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jdoerhoff's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Absolutely love this author. I enjoy her style of writing and how much research goes into each book. The Note was a rollercoaster of emotions and definitely had me stunned at the ending.
beexx's review against another edition
4.0
I am completely torn on how I feel about this book. Every part of me loved it, but every part of me wished it to be different. The story was told from different point of views, some present day (1960s) and some during the war.
The story begins in the 1960s with our first main character, a thirteen year old named Alice. There’s a murder. There’s an accident with a window. There’s a new friendship.
She friends the lonely, weird German man after her friend breaks his window. She wants to make things right and help him pay for a new window. While there Jozef tells her of tales from the war.
Someone must be blamed for the murder that happens in their town, and Alice knows exactly who did it. She runs to Jozef and tells him of the rumors and she tells him who committed the murder.
My heart breaks here.
The story continues in the present day. More death. Sadness. Heartbreak.
While yes, this book talks of time in World War II, I would’ve liked this story better if it were two different books. I understand why it was written the way it was, but I don’t know. I loved every moment of reading it, but there was something missing, and that’s why I only gave it 4 stars.
The story begins in the 1960s with our first main character, a thirteen year old named Alice. There’s a murder. There’s an accident with a window. There’s a new friendship.
She friends the lonely, weird German man after her friend breaks his window. She wants to make things right and help him pay for a new window. While there Jozef tells her of tales from the war.
Someone must be blamed for the murder that happens in their town, and Alice knows exactly who did it. She runs to Jozef and tells him of the rumors and she tells him who committed the murder.
My heart breaks here.
The story continues in the present day. More death. Sadness. Heartbreak.
While yes, this book talks of time in World War II, I would’ve liked this story better if it were two different books. I understand why it was written the way it was, but I don’t know. I loved every moment of reading it, but there was something missing, and that’s why I only gave it 4 stars.
rachelcarter's review against another edition
5.0
Wow!!! What an amazing book!
This is not a conventional WW2 story. This starts in the 1950's when a teenager is found dead, possibly murdered in a lake. The locals want to blame the "strange German" who never speaks to anyone. A group of 4 teens, including Alice, go to his house, and one breaks his window. Alice feels bad about this so goes back to his house the following day with a note apologising. This is where their friendship begins. She does chores for him to repay him for the broken window, and he tells her stories of his life, from being young, to his time in POW camp. Alongside this, back in the 50's, the police are still trying to find out what happened to the dead girl.
The twist at the end was so unexpected! But also not unrealistic.
I think this book will stay with me for a very long time.
Thank you Netgalley for this amazing book.
This is not a conventional WW2 story. This starts in the 1950's when a teenager is found dead, possibly murdered in a lake. The locals want to blame the "strange German" who never speaks to anyone. A group of 4 teens, including Alice, go to his house, and one breaks his window. Alice feels bad about this so goes back to his house the following day with a note apologising. This is where their friendship begins. She does chores for him to repay him for the broken window, and he tells her stories of his life, from being young, to his time in POW camp. Alongside this, back in the 50's, the police are still trying to find out what happened to the dead girl.
The twist at the end was so unexpected! But also not unrealistic.
I think this book will stay with me for a very long time.
Thank you Netgalley for this amazing book.
srivalli's review against another edition
4.0
4 Stars
One Liner: Heart-touching.
Germany & Auschwitz, 1935-1943: Jozef and Adi dream of a lovely future together, ignoring the warnings about the unrest and Hilter’s regime. When reality forces them to take notice of the situation, they try to find a way to survive. However, their attempts are in vain as the couple are captured, separated, and shifted to Auschwitz. How can they survive in a place designed to kill people? Will they ever see each other again?
South Carolina, 1953: Alice spends her thirteenth birthday with her friends and dozes off only to be woken up by wailing sirens. Nancy, the school’s cheerleader, and Billy’s (Alice’s older brother) friend is found dead in the lake.
Alice notices that their lives and interests are changing even as the mystery of Nancy’s death continues. When Mikey, her best friend suspects, Jozef (the reclusive German guy in town), Alice is not sure of it. When she meets Jozef and gets to know him, Alice learns the story of his life and the horrors of the Holocaust.
But when Alice comes across a secret that can change her life forever, she doesn’t know what to do. Should she stand for the truth or listen to her heart?
My Observations:
• This is my third book by the author. I love how she captures and translates certain emotions. Though the story belongs to the WWII setting, human relationships are the primary focus.
• The friendship between Jozef and Bruno was so well-etched that it didn’t seem the least bit odd to their interactions in Auschwitz. In fact, it made the storyline seem more real.
• The author’s note mentions how Bruno was inspired by a real person. It doesn’t excuse any Nazi behavior and yet shows glimpses of humanity.
• The beginning is a bit slow, but the story picks up the pace soon. It’s a small book too, so that’s another plus.
• There’s a logical loophole in the story, but I was willing to ignore it. I was glad that the past was revealed without letters or diary entries.
• My biggest issue was with Alice. She’s thirteen, and I had to remember this point because her actions and dialogues made her sound like an eight or nine-year-old. The storyline was for a thirteen-year-old, and it was very hard to imagine Alice for her said age.
• The ending is hopeful and emotional. It perfectly fits the mood of the book and lingers even after you finish reading.
To sum up, The Note is a heart-touching book about friendships and bonds that stand the test of time.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#NetGalley #TheNote
Germany & Auschwitz, 1935-1943: Jozef and Adi dream of a lovely future together, ignoring the warnings about the unrest and Hilter’s regime. When reality forces them to take notice of the situation, they try to find a way to survive. However, their attempts are in vain as the couple are captured, separated, and shifted to Auschwitz. How can they survive in a place designed to kill people? Will they ever see each other again?
South Carolina, 1953: Alice spends her thirteenth birthday with her friends and dozes off only to be woken up by wailing sirens. Nancy, the school’s cheerleader, and Billy’s (Alice’s older brother) friend is found dead in the lake.
Alice notices that their lives and interests are changing even as the mystery of Nancy’s death continues. When Mikey, her best friend suspects, Jozef (the reclusive German guy in town), Alice is not sure of it. When she meets Jozef and gets to know him, Alice learns the story of his life and the horrors of the Holocaust.
But when Alice comes across a secret that can change her life forever, she doesn’t know what to do. Should she stand for the truth or listen to her heart?
My Observations:
• This is my third book by the author. I love how she captures and translates certain emotions. Though the story belongs to the WWII setting, human relationships are the primary focus.
• The friendship between Jozef and Bruno was so well-etched that it didn’t seem the least bit odd to their interactions in Auschwitz. In fact, it made the storyline seem more real.
• The author’s note mentions how Bruno was inspired by a real person. It doesn’t excuse any Nazi behavior and yet shows glimpses of humanity.
Spoiler
I did think a lot about this. After all, I’ve been a witness to the whitewashing of the Kashmir Hindu genocide and victim-blaming. I don’t know how the survivors of WWII will feel, but I can completely understand their discomfort and pain.• The beginning is a bit slow, but the story picks up the pace soon. It’s a small book too, so that’s another plus.
• There’s a logical loophole in the story, but I was willing to ignore it. I was glad that the past was revealed without letters or diary entries.
• My biggest issue was with Alice. She’s thirteen, and I had to remember this point because her actions and dialogues made her sound like an eight or nine-year-old. The storyline was for a thirteen-year-old, and it was very hard to imagine Alice for her said age.
• The ending is hopeful and emotional. It perfectly fits the mood of the book and lingers even after you finish reading.
To sum up, The Note is a heart-touching book about friendships and bonds that stand the test of time.
Thank you, NetGalley and Bookouture, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#NetGalley #TheNote
booksaprilreads's review against another edition
5.0
WWII historical fiction with part of the story in South Carolina? Yes, please.
In this story we meet Jozef as he is befriended by Alice in 1950s South Carolina. A horrible event has occurred resulting in the death of a young woman. Everyone except Alice suspects Jozef did it.
Through their relationship we get to know Jozef, his wife Adi, and their childhood friend, Bruno.
Josef and Adi moved to France in hopes of escaping the Nazi invasion that was taking place in Germany. Unfortunately, even with false identities they are discovered and are transported to Auschwitz.
The story alternates between the two stories as we get closer to who is actually guilty of the horrible crime.
This story was heart touching and heart breaking. Both stories are very powerful and the author does a fantastic job alternating between the storylines. The power of friendship is such a huge part of this story and one of the reasons it will stay with me for a while.
I do feel like the ending was rushed. That could just be because I wanted more time with Adi. The storylines were wrapped up and no detail was left hanging. This was my second book by the author and she is quickly becoming a favorite.
Thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley, and Carly Schabowski for the copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
In this story we meet Jozef as he is befriended by Alice in 1950s South Carolina. A horrible event has occurred resulting in the death of a young woman. Everyone except Alice suspects Jozef did it.
Through their relationship we get to know Jozef, his wife Adi, and their childhood friend, Bruno.
Josef and Adi moved to France in hopes of escaping the Nazi invasion that was taking place in Germany. Unfortunately, even with false identities they are discovered and are transported to Auschwitz.
The story alternates between the two stories as we get closer to who is actually guilty of the horrible crime.
This story was heart touching and heart breaking. Both stories are very powerful and the author does a fantastic job alternating between the storylines. The power of friendship is such a huge part of this story and one of the reasons it will stay with me for a while.
I do feel like the ending was rushed. That could just be because I wanted more time with Adi. The storylines were wrapped up and no detail was left hanging. This was my second book by the author and she is quickly becoming a favorite.
Thank you to Bookouture, NetGalley, and Carly Schabowski for the copy of this book in exchange for a review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
pancha_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing... a book that I could easily recommend to almost anyone.
A girl finds herself getting close to one of her neighbors, a German refugee who is always alone. And while her town is haunted by a c criminal investigation he tells her his story. A story of a man who had to endure persecution, precarious situation, and heartbreak of all kinds.
An amazing tale of how stories can bring people together. How talking brings you closer to others. The mixture of stories and narrations is incredibly done. Characters who steal your heart in an instant. A book that would make you tear up with sadness and joy.
A story of friendship, survival, of facing the weight of your choices. A book in which I enjoyed every single page.
A girl finds herself getting close to one of her neighbors, a German refugee who is always alone. And while her town is haunted by a c criminal investigation he tells her his story. A story of a man who had to endure persecution, precarious situation, and heartbreak of all kinds.
An amazing tale of how stories can bring people together. How talking brings you closer to others. The mixture of stories and narrations is incredibly done. Characters who steal your heart in an instant. A book that would make you tear up with sadness and joy.
A story of friendship, survival, of facing the weight of your choices. A book in which I enjoyed every single page.
thesublibrarian's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
What a beautifully heartbreaking coming of age story. Told in dual timelines that will take you from the summer of 1953 in South Carolina and back to Auschwitz, 1942, this book shattered my heart and yet was able to pick up the pieces at the same time.
In 1942, Jozef and Adi are captured by the Nazis after fleeing for their lives. Taken to Auschwitz where they are torn apart to endure the horror no one can imagine. In the summer of 1953, 13 year old Alice's world is turned upside down when a local girl is discovered dead in the lake.
When suspicion falls on the quiet German refugee, an unlikely friendship is forged between Jozef and Alice. A friendship that will alter both their lives forever. As she learns of Jozef's past, the desperate choices people were forced to make along with the fight for freedom, Alice grapples with the truth surrounding her own life.
As beautiful as it is heartbreaking, this wasn't an easy read. Jozef's story has stayed with me long after I read the last page. The fear he endured, the horror he witnessed, all of it detailed in between these covers. Alice struggling to understand at such a tender age. There is a moment in the mind of Alice when she says "I wish I wasn't a child and I knew what to say to him." All I could think, was even as an adult, you wouldn't know what to say to him. If you love historical fiction, especially WWII history, do not hesitate to read this book. This one deserves all the stars!
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for my gifted E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
In 1942, Jozef and Adi are captured by the Nazis after fleeing for their lives. Taken to Auschwitz where they are torn apart to endure the horror no one can imagine. In the summer of 1953, 13 year old Alice's world is turned upside down when a local girl is discovered dead in the lake.
When suspicion falls on the quiet German refugee, an unlikely friendship is forged between Jozef and Alice. A friendship that will alter both their lives forever. As she learns of Jozef's past, the desperate choices people were forced to make along with the fight for freedom, Alice grapples with the truth surrounding her own life.
As beautiful as it is heartbreaking, this wasn't an easy read. Jozef's story has stayed with me long after I read the last page. The fear he endured, the horror he witnessed, all of it detailed in between these covers. Alice struggling to understand at such a tender age. There is a moment in the mind of Alice when she says "I wish I wasn't a child and I knew what to say to him." All I could think, was even as an adult, you wouldn't know what to say to him. If you love historical fiction, especially WWII history, do not hesitate to read this book. This one deserves all the stars!
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for my gifted E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.