A Desperate Hope
The Midwife Of Berlin by Anna Stuart is a powerful historical novel that consumed me.
Much of the action is set in 1961 Berlin, at the height of the Cold War. It is a time of division as east separates from west.
The Nazi reign of terror has gone, only to be replaced with a Soviet one.
As the Berlin Wall is erected, lives and families are torn apart. ‘Lists’ begin to appear, making defection necessary.
The East is living under communism. It is a nice idea in theory but doesn’t work in practice.
Similarly, lives were ripped apart in World War II by the Nazis. Babies born in Auschwitz were torn from their mother’s arms. Secretly, these babies were tattooed in their armpits with their mother’s number, in the hope that after the war, women could find their babies. “Hope is the greatest pain but also the greatest strength.”
There is much sacrifice within the book as lives are literally and mentally, laid down for others.
The Midwife Of Berlin took over my every waking moment. It was a powerful, heart-wrenching read but ‘love wins.’ I will leave you with my favourite quote:
“Evil cannot endure, not while good people resist it.”
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
JULIA WILSON
THE MIDWIFE OF BERLIN: COMPLETELY UNFORGETTABLE AND TOTALLY HEARTBREAKING WW2 HISTORICAL FICTION by Anna StuartAuschwitz, 1943: I stroke my beautiful baby’s hair. It’s a miracle it’s blonde because it will keep her alive, it will keep her safe. Soon they will come and take Pippa out of Auschwitz-Birkenau – and out of my arms. But while there’s life, there’s hope I might find my daughter again…
An incredible story of one woman’s courage and determination to reunite her family in the aftermath of surviving Auschwitz.
1945, Berlin: Ester Pasternak walked out of the gates of Auschwitz barely alive. She survived against devastating odds, but her heartbreaking journey is only just beginning. In the camp, Ester gave birth to a tiny fair-haired infant, only for her precious baby to be snatched from her and taken to a German family. Now the war is over, Ester longs to find her little girl.
But Europe is in chaos, Jewish families have been torn apart and everyone is desperately searching for their loved ones. In every orphanage and hospital she visits, Ester searches the faces of tear-stained toddlers; each mop of blonde hair and pair of blue eyes she sees sets her heart racing…
But as the months and the years tick by, the possibility of finding her daughter shrinks smaller and smaller. And Ester starts to wonder if little Pippa is even safe, or whether the miracle that saved her has now put her in even more danger?
Will Ester ever be able to find the child whose tattoo matches her own? Or is she already too late…
A completely gripping and emotional WW2 novel of one woman’s bravery and determination to hold on to hope in a world torn apart by war. Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Alice Network and The Nightingale.
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