This book was an emotional journey, following the story of a German Trans person named Bertie before, during, and after WWII. The way this was written provided a unique narrative and perspective about how things shifted quickly, and unexpectedly, for the Trans and Queer community in Germany with the Nazi occupation. This is a story of resilience and found family, and absolutely blew me away. The writing style is incredibly descriptive, emotional, and moving. This story will stay with me for years to come.

Horrifically depressing but deeply relevant. I’m not usually a historical fiction person but I appreciate the undertold stories being highlighted here.

This was a well written and captivating novel with a great narrator in the audio format. While the topic is a difficult (and rather timely) one, it is overall an optimistic book and a bit bittersweet.


Although this is definitely fiction, I learned a lot of history from this book. While I did know that Nazi persecution extended to the LGBTQ+ community and that they destroyed a lot of pioneering research on sexuality and gender studies when they destroyed the Institute for Sexual Science, I hadn't known how much of a thriving queer culture Berlin had before that point or that gender-affirming surgeries were already being done.

I was also surprised to learn about the treatment of lgbtq+ people, primarily gay men, after the allied forces liberated the camps. The story that is so often told in the US is about how we came in as saviors and everyone lived happily ever after, but in reality lgbtq+ people were often reimprisoned by American forces after the camps were closed.

Tender, powerful, dramatic and shocking, Todd has written about a forgotten part of LGBTQ history. Surprising for me, was that there was an The Institute of Sexual Science led by Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld. The institute provided surgery, passports and assistance for what was defined as "the third sex." Of course, as a part of its time, it also did tours for the public and viewing of individuals (ick) and Hirschfield himself is very problematic.

I did know about the treatment of the LSBTQ community by the Nazis but I did not know the response from Allied forces when they liberated the camps and came across LGBTQ prisoners.

The narrator was terrific and used different character voices and dialects, making it easy to follow the story.

This book is not for everyone, but for those that want to learn more about LGBTQ history and for those that understand that we need to protect everyone's rights, this book will be informative, disturbing and sometimes hopeful...just like life.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for an audio copy.

This book gives voice to the forgotten victims of the Holocaust, the men and women of the LGBTQ+ community who were forced into hiding or forced to wear pink or black triangles. The suffering did not end with the war, however, as Allied forces rounded up LGBTQ+ victims and tried to arrest or threaten them.

The story of Bertie, Gert, and Sophie flashes back before the war and after the war when they meet Carl, another trans man who was held in a concentration camp. The characters are resilient, multifaceted, and courageous. This story will stay with me for a long time. I enjoyed the narrator as well, and hope that this book receives the awards and recognition it deserves.

The Lilac People by Milo Todd is a historical fiction novel set in the 1930’s and 1940’s of World War II. “All terms used in this novel reflect the story’s era, Terms such as ———— are outdated and should be avoided when referring to transgender people of today. We’ve received word that the liberation of the camp is not the celebration we’ve hoped. All ————(gays), ———— (transsexuals) and lilac people who survived the camps have been sent to jail. If you avoided detection during the war, you are not safe.” This is an important and timely story of Bertie, born with the soul of a man in a woman’s body, and his girlfriend Sofie, who stands by her man. The necessity of survival and learning how to ————(pass as male) is Karl’s story who ran away from camp to avoid imprisonment and ends up in their backyard. “I believe that everyone is acting in this world. We’re all afraid to be ourselves.” I learned about the brutality of the Nazis, the propaganda, and the further reparations from U.S. Allied Forces. Max Meyers narrated the audiobook with distinct character voices, dialects, and accents. Notice the similarities between the Trump administration and the Nazi regime on the treatment of transgender people. ALC was provided by Dreamscape Media via NetGalley. I received an audiobook listening copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Bertie is a trans man living in Berlin in a time when things for queer folks seem to be getting better and better. He works at the Institute for Sexual Science where Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld is paving the way with medical care and public education to make it easier to live as one's true self. But when the Nazis rise to power, the trans community is first on the list for punishment and eradication. Bertie and his girlfriend Sofie escape to the countryside but many of their friends are not so lucky. When the war finally comes to an end, the queer community faces further danger from the Allied forces. When young trans man Karl shows up at their farm, the danger only grows and the three must plan an escape to safety.

This is a WWII story from the perspective of the trans community, which has rarely been explored in fiction. Milo Todd brings to life both the joy of a pre-war Berlin, where trans people are beginning to experience some freedom in society, to the horrors of the Nazi regime, to the continued discrimination from Allied forces. The story was compelling with richly drawn characters.

I was not aware that the Allied forces kept in place the laws against trans people that called for a five year sentence in a work camp. Nor did I know about the Institute for Sexual Science and the work they were accomplishing before the war. This is a fascinating novel that invokes deep feelings in the reader. I enjoyed listening on audio.

Thank you to Netgalley for the audio ARC.

I was blown away by this book and thoroughly enjoyed it.

The narrator did a fantastic job and depicted the character's voices and tones brilliantly. They really added more to the story and made it all the more emotional. I will definitely be looking out for more audiobooks by this narrator.

The plot was beautifully written and handled very well, at times you forget that what you're listening to is actually based on real people and real events and then this realisation makes it all the more powerful and a huge punch to the gut with many of the heartbreaking scenes. This was tense, full of love, hope and fear and honestly phenomenal.

I have been recommending this to anyone who will listen, this is such an important book for everyone.

The Lilac people follows Bertie, who is a trans man living in Germany at the start of World War II. As Hitler comes to power, the life Bertie's made from himself starts to crumble. His job at the Institute of Sexual Science is raided, the queer nightclub he frequents is gone, and his best friend has gone missing after rushing to warn Bertie and his girlfriend Sofie of the danger coming their way.

After years living relatively peacefully, the war is almost over when they come across a young man who has escaped the camps. He's a trans man like Bertie, and he tells the couple the truth of the ending war - that the Allies are arresting queer people. The three realize they need to flee the country if they have any chance of surviving.

I listened to this on audio, and it was a phenomenal book. The narrator did an amazing job. Highly emotional and written with a lot of love, this was an incredible historical novel. It felt real because it is real - the characters may be fictional, but the reality of queer victims and survivors of the second world war made me hope and fear alongside these characters. This isn't a book you should skip.

[4 stars]

The Lilac People is a story of enduring and hope told through the eyes of Bertie, a trans man in his 30s/40s (before/after the war respectively). The story centers around the irony of how, even though it is the American occupation that is the direct threat to our characters, their best chance of survival is fleeing to America. We meet him first in 1945 as a farmer tucked away outside of the city of Ulm with his wife Sofie. He finds another trans man, Karl, who has recently escaped from a nearby concentration camp and informs the two of them that the Allies are continuing to keep all pink (gay men and often trans women) and many black triangle (including trans men) in the work camps to continue their sentences. This coincides with the arrival, and suspicion, of an American officer who comes to Ulm to ensure that its citizens begin their compulsory forced labor as reparations. Knowing that this will inevitably lead to Bertie being found out, as well as their decision to protect Karl, they need to decide what to do.

At the same time, we run it back and meet a younger Karl in 1932. He works as an assistant to Dr. Hirschfeld at his Institute for Sexual Science. In this before timeline, we get a look into the progressing rights of trans people in Germany following the first World War, the gay nightlife of Berlin, and the relationships that Bertie has built over the years with other trans men. The dual timeline is executed quite well, and I never felt like we were spending too much time in one era or another. In fact, there are sometimes very short or very long chapters back to back, but they work well to break up the monotony that sometimes comes with very fact-based historical fiction. We get just enough of each timeline each time.

General writing is strong, with the biggest strength being in the dialogue. Characters are fun and full of life throughout. Even characters like the American officer in the after the war timeline have such a distinct voice and presence. This is really helped by the audiobooks narrator, as he does such good character voices throughout. High tension moments are palpable through the page while more calm, emotional moments are just as present. The energy of Berlin before the war is lively while the small farm after the war is a peaceful hideaway. There are several memorable moments of writing, the canary metaphor probably being the strongest because oh my God. Though a few attempts at prose felt overly dull at times, I really did not enjoy the long descriptive introduction to the farm and, as the novel continued, felt that it ended up really stylistically out of place, the novel’s voice is strong and full of life.

I enjoyed the time I spent with this book, but I never felt fully engrossed by it. Don’t get me wrong, I was never bored with it, but, until the third act, it lacked that something to get me obsessed with it. I think some of this came from my prior knowledge of Dr. Hirschfeld, his institute, and the rights that trans people had, then lost, in the leadup to WWII. Bertie spends a good amount of time explaining specific facts about the time period, such as how transvestite cards work and what the institute does. Some of these moments are long exposition dumps, such as when we first come to the institute, and other moments are quick mentions when they become plot relevant. However, the author does a very good job ensuring that none of this felt like reading a textbook or as though the author was just explaining it to the reader. In all of these instances, we are hearing Bertie think about, explain, or discuss these facts. This ties it in more with his narration and never feels too out of nowhere. But, going back to my own issue, my own prior knowledge hindered my enjoyment of these parts. Completely a me thing, though, as there is no way to avoid this.

I enjoyed the characters well enough, though I never felt completely in love with any of them. Bertie is the most enjoyable and complex, being the POV character of course. It is impossible to avoid moralization in a book about Nazi Germany, that's the fact, of course. But, just as how historical fact is blended well with Bertie’s own narration flawlessly, so are the moralizing questions. It never feels like the author explaining what the audience should or should not believe. For instance, Bertie's complex feelings of guilt over how he, as a German who never did anything to go against the Nazis or help those targeted by them, feels he is part of those responsible for the Holocaust. But, he was also - as a trans man - a target of the Nazis himself and would have been put into the camps if found out. He wrestles with his guilt over not having done anything, but also acknowledges that he needed to stay as inconspicuous as possible. There are many of these moments throughout the novel covering different feelings of guilt and grief. Each time the audience is left thinking alongside Bertie. These are complex morals that really don’t have an answer and the author produces them very well.

Sofie is also very well written and I enjoyed hearing about her complex relationship to her family. She is one of those characters who really does not have to be wrapped up in all this, but chooses to stay out of love for Bertie. As glad as I am that Karl is not this soft sainted figure by virtue of being a survivor of the concentration camp and is instead allowed to be a complex character, he is obnoxious in the first half of the book. There had to have been a way by the author to write a character like this without constantly, needlessly bickering about stuff to Bertie. I think this was purposeful as a way of exploring his survivor's guilt and bubbling over feelings about being a trans man, but it kept me from enjoying any scene he was in. However, after we get to the point where he describes his time at the camp, he immediately becomes much better. His writing became consistently better and less annoying. He’s finally given chances to do things now that Bertie and Sofie could, but Karl hadn’t yet gotten the chance to.

As I said before, the duel timeline is done well. However, I wish we got more of a sense of the rising stakes in the before the war chapters. Most of the time it ends up like: first half the chapters Bertie is mentioning his worries about the yank back that can be done regarding legal rights of trans people, he doesn't brush it off but it's a far off possibility still, the Nazis are losing support lately! Then, things escalate, but we learn this off hand at a party, so it passes quickly. Then we get the reading of headlines/messages from chapter 15 and, while the sudden “in two months” has the intended drop of the stomach effect, we lose some of the experience that Bertie and his friends went through during that time. As a reader, I felt disconnected and almost out of the loop as to how the daily stressors and lost rights impacted day to day in the lead up. In that particular scene, interrupting the headlines with little vignettes or snippets of dialogue - very, very short scenes, even - would have let us in on the tension felt by the characters themselves, in my opinion. It felt like a lost opportunity and ended up making the very high tension of many of the after the war moments feel unbalanced with the before the war parts. Not enough to ruin the dual timeline at all, and this definitely doesn’t apply to the whole novel, but it was something that I noticed.

A very worthwhile historical fiction novel that will definitely both teach you some new things about an already heavily covered time period as well as tie you to its lovely characters that I wholly recommend.

Absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking story. A part of history I was sadly unaware of , but it is one that needs to be known. I knew these horrible things were done to people who were different in Germany during the war, but I never really knew the true history of that time. Milo Todd has written a haunting story of heartbreak and hope. One of strength and resilience. It is a story I will remember for a long time to come.
Max Meyers did a wonderful narration. His voice was captivating and full of just the right amount of emotion where needed. The story flowed well. Each character had their own distinct voice that sounded natural and never over the top. I listen to a lot of audio books and this one was an enjoyable listen. Heartbreaking at times, but enjoyable.

The Lilac People follows Bertie, a trans man living in Germany in dual timeline 1930s and 1940s. This felt like an important work highlighting voices not often heard. I particularly enjoyed the historical elements of this book pertaining to The Institute of Sexual Sciences, a very important institution in transexual history. I really enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to fans of historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for access to this audiobook. All opinions are my own

This story about Bertie, Sophie, Karl and Gert set in pre and post WWII Germany is enlightening and very timely. They are the Lilac People, gay and transvestite, accepted prior to Hitler, able to live openly and happily although registered so as to avoid potential arrest.. After Hitlers rise they are persecuted, killed and those who survive are trying to hide.
What I learned is that they were not treated well by the Americans after the camps were liberated. Bertie lives with guilt that he didn't save his friends. Karl, their hidden gay guest had been in camps and used on a regular basis by officers and soldiers. The story is sad, tragic and disconcerting but important. Now as much as ever as we all learn to live with the "trans" world and hopefully learn more tolerance. This is a well written book, characters are well developed and relatable, it's possible to feel their pain and anxiety and even a bit of hope. The author did a great job of bringing this topic to life.

Milo Todd's The Lilac People profoundly moved me by illuminating a little-known part of history. Set in WWII-era Germany, the novel meticulously weaves together research and human storytelling to explore the erased history of trans and queer people during the Holocaust, following Bertie, a trans man navigating Nazi and postwar Germany. The characters, especially Bertie, Sofie, and Karl, resonate deeply with empathy and complexity, their struggles and resilience enhanced by the audiobook narration. Todd’s immersive writing and the inclusion of music, like the queer anthem “The Lilac Song,” add layers of poignancy, celebrating community and identity amid darkness. The author’s notes distinguishing historical fact from fiction deepened my understanding of this overlooked LGBTQIA+ history. The Lilac People is an important work of historical fiction, reminding us of the power of love, chosen family, and resilience, making it a highly recommended listen for those seeking powerful stories that recover lost histories.

The Lilac People by Milo Todd was such a fantastic read. I haven’t cried this hard over a book in a long, long time. It sheds light on a crucial piece of history that’s too often overlooked. I hadn’t realized Berlin had once been the largest and most vibrant cultural and intellectual hub for the LGBTQ+ community, enjoying a period of relative freedom before Hitler’s rise. I was completely emotionally invested in this story. The audiobook was incredible, and I’ll definitely be buying a physical copy to reread and share with friends on the launch day.

The most beautiful gut punch I’ve gotten in a long, long while is no doubt “The Lilac People”. I’m not usually one to enjoy historical fiction, but this story had a fierce grip on my heart and mind throughout.

The story takes you through two detrimental and fateful periods of time in Bertie’s life. We meet him in Berlin in the early 1930s, as well as in Ulm in 1945, in the time immediately after the Allies had gained control over Germany. The gleeful and hopeful times in the 1930s in the queer community centering around the Institute of Sexual Science, makes for a stark and sharp contrast to the fearful and tense atmosphere marking Bertie and his partner Sofie’s lives in 1945 in Ulm. Just when the rest of Germany begins celebrating freedom, a new fear for the pair arises. The Americans now in power begin arresting the queer Holocaust prisoners while they are releasing the rest of the prisoners to this promised freedom. When Bertie and Sofie then one day finds the collapsed Karl - an escaped concentration camp prisoner and a fellow trans man like Bertie himself - an already uncertain time becomes a lot less safe and unsure for all of them.

My only wish was that the book had been longer, so there had been a little more time to properly meet and develop a deeper understanding of and bond to characters like Gert and Sofie. That being said I did feel my own heart shatter alongside Bertie’s due to the obviously horrific reality he, his friends and loved ones had to live through. But if I’d gotten to know the other characters a little better, I think the hurt and sorrow Bertie experiences wouldn’t just have caused me to be sad and feel for him, but instead it would have created that kind of “book magic” where, when Bertie’s heart breaks, it feels just as if it had been my own. But maybe I’m just an outlier who likes my heart broken and shattered - and then stamped upon.

I listened to the audiobook version narrated by Max Meyers. In the beginning, I was unsure of whether their narration felt a little too “theatrical” for my taste, but as the story went on, I stopped thinking about it, so it could just be due to me not being very well-versed in the historical fiction genre and the “old-timey” language used within it. In the beginning, when listening, I thought the narration was a bit on the slower side, but either it got faster throughout the book or, as I got sucked into the story, the nag just escaped me completely. By the end of the book, I had really come to enjoy how Max Meyers told the story and brought the characters to life, especially in regards to Bertie. Their narration, including their tone and inflections, helped in creating these distinct characters that made it so easy to just fall into the story.

The Lilac People is both gripping, beautifully written, while it also tells a very, very important story. It teaches (or reminds) us about a piece of history we absolutely mustn’t forget, especially considering how the world looks today!

I am so happy this audiobook with Max Meyers was my first read of The Lilac People, as I fear I would have struggled to properly get hooked by the book, since I’m not very used to reading historical fiction, if I had to just read it instead. It definitely won’t be my last read of the book, because this beautiful and tragic story will be on my mind for a very, very long time to come.

The Lilac people is an extremely important and unfortunately eerie book for the present day. They spilt storytelling between before and after the war as well as the highlighting of the institute and the treatment of queer people after the war were hauntingly portrayed.

Milo Todd offers a gripping story of resistance and hope in a time where libertarian from enemies (i.e. the Nazis) leads to oppression from liberators (i.e. the Allies) while engaging with beautifully written transgender characters.
Bertie’s view of life is one that I have found to be very powerful as a transgender individual. He is shown in part wanting to lay down his life if it means that his friends and lover are safe. His experience both before, during, and shortly after the war give the reader the space to engage with transgender history as well as WWII history.
As an LGBTQIA+ individual, I was unaware of the treatment of transgender individuals by the Allies after the war. Reading this novel was heavily emotional for me and truly broke my heart at times. To fully fathom and understand how Bertie’s life prior to war could change as it did before war to how it did after war was one of the hardest shifts to read because it truly showed the decline of human perspective and human concern from the Nazis to the Allies.
What is so interesting about this novel is that it is written from a perspective of survival and power. Who holds the hands of power? Who controls what happens to Bertie and his friends? This novel helps to tackle these questions.
In truth, I found Bertie and his friends to hold the power to control the narrative: “the history is us and we will pass it on..” The drive to escape the Allies and make it into America was crucial — and this plotline kept me listening non-stop. I began the book late Saturday night and finished on Sunday. I could not stop reading.
From the very moment I began this book, I could not put it down. I found Todd’s writing to embrace a side of history that showed a side of trans history that we need to talk about — how transgender individuals have had to fight for their right to survive with both the liberators (Allies) and oppressors (Nazis) of WWII. Reclaiming and speaking up about transgender history is crucial to be informed and to be aware — and Todd does this with historical grace and praise.
A special thank you to author Milo Todd, Dreamscape Media, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

4.25⭐️


I had the audiobook read by Max Meyers who does a good job with the narration.

Historical LGBTQIAP+ fiction set in 1932 Berlin. Trans man Bertie manages to hide out with his girlfriend Sofia at a farm taking on the identity of an old couple.

It certainly enlightened me to the plight of Trans people in Germany during the war, as much as I knew that they were a persecuted group I haven’t read any books from this perspective. I found the Institute of sexual science fascinating as I had no idea of the existence of such clinics at this time.

I found the three main characters likeable and engaging,I was rooting for them throughout the book.
What happened at the end of the war was eye opening too.

The storytelling was on the slower side, it’s a very character driven story.
I felt that the ending was a bit of a damp squib, and a little disappointing, but overall I enjoyed it.

Thank you so much to @dreamscape_media for this advanced copy of The Lilac People to review!

A moving and deeply humane story about a trans man who must relinquish the freedoms of prewar Berlin to survive first the Nazis then the Allies while protecting the ones he loves.

^From the publisher!

Wow wow wow wow. Words are honestly failing me but I am going to try. I preordered my signed copy of this book by @todd_milo ages ago. As soon as I saw the premise I knew I needed it. But then!!! Two of my favorite people are connected to the audio??? Max Meyers and Pete Cross??? Are you joking? This book was meant for me to read.

I dove into this one head first and read it within 1.5 days. It is an incredible story of heart, resilience, love, fear, and life. Bertie is such an incredible character. I wanted to protect him from all of the pain he experienced. His love of Gert, Sofie, and Carl had me reeling. Carl!! Oh my gosh. What an amazing story. Sofie. Such a strong, incredibly brave woman.

Queer found family will never NOT make me cry. And y’all. This book had me crying. I am so impressed by the story and truly believe every person who calls themselves a trans ally needs to read this book. The parallels from Berlin in the 30s and 40s to the US today cannot be understated. There is a section about 60% through the audio that had me gasping with how eerie it is.

I just cannot wait for people to experience this book. I’m already planning to read it again and reflect on my annotations with @heyitsmaxmeyers 🥹

Truly an incredible, moving, brave story of hope and resistance with trans characters that I’ve never seen in historical fiction.