I enjoyed this book, the story is gripping and held my interest. There were times when some parts of the book that didn't make sense to me, but for the most part I was able to follow the story. Max's story is heartbreaking and I found myself feeling so much empathy for what Etta was experiencing. For a mother to see her son breaking right before her eyes is almost unimaginable for me, but it's an accurate portrait of what some soldiers experience when they are forced into brutal combat. Not every personality is equipped to handle that kind of brutality and to come home from war in a very different mental state than when they entered it. I really loved the courage of Etta, her character is vividly detailed and easy to relate to. I loved her from the first page to the last! Her strength, courage and determination is cheer worthy and she's a very relatable character. Her husband Josef is a completely different character and not as endearing because of his personality. His view of the events are much different than Etta's, and as a man his reactions are very different than those of his wife. His love for his children is evident, but he is unable to show his emotions easily. Young Georg is an underdog you can't help but root for. He has more of a softer disposition like his mother, but he finds the courage and strength to embark on a dangerous journey home. This is a very captivating story, even though it tends to drop off at times, it still holds your attention to the end!