The premise and plot of this book seemed perfect for me because I really do enjoy a good historical fiction set in and around WWII. Unfortunately, though, this one did not work for me. I found the writing style not to my liking, and the characters never really resonated in a way that made me root for them. Both Leah and Magda felt half baked as characters, and that may have been down to how the story was written. I didn't enjoy the combination of epistolary and narrative recollection for the alternating POVs at all. Magda never really redeemed herself or demonstrated that she was more than a petulant child living out a rebellion against her parents through the Nazi regime; and while Leah had the potential to be a more sympathetic character, I never felt anything but a meh feeling towards her throughout the book. I felt more for Lisa and some of the folks around her, but because we only got them in short glimpses, not even that. What I struggled with from start to finish was the way that Leah kept alluding to the history that was coming. And yes, things were about to get worse for most of the book. Most folks probably wouldn't read this without at least a cursory understanding of the way WWII unfolded, even if they don't now all the details or, like me, never get the dates right. If her POV was truly a recollection, then I'm not sure we needed to have her keep mentioning things were going to get worse. If I was remembering something, I'm sure I would just remember what happened. She is not telling her story to anyone but the reader, and so for me, that took me out of the story and made me very much a neutral observer. Maybe that was Maas's intention, but it didn't work for me.

If you like WWII historical fiction, this may be a good read. But I have read so many others that just wowed me that this one paled in comparison. The story had so much potential. Sadly, it didn't work for me and left me wanting something, anything else. I'm going to go grab a Kristen Harmel now to help get me back in the zone.

I thoroughly enjoy her this book, even with the frustrations and anger felt toward Magda.

I think the author did a fantastic job in describing each event, detailing the stories, and making the characters likable/unlikeable/understandable/etc.

I also enjoyed the writing style. The dual narrators and almost quadruple timelines added to the story for me. I say “quadruple timelines” since we hear the story from Leah in the present and the past, and from Magda in her present and past; so it’s almost like it’s four different timelines since the two women were living basically in two different worlds.

This is a very sad story to read, of course, ur it was very interesting to have a narrator from the perpetrator’s side, even though she was not all that high in rank in the Nazi Party. Most stories are not told from this perspective so it was nice to change things up, so to speak.

I would definitely recommend this book to others and will be keeping an eye out for other books from the author.

The Children of Berlin is the new book from Sharon Maas which follows two women living in Germany pre, during and post WW2. The story alternates between the two women’s perspective with Magda’s perspective told in the form of a letter and Leah’s experiences are detailed in a narrative told from her own context and mindset. Right from the prologue, my interest was piqued as we are left with one big question. Just what did Magda do that caused a solid friendship formed throughout childhood to disintegrate beyond repair?

It’s 1963 and Leah is living in Bexhill on Sea and it has been years since she has had any letter from West Germany. She had washed her hands of that evil place and all the memories and events associated with a traumatic time in her life she has tried and for the most part been successful in putting them to the back of her mind.

A letter arrives from Magda ensuring a whole torrent of emotions come rushing to the surface and in choosing to read it Leah has opened up a can of worms which she feels would be best left shut. Magda is seeking forgiveness. There is a deep and sincere sense of repentance emanating from the letter but is Leah willing to forgive and forget given the horrific events that lead to their estrangement? There have been twenty years of pain, hurt, bereavement, struggle and displacement for Leah and now that she has built a new life for herself is there any point revisiting the past?

The book is split into three distinct sections which begin in Berlin in 1933. The three parts did work very well and meant that the plot was wide in scope in terms of the timeline. I will say that I did find this book slow going a lot of the time. There is a lot packed in on every page and I found that it needed my undivided attention and that at times I reread pages just to make sure I had everything straight in my head. This book is very good and I only truly came to appreciate the depth of the story and the way everything was woven together once I came to the final pages.

Being honest I did find it too long and perhaps a different title would have been more apt. Saying this it sounds like I didn’t enjoy the book, but I did, but personally I felt it could have been shorter. The story of Magda and Leah will really set you thinking as in books you are more often than not supposed to like and engage with the main characters, two in this case, but from the outset it was Magda whom I was against and couldn’t find any redeeming features in for what she did and that’s what makes this story a real good read for a book club as it would inspire so much discussion and debate.

Magda recounts her story in the form of a long and detailed letter which flowed very well and offered a deep insight into her way of thinking and her motivations. Still though, I can’t find anything good to say about her as the path she travelled down was just appalling. Magda and Leah grew up together in Berlin in an apartment complex known as Kaiserkorso Eins. Leah’s family were Jewish as were many others in the building but there was never a sense of difference or a hierarchy amongst the families that lived. Although coming from different religions the girls were like sisters, as close as could be with Magda being the outgoing, extraverted one and the talker whereas Leah was softly spoken and a listener and over the course of time she develops a crush on Markus, Magda’s brother.

During the 1930’s a dark cloud of evil and unimaginable terror started to fall over Berlin as Hitler becomes leader of the National Socialist Party. Magda, thanks to the influence of her Aunt, is soon drawn into an evil sphere. Seized upon any chance when something different was being offered. ‘Something cracked and poison oozed into her soul’. Magda throws herself into the cause and leaves Leah confused and hurt in her wake. She believes Hitler will lead their country to greatness again and do away with all the ills in society but what happens when those supposed ills are the very people you grew up with? People whom you loved trusted and idolised. It really was quite scary to see Magda become brainwashed so quickly and easily. She joins the Hitler Youth and later the BDM and as the years pass she starts writing articles and becomes even more entrenched in the Nazi’s regime.’ The BDM absorbed me. It became my entire life. It sucked my blood’. She leaves her family behind and I was so glad they didn’t at all agree with Hitler’s stance and what Magda herself was becoming involved in.

Poor Leah looks on from the side-lines as ‘the closest female friend I’d ever had, unambiguously declaring before all the world her allegiance to the dictatorship that would see me and my people banished from society’. The further I got into the book the more I really didn’t want to be reading about Magda because quite simply I was coming to loathe her as a person and her actions and the more we start to see a turn in her opinions I just thought that’s too little too late and why on earth should Leah forgive her? There is a specific thing amongst many others that Magda did that has her begging for forgiveness. In the present Magda is experiencing sorrow and guilt but does she truly recognise the criminality of her actions and can a lost friendship ever be repaired given al the damage, hurt and pain that has been inflicted upon it?

I empathised and connected with Leah much more so than Magda as is evident from what I have said up above and really who wouldn’t. The anger, hurt and distress she feels at losing her best friend to a dictatorship that was trying to annihilate her, her family, her friends and so many others. I mean you couldn’t remain connected to someone who agrees with the Nazi’s principles and ideology. I enjoyed the development of Leah’s side of the story. You see how she started out happy and content growing up in Berlin but then the darkness starts to creep in and her life and that of her family is altered. The details of the laws and sanctions imposed upon Jews are known to us all and the more that are issued the more that Leah and her family’s world shrinks until they are left with no choice but to escape and go into hiding. I felt we really saw how Leah grew and matured and her eyes were opened to the fact that Magda became a lost cause and her pull away from her had to be indefinite.

Yes, there are several moments when you think there is an element of hope and perhaps deep down Magda has a conscience after all but really they are few and far between and when you look at them as a whole it was always Magda out for herself. I enjoyed how Markus came to play an important role in Leah’s life and I would have loved to have had a few pages told from his perspective as to what he was involved in as it goes on to play an important role in the overall plot. I found Leah’s experiences during the war fascinating particularly her time at Sonnenhoff. Leah’s form of resistance lay in the form of survival and how she went about this was brave and courageous and love is a strong emotion that would help see her through the best and worst of times.

Overall, I did enjoy The Children of Berlin, pushing aside the issues I had with the length and at times the slow pace of the plot. I enjoyed seeing characters from Sharon Maas’ previous books make an appearance and I would urge you to go back and read those books if you could. The theme of the book is summed up in one word – forgiveness and even now having finished the book I am still contemplating what I would do because making a decision too rashly in this instance is not warranted or justified. Sharon Maas has written a compelling and heart-breaking read yet the divisive element still lingers on for me.

I am becoming a fan of historical fiction and this book has only cemented that opinion.

Leah and Magda grew up as best friends but their friendship is put to the ultimate test when the monster that was Hitler came to power and everything changed.

The story is told from both Leah's and Magda's perspectives; Leah's from her memories and Magda's in letter form. I have to admit that I preferred Leah's story as Magda's was a little repetitive and 'wordy' however it did show how easy it was for people to be brainwashed and to take a path in their lives that has far reaching and devastating consequences for them and those they love.

The Children of Berlin is a gripping and powerful story of love, loss, bravery and forgiveness and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to those who enjoy this genre and many thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of this book.

The Children of Berlin is a story that had me glued to my kindle from the moment I started it and I devoured every chapter. I’m a big fan of historical fiction and this book had everything I love about this genre. Leah and Magda are best friends who live in Berlin, it’s 1933 and Adolf Hitler is making himself known in Germany and the rest of the world. Magda is taken in by the propaganda of how great the nazi party is and joins up to the Hitler Youth Movement. This is horrific news for Leah who is a Jew. The story is told from the point of view of both Leah and Magda. Magda’s story being told in letter form. I did prefer reading the story from Leah’s point of view but both were good to read. This book brought tears to me eyes at times. It’s a heartbreaking read in places. I 100% recommend this book for fans of historical fiction. 5⭐️

This book could not hold my attention because the historical part was so worn , having been written about hundreds and hundreds of times. Same with the plot. Sorry, but it work for me.

A masterpiece told so beautifully it had me enthralled reading late into the night . Leah and Magda are best friends but when war starts it will tear them apart. I really had no sympathy for Magda how can you go from such a loving and caring person who will help a injured animal to a naive and narrow minded individual so easily. I loved Markus as he was everything Magda was not. The story was gripping and terrifying and I enjoyed reading Magda letter but not as much as I enjoyed Leah and Markus story. I went on a rollercoaster ride of emotions and I feel that the ending though heartbreaking was the perfect conclusion.

I'm a huge fan of WW2 fiction, and I'm for sure adding this book to my "favorites" list!

Synopsis: We're in 1930's-40's Germany, and two best friends, Leah and Magda, are so close that they're practically sisters, living in the same building and going to school together. There's one big difference between them: Leah is Jewish, and Magda is not. At the same time as we learn about these two and their friendship, Adolf Hilter is rising as leader of the Nazi Party, chancellor, then Fuhrer. And as that rise occurs, the difference between the two girls starts pulling them in opposite directions. Magda is influenced by her Tante Gundhilde about Hilters 'inspiring beliefs, opposite of how her family feels, and also wholly opposite of Leah, who is obviously very against Hitler. This creates a massive rift in their friendship, and the book, written as the future and looking back at the past, follows Magda when she writes Leah a letter years and years after they broke apart - Magda trying to explain her beliefs and repent, and Leah horrifyingly reading on and reliving every moment.

I loved how this book was told from both points of view as an opportunity to read both perspectives of the period of Hitler's reign. As I read it, I found myself so angry at Magda, repeatedly thinking, "How dare she write this letter" or "That's a terrible thing to say." But that's what's so impactful about the novel - I felt like I was inside the book, right alongside Leah as she read the letter. Even if I don't believe that Magda's apology was genuine or that Leah shouldn't have forgiven Magda as quickly, it's not my story. I felt my heart race. I felt anger, sadness, and love for these characters and what they went through.

If you're a fan of WW2 fiction, add this to your list. It's powerful and heartbreaking to hear the perspective of two best friends, just teenagers, torn apart. It's a perspective I haven't read before. I was engaged the entire time and loved the writing and history.

Thank you, NetGalley and Sharon Maas, for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book will tug at your heartstrings!
Written as a letter and memories, two elderly ladies travel back over the decades in time.
A Jew and German friend are very close until Hitler comes on the scene. How did the Germans fall for Hitler? As in so many cases, it starts out small. Let’s join a group. Be proud of your country. Before long you find out the horrors that were planned.
The Arian girl is unburdening her guilt as she explains how she was in too deep before realizing the truth.
The Jewish girl must bear the stigma of Jewish blood and bears many sorrows of her own.
Is forgiveness possible? It’s usually hardest to forgive yourself.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This book definitely kept me up past my bedtime!!!
Thank you Bookouture for inviting me to be part of Books on Tour! “The Children of Berlin” by Sharon Mass had me riveted to my couch. This book had me turning the pages so fast to see what would happen.
This story is told from two different perspectives.

Magda was a German Catholic girl who decided to devote her life to Hitler and the Nazi Party. She went against the advice of her entire family.
Leah came from a Jewish family and was trying to help her family survive during WWII.

What follows is a gripping adventure that will keep you guessing. This book was very well written. It was my first book by this author, but it won’t be my last!

Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

READ THIS BOOK IF YOU
Are looking for a different type of WWII story
Like a novel with multiple narrators
Need a good cry

Let’s get to know each other better!

QOTD: What is your next read going to be?

My answer is in the comments.

Happy Reading!

#TheChildrenofBerlin #SharonMaas #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #HistoricalFiction #BooksSetDuringWWII #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks

This story starts out before England was at war with Germany. Insight into the history of what things were like before all the terrible things began. Such evil is hard to read about. How could one devious, evil man brainwash so many???? The atrocities caused under Hitler’s regime is always heartbreaking and horrific to read about.
Two women, best friends….one a Jew, Leah and one an Aryan, Magda. Told from each one’s perspective showing the betrayals that came to be. The letter from Magda was hard to comprehend and read. The things she did were unfathomable and disturbing.
The Children of Berlin is a very compelling and heartbreaking novel. If you read historical fictions novels, this would be one I recommend picking up.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Children of Berlin by Sharon Maas follows two best friends - Leah and Magda during the 1930’s and 1940’s. Before the subtle changes that Germany was undergoing, Leah and Madga were practically like sisters who lived in the same building as each other and would spend all their time playing the usual childhood games in the courtyard, attending school together, and they even shared each other's families - going between the each girls house as they pleased. The only difference - Leah is from a Jewish family whereas Magda comes from a Catholic family. In the girl's teenage years, Adolf Hilter starts rising in Germany first as the leader of the Nazi Party, then chancellor in 1933, and then becoming the Fuhrer of Germany in 1934 the girls are slowly pulled in separate directions. Madga begins to become influenced by Tante Gundhilde about Hilters beliefs unlike the rest of her family. Which leads her to join various groups that allow her to discuss the ‘amazing’ culture that Germany has to offer with other young girls and how they connect to Hitlers ideologies. Whereas Leah and her family see the opposite of Magda and see Hitler as the savior of Germany, and creates a major disagreement between Madga and Leah’s friendship. After many years, Leah has finally been able to move on from the events of WWII and has put her past behind her; while Madga, now older and wiser has come to the realization of her actions as a teenager and young adult. She writes a letter to Leah explaining her choices and decisions that she made and her reasons for believing in Hitlers ideology.
The story is told from both Leah and Magda through alternating chapters between both women. Magda tells her story of the war as well as the aftermath through a letter for Leah in hopes that Leah will take the time to read the letter and not burn it. While Leah tells the events of the story in her own words which gives the reader both girls perspective of the events during Hitlers reign. This type of writing style gave me the opportunity to analyze both of the girls' reasons for their actions throughout the book. I found myself understanding why Madga made the choices that she made throughout the novel. There were many emotional events that occurred throughout the novel that would make Maas’ readers cry, hate, love, and most of all understand what these characters and many real people had to go through during this time.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Children of Berlin by Sharon Maas as it was a very powerful and heartbreaking story between two best friends. It was heartbreaking as I am sure there were many young children who were torn from their family as well as their friends like Leah and Magda. Maas was able to keep me engaged throughout the entire story with the various perspectives of all the major characters as well as the various war facts. I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction novels about WWII. Sharon Maas did an exceptional job and wrote a very well throughout historical novel that does the genre justice. I am so very thankful that I was given an ARC of this book and would like to thank both NetGalley and Sharon Maas for an advanced copy of The Children of Berlin.

Interesting story of World War II told in letter, format, and flashback format from to characters and their experiences that they have during that time. Will Leah ever forgive her best friend? Readon to find out

This was my first time reading a novel by this author, and while I really enjoyed reading Leah’s story, Magda’s letter was difficult to get through for me. I didn’t feel the sincerity in her apology that I felt I would need in order to be able to “move past” her past as a reader. Leah’s story, however, was gripping and I found myself rushing through Magda’s letter in order to read more about Leah and Markus.

Thank you netgalley and bookouture for allowing me to read this eARC.

The author is a master at making the words on the page come to life.
This book was full of emotions ,character , pride , humility, and desperation .
It begins with two best friends and two neighboring families torn apart by the Nazi party, and by their leader Adolf Hitler.
One can see how pride , pride in one country again after a hard war , brings a politician party to life . It brings people to be and do things unimaginable only a few years before .
The story takes you through years of choices Magda and Leah make and the paths those choices take them on. From a world of prominence for Magda and a life of hiding for Leah. They both needs years , really decades to recover from.
This was a beautiful reading with intense , raw story . Thank you to Netgalley for a download in exchange for an unbiased review.

The start of WW!! began long before England declared war on Germany. it began in the daily lives of Germans who were friends for years, until Hitler rose to power and brainwashed so many into believing his filthy and evil vision. This is the story of two of those families, one Jewish, one Catholic, both German. But can past mistakes be forgiven and more importantly, can such evilness truly be regretted?

A very good view of the war from the perspective of two well bred young women and their families, before, during and after the war.

I’m an emotional mess. I know, I know, it’s fiction… but it’s based on real life events, devastating, heartbreaking, horrific events that must never, ever happen again.

Leah and Magda are best friends. In 1930s Germany, the Nazi regime is recruiting and Magda’s decision to join them is devastating for her own family, but also for Leah and her family, who are Jewish and in grave danger.

Told in a letter from Magda to Leah in the 1960s and from Leah’s POV during WWII, this beautifully written story is an absolutely must-read. I loved the characters and the writing. I read it in an evening as I couldn’t put it down!

5 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.

The Children of Berlin by Sharon Maas completely gripped by this remarkable and addictive page-turner.

This was a compelling and thoroughly enjoyable read from start to finish with a great storyline, interesting cast of characters and all capped off by skilful writing.
The pacing of the story is wonderful. It lulled me into Leah’s journey along side the others here. Many characters were great and made this story so beautiful and wonderful. I was totally immersed in the narrative. The descriptiveness and imagery of the setting was masterfully done. Crafting of the characters was so deftly done that I will always carry them with me.

A powerful and heartbreaking novel about love, family, betrayal and sacrifice.
I will continue to read Sharon’s stories because she has the ability to transport me back in time with many emotions flowing.

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

Thank You NetGalley and Bookouture for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

One of the better books I’ve read, but something about it felt a little flat - I would read more of her work but I think this maybe isn’t her best! It was still a solid piece of work through, it’s just that I read a lot of WW2 fiction so I’m quite fussy!

Very moving story of two friends, Leah who is Jewish and Magda who is German. There friendship is soon threatened when Magda joins the Hitler Youth and eventually they soon go their separate ways. It tells the suffering and horrors that people went through during the war.
A very well written and emotional book.