuclear physics! But it was very accessible and everything was so well explained. The writing was fantastic and I loved that the focus of the story was Mina and her journey - a beautiful read

When the World Went Silent by Ellie Midwood

Deaf since the age of five, Mina has had to fight for everything she has, including her place at an Austrian university to study physics. She has never felt accepted—until she meets fellow student Siggy, and her heart stops at the kindness in his bright blue eyes.

But Mina’s world comes crashing down when the SS arrive at her door and escort her to Berlin. She’s terrified it’s because of her disability—she’s heard the awful rumours about the Nazi euthanasia program. So relief washes over her when she’s told as one of Germany’s brightest minds, she’s been recruited to work for the government.

Another great book by this talented author. She really seems to get under the skin of her characters.
A brilliant character in Mina, and her fight to stay alive inspite of her disability in a world when it is held against you in the most tragic way.
I love how the author manages to bring us such different stories to her books , thinking up such great , strong in their own individual ways women.
Long may you reign ,!

I wll admit this was not my favorite of the stories. The ending brought from a 3 star to a 4 for me. Theres a lot of 'technical' informtion in this book, and i found myself not reading with my usual speed. As always there is a great lesson to be told within this genre, and a little love thrown in for good measure.

This is my first time reading one of Ellie Midwood’s historical fiction novels, and it won’t be my last. Despite all the physics details and backstory, I was immediately engrossed in this story. I rarely see a new author who entices me to read a book that isn’t in my academic wheelhouse, but When the World Went Silent did just that. I got hooked on the first few chapters. I found myself immersed in the world of the atomic bomb and the characters who fought hard to avoid developing such a weapon of mass destruction, especially in Hitler's Germany. It was such an interesting story angle I couldn’t put the book down, staying up late into the night to finish the tale. Mina, deaf since she was five because of a nasty bout with measles, hears the horror stories of what Hitler wants to do to disabled people from her mother, a nurse, who quits her job when she is told euthanasia is how the Third Reich will deal with disabled newborns. As Mina fears for her life, she becomes trapped in a dilemma between her family's love, Hitler's atrocities, and her deep affection for education, especially physics. When she meets Siggy at university, her world changes as she becomes obligated to help a team of scientists develop the atomic bomb for Germany before the Allies do. As the war rages, Mina falls in love and becomes a member of a team of scientists who fight to keep the bomb out of Hitler’s hands. WWII history is richly woven throughout the story from a unique perspective. Often, we forget to take into consideration the views of many of Germany’s citizens as they are forced to live in Hitler’s clutches. The characters are so real, and I felt like I was walking through the halls of that great university and science center with the main characters. As Mina learns the Nazis want her for her skills in physics and numbers, she finds ways to help her fellow teammates delay the bomb-making for as long as she can. Although the book is long in physics, equations, and science, I realized halfway through that this information was critical to the storyline and well-researched. With a powerful female main character and a few of her male colleagues, Mina’s story appealed to me historically, culturally, and educationally. The plot was well-driven and helped show the intricacies of a society forced to bend to Hitler’s horrors but also to find ways to manipulate and work around his evils.

I couldn’t put the book down as I read late into the night. Ellie Midwood is now on my must-read list of new authors. A full four and a half stars. Thank you to Net Galley, Bookouture, and Ellie Midwood for the opportunity to read this wonderful, free ARC. This review is voluntary and is mine alone.

Ellie Midwood has crafted yet another magnificent novel centered around a powerful, extraordinary, and riveting powerhouse female character. Within this novel we meet Mina Best, an intelligent, bright, and passionate young woman who is following her passion in Austria at the start of World War II: physics. Mina is no stranger to defying odds, as she was left deaf after contracting measles at a young age, Mina knows life is hard. She knows she has to fight for her place in this world. While attending university, Mina unfortunately attracts the attention of the very people she detests most: the Nazi’s. Now she has to fight to stay alive, but come hell or high water, fight is what Mina knows best.

Ellie Midwood does an extraordinary job at showcasing the knowledge of physics as she brings Mina’s character to life page by page. It’s clear that Ellie did her research, just like precious Mina does in the book. The messages behind the novel are powerful, moving, and empowering. I absolutely loved this book!

This book tells the story of Mina who due to an illness as a child left her deaf so she now communicated by reading lips . The germans were rounding up people that they deemed as defective so she decided to try and hide from others the fact that she was deaf. She is a very gifted and talented young girl who has a flair with numbers and physic which is soon noticed by a selct group working on making an atomic bomb .
A good story and would like to keep following the story of Mina.