I love historical fiction, and after reading The Porcelain Maker, I cannot believe it is a debut novel by Sarah Freethy. This captivating book seamlessly blends history and art (painting as well as the process of creating porcelain), making it a wonderful choice for enthusiasts of both genres.

The narrative unfolds through a dual timeline. One where two individuals from different worlds cross paths and discover love. The second follows a daughter’s quest to unravel her mother’s past and the secrets it holds. The writing will pull you in from the beginning, and you become invested in the story of Max, a Jew, and Bettina, whose brother serves as an SS officer. Although war tears them apart, their connection endures through the medium of art, even in the saddest times. Be prepared to keep a tissue at hand as you read the last few chapters of this heartfelt story.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publishers for allowing me an advance copy to read in exchange for my honest review.

I was given the opportunity to read this book via NetGalley. I was wholly engrossed in the story and could hardly wait to discover what happened. Sometimes a story that is set in present day and also a different time period can become very convoluted and difficult to follow. That is not the problem in this book. I felt like I was on the discovery journey with the present day main character. Granted the story had dark undertones, but any story set in during the Holocaust will have dark undertones. I had no expectations about this book prior to reading it and will now seek out other books by Sarah Freethy. The characters in the flash back were as engrossing as the present day characters. I found myself really liking and understanding all the characters. Give this book a read and see if you like it as well as I did.

The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy is truly a remarkable debut.

Full of fascinating historical detail, convincing characters, stunning twists and breath-holding situations, this novel encapsulates what I love in a Historical Fiction story.
Told in dual timeline, this WWII historical fiction didn’t disappoint.
Freethy creates grippy atmosphere and tension and writes vividly with balanced detail.
A true surprise and delightful time. The complexity of the characters, the intricacies of the plot and the dexterity with which the author seamlessly moved the narrative, made for an absolutely absorbing and riveting reading experience.

An epic story of love, betrayal, and art that spans decades, through the horrors of World War II to 21st century America, inspired by an actual porcelain factory in Dachau.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

I received a complimentary copy of this book "The Porcelain Maker" and all opinions expressed are my own. This book started off slow for me. Should I continue? yes, I like historical fiction. So after a while it did pick up. It was really interesting and also sad. I loved the characters and felt Bettina's pain. Overall I enjoyed reading and learning about this time period.

Max Ehrlich, an Austrian Jew studying archetecture, and Bettina Vogel, a German farm girl turned expressionist painter, should never have fallen in love. When they met while at art school, they were smitten. Living a very bohemian life style for the first few years, they were both in the crosshairs of the rising Nazi party. The Porcelain Maker, by Sarah Freethy, unfolds a dual timeline tale that reveals the highs and lows of their love story. When escape plans fail, Max finds himself working as a sculpture in a porcelain factory at Dachau. Bettina finds herself pregnant with Max's child. She keeps everything that happened during those years secret from her daughter Clara.

After Bettina passes away, Clara and her daughter, Lotte, go on a quest to uncover the real events of Bettina's life and find out who is really Clara's father. This book has a bit of a slow build, but it is definitely worth the read. The writing is well done and the story fascinating.

The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy is an enthralling dual-timezone/dual-POV novel that has stayed with me even though I finished the book over a week ago. In 1920s/1930s Germany, Bettina and and Max are young lovers doomed by fate and circumstance to a tragic end. In 1990s America, Clara, their daughter, is determined to unwind the secrets she's inherited. The journey is both heartbreaking and inspiring. Highly recommend!!

The Porcelain Maker is a beautifully written, immersive historical fiction that alternates between 1993 when Clara sets out on a quest to find the true identity of her father, and the years just prior to and during World War II. Clara's auction purchase of porcelain pieces created at the concentration camp of Dachau start her on a journey of discovery of the life her mother and the father she never knew led during those harrowing times. The book is alternately narrated by Clara, her mother Bettina, and her real father. Sarah Freethy vividly portrays the fear and brutality that pervaded Germany in the years before and during the war, as well as the horror of Dachau. (I have visited Dachau, and it is a chilling experience, even now.) But this is also a story of love, resilience, and the ultimate triumph of the human spirit. The author has created memorable characters to represent the story of the porcelain factory of Dachau, and its artists. The book is both heartbreaking and heartwarming and brings to life a little-known part of World War II. Thank you to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for my advanced copy of the book. The opinions in the review are my own.

Told in multiple viewpoints and two different time periods, this is a fascinating look at the rise of Nazi Germany and its atrocities, centered around the squashing of artistic expression. The story begins as Clara Vogel travels from England to America in search of clues as to the identity of her father, who she knows only as “the Porcelain Maker of Dachau.” As Clara’s search continues we travel back in time to Germany in the 30s and 40s where we meet Bettina, Clara’s mother and a somewhat subversive famous artist, as well as her family, friends, and fellow artists. We are introduced to the prewar German artistic community, the forbidden love between a German woman and her Jewish lover, and a side of the Dachau prison camp I was totally unfamiliar with – the porcelain factory where Germans and some prisoners of war toiled to produce porcelain pottery and figurines to showcase the magnificence of German culture. The story kept me engrossed until the very end. And the amazing thing is this is the author’s first novel. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for giving me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a tragically beautiful story. Told from the perspective of two voices, Clara Vogel and her mother Bettina. Each woman tells of their experiences, Bettina with the loss of beauty and her lover Max in the horrific inhumanity caused by the Nazi in World War II, Clara with not knowing who her father was and how much her mother hid from her. Beautifully written, it is a story of lost love, loss of spirit, but also of perseverance, strength and finding hope even in the darkest times. I very much enjoyed this story, like how the characters interacted with each other, the secondary characters added depth to the story line. The alternating voices was cohesive and by the end of the book, I think helped to understand the characters better. I look forward to reaching this author again.

4. A good epic historical fiction with two storylines, one taking place in World War Ii and the other in the 1990s. An epic-like story of love, betrayal, loss, heartbreak, family, and a young woman’s search for her father. Among, other things, the book takes you through tge eyes of Bettina Vogel and Max Ehrlich, two artists in the pre-war Austrian and German art scene and how it evolved during WWII, One also witnesses the horrors in WWII, to Jews, artists, and others,, most notably the insides of Dachau prison. The novel was interesting and somewhat captivating though quite predictable. The characters were all well defined and the details to the times quite realistic. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for a candid and unbiased review

They get me every time! Historical fiction happens to be a weakness of mine. The deep inspiring stories of love withstanding war touch me down to my soul. This story didn't disappoint.

There were a lot of memorable characters throughout this story. Max, with his sweet demeanor and determination. Bettina and her strong will to do whatever she needed to do to keep her daughter safe, and Clara, desperate to find the father she never knew. These people were the driving force of this story.

There was a point in the book when Bettina and Max find themselves making art again, but under the cover of war. One is a prisoner and the other a wife of a German officer. If anyone found out about their past, everything would fall apart, but still... They kept seeing each other, unable to let go. It was beautiful.

Favorite Quote:“Max?”
He looked back.
“Please don’t lose hope, you found each other once before.”
“I wish I could believe you,"

I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars. It was a wonderful read with all the pain and true love a WW2 story should have.

There were tears and joy, but ultimately heartache. If you only read one historical fiction this year, let it be The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy. Can you believe this is her debut novel? I sure can't.

Is this Sarah Freethy’s first novel? Incredible! She writes with such depth! The characters are multi dimensional and dynamic and this reader found a connection with the protagonist. The plot is unique and the storyline is captivating. The pacing is perfect, building tension and suspense in the rising action. Ms. Freethy’s writing style is delightful to read, despite the dreadful subject matter. Her writing craft is firmly developed with her use of imagery, word choice, and voice. Delightful! Additionally, the research for this historical fiction is substantial and impeccable.

My five star ratings are rare; The Porcelain Maker earns the five, unquestionably! Kudos, Ms. Freethy, for a stellar debut!

Thank you St.Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this story about Max Erhlich, a young Jewish architect from Austria and Bettina , a beautiful Christian expressionist painter . The story takes place in two different time periods: Berlin, Germany, 1929-1944 and America, 1993. Following the death of Bettina , her daughter , Clara Vogel and grand daughter travel to Europe to try to discover the identity of Clara’s biological father. With the rise of Nazism in Germany, Max is arrested and sent to Dachau concentration camp. He manages to stay alive because he is a valuable artist who designed little porcelain figurines for the Nazis . Bettina, the love of Max’s life, manages to get permission to go to the porcelain workshop to help paint the figurines for the Nazi’s collections. This is a beautiful love story between two very talented artists whose lives were interrupted and changed by the evils of hate . This is a debut novel and I look forward to more by Sarah Freethy

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book and. Clara is getting older and decides she wants to know who her father is. Her mom will not tell her. It becomes a quest for Clara. I enjoyed the different characters in this book.

A striking introduction: you wonder where it is heading as the narrative follows with unusually connected nouns and adjectives:
“static itched the edge”, descriptive words throughout, molded, stitched, painting the story to follow.
In London, at her dying mother Bettina’s bedside, Clara decides to search the background of their lives.
1925 in Weimar, Germany- a man and woman, Max, an architect, Bettina, tagged a radical degenerate artist, meet at the cusp of the Bauhaus, a movement Kandinsky called an art “to cover the threats of the world”.
1993 in Donor, Cincinnati-their daughter Clara is drawn to an auction gallery. She is the only buyer for several porcelain objects, one of which is a Viking Clara says will lead her and her daughter Lotta to find who her father was.
This is a narrative of living in a time of the daily unknown- learning, leaving, loneliness, loving and loss. There are lyrical as well as foreboding and dark passages, and occasionally the two meld together.
It is also a testament to creators- the artists and art that survived to bear witness, and a deep dive into the art world just before and during the Nazi regime.
Porcelain, its fragility and purity, breakable; beautiful, passes through fire, just as the characters and time this story portrays. The challenges and heart-breaking decisions are many as well as the many sacrifices.
The story is as historically informative, as it is a portrait of family finding its past.
Nearing the end, I suggest listening to some of the music of Arvo Pärt, as the author writes in these two lines: “the sonorous voice of Arvo Pärt’s piano provided a strange comfort. The negative spaces spoke as loudly as the notes themselves, something she saw reflected in the landscape”.

Ebook received for free through NetGalley

An amazing and oh so pivotal book. It grabs you with the characters and bring you along. So glad I came across it.

The Porcelain Maker takes place during the Nazi wartime period in the 1920's in Germany. Clara Vogel lives in England and flew to Cincinnati to an auction when she learned of a porcelain collection that was made during that period of time and hoped it would help her learn about her father. Her mother never spoke of him, Max was Jewish who was an architect and he met the love of his life Bettina who was an artist. Eventually Max was arrested and murdered in the camp by an SS officer! Bettina was sent away to a mental institution by her German husband who she married for convenience! This is a love story between a German woman and A Jewish Man that was forbidden. The story takes place during two different periods of time. The 1920's and 1990's. It takes us through love, heartbreak, and war. Kudos to the author Sarah Freight. I thank NetGalley for giving me this book for my honest review.

Intertwining two timelines, this poignant story is about a daughter desperate to learn more about her biological father which her mother, a famous artist has kept secret from her. The story opens with Clara attending an auction to bid on a porcelain figure. All she has been able to get from her mother is that her father was a porcelain maker. Thus begins Clara's journey. Another facet of Hitler's reach during his reign of terror. Clara's mother is a complex character and I am still trying to understand the why in her keeping her daughter's father a secret. 3.5 rating. Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this affecting novel. My opinions are my own,

Clara Vogel had been searching for clues to the identity of her father for a long time. Her mother had been a gifted expressionist painter in Germany during the late 1930’s. But during World War II, her career had taken a different path. Clara’s mother never talked about her life during that time, and she never spoke to Clara about her father. However, her mother did seem to be very attached to her small collection of porcelain figurines, and never wanted to talk about those either. When her mother died, Clara became even more determined to find out more about her mother’s life and her father’s identity.

After hearing about an auction of some German-made porcelain figurines in Cincinnati, Clara flew there from London to see if she could acquire the figures. Thus began to unfold a story of love, courage, sacrifice, survival and grief that ultimately brought the answers that Clara hoped to find.

Thank you to author Sarah Freethy, St. Martin’s Press, and Net Galley for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC of this poignant debut novel!

I acquired this read through NetGalley ARC.

I did not expect to complete this novel so quickly as I was already into another read. I only intended to read the first chapter and then come back to it after completing my other read. Instead I kept coming back for the next chapter. By the fourth chapter I set the other read aside. Why?

The story telling is beautifully paced and I found I didn't want or need to interrupt my reading just to remain interested. (Sometimes I'll be reading a book that's "good" but may not be a favorite genre and so I'll read one that is at the same time, alternating reads. The time period of this historical novel is not a favorite of mine and so I intended do the alternating thing. I did not alternate reads for long before I devoured this one uninterrupted. So, that's saying something there!)

One of the things I really like was the richer vocabulary Sarah Freethy uses. I'm not talking about clunky erudite words but certainly words that are richer or deeper in meaning, scope, texture, etc. I found that her vocabulary makes for a truly atmospheric experience without becoming overly wordy or heavy. It's clear that she intended to do more that relate a story to entertain but to relate a story that you experience with your senses both emotionally and physically.

I'm usually not a fan of going back and forth between time periods. Every other chapter goes back and forth between the two generations involved in the story (1923-42 & 1993). Again though, I found that each chapter wrapped up in such a way that you were perfectly ready to step out of 1993 and back into the world of 1923-42 and vice versa. Well done.

I'm not going to comment heavily on the synopsis as I think plenty gets shared there that it's well known what the book is about. A woman is searching the true identity of her father. And what does a viking and porcelain menagerie have to do with finding the truth to her parent's pasts?

Would I recommend this book? True story: Half way through this book I went to look for more books by Sarah Freethy. I enjoyed the experience I was having with "The Porcelain Maker" enough that I wanted to read more by this author. But guess what. This is her debut novel. Yes, I highly recommend this book and highly recommended "following" Sarah Freethy as a favorite author. This is a read I see myself indulging in again.