While not quite what I was expecting, The Porcelain Maker is beautiful and sad. A wistful portrait of the cost of art in war, and what we do to protect even the chance of a future with those we love.
I’d known about some of the art that was produced in various camps in WWII, but I hadn’t been aware of the prevalence of porcelain as a collectible among the Axis powers, so that part was fascinating.
Overall I’d recommend this one to fans of historical fiction and others who are curious about the history of art produced in wartime.

I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher, all opinions are my own and a review was not required.

Bettina and Max are at the start of their careers. Max is an architect and Bettina is a painter. Their love is strong and powerful and it shows in their work. But, with the rise of Nazism, their lives are forever changed. Max is taken away to Dachau and Bettina is forced into a marriage to an SS officer.

I love the dual timelines. The author creates such a great family mystery. This story begins with Clara trying to find out who her real father is. Her mother has kept this a secret her whole life. Since her mother has died, Clara is left to try and put the pieces of the puzzle together.

The story flashes back and forth between Bettina’s struggle to escape the Nazis and save Max and Clara’s struggle to find the truth. And it all boils down to the unique porcelain figurines that Max created in Dachau’s porcelain factory.

The narrator, Kristin Atherton, is amazing. She hit all the right intonations and emotions. This book could not have been narrated any better.

Need a powerful tale which will have your emotions all over the place…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

This story toggles between two timelines. In the 1990s, Clara is searching for the identity of her father, which was kept a secret from her. During World War II, Max and Bettina struggle to stay together as a family as Nazi Germany is on the rise. 

This book is beautifully written with rich details and a creative storyline. The author truly has a way with words.  It's also apparent it's well researched.  For me, though, it didn't hit the mark.  It was hard for me to connect with the characters or stay interested in the story.  It was something I struggled to pick up and finish.  I powered on to see if it would get better.  I think part of what was lost on me was that there was almost no point in telling the earlier storyline because you were able to figure out what happened already in the more present timeline pretty easily.  I also found the timeline with Clara a little more interesting.  I just could not get interested in Max and Bettina's love story.  It seemed more boring than epic. The author shows a lot of promise, and this is decent for a debut novel. If you're interested in a slower paced romance about World War II, then give this one a try.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Absorbing, sincere, and expressive!

The Porcelain Maker is a rich, engaging tale predominately set in Germany from the mid-1920s through WWII, as well as 1993, that takes you into the lives of two main characters. Bettina Vogel, a young woman who, through determination and resilience, uses her artistic talents to help the resistance and stay as close to the one she loves as she possibly can; and Clara Vogel, a middle-aged mother who, after her mother’s passing decides with the help of her daughter to embark on a journey to discover the true identity of her father who seems to have had a connection to the acclaimed porcelain maker of Dachau.

The prose is eloquent and well-turned. The characters are lonely, strong, and brave. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unravel seamlessly into a heartfelt saga of life, loss, secrets, surprises, separation, heartbreak, betrayal, desperation, tragedy, survival, danger, friendship, the horrors of war, and enduring love.

Overall, The Porcelain Maker is an evocative, sentimental, moving debut by Freethy with compelling characters that I devoured from start to finish and one which I highly recommend for anyone who loves a well-written WWII time-slip tale.

DNF This book was just not for me. I've read lots of books set during WWII , but this just made me feel uncomfortable even before the war or any of the concentration camp actually started. Again, I have read books that have a lot of sadness and details about the camps, so I do enjoy this era just not this book.

Sarah Freethy's beautifully written, powerful, and moving debut, THE PORCELAIN MAKER, is a heartbreaking story of love, loss, courage, betrayal, and art of two lovers caught at the crossroads of history. Meticulously researched and inspired by an actual porcelain factory in Dachau.

Germany, 1929 We meet two young artists, Max Ehrlich, a skilled Jewish architect from Austria, and Bettina Vogel, a celebrated avant-garde artist.

Their romance begins and leads them to Berlin. They are madly in love. They do not want to be apart when the threat of the Nazis is looming and the rise of Adolf Hitler.

Max is arrested and sent to a concentration camp at Dachau. While there, he uses his talent for making exquisite porcelain figures.

Desperate to save Max, Bettini risks it all to rescue him and escape Germany. All the while, his parents are still living in Vienna, not sure what to do. Both find themselves doing something they are not passionate about to survive. Germans disliked Bettina's unusual art. Max is doing what he can and hopes they can reunite.

America, 1993 (Dona, Cincinnati): A daughter's search for the truth in search of her father to unlock her past.

Clara Vogel-Erlich, Bettina's daughter, embarks on a journey to trace her roots and determine the identity of her father. Her mother has kept this from her, and she does not understand. After her mom passes, she is determined to find her father. She knows he made porcelain in a factory near Dachau. She must find The Viking.

The narrative consists of dual timelines from the two main characters' POVs, Bettina and Clara, starting in 1929 and ending in the summer of 1994, Munich (Epilogue).

The author transports us to the darkness of Nazi Germany as Clara digs further, questioning why her mother chose to leave the truth of her past behind.

THE PORCELAIN MAKER is a captivating story that spans decades from WWII to 21st-century America. The author seamlessly weaves two timelines for an unforgettable journey, uncovering acts of loss, love, courage, talent, and survival.

At the center of the novel is art— from secrets, loss, romance, and mystery. GRIPPING! A stunning debut for fans of historical fiction.

I read the e-book and listened to the audiobook, narrated by Kristin Atherton, and her voice was utterly captivating!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for an advanced reading and listening copy.

Blog Review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Nov 7, 2023
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I honestly had a very hard time getting into this book. I usually love split fiction but was unable to follow this story line. I don’t know if it was me or the writing because this is my usual type of book. I finally finished it yesterday and I honestly don’t even remember the ending right now. I really struggled with this review. I wouldn’t be turned off from trying other books by this author but this book was a swing and a miss for me.

I saw it on a front display at barnes and noble yesterday so hopefully it will win for someone else.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

I struggled with the book's writing style. I did not connect with the two lovers (Bettina, a modern German painter, and Max, an Austrian Jew studying architecture). Their romance felt forced. Their lives were overturned by the Nazi takeover of Germany. I thought their story would be more cohesive without the added search in the 1990s by their daughter's attempt to identify her father and his fate. I would have enjoyed it more if the characters of Bettina and Max had been given more depth and centred entirely on their struggles and their outcomes.

I found the art history very interesting, especially the Bauhaus movement for clean lines in architecture and design, and how modern emotionally influenced painting styles became labelled degenerative in favour of the romantic realism of the Nazis. The porcelain factory in Allach, Germany, later using slave labour from the Dachau concentration camp, was fascinating. The art and architecture, including the porcelain figurines, sent me searching for photos and more information on the internet. Himmler's obsession with Allach porcelain made the figurines desired by the Nazi regime, and they command very high prices today.

I thought the story worked very well when it focused on the art, and that part was of great interest to me. The evil and terror of the Nazi regime and how it destroyed or ended the lives of countless people,
I felt was better done in other non-fiction and historically-based fiction books I have read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read the ARC. The Porcelain Maker is due to be published on November 7.

This work of historical fiction uses alternating timelines to tell its story. The first begins in 1925 Germany from Berlin to Dachau, where two artists (Bettina and Max) fall in love and try to survive. Then 1993 and a daughter desperately seeking a father she never knew. Her only clues are to follow their artwork left behind.
An actual porcelain factory in Dachau is the setting where Jewish artists would churn out pieces of art favored by the Nazi command. As I knew little of this it put a different slant on the history.
This is an emotional debut novel where so many sacrifices were made for love. Yet art somehow shines a light through the horror. Thank you Netgalley and St Martins Press.

I loved this! Sarah Freethy writes so beautifully it felt like I was reading an old black and white movie, which was so endearing and really put you in that time period with them. I stayed up way too late at the end, putting it down wasn’t an option. This is her first novel and I hope it’s not her last! Thank you to @stmartinspress, @sarah.freethy and @netgalley for my copy!

4 interesting history stars

Did you know there was a porcelain factory at Dachau? I had no idea, and I learned that porcelain figurines were highly coveted by the top Germans and bestowed as gifts. The factory capitalized on the labor of camp prisoners.

There are two timelines in this one. The earlier one features Bettina, a talented artist, and her love story with Max, a Jewish architect. The pair hopes that the political situation will resolve and that they can continue their art and romance. As you might predict, that was not meant to be, and Max is sent away, landing at Dachau and the porcelain factory.

Meanwhile, Bettina is forced to create art that is found “more pleasing” and does her part for the resistance. She plots to escape Germany with Max.

The other storyline is more contemporary as Bettina’s daughter searches for clues about her unknown father and tracks down rare porcelain. As she unravels the past, we get the truth about what happened all those years ago.

This is the debut novel from this author, and I look forward to more historical fiction from her.

A story of great love and strong family bonds. Clara goes on a journey after the death of her mother to discover who her father is. It is told from the the voice of several characters and spans different eras. The setting spans Nazi Germany, 90’s America and Europe. The story is emotionally charged as Clara discovers all the hidden reasons her mother never disclosed who her father was. It is a great book to curl up on the couch with.

The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy is a romance set in the unsettled world of Germany/Austria in the 1930’s. Bettina Vogal is an aspiring artist. She is in love with Max Ehrlich, a Jewish architect. As Germany falls increasingly under the influence of Hitler, Bettina and Max make plans to leave for America. When Max is arrested, a pregnant Bettina must do what is necessary as she waits the birth of her daughter and for the return of Max. She must find a safe haven for her and Max’s child. Meanwhile in 1993, the discovery of a photograph taken in 1941 takes the reader on an adventure of discovery with Clara, Bettina’s daughter and granddaughter, Lotte. Together they struggle to discover what Bettina’s life was like during that perilous time, what happen to the people in the photograph, who is the owner of a porcelain figure called Viking and the identify of Clara’ father. An interesting read. I would recommend this book.

This beautifully written historical fiction is set during World War II and the implementation of Hitler’s Final Solution. Two young and highly talented artists, Bettina and Max, meet and begin a whirlwind romance which inadvertently takes them into the mouth of the lion, the city of Berlin.
Bettina is safe, but Max is Jewish and it doesn’t take long for him to be reported and sent to Dachau. The only surviving grace for Max is his extraordinary talent with designing porcelain. Because of this, he’s allowed to work in the shop and survive slightly better than the other inmates.
Bettina pretends to move on with her life, when in reality she is doing whatever it takes to bring herself closer to Max, including marrying a German officer.
We follow these two, each as much in love as the day they met, while they do whatever little is possible to be close and survive the terrors of war. Tense, sensitive, and full of highs and lows, their love story could easily have happened in reality.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is November 7, 2023.

The Porcelain Maker
By Sarah Freethy

This is a story of love – a love which began in the early days of the Nazi takeover in Germany and the holocaust. Max Erlich is an Austrian Jew studying architecture in Germany. Bettina Vogel is a painter of German extraction, from a family of Nazi sympathizers. In fact, her cruel and sadistic brother became a member of the SS.

Max and Bettina met in artistic circles and fell deeply in love. As conditions in Germany deteriorated, they planned to escape the country, but were thwarted by Bettina's brother. Max ended up in Dachau, leaving Bettina alone and pregnant. The couple lived through many ups and downs while the 3rd Reich continued to perpetrate atrocities.

But the second part of the story revolves around Max and Bettina's grown daughter, Clara, and her daughter, Lotte, and their search for answers – and the truth about what really happened in the end. Finally they are able to locate the one person who can set the record straight. What they learn will leave them with as many questions as answers.

This is a very moving tale about the horrors during World War II. It is worth a reader's time to gain some understanding of the things that went on.

I really enjoyed this dual timeline book that started in 1993 when Clara Vogel went to an auction house in Cincinnati to buy porcelain figurines that came from a certain porcelain factory during World War II. The story then goes to Germany in 1925 where artist Bettina Vogel is starting to be known for her abstract artwork. Bettina meets Max Ehrlich and they fall in love. Max is Jewish and Bettina is not. Clara Vogel is a divorced mom who is on a quest to find out who her father is. Clara's daughter, Lotte, helps her mom search for the truth.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this wonderful story that kept me up way too late. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves WWII Historical Fiction.

For an author’s debut novel, I think she did well. As a person who reads a lot of historical fiction during the time of WWII, I came away expecting more. The storyline was original and enjoyable, but I think more character depth would have made it better, especially for Clara and Lotte. Overall, I do recommend it and look forward to reading more by Ms. Freethy.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the complimentary copy of this book – coming out 11/7. As always, the opinions expressed within this review are completely my own.

I love a debut. And I especially love it when there are two POV that span over decades to see the vibrations of generational pain. It allows me to see the connections that happen that last from one person to another. In ‘present’ time, you have Clara who is seeking the truth about who her father was and all she has are some porcelain figurines. Flashing back to Nazi Germany are two young artists (Max and Bettina) who as an architect and painter find themselves fighting to survive..

I’ve read a lot of debuts and have visited Dachau’s concentration camp more than 10x when we lived in Germany. The book speaks to those horrors but also tries to maintain a forbidden love story within total destruction.

It was a good debut. I always feel weird saying I liked pieces that take place in those camps because it’s not the pain I want to experience as a reader, it’s that I never want to forget each persons voice. And that is why I will always read WWII HF or memoirs.. each book has a different spotlight and allows a voice to be heard.

Congrats on your debut

This is a beautifully written story. The story goes between WWII and 1993. It's intriguing and poignant. It is a little on the long side and was slow at times. It is a difficult subject, especially with things that are currently happening in the world. If you enjoy historical fiction, this is for you.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read The Porcelain Maker.
When Clara’s mother Bettina died, Clara thought the last chance to find out the truth about her father had died as well. Then a little known clearing house contacted her to let her know that a porcelain figurine, which she had put on a watch, had surfaced. The search for her father had now begun in ernest.
In the story by debut author, Sarah Freethy, we are plunged into pre WWII Europe following aspiring artist, Bettina and up-and-coming architect Max as their romance blossoms. Fast forward to 1993 Clara and her daughter Lotte try to put the pieces of Bettina’s life in order to once and for all determine who her father really was.
Told in dual timeline form this was a good effort, it kept me reading until the end were it seemed to be hastily put together. It left me with some questions of how the characters all came to be as told in the epilogue.