The Love That I Have

Margot Baumann was sixteen years of age when she began working in the mailroom of the concentration camp close to her home. Germany 1944 and Margot knew Hitler was great, and the Jews were not. Her parents, two brothers – who were both fighting for the fatherland – and sister Renate along with Margot had no reason to believe otherwise. But in the mailroom, it was her job to burn the letters the Jews wrote to their loved ones, and gradually Margot’s horror at the cruel burning of letters, as well as the treatment the prisoners were receiving changed her views.

But when Margot slipped a few letters into her pocket, her only intention was to forward them on – until she read one. The prisoner Dieter Kleinschmidt was writing a love letter to his girl who was in Auschwitz – her name was also Margot. And so, Margot’s deception began…

What would be the outcome once the war was over? What would happen to those prisoners-of-war? 

The Love That I Have by Aussie author James Moloney is my first by this author, and what a wonderful, heartfelt and emotional journey he took me on. Love, loss, courage and bravery; this phenomenal WWII story will stay with me for a long time to come. The ending was exceptionally well done – I have no hesitation in highly recommending The Love That I Have to fans of historical fiction.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read and review.

“The dead should know they are loved.”

This book shattered and mended my heart so many times that I think I’ll be feeling the effects of it for many months to come. 

Beginning in the late stages of WWII, this story centres around a typical young woman, who’s Pro-Hitler attitude is rattled to the core when she takes a job in the mailroom of the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. Devastated at the lack of correspondence from her POW brother in Stalingrad, she begins to read the letters of the prisoners, with the intention of sending them to their intended recipients and through them she learns that:

“There’s love in all of us, that it’s a human thing and pays no attention to race or religion.”

Moloney has expertly captured the desolation and despair of so many lives affected by the atrocities committed in this war. And having visited the Dachau Concentration Camp myself (almost 11 years ago now), it evoked the memories of the sorrow and the turmoil I felt while walking through that camp. 

The Love That I Have, is a deeply moving tale about the power of the written word, and how, when infused with love, can help to feed a soul, even when all else appears to be lost. 

Many thanks to James Moloney, HarperCollins Australia, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this compelling story in exchange for an honest review.

What an absolutely moving love story set in one of the most terrible times and places in history. I found this hard to put down whilst at the same time there were times I didn't want to read any further as my heart was breaking. I think this story and the feelings it has left in me will stay with me for quite a while. 

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins publishers for a copy in return for an honest review.