Saves The World Entire

The Brunswick by Callie Murray is a fabulous debut novel set in the American South in 1939. It is a Christian historical novel, and although a work of fiction, has its roots based on real people and real events.

This is a story in two halves which alternate. There is The Brunswick in Norcross, America which used to be a hotel until the Wall Street crash of 1929, but is now a run as a store by a World War I veteran’s daughter. He had originally built The Brunswick but now is confined to his room with depression. The other venue is Austria where Jewish children are persecuted and need a safe harbour.

Within America there are anti-German feelings and we see characters marginalised because of their roots, despite the fact that their parents came to America many years earlier.

The World War I veteran is haunted by his past. He has withdrawn from life, even to the point of ignoring his daughter. His prejudice runs deep. “Who knew what he experienced when he was fighting abroad? – but he must hate an entire race, past and future?” Fears of how he will react to Jewish children in his hotel are very real. “Worry is a waste of time we have left.” We should worry about nothing and pray about everything, handing our worries up to Jesus.

We witness the cruelty and persecution by the Nazis, of the innocents. We see those who are brave. “I am comfortable because others were brave.” We wonder, what does brave look like? “Sometimes bravery looks like love… and love, you have.”