It is gripping and fascinating, drawing the reader through two time dimensions, as the story, which starts in the present, casts one back to 1918, Germany, to a hospital called Beelitz-Heilstätten. The historical aspect of this story, cleverly weaved into the story-line, makes it both believable, and horrifying as Osipova opens yet another door which reveals the flagrant brutality and inhumanity of the NAZIs during WWII. It's a mash-up of genres...paranormal, psychological suspense, and time travel in a historical format. I did enjoy this book.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley.

DNF at 10% - I just couldn’t get into this and found the writing a bit confusing at times, and trite at others. A shame as the blurb sounded so cool!

This book could've been so cool but was just a total miss for me. Unfortunately I think genuinely the only thing that worked for me was the premise and Hans being a wife guy.

I couldn’t even tell you what the author was trying to convey either? Like the concept of if you’re born or made evil is tapped but dropped and would've been perfect to explore.

This book is a departure for Marina Osipova whose previous books have been historical fiction. It's a mash-up of genres...paranormal, psychological suspense, and time travel in a historical format. Written in first person, a woman who is unnamed for most of the story, is the narrator. This writing style thrusts the reader directly into her complicated life. Although set in 2018, she was born during WW II, in the Beelitz-Heilstatten military hospital outside of Berlin but grew up in Moscow.

Full disclosure - I am a big fan of Marina Osipova's historical fiction and was excited to read this latest book. After finishing it, I read it again. She expertly drops historical tidbits and characters into the plot which feels random until it all comes together at the end. Her research into the Nazi euthanasia program, Aktion T-4, is impressive and she cleverly weaves it into the story, beginning in 1916 then again in 1945, and finally in 2018. I suspect much of the author's background has found its way into this book. I recognized some of the culture shock experienced with the fall of the Soviet Union and the Eastern Block countries. Kudos to Marina Osipova for venturing into a new writing style which will undoubtedly find a new audience of readers.

My thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC. The review and opinions are entirely my own.