Overview

"Anna and Lena, neighbors on the same floor in a Hamburgian apartment-building on Baumstrasse, are the base for the life-stories of the residents on the floor, to illuminate and fade out. The two girls, one Christian and the other Jewish, grow up in innocent, magical friendship, in an era when the simplest turns to unbearable. The events in the story, do not linger at the girls childhood; they swing back and forth with life stories of the residents in three apartments. They take you to different periods to Odessa, Cairo, Vienna, Hamburg and more. The novel is a fruit of the author's (an ex-Iranian Israeli) contemplations on Holocaust. The author deals with the hideous tragedy from an unconventional angle. She brings the reader to ponder on reasons that bring human beings to be the most savage beasts. From the Epilogue: When I first visited the beautiful city of Hamburg, I condemned God who had repaid the Germans' savagery and brutality, so lavishly. Every elderly walking on sidewalks, was a brutal Nazi in my eye... Were those German soldiers not sons of mothers? Did they not feel pain, homesickness, fear, hunger and cold? Or maybe they were just emotionless war machines!"" This is Namdar's second Novel. The first ""Snobar Khanom's Gold Coins"" became a hit in three languages, Hebrew, Farsi and English. The book was awarded by the Israeli culture Minister in 2015."

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The aspect of Nasrin's story that makes it so memorable is the manner in which she addresses the Holocaust, basing her insights as perceived by a Jewish girl and a Christian girl, a wise decision for opening new viewpoints. Rich in texture and populated with unforgettable characters, this new novel succeeds in offering a different perspective for consideration, as well as a very entertaining story. Grady Harp This is a great story about the residents of one building in Hamburg Germany. It explains how all of their lives were connected and what it was like from before the war through the end of it. It also tells the story of each resident - how they grew up and how it turned out for them. And it circles around two little girls that were friends. True friends that didn't know that there were differences between them. And as they grew up, they had to contend with the realities of war and prejudice. Kenton & Bev Kephart This novel does a fantastic job of showing the atrocities of the holocaust through a different lens, swinging between different individuals and cities to give a wide and varied view of events. I really appreciated how Namdar includes the perspectives of both a Jewish and Christian girl, showing the friendship between them growing from a young age, and really inspiring the reader to be engaged and invested in their stories. Something which stood out for me particularly is the rich detail used to describe Hamburg, clearly written by an author who is very familiar with the city. As the book progresses and takes the reader to other locations, it really provides an insight into the sheer extent of the horrors of the holocaust. A story which forces contemplation but is still enjoyable, highly recommended. Chel Boyum This well-made novel, based on the Holocaust, is breathtaking and entrancing. It is always good to remember history and such terrible event like the Holocaust must be remembered often so that something like that does not happen again. The book shows sides of the Holocaust that we did not know and that where not shown much to the public either. In the prologue I felt very identified with the author, her way of writing makes you feel and witness those terrible moments. I feel that this novel should be more recognized before the public, read in classrooms and translated into several languages so that it reaches more people. It is interesting, educational and shows the reality that those Jews lived through. I will admit that the cover of the book is not as distinct to catch new readers, but if you are someone who wants to read the book and is not sure about it yet, I completely recommend it, the author did a splendid job. V. Mendez.

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