The Willow Wren
by Philipp Schott
Narrated by Brian Webber
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
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Pub Date Mar 23 2021 | Archive Date Apr 30 2021
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Description
The touching and nuanced portrait of the rise and fall of Nazi Germany through the eyes of a resourceful German boy.
Ludwig is an odd and introverted child, growing up in Hitler’s Germany. While Ludwig’s father, Wilhelm, is a senior Nazi and a true believer, Ludwig escapes the unfolding catastrophe by withdrawing into nature and books. Eventually, when the Allied bombing campaign intensifies, Ludwig is sent to a Hitler Youth camp, where his oddness makes him a target for bullying.
As the war turns against Germany, the Hitler Youth camp becomes ever more severe and militaristic, and the atmosphere spirals towards chaos. After the Nazis abandon the camp, Ludwig returns home, and his father is presumed dead. With Ludwig’s mother descending into depression, the 11-year-old bears increasing responsibility for the survival of the family as starvation sets in under Russian occupation. Soon, it will be impossible to leave the Russian zone, so Ludwig decides that he must rally his despondent mother and lead her and his three younger siblings in an escape attempt to the west.
Based on a true story, The Willow Wren is a unique, touching exploration of extremism, resilience, and the triumph of the small.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Audiobook |
| ISBN | 9781773057545 |
| PRICE | |
| DURATION | 10 Hours, 17 Minutes |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Tina K, Reviewer
The Willow Wren is an astounding memoir about a family in Germany and their survival of the Second World War. It is written by Philipp Schott, the son of the young man the story centers on, whose name was Ludwig. Starting before WW2, we meet a young Ludwig, who is bookish and bright. His father is a member of the Nazi party, but his mother is not. It is a source of contention between them, but, as she and her children move away to avoid the conflict in the city during the war, it does not play a central role in the book. Instead, we see the war through the eyes of a young boy who wants to spend his time in the woods with the birds and the trees, a young boy who wants no part of the Hitler Youth program he is forced to endure, a young boy who just wants to grow up to be a forest ranger. Instead he must learn to hold a rifle and watch his older brother go to war. He must forage for mushrooms and berries to help feed his family. He must search the notice boards for help finding food so they don’t starve. A very well written memoir that touches a part of the war that isn’t often discussed; the Germans who did not want war but had it thrust upon them. Great book. The narrator was fantastic. Highly recommend! Thanks to #NetGalley for the chance to listen and review #TheWillowWren. All opinions are my own. #bookstagram #all_the_pages
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