This is historical fiction with a dual timeline during WWII and the 1990s. While this novel does cover the story of people affected by WWII, the main concentration is about art during WWII. Bettina and Max are artists, and Max is Jewish. Max is taken prisoner and is assigned to work in a porcelain factory in Dachau. Bettina, who is pregnant with Max's child must do what she can to protect the child, Clara.

The characters were not as developed as they are in other WWII novels, instead focusing on the porcelain factory and the pieces that were made there by Max. The 1990s timeline focuses on Clara, who is seeking to find out who her father was. The novel ends with Clara finding out who her father is, but there is a lot of information lacking, as the period from the end of the war to the 1990s is left out, and there were some questions about what happened during this time.

I am a historical fiction fan, but this book did not hold my interest as much as other historical fiction novels. Perhaps it was because of the focus more on art than the characters.

I received an ARC of The Porcelain Maker in exchange for an honest review.

A dual time line- although focused on the WWII era- that will appeal to fans of the genre. Clara, daughter of Max and Bettina is looking for answers about her heritage which is linked to porcelain produced in concentration camps. Max and Bettina had a great love before the Nazis took over, a love that transcends the situation they find themselves in. This was most interesting to me for the incorporation of the art and the porcelain although the characters are also engaging. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I haven’t read a book in a long time that I finished and then wanted to immediately research more about the history of the story. I have read a tremendous amount of Holocaust books but never heard of the Allach Porcelain Factory in Dachau.

Sarah Freethy’s debut novel reads like she has been writing historical fiction for years. It is exceptional. I devoured this book in a few days. The characters are unforgettable. Bettina is a German artist and Max is a Jewish architect. Their journey is full of love, passion for heir work and an undeniable strength to live and keep each other alive. Through the porcelain figurines that hey create they want to show the world what is really going on at Dachau.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It is a must read.

It's hard to believe that there could possibly be any new story angle to WWII and the Nazi concentration camps, but this is one of them.

In this interesting debut novel, readers will learn about the creation of fine porcelain figures in Germany during WWII under the direction of the leader of the SS, Heinrich Himmler.

The author takes a dual timeline approach to the story surrounding the fictional lives of Max, a young Jewish architect, and Bettina, a budding German artist, who are drawn together by the art scene in Germany in 1929. In America, in 1993, it is Bettina's daughter Clara who becomes the focus of the other part of the timeline, as she is trying to find the father she never knew.

The story doesn't spend much time on the atrocities and the hellacious period in the concentration camps, which I was glad, but it does touch on the raw emotions involved in being separated from those we love, and the bravery involved in making unpopular decisions that may lead to the death of a loved one or oneself. I felt that the author did a great job of building the tension around these events.

Inevitably, a dual timeline novel often suffers from one part of the story being judged to be better than the other part. Personally, I enjoyed the story of Max and Bettina the most. The character of Clara and her search for lost information as a means of tying the past to the present was good, but I found it to be less captivating.

The only thing that I found lacking was an Author's Note at the end of the book; the inclusion of more of the facts surrounding the Allach porcelain factory. Because it is so frequently used, especially in historical fiction, I find myself expecting to find this feature, which is greatly appreciated.

My sincere thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Porcelain Maker is a debut novel by Sarah Freethy is heartbreaking story about Max, a Jewish architect and Bettina , an artist. This book takes place over several decades that follows Max and Bettina just before war breaks out and how they were trying to survive and save money to try to flee Germany. Once Max gets arrested he is placed in Dachau concentration camp. He is then placed in the porcelain factory to make porcelain items for the Reich. Clara is searching for these porcelain figures that resembles her mothers painting. TheViking for example was one of Bettina's most famous work and only two figureines are in existance. Clare soon uncovers the truth about her mother's secrets and why she never shared the truth with Clara. This is such a heatbreaking book story of what war really cost the innocent victims. A must read for anyone that loves a great WW2 historical novel.

A historical fiction centered around the great love between a Jewish man and his German Avant-garde artist lover as the beginning of WWII is occurring. Much history of art and its place in the Third Reich is the background of the story along with what was happening within the walls of Dachau, a place of horrors.

It's 1993 and Clare Vogel is desperate to find information on the father she never knew. Her mother, Bettina, would not disclose who her father was and left very few clues upon her death. Now it's up to Clare and her daughter to see if they can find the truth based on a porcelain statuette of a Viking.
The story is told in two time frames that show both the relationship of Bettina and Max develop and then Clare's search and heartbreak at the prospect of never knowing her father's name.

I found it quite interesting to learn about the porcelain factory in Dachau. Also, learning about how art was subjected to definition of degenerate based on who created it or the style of the art itself. Impressionism was labeled degenerate which I found shocking. Ultimately, as this story is based on a factual time in history, you know there is heartbreak and unbearable sadness to be found within its pages.

Enter a wonderful new author into the world of WWII fiction, and what a great debut Sarah Freethy has created! The Porcelain Maker is inspired by an actual porcelain factory in Dachau and depicts the Third Reich's attempts to control the art world and the artists of the time through the story of Bettina, a celebrated painter, and Max, her Jewish architect lover. When Max is arrested and sent to Dachau, Bettina risks everything to try to save him. The story unfolds as Clara, Bettina's daughter, searches for her father's identity through the porcelain pieces created at Dachau.

This book is as much romance as historical fiction, though the history takes precedence. I spent much of my reading of the 1930's timeline on the edge of my seat, waiting for bad things to happen--all the while hoping that Max and Bettina would find their happily ever after. I also learned a lot about the control over the art world that the Nazi regime had, and I felt the frustration of the artists of the day who did not fit neatly into the accepted mold.

What kept me from awarding this a 5-star rating was my lack of connection with the 1990's timeline and Clara's search for her father's identity. It seemed a bit contrived and unnecessary, in my opinion, and I did not understand why Bettina had not told her the truth. Especially as I learned of events as time passed, it seemed a little unrealistic that her mother would not have shared their story with her daughter. This did not significantly impact my enjoyment, however, and I would recommend this novel unreservedly to other historical fiction fans, especially if you enjoyed The Nightengale or The Book of Lost Names, which have a similar feel.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital and physical ARCs of The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy. The opinions in this review are my own.

I enjoyed the dual timelines in this WWII historical fiction. The story is well put together and is easy to follow and Ms Freethy kept me engaged throughout the book.

Many thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for this advanced readers copy. This book is set to release on November 7, 2023.

“I’m afraid there’s no herd of great white horses to warn us when we pass the point of no return. Just the long-drawn-out death of democracy. It seems that people will swallow anything if you feed it to them piece by piece.”

Such a powerful and beautifully written story. While the characters were fictional and not based on any particular person, the Allach Porcelain factory in Dachau was indeed real and the inspiration for this debut. I’d never heard of this porcelain factory before and appreciated insight into the goings on before and during WWII.

I did a combo of print, digital, and audio and loved all avenues. I was completely caught up in the story from the first page thanks to the relatable and interesting characters. Both timelines were done very well and I honestly loved them both equally. This was a fantastic debut!

Thank you St, Martin’s Press for the #gifted copy and arc and Macmillan Audio for the alc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

****Publishing November 7, 2023****

This is a dual-timeline story. The book begins with Clara in 1993 buying porcelain at an auction in hopes of finding more about her father, Max Ehrlich. Clara had never met her father. She knew that conversations about her father and World War II were off limits with her mother. Her housekeeper, Heida, raised her since her mother was not capable because she suffered from severe depression. Clara’s daughter, Lotte, as part of her university studies, helps to find out more about Max and Bettina. This timeline follows Clara and Lotte on their discovery. How will Clara react when she finds out about her father?

The second timeline takes place in Germany. It follows Clara’s parents, Max, an Austrian Jewish architect, and Bettina, a painter from Germany who both attended the same art school, and their experiences during WWII, including Max being sent to Dachau concentration camp for being arrested for working under a false identity.

Each storyline equally drew me in, but I was drawn more to Clara’s story. It was interesting to see her struggles with not knowing her father and living with a mother with severe depression and how that had affected her. Then the emotion Clara went through discovering who her father was.

I loved how the author chose to write this story from an artist ‘s perspective. This made for a heartfelt, heart wrenching, and interesting read. Definitely a must read for those who enjoy reading historical fiction.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press I was provided an ARC of The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Porcelain Maker is told in two timelines, one from the POV of Clara Vogel who buys a number of porcelain pieces at an auction in the hopes of tracing it to her father. The other timeline is set in the 1920s-30s and tells the story of Max and Bettina. Their love story is beautifully written and it is heartbreaking to see how the dangers around them break up their relationship. This aspect of Nazism gives a different perspective than most historical fiction and I found that to be both educational and unique. This is a touching, sad, and heartbreaking story full of love and betrayal. The two timelines merge together nicely. I really enjoyed this debut historical fiction read!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the story of two lovers caught at the crossroads of history and of a daughter’s search for the truth.

This tale was inspired by the actual porcelain factory in Dachau and span through the horrors of WW11 and the 20th century. This is an epic story of love and betrayal that starts in Germany in 1929 with two talented individuals Max Ehrlich, an Austrian Jewish architect and Bettina Vogel, an artist, whose drawn love and aspirations were dashed by the rising threat of the Nazis.

In alternate chapters, the narrative moves back in forth in time to America in 1993 with Clara, Bettina’s daughter, embarking on a journey to trace her roots and determined to find the identity of her father....

This story vividly describes the scenery, characters’ tragic circumstances, the concentration camps, the beautiful art work and the evilness of the times. Both timelines are brought together beautifully and in a memorable way. The story is rich in vocabulary and the depth and texture of the narrative is not overwhelming. The era is right up my alley I should have enjoyed this story, most reviews I read say this is an outstanding historical novel.

But what went wrong? Most of the time I simply couldn’t stay focused on what was being said. Why? First: the romance between Max and Bettina’s was quite banal and their characters lacklustre. Second: Max and Bettina story moved at a very slow pace, borderline boring. Third: the last part seemed rushed and too many questions flashed in my mind that I never found answers for, maybe my mind wander too much..... But I did enjoy Clara and her quest for the truth.

Even with its qualities ,this novel was a chore to read.

The Porcelain Maker is another heart wrenching story that takes place during WWII. Although Freethy takes a different approach, it just didn’t quite have the oomph necessary to keep my interest the way it should have. Centering her novel around art, there were definitely some intriguing moments, but the characters lacked development making it difficult to connect with any of them. A book that had more potential than it actually delivered. A dual read/listen, I found that I preferred the audio book over the book as the voice was quite pleasant and the book came across on the dry side. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC and ALC of this book.

Special thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. It is a Historical Fiction written along two different timelines from the 30's/40's amid the rise of the Nazi Empire to the 90's. In the 40's it tells the story of a forbidden love and the lengths they will go to to keep their love hidden and the the 90's timeline is a search for family information using art. The book bounced back and forth each chapter which I was able to follow, it just never had the wow factor for me or the emotional connection.

The Porcelain Maker was a beautiful story about reconnection after a terrible separation before ww2 started. I had no idea about the Nazi porcelain making at Dachau and I read a lot of WW2 hist fiction. great debut!

This was such a moving story. Immediately after finishing I did some research on the porcelain made at the factory in this story and was stunned that some of it is still available to buy! I was so touched by this love story and the imagined consequences of WWII on the world of art. This was a truly unique read!

Thanks to Netgalley and the author and publisher for an advanced copy to read.

This is the story of crossed lovers of different races in Germany leading up to WW2 while in the present a woman's daughter searches for the truth about her father.

What a beautiful and heartbreaking story. Readers are going to be moved by Max and Bettina's story. Two people for whom love trumps all. It doesn't matter what religion, or culture you are from they just know that they are meant to be together. Now if only the world felt the same way. Sadly with the Nazi party on the rise Bettina and Max must find a way to survive. When plans of escaping go awry and Max is taken to Dachau Bettina is forced to find a way back to him while protecting their unborn child.
This story blends the past the present beautifully together, allowing for Clara, Bettina's daughter to learn the truth of her past, along side Bettina's fight to find her lover and get him to safety. This is a great book for book clubs or lovers of historical romances in general. I can't wait to recommend it in the near future.
Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

The Porcelain Maker was such a beautiful story of how love can endure during the most difficult times. Blending love, art, and survival into a story about two people who would move the earth to be together. A woman who wishes to escape her home and begin a life with a man she adores, a man who must flee the Germans to start a life with the woman he loves. If only it were that easy. When Max tries to flee he is captured and sent to the camps. His saving grace is his talent as an artist, a sculptor. He’s sent back to his former employer to continue his work but his heart isn’t in it, he misses Bettina and the future that was stolen from them. Can he outlive the evil surrounding him and reunite with his love? Is she waiting for him? Does she even know where he is? Max creates a Viking statue that will tell Bettina that he’s safe and waiting on her to find him. Can Bettina get into the porcelain factory to see Max? Can she somehow free him? And will the two ever have their happily ever after?

This debut WWII historical fiction was beautiful and heartbreaking. While the "plot twist" was easily predictable, the entire story was well worth the read to get there. This novel also does a good job of portraying "fresh" points of view on the horrors of WWII. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.