The Soldier and the Artist

Wonderfully written. I would recommend this to anyone who is interested in this time period, wether straight or gay. The characters express the curiosity that all humans share in a confusing time of coming of age.

I received this via netgalley. Although I do read historical novels on occasion this is a not something I have encountered before knowing so little of the theatre of war from an American point of view. It was interesting to learn that such a place as Camp Siegfried could exist amidst the horror of what was happening in Europe.
Ostensibly the novel is an enfolding love story which develops between two young men who are unsure of what has happened to them at a time of immense upheaval and prejudice. Both of German descent they are thrown together for a short time and are abruptly torn apart only to meet again in Rome some years later during the the occupation of the German army and the advance of the Americans. Though they have both tried neither of the two youths have managed to forget each other.
Bastion is a part of the advancing American army and Max has found himself involved in the protection of Italian Jews acting as extras hidden during making of a film under the protection of the Vatican. I found the writing to be original and well researched. A story encompassing the horror or war yet manages to convey complex emotions of hate, lies, prejudice and betrayal but also love and loyalty in equal measure.

This book takes my favorite genre historical fiction and adds to it by incorporating LGBTQIA. characters. Max Amsel and Bastian Fisher meet at an American-German Nazi camp in 1938. Yes you read that correctly and yes they existed.

Max and Bastian are two very different boys from different backgrounds yet find a connection at this camp that will follow them for years even as life tears them apart. They are also fighting the feelings that during WWII were enough to get you sent away. The book spans 6 years and covers soo much. I laughed. I cried. I learned some things.

It also goes into the making of Vittorio De Sica's movie 'La porta del cielo' which was made with the Pope's permission and saved the lives of many Jews and others deemed not up to the German standards.

https://www.npr.org/sections/npr-history-dept/2015/04/28/402679062/nazi-summer-camps-in-1930s-america

Thank you Netgalley for the read!