This is a heartbreaking story with compelling characters. It is is a story of broken trust, one where the evil of Nazism destroyed families. A young girl who realizes too late the evil of the regime. It really is quite a tale that shows how evil can drive a wedge between people, tearing their lives apart. Written and researched well, there is a lot of history in this book one could learn from. Sharon Maas is one of my favorite authors.

Easy to read and cleverly crafted I was pleased to read an ARC of this title. Bearing in mind that the genre of WWII fiction has been flooded with new titles in the past few years, I was glad to read something with a different approach that brought new life to the genre and gave an understanding of life as a young person in Berlin before and during the war.

This author has a very approachable style

Thanks to netgalley for supplying this advanced copy for the purpose of review.

This is a world war 2 historical read. This covers a lot of ground and had an interesting premise and storyline.

In the 1960s, Leah is living in England and has long since started recovering from her traumatic experiences as a Jew in Germany during the rise of the Nazi party and during the war. Then out of the blue one day she receives a letter from Magda, her once childhood best friend who was completely taken in by the Nazi party. Though Magda's letter, Leah reminisces about her own experience since in the early 1930s when Hitler first comes to power through the end of the war.

Growing up as neighbors and becoming best of friends, Leah and Magda were the best of friends until fate - and the Nazi party - intervened. This story takes us along the two very different paths both of these women took before and during the war. Leah and her family's initial disbelief that the Nazi party posed any real harm to them, as Jews, and Magda's slow rise up the ranks of the Hitler Youth to a position with the organization's propaganda department. We go into hiding with Leah and share in her love story with Markus, who also happens to be Magda's brother, who is fighting with the resistance to stop Hitler and the Nazis. Magda's role takes her to Poland where she experiences first hand people being driven from their homes and farms so that "good German families" can come and settle this new part of Germany, and to France, where she visits and witnesses first hand the horrors that are taking place happening at Natweiler-Struthof, the only concentration camp to be built in France.

Overall, I enjoyed this story as its told from two opposing view points during the 1930s and 1940s from two women who were once the best of friends. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys WWI historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sharon Maas, and Bookouture for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Children of Berlin follows two friends -- Leah and Magda -- from their teen years in the 1930s and 1940s to adulthood and older age, with some appearances from their brothers and families along the way. Divided by ideology and status within the new Nazi order in Germany, Leah and Magda go their separate ways and face their own struggles, but they eventually find each other again after the war. Sharon Maas’s unique epistolary and diary style of the text, coupled with flashbacks to the war years, creates a new and interesting perspective in her latest book. Her characters are dynamic, and the unique narrative choice allows for greater insight into the characters’ minds, thoughts, and actions, bringing the reader further into the heart of the novel. Maas’s prose and her use of language are powerful, and she does not shy away from the realities and horrors of World War II from Magda and Leah’s points of view. Maas has created an interesting novel with a unique structure which is only enhanced by her characters’ vivacity, personality, and strong natures. The Children of Berlin provides a clever and clear (which is to say, foggy) perspective into the divisions and hard loyalties of Berlin’s inhabitants during World War II.

A unique take on a WWII Historical Fiction novel spanning pre and post war Germany.

Brief Synopsis: Leah and Magda had been inseparable throughout their childhood, until Hitler took power in Germany and Magda decided to join the Hilter Youth despite her best friend being jewish.

Here’s what you can expect:
✨ WWII Historical Fiction
✨ Friendship
✨ Heartbreak and Loss
✨ Found Family
✨ Life After Tragedy
✨ Dual-POV

The Children of Berlin goes back and forth between a letter from Magda and Leah’s reflection on living through Germany during Hitler’s rule. I think I would have enjoyed this book more had it been written differently. I love reading historical fiction that makes me feel as though I’m thrown into the past, feeling the emotions come off the pages. Had this book been written more in the moment rather than a reflection in the past I think I would have enjoyed it more.

I enjoyed reading from Leah’s POV, but when the book switched to Magda’s letter, I started to skim a bit. I really disliked reading Magda’s letter and didn’t feel the least bit sympathetic. I suppose that is what the author was trying to convey. In my mind, Magda didn’t deserve a chance to tell her story and make excuses for her actions. And she certainly didn’t receive any forgiveness from me.

I enjoyed the writing and the storyline, but I wanted more from the execution. I also think that the book was a bit long and I think the pacing for Magda’s letter was drawn out.

Review to be shared on @whatjordynnreads.

Original take on a typical WW2 story of surviving in Berlin. The characters were engaging albeit the story was somewhat predicable. The evocation of Berlin and Bavaria was good and I got a sense of what Alsace is like also. I liked the introduction of sustainable living philosophy which I hadn't realised was relevant to this period. I thought Magda's story was not properly developed. The letter was a contrived plot device that didn't work. Better editing might have helped as despite its faults I wanted to keep reading. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an advanced copy.

I love this author - she never disappoints. She is one of my favourite authors, one whose books I wait for eagerly, and which I buy as soon as they're announced. She writes so beautifully and she makes me cry and smile, wrenches my emotions with her beautiful writing. I always learn something new from each of her books. And this one, wow! So very beautiful and heartrending and heartwarming and just stunning! A classic. Stunning prose, thought provoking story. One everyone must read. A masterpiece. Just wow!

Heart wrenchingly beautiful story which I had trouble putting down. The way Sharon Maas tells the story of Leah and Magda is so different from most stories I have read. The lead-up and the building of the story until the very end are so poignant and hard to read due to how emotional this book made me feel. The story is amazing and I think this is a very important book for many to read. It unfolds not in a typical manner and it shows the emotions and how lives changed during WWII. I HIGHLY recommend this book!

While historical fiction is not one of my most read genres, I find I always learn such interesting things when I venture in and read it. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book from the perspective of someone living in Germany after WWI. Dealing with reparations and then the rise of Hitler and continuing on through the war and its aftermath. This book is rife with foreshadowing as it starts with the reader knowing Leah and Magda were the best of friends until they weren’t. I know so very little about the wars that I had to stop and look up the significance of January 30, 1933.

It’s 1963 and Leah receives a letter from Magda recounting her story from their childhood and ultimately trying to make amends. In alternating chapters of Leah remembering the past and Magda’s letter narrating her side of the story, their tale unfolds. I was mesmerized. Knowing information was not as readily available as it was even 25 years ago, I have often wondered how Hitler was able to appeal to so many Germans. This shed some light on how Magda came under his spell.

At times this is hard to read, but it should be. This is a sensitive, but important subject. As we grow close to losing the last holocaust survivors, it’s books like this, so heavy in their research, that will tell the stories we all need to know. I am never sure who first said it, but if we don’t know history we are doomed to repeat it. And make sure and read to the end and read the acknowledgements to read about the real life women who influenced the story.

I don’t know what made me pick this book as one of my rare historical reads, but I am so very glad I did.

This is a unique story that will have me thinking for a long time to come. You don’t need to be a historical fiction fan to be taken in by these characters and their stories. I can’t recommend this one enough.

Magda, a German citizen, is friends with Leah, a Jew, during the time WWII comes to be. Magda decides to sign up to be a part of the Hitler Youth Group despite Leah being her best friend. What follows is a total wreckage of Leah and Magda's friendship.

This book gives Leah's perspective from the time and has letters written by Magda from when she is older, looking back on the period and what happened.

I really liked this book. I thought it gave an interesting perspective including Magda's POV, despite her always sounding like a whiny, self-absorbed girl. Magda's point of view talked about how German children were forced to join the youth groups, although she willingly joined herself. I also liked how it talked about the brainwash and the aftermath that Magda faced (which she totally deserved) following the war.

This book also brought me to tears at the end. It was a great book and recount of history from a fictional point of view.

I love WWII and specifically books related to the holocaust. I think because they are typically fast pace and entrance you from the beginning. Sadly this book did not hit the mark for me. I was very excited about this one. The pace is incredibly slow. Every time I felt the pace was picking up the next chapter dropped back and dragged again. The writing style just was not for me. If you like WWII books and can handle the slow pace then I think it will be a good read for you.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book so much! After reading so many historical fiction books set in World War Two, it’s amazing to see something so refreshing in the genre. This book tells the tale of two friends who went in opposite directions of ideology during the Second World War. It shows how their lives changed based on the external events.

The one thing I loved about this book was how much it didn’t hide the horrors which young people were openly exposed to during this dark period. It discussed how many tried to change their minds in Berlin after witnessing the horrors which went on, but knew they couldn’t fully due to the danger to their own lives.

This is a fantastic read which everyone who loves historical fiction and World War Two historical fiction should pick up to read!

I found The Children of Berlin to be an intriguing premise for a WWII novel, one of which I haven't read before. Reading about how the children in Germany were easily swayed and swept up into Nazism due to the huge propaganda machine that was Hitler's Germany was interesting.
However, I found Magda's "confession" to be very drawn out and it didn't ring true to me. I had a hard time believing that she actually felt any remorse. I had to force myself to read her parts of the story. I also found that many of the events in the story just didn't seem plausible or true to real life in the height of Nazi Germany. I found that the story read more like YA fiction than it did adult historical fiction as well..

Berlin, 1933: Leah and Magda are the best of friends and have spent almost their entire lives together. Nothing could separate them except when Magda tells Leah she is joining the ranks of Hitler’s regime. Leah can’t believe that Magda would do that, and she pleads and begs Magda not to. Leah knows that Magda’s choice will be the end of their friendship and makes Leah’s life extremely dangerous. Markus, Magda’s brother, is furious with his sister’s decision to join the ranks and he vows to do everything possible to keep Leah safe no matter what the cost. When Leah’s house is raided by the Gestapo, her brother Aaron is sent to a concentration camp and her parents go into hiding. Markus knows the only way to keep his promise to Leah is to join the resistance. He will protect Leah every second that he can, no matter what he must sacrifice.

The Children of Berlin written by author Sharon Maas was a phenomenal story of strength, resilience and hope. I almost don’t know where to begin writing my review as this story left me speechless. I loved everything about this heartbreaking and powerfully intense book. This unputdownable read had me reaching for the tissue box over and over. This heart wrenching story is definitely a favorite of mine and I know for certain that it will be one I will remember for a while. If you are a historical fiction fan, this is one that needs to be at the very top of your 'to be read pile’. I highly recommend this ten star read.

My Review: I found this story hard hitting, interesting, informative and heart-breaking. A letter arrives on Leah's doorstep, the senders address hits her hard, it's someone from a life and betrayal long buried. Two Girls, friends since toddler age, one is Jewish and the other is Catholic. In 1933 things change and their lives are on opposite sides of a coin. Leah, Magda, Markus and Aaron are children of the Kaiserkorso Eins. How can a sweet girl turn so emotionally cold and dark and the other fear for her life? It's mostly well written, a very difficult subject matter and the author does do it justice. I have been to Garmish-Partenkirchen and I agree that it's scenery is stunning. I also like some of Marlene Dietrich's music. A recommended and emotional read.

A novel set today, as two girls who grew up during WW2 reconnect in their later years. One of the girls was jewish, and the other a fully paid up member of the Nazi party. The subject matter means it is an emotional, sad and tense novel. However, it is also informative in terms of how the impact of Hitler's regime frightened and encouraged different people. I liked the structure of the book, as it is told from both girls perspective via a letter from one to the other. With all novels, on this subject it is difficult to know how real the picture is that is portrayed. Even though it is fiction, I was pleased to read the author's acknowledgements and the people who helped/inspired had direct connections with the events.
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The Children of Berlin by Sharon Maas is a powerful and heartbreaking novel. It takes readers on a journey through the lives of two teenage girls living in Berlin before, during the war and in the later years.

Leah and Magda have been inseparable for as long as they can remember, and they vow nothing will ever come between their friendship. But as the war looms, their lives take very different paths, and their bond is tested in ways they never could have imagined. Magda’s side of the story is told from letters to an elderly Leah. Leah’s is in the present format and much better reading from my point of view.

Maas’s writing is both gripping and heartbreaking, and she does an excellent job of bringing the characters to life. The story is full of love, family, betrayal, sacrifice, and ultimate forgiveness. It is sure to leave readers with a deep appreciation for the resilience of the human spirit.

The Children of Berlin by Sharon Maas is a must-read for anyone who loves WWII historical fiction, and it is sure to be a book that stays with readers long after they have turned the final page. I’ve read many novels in this genre, and this one is right at the top!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A powerful and heartbreaking novel about love, family, betrayal and sacrifice perfect for fans of The Alice Network, The White Rose Network, The Tattooist of Auschwitz and The Nightingale.

As some of you may notice that I’m a huge fan of historical fiction, especially the story set up in WW2 time. Most of the WW2 books are surrounding concentration camp, escaping and survival story; mainly relationship between love and family. The Children of Berlin is related to friendship in WW2.

Leah was Jewish and Magda was gentile. They were close friends and lived in the same building with their own family. Two young girls loved talking about literature, music and politics. In 1933, things started to change, including their friendship.

Magda joined the Hitler Youth Movement as the propaganda writer voluntarily and proudly. Leah at first didn’t believe her best friend would have this move…At the same time Magda’s brother Markus was anti-Nazi. This also made him getting close with Leah.

Through the whole story, it has successfully presented the struggle of not only being a Jewish, it showed the frustration of being a Jewish and the other was gentile. Sarah also vividly presented the fear of betrayal, disappointment and still, having hope was important.

I love the writing style and presentation of this book. It’s interweaving the point of views of Magda and Leah, part by part, which started went Magda’s letter. The letter wrote in the present stage of Magda, which showed her reflection as well.

The Children of Berlin raises an important theme of forgiveness.

In 1963, Leah receives a letter from Magda, her best friend when they were children.

In her letter, Magda relays their friendship and how it all fell apart when they were teenagers. This brings back a lot of memories, some of them unpleasant, for Leah.

The two girls grew up in the same apartment block in Berlin. They both considered themselves German, however, Leah’s family were Jewish.

When Hitler came to power in 1933, everything changed. Magda’s family were stark opposers of Hitler’s regime, however, Magda was entranced. She became a member of the BDM (Hitler Youth’s League of German Girls) and her brainwashing began…

I won’t spoil more of the plot for you – I hope that this is a nice taster of what the book is like and that you’ll want to read it.

The book is written from two points of view: Leah’s and Magda’s. I found myself drawn to Leah’s story, wondering whether her family would survive the war.

I must admit that at the beginning I found Magda’s account very hard to read. The parts were she was praising Hitler and the Greater Germany were a hard pill to swallow. I was born in Poland and my family home is one hour away from one of the smaller concentration camps, so reading Magda’s appraisal of the regime was just awful.

However, as the letter progresses, we see that the rose-tinted glasses that Magda was wearing, were slowly coming off her eyes and she was beginning to see the real truth. There was a change in Magda, but can Leah forgive her?

I love historical fiction, especially when it’s set during the Second World War. The Children of Berlin didn’t disappoint!

Thank you to Bookouture for my NetGalley widget.