Wow! Wunderland exceeded all of my expectations. It was unlike any WWII historical fiction that I have ever read. The story focuses on Renate, Ilse, and Ava. Each chapter is told through the POV of one of the main characters. We skip around through time and location, but it always makes sense.
Renate and Ilse are best friends in pre-WWII Germany. After Hitler's rise to power, their friendship is tested when Ilse throws herself wholeheartedly into various government sponsored youth programs and Renate does not. When Renate's family are decreed Jewish, the story takes two directions. We follow both girls lives, and they are awful. Renate's for obvious reasons and Ilse's because it is truly a horror how easily she tows the party line.
The third, but equally important voice is Ava, Ilse's daughter. She provides most of the post-war commentary up to 1989.
Secrets are uncovered, friends are betrayed, and survival is not guaranteed for anyone.
Wunderland is a fantastic, compelling story that I didn't want to put down.

Wunderland by Jennifer Cody Epstein is a fabulous historical fiction novel that interweaves two generations of women. It incorporates Renate and Ilse, two girls that grow up together as one but become separate due to the volatile times of Berlin in the mid-late 1930s and the rise of anti-semitism. It also incorporates the story of Ilse’s daughter Ava, her own life and trials/tribulations in finding herself, her relationship with her own daughter and, the relationship with her mother, Ilse as well.
It is wonderful how Ms Epstein weaves this complicated history and timeframes and interlocks them all seamlessly to tie everything in together to the bittersweet ending.
This book brought out strong emotions for me, made me cry, made me recoil in disgust, made my heart race at times due to fear for what I could place as real people in a real time that experiences these real atrocities. As a Jewish individual, I could feel the fear and hurt as if I was there. Ms Epstein did a wonderful job in recreating these images to us in this generation of a time that should have never been. To create all these emotions takes a stellar author, and I feel that Ms Epstein is just that.
A must read. 5/5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Crown Publishing for this ARC in return for my voluntary, honest, and unbiased review.

The thing about historical novels is that the reader, with the benefit of hindsight, keeps waiting for the next bad thing to happen. This is especially true of historical novels like this one which are set in a time and place where lots of really, really bad things happen. That sense of terrified anticipation, when it’s well done, adds an appropriate layer of tension, and this novel was very well done. It’s one of the reasons I enjoy duel-time-frame historicals — the flash forwards give my nerves a rest. Anyway, great book, highly recommended for fans of the genre.

I want to thank NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the opportunity to review Wunderland.

Second off, this novel stole my heart. As some of my followers know, I'm a sucker for historical fiction. Wunderland stole my heart and broke it throughout this enthralling tale about two inseparable friends, Ilse and Renata. Their friendship is torn during World War II when Ilse joins the Hitler Youth movement, and her involvement grows more in-depth and the lengths Renata takes to be with her friend again (forging papers). The obstacles they face is heart-rendering.

Jennifer Cody Epstein did a phenomenal job with creating this tale between two friends and the dangers that make and break them, as well as revealing the letters written between them. She made Ilse an unlikeable character with her actions. I highly recommend Wunderland to all historical fiction fans.

Wunderland is a powerful story of relationships, whether between mother/daughter or girlfriends. The first chapter was captivating, the next few left me wondering - with big jumps in time, what was going on but after that, I was glued to my kindle...well sorta. Knowing I had some driving to do and with my need to continue reading I grabbed the audiobook (from Scribd) and listened to parts. Finally, in the wee hours of the morning I finished reading. This book got better the deeper I went.

While there are a number of books in the HF WW2 era I don’t recall too many books from the other side. Beginning in 1933 Berlin things are changing and spiraling out of control for these 2 friends. The author vividly showcased the changes as Hilter started to take control, how the youth got caught up in the changing tide. The choices both Ilse and Renate make, have ramifications through the years. Secrets don't always stay buried, it's through a series of letters delivered 50 years later that questions are answered.

Wunderland was a well written, well-researched story, heartbreaking in parts there were twists and turns to keep me on my toes.

At times I struggled with some of Ilse’s actions, she wasn’t an easy person to like. There is more to her years after the war that I would have loved to read about, motherhood for starters.

I'm still giving this book 5 stars for the captivating and unique storyline. It's an emotional story and one that will stay with me for a long time. Wunderland is a book I highly recommend.

My thanks to the publisher (via Netgalley) for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ava gets a package from her estranged mother, Ilsa....only to discover she has passed. The package is letters that her mother had written to Renate and Epstein takes us back to Germany and World War 2 when Renate and Ilsa attending school together. Deep complicated book at gives a close personal view of Germany at the beginning of the war. When 2 girls are just going to school and stopping for treats on the way home......and then Hitler started with new party lines and rejecting the Jews.....so what happens to the two little girls.

Can't say I enjoyed reading Wunderland but I really appreciate seeing the war from these little girls eyes and how it changed their lives forever. Great job Jennifer Cody Epstein.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it

Epstein has marvelously woven three generations of women into one moving, character-driven story with her latest, Wunderland. Readers are first introduced to Ava and Sophie (mother and daughter) in New York City, after Ava has just learned that her mother, Ilse von Fischer, has passed away. Ava and Ilse had a strained relationship, so when Ava opens the letters that Ilse left for her, years of history and explanations start to reveal themselves. Epstein then introduces us to Ilse's childhood best friend, Renate Bauer and her family, who remained close friends until Renate found out that she wasn't wholly German, but half Jewish. The way that Epstein describes Kristallnacht through the lens of a teenager and what happened during that period of history was moving to say the least. While I did love this novel, I'm left to wonder -- why is this novel titled Wunderland? Their area of Germany may have been a wonderland while they were children, but with all of the horrors that infiltrated it, did the characters create their own "wunderland" by the end of the novel? Maybe they did, but now it's your job to decide.

Wunderland is a must read. A friendship is destroyed by war and the Nazi movement. This story is told in different timelines and from different characters. The characters are strong and well defined. I learned so much about Germany leading up to the war and how people were drawn in to the Nazi movement. This book was heartbreaking and haunting at times. I look forward to reading more of the author’s work. Many thanks to Crown Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a powerful read. It started out slow, and I almost put it down, but I'm so glad I kept with it. This book is going to stick with me for a while, and I definitely recommend reading it!

Thank you #NetGalley for an early review copy!

This one had a slow start. I actually started it months ago, but just couldn't get into it until this past weekend. It takes off around page 80 or so and doesn't let up until near the end.

Wunderland explores the indoctrination of children into the Nazi party — how just a few whispered words can destroy friendships and separate families, and in the end, the lies we tell ourselves when forgiveness can not be given.

I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This one could break your heart. It's the story of Ilse, Renate, and Ilse's daughter Ava. The weakest sections of the book are those featuring Ava in New York City, which is unfortunate because that's how this starts- when Ava receives her mother's ashes and a set of letters Ilse wrote to Renate. Power through and you will be richly rewarded with the tragic tale of two girls in Nazi Germany- Ilse, the Aryan, and Renate the "half breed" who did not even know that her father was born Jewish. Their story is intermingled with Ava's, which moves backward in time (an odd but effective device) to her time in an orphanage where she was placed after the deaths of her grandparents because her mother was not present. Ava's story is about searching for her father- her mother has always hidden his identity. Ilse and Renate's is about how Nazi fervor destroyed not only their friendship but also Germany. It's beautifully written and quite engaging. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I've read a lot of WWII fiction but this stood out for the intense and unique nature of Renate and Ilse's situations. Two thumbs up and a highly recommend.

Wunderland by Jennifer Cody Epstein is the kind of historical fiction novel that I like best; it truly transports you and makes you feel that you are witnessing all that occurs within its pages. With richly drawn, fully developed, fully human characters, Epstein’s powerful descriptions and ability to skillfully bring both mundane and horrific events to life, this is a book that historical fiction lovers won’t want to miss!

The books centers on the effects of living in Germany during WWII on Renate and Ilse, childhood best friends until politics, fear and betrayal severs their friendship forever. The story is told in each of their voices as well as that of Ava, Ilse’s daughter.

The story opens with Ava, in 1989, receiving packages from her estranged mother’s lawyer stating that her mother died a month ago, and that Ilse wanted Ava to have her ashes, as well as letters she had written through the years. Ilse had always been aloof and cold towards her daughter, and as Ava reads the letters, she finds a woman she never knew, one who held many secrets and much pain.

The book is a bit confusing in that the chapters in Ava’s voice go backward in time from 1989 to 1946, while the chapters for Renate and Ilse move forward from 1933, making it a bit of a challenge for the reader, but worth the effort.

I loved seeing the relationship between Renate and Ilse change, and watching the insidiousness of complacency and compliance grow as the war progressed, bringing out both the best and worst of people. The horrific scenes and occurrences are burned into my mind.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for allowing me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I loved this book!! I give it 4.5 stars. The book alternated between Ilse and Renate during the 1930s in Germany and Ava in 1989 in New York City. My favorite parts were about Ilse and Renate. They were the best of friends until the Nazi party comes between them. Renate was definitely my favorite character. I loved reading about her and her family. I can't imagine what school was like for her. It's hard to believe people really acted that way. I felt the complete opposite about Ilse. She was a horrible human being and had no redeeming qualities. Ilse didn't know what it was to be a friend or a mother. I had no good feelings about her. The scene with the baker was truly awful.

The book had me feeling every emotion. It was beautifully written. I loved the story, characters and writing style. I look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Crown Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4.5 STARS - Wunderland is a Historical Fiction page-turner that brings readers into the lives of two teenage friends, Ilse and Renate, who have vastly different perspectives and experiences during World War II.

The story begins in 1989, shortly after Ilse's death, when her daughter, Ava unearths Ilse's long-held secrets. The story then heads back in time, to Berlin in the late 1930's when Ilse and her best friend Renate are teenagers. It's through the bond of these two young women that we get varying views of the war and witness the disintegration of their friendship and the reasons for it.

What made this book stand out from the many, MANY WWII Historical Fiction books I've read, is how Epstein vividly describes what life was like for German citizens leading up to and including WWII. She describes the rise of the Nazi regime and their horrific methods of growing their power and shows how some German citizens began to believe the propaganda and felt justified when they participated in fear mongering and terror of their own neighbours. She also reveals the dire restrictions, discrimination and abuse Jewish families faced from their own government as well as the pitiful aid from other countries as they tried to flee.

While there's a fair bit of jumping back and forth between time lines (and one that I was less invested in), in the end, Wunderland is an engaging read with story lines that merge into an incredibly revealing look at the rise of Nazism within Germany. But ultimately, the focus on the poignant, heart-wrenching tale about a complicated friendship, long-held secrets, loss and betrayal is what will keep readers glued to the pages.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Crown Publishing for providing me with a complimentary digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Motherhood, friendship and war. I LOVE books like this and have for most of my life.

There's a way to tell these stories, to recreate this world where each point of pain is felt, each heartbreak brings you to tears. Wunderland does this.

1933 - Renate and Ilse are the closest of friends until Ilse's involvement with the Hitler Youth put this friendship under strain.

1989 - Ilse and her daughter Ave had struggled in their relationship for many years. Ilse's death brings a lot of unsent letters to her childhood friend Renate. Who is Renate?

Wunderland is the story of Ilse and Renate, and Ava's discovery of who her mother really was.

Thank you to netGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

It seems lately that there are a bunch of new books in the vein of WWII and female childhood friends. I am a fan of WWII themed stories. While, I did like this book, I did find that it fell flat some with me. This is because for these types of stories to truly work; so that you can appreciate them to the fullest, you have to for that strong emotional connection towards the characters. I experienced a luke warm bond. In fact, it was the past with Ilse and Renate that I was drawn to the most. The present with Ava did not draw me in as much.

To be honest, it did seem that the past was more of the focal point of the book. It is where the story began in the first place. It is not hard to imagine the strain that Ilse and Renate's friendship was stretched living in their time. I don't know if anyone would have done anything differently in Ilse's situation. Overall, I may not have loved this book but I did like it

This was a great read. The main story is told from letters written by Ilse, given to her daughter after she had passed and switches between time frames of four women, Ilse, Renate, Ava and Sophie. We follow along the lives of the main characters, Ilse and Renate (best friends from childhood) as they take very different paths during WWII since Renate is found to have Jewish lineage. Then we switch back to the younger years and livelihood of Ava, Ilse’s daughter, her troubled youth caused by her mother’s actions and as she finally learns the truth of who her father was by reading these letters written by her mother.
This is a story of love, hate, secrets, lies, miss-understandings, bad choices, sacrifices and not learning from mistakes done unto you. The research done for this story was impeccable from what I could tell, of course I am not a historian, but it was all very believable. Sometimes going from the letters of Ilse to Ava’s adventures was a bit confusing but all and all this is a very good story. Learning of the methods of the Hitler youth training (Girl Scouts) was especially interesting.
The ending tidies up all the loose ends and makes it all worth it and is very well done. I highly recommend, even though I still can’t figure out how Wunderland would be the title. I must have missed something along the way.
I was given an advanced copy from Crown Publishing through Net Galley for my honest review, this one gets 5*****’s.

Wunderland is a beautifully written story about two friends, Renate and Ilse, and their struggle to fit and survive during time in Germany, when Nazism was growing and spreading like wildfire. Both girls face impossible and horrifying situations. They have to make choices with which consequences they will have to live for the rest of their lives. This was a hard book to read for me. I have connected with both, Renate and Ilse, on a personal and emotional level and reading their stories was heart wrenching at times. I loved Renate’s character and I rooted for her and her family, while I tried so hard to understand Ilse’s choices and actions. It is so easy to dislike Ilse and all she stands for. Her actions and her way of justifying them was making me sick and uncomfortable. There were times when I had to put the book down, and reflect on what I just read. The things we tell ourselves and the things we lie about to make our crimes bearable are astonishing. However, Ilse’s justification for her actions was always “sacrifices have to be made”, which is so unnerving and horrifying when those sacrifices affect other people’s lives and many times are death and life situations.

I have read many historical fiction books and it gets to be a little challenging now to find a book that will introduce a new insight into the WWII time period. Wunderland surprised me with a new perspective and I was completely engrossed in the story. I highly recommend this book to all historical fiction genre readers.

Thank you Netgalley, Crown Publishing, and the author, Jennifer Cody Epstein, for giving me an opportunity to read an ARC of this brilliant book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Epstein’s new novel is a heart-wrenching and unflinching story of friendship and betrayal. The story unfolds via three different narratives. The first two are Ilse and Renate and the third is Ilse’s daughter Alva. Ilse and Renate’s stories, told from 1935 through 1939 in Berlin at the start of the rise of Hitler and his Nazi party, relate the rise of anti-Semitic sentiments and the indoctrination of Germany’s youth into Hitler’s plans. Ava’s story runs backwards from the present in New York City to 1946 when she is in a German orphanage awaiting the return of a mother she doesn’t remember.
Ilse and Renate are teen-age girl and best friends. Ilse has joined the Hitler female youth or BDM, but when it is revealed that Renate and her brother Franz are Mischlings or half Jews, there friendship falls apart. As events escalate in Berlin and Jews are pushed farther and farther out of society, Renate’s fate becomes clear, while Ilse’s embrace of Nazism and nationalism causes her to act in unspeakable ways.
Alva’s story takes her from being a new mother in New York City, back through a confusing and often painful past. Her mother will not talk about her years in the war, nor will she reveal anything about Alva’s father.
The raw and real depiction of the effects of “man’s inhumanity to man” upon the Jewish population in Germany is often excruciating and difficult to read. Epstein present’s the characters and events realistically and holds nothing back. There is no “true, happy ending” for these three women. Their lives were affected by Hitler and his racism, and while they may have been able to move on, they have not forgotten their pasts.
Wunderland will leave you breathless and stay with you for hours and days afterward. A wonderful read for lovers of historical fiction and literary fiction, this will be a thought-provoking novel for book clubs everywhere.

A well written, engrossing novel. Good insight into human nature, the gestation of hate and evil, and how the unthinkable can become reality,
as well as some lessons for us today. Although the action shifts among the 1930s, 70s, and late 80s, as long as you pay attention to the sub headings, it does not get confusing and is an effective way for the story to unfold. I highly recommend it.