Wow! Good one! It's about the hidden children during WWII who are put into convents or given to countryside farmers not knowing they are Jewish. And..... in Hoffman fashion a bit of magic is worked in when Jewish women conjure a golem to watch over a teenage girl as she makes her way to safety. The women in the story are strong characters and I was totally captivated. Loved it!

I have always been a fan of Alice Hoffman so when I heard she was releasing a new novel, I had to get my hands on it.
This novel was quite unexpected and I enjoyed the content. Although a little slow in some parts it is a great read!

I've read quite a bit of WW2 historical fiction over the years and was a bit apprehensive about finally starting this one because they always leave me a bit more broken than when I started. I'm so glad I finally set aside my concerns and read this. As with all Alice Hoffman books, The World That We Knew was filled with beautiful, magical prose, weaving together a powerful story about love and survival. I knew absolutely nothing about Jewish folklore going into this one and loved how Hoffman so seamlessly incorporated it into the novel. I highly highly recommend this one for fans of historical fiction and/or magical realism.

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the egalley of this book.

What a magical novel! Set during WWII, this is a story of powerful women, the ties that bind mothers and daughters, and the bravery of the human spirit in the face of hardship. This story is so rich and multilayered, it really pulls you in to the world in which it takes place, a world that feels both real and otherworldly at the same time.

Parts of this are so beautiful and parts are so weird. In fact, I almost didn’t finish it because in the beginning I just didn’t think that world war historical fiction could really mix with magical realism. In the beginning, it really didn’t. And while I kept reading and am glad I didn’t quit, this book is certainly not for everyone.

When I started the book, I was listening to the audio, and that proved problematic in this particular situation. There were too many characters to keep up with and it moved between them so seamlessly that I just could keep up in audio. So I switch the reading instead and that worked much better for me.

Hoffman’s writing itself is magical. And her characters are undeniably beautiful.

There is symbolism - particularly that of the heron – in The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman that I still do not understand. The magical realism of the golem, the heron, and the angel of death lends an unusual tone to a story of war and the Holocaust. The book remains a memorable story of war but ultimately leaves a lasting impression of love and is even more so the very human emotional story of a creature who is not created as human.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2020/04/the-world-that-we-knew.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

Beautifully written book that blends fact and fiction. Perfect for the current environment of hardships and distance. Thank you for the review copy.

I enjoyed this beautifully written mix of magical realism and historical fiction. I loved the pacing and the characters. The story was unique but filled with love and loss.

I would recommend this one even if you’re not generally a fan of magical realism. Hoffman does such a great job blending that aspect into the story, you almost forget about it at times.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this. I will be posting a full review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram.

I’ve wanted to read an Alice Hoffman novel for ages, and I’m so glad I finally have. The writing was beautiful, moving, and heart-wrenching. Her characters were vividly real, even the minor ones. Even though it’s multiple POVs and the movie jumped in place and time, it was never difficult to keep track of what was going on.

Magical realism is not my thing. But I strongly enjoyed the elements of magical realism in this book and thought they worked flawlessly.

The ending was beautiful and satisfying, without being saccharine. This was a strongly written novel by an incredibly talented author and I cannot wait to read more of her works. I regret it took me so long to get to it.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my complimentary copy.

I was provided an e-arc from netgalley to read and review

I unfortunately missed the opportunity to read

Hoffman is one of my favorite authors. This book employs the creation of the Golem, a Jewish mystical creature
whose function is to protect.
I especially thought Hoffman did an excellent job describing the plight of the Jewish population during Hitler's times in this book. The horrors, deprivations, and sense of abandonment were right on target. However, the mystical aspects of the Golem didn't quite work in this book, as it did in all of her others.

I tried to get into this one but it was just too slow for me. I think historical fiction fans who don’t mind a slow burn with enjoy.

Beautifully written Historical Fiction about the Nazi occupation of Europe, and the people fighting for truth and freedom, with a bit of magic sprinkled in. This story filled my heart with both joy and sorrow. It is definitely on my list of books to re-read in the future.

Alice Hoffman's The World That We Knew defies categorization. It's a WW2 story. It's Jewish folklore. It's mystical. I can't explain other than just to say "read it". You won't be sorry.

I just could not get into this book. I'm putting it down and going to try again. I really like this author and have read many of the previous books so not sure what the problem is with this one

Okay, this one was my own fault. I went into this expecting a WWII Holocaust story and was not expecting magical realism with a Golem.

Magical realism is NOT my thing at all! If it is yours then definitely pick this one up!

While the story was interesting enough to keep me fairly engaged. I wasn't really attached at any point just because of the magical realism. I couldn't fully engage which is annoying! This definitely pulls on your heartstrings, but unfortunately my heartstrings were a bit broken due to not being able to fully immerse myself in the story.

High praise for the writing though! Hoffman is a master of prose and writes beautifully.

This is definitely a case of it was me and not the book!

Again, if you like magical realism I definitely recommend!

*This review was posted on Goodreads and Amazon*

1941 Berlin is a deathtrap for Jews, and some recognized it was a now or never moment to escape. The daughter of a respected Rabbi, in contrast to her parents, was one of these, and another was a Jewish mother who would not leave her bedridden mother behind, but was determined sacrifice in order to secure passage out of Germany for her only daughter. This entailed approaching the wife of the Rabbi about the creation of a Golem to protect her daughter. The theme of survival and staying alive is ever present throughout this tense plot, which carries the reader from Berlin, through Germany, and into Paris, and the countryside of France. The weaving of the characters' voices, their loves, their fears, and their courage are perfectly integrated with magical realism-- a dancing heron who is in love with the Golem, and the Angel of Death who lurks in every home, and every crevice. Definitely a book to be read and read again.

Thank you to #netgalley and @simonandschuster for this copy of The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman. Wow, where to I begin with this book. I guess if I were to describe this book in one word it would be anguish. I haven’t read a book this depressing since A Little Life! And that’s a lot to say. ⁣
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This book was set in the 1940s during the world war 2 era. So, I was expecting a sad book because of the Holocaust but I wasn’t expecting THIS much despair, death and grief. It was as if the book was just made to tear every tear out of you.⁣
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This book was very well written and extremely intricate, but I’m not sure I am the correct audience for it. This is my first experience reading magical realism. I can’t say if it was done good or not but I can say that it was oddly done with the subject of the Holocaust.⁣
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I want to give this book a 4 because I think for the right audience this book is exceptional and multi-dimensional .The characters were well developed and the story was complex and intertwined really well written. I fell hard for  the Golem and really felt for her even though circumstances wouldn’t allow her to feel, there was still some emotions attached.⁣
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I’m surprised this book isn’t more acclaimed and I blame it in part to the subject matter. Readers of historical fiction may not be the same readers of magical realism and this is what leaves this odd feeling after reading the book. It’s odd to say the least but very well written⁣! Alice did a wonderful job in her research. Couldn't imagine the amount of research she did for this.
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Ok those are my feelings. It’s as if this book was made for a really specific reader. There you go, a VERY specific reader! Have any of you read this one?⁣
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Alice Hoffman is a wizard when it comes to magical realism. To the point where just about every otherworldly instance feels like it’s completely logical. This isn’t your everyday, run-of-the-mill WWII novel. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking and will get under your skin in the best possible way.