Daughter of the Reich: A Novel

Written by Louise Fein

Narrated by Marisa Calin

For fans of The Nightingale and All the Light We Cannot See, a spellbinding story of impossible love set against the backdrop of the Nazi regime.

She must choose between loyalty to her country or a love that could be her destruction…

As the dutiful daughter of a high-ranking Nazi officer, Hetty Heinrich is keen to play her part in the glorious new Thousand Year Reich. But she never imagines that all she believes and knows about her world will come into stark conflict when she encounters Walter, a Jewish friend from the past, who stirs dangerous feelings in her. Confused and conflicted, Hetty doesn’t know whom she can trust and where she can turn to, especially when she discovers that someone has been watching her.

Realizing she is taking a huge risk—but unable to resist the intense attraction she has for Walter—she embarks on a secret love affair with him. Together, they dream about when the war will be over and plan for their future. But as the rising tide of anti-Semitism threatens to engulf them, Hetty and Walter will be forced to take extreme measures.

Will the steady march of dark forces destroy Hetty’s universe—or can love ultimately triumph…?

Propulsive, deeply affecting, and inspired by the author’s family history, Daughter of the Reich is a mesmerizing page-turner filled with vivid characters and a meticulously researched portrait of Nazi Germany. In this riveting story of passion, courage and morality, Louise Fein introduces a bold young woman determined to tread the treacherous path of survival and freedom, showing readers the strength in the power of love and reminding us that the past must never be forgotten.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: May 12, 2020
• ISBN: 9780062964076

Louise Fein

Louise Fein is the author of Daughter of the Reich, which has been published in thirteen territories, and the international bestseller The Hidden Child. She holds an MA in Creative Writing from St Mary’s University. She lives in Surrey, UK, with her family.

Reviews for Daughter of the Reich

[mlx395 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was well-researched and written. Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and it was quite interesting to read a novel set just before WWII, and told from the perspective of a young German girl who is a Nazi, or,is one until her eyes are opened to the realities of Hitler's plan for the total annihilation of the Jewish people, in his quest for a pure German race and world dominance. It's disturbing, and a good reminder of how all people are just that.....people, human beings who deserve to live their lives without fear of persecution.Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. -Winston Churchill

[Amy Homan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful book! You fall in love with all the characters!!

[Grace Gregory · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book really makes you stop and think. It’s wonderful!

[Chrissy Staszak · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

There simply aren’t enough wonderful things I can say about this book. Talk about a novel that is gripping, awe-inspiring, and shows us what true love and friendship is like, and how they can be tested in the loom of a pending war. I loved this novel, and loved Hetty once she realized the wrongdoings her own family was behind, and making her believe. The author incorporated a lot of excellent twists and turns, many of which I wasn’t expecting! There are so many times in this novel where you can’t help but to think how these atrocities were possible, or how a collective group of people once felt this way about another group of people. The evolvement of Hettie’s character in this novel shows that while hate is usually learned, it can be unlearned, too. It also shows the true importance of questioning everything you’ve been told in your life; not everything we hear or are told is true! Lastly, it reaffirms that true love has no barriers- something that should ALWAYS be remembered.

I really hope to have the opportunity to enjoy more novels by this author in the future.

[Brenda Shealey Steele · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great story! I’ve read many books describing the life the Jews were forced to live. But is the first book I’ve read from the Germany point of view. First time I’ve understood how the Germans were brainwashed/persuaded to actual believe the deceitful lies. So sad how inhumane humans can be toward other human being. We are all created from one blood, Wonderful book. Thank you!.

[Sarah Van Martin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic book, so much heart and wow - it’s a fantastic book another side of the story about world war 2 . It’s a must read, must listen

[Sarah Rich · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Heartbreakingly beautiful, and a different perspective from most WWII books. Definitely recommend!

[kristin woodward · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amazing book. Beautiful narration. Could not stop listening. Brings out so many emotions.

[Natalie Leitzmann · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just phenomenal! Once you start, you won’t put it down until you’ve read the whole story!

[leighannewrites · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is quite different from what I expected. This is much more of a historical romance told in first person pov which isn't my favorite storytelling tense. There are some things in here I fond uncomfortable such as a 15-year old having sex and pregnancy. It was brave of the author for writing a story featuring a German heroine in WW2 living among Nazis. I didn't find the storytelling and writing all that compelling and little bit superficial however I think a lot of people who enjoy mainstream historical ww2 fiction will like this. It does make for an interesting change of pace from the spy heroines in ww2 fiction I've been seeing lately being published.

[ellenh_28 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Europe and America between the wars, misconceptions, eugenics, epilepsy treatments, love and motherhood all combined to make a sometimes uncomfortable, but mostly compelling, thought provoking read. Thankfully we've come far from the ideas of the eugenics movement.

[janerawoof · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Through the story of an unrequited love, the strong point was to show how a whole nation could be mesmerized by a charismatic though unscrupulous leader. Are there lessons for our times?

[jynell-71874 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As a fan of historical fiction, I immediately fell in love with the writing of Louise Fein. This book explored WWII, life in the Reich, and the power of love. The deeper in love Hettie falls, the more she sees life through a different glass - which is a concept that defies time.

This gripping story mesmerized me and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction!

[thewanderingjew_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Daughter of the Reich, Louise Fein, author; Marisa Calin, narratorThere is something compelling about this book that sets it apart from other Holocaust books. This novel is presented from the point of view of Hetty Heinrich, a young German girl whose father is a rising star in the Nazi Party. We watch her metamorphose from a devoted servant of Hitler into one who begins to question and reject his barbaric ideas. This book paints a heart wrenching portrait of Hitler’s Third Reich, as she comes of age, falls in love and looks into the face of evil, forcing her to question not only Hitler’s policies, but her own father’s service to him as he blindly carries out the effort to create the Thousand Year Reich. She begins not only to question Franz Heinrich’s devotion to Hitler, but she also begins to question her father’s devotion to her mother, Helene, when she makes a startling discovery about his secret life. Soon she realizes that her reality is not the same as the fantasy world painted by Hitler and his army of thugs.When the story begins, Hetty is six years old, and she is literally drowning. Luckily, Walter, the best friend of her older brother Karl, an excellent swimmer, gets to her in time and rescues her from what would otherwise have been certain death. The year is 1929. Now fast forward to witness the moving day for the Heinrich’s. It is 1933, and they are settling into a much larger flat that has been recently vacated. All the possessions are still in the apartment, which is odd. When Hetty discovers why, she is shocked, but her mother denies what she has been told about their new home and her father’s sudden business success. Soon, she is slowly indoctrinated by her teachers and her parents to love and obey Adolf Hitler, but she also fears disregarding his rules as she learns of the terrible consequences she would then face. Her behavior must also be exemplary so her father can advance in the National Socialist Party. So enamored does she become of Hitler, that she speaks to his portrait, which hangs in her room. She hears him speak back to her, advising her on how to proceed when she faces a dilemma. In 1939, Hetty and Walter are reunited. The friendship between Karl and Walter, though, soon ends as Hitler’s racial laws demonize the Jews and make it a crime to fraternize with them. Walter is Jewish. Hetty, having carried a torch for him for years, continues to befriend him. He, in turn, has also been smitten by her.As the racial laws of Hitler’s 1000 Year Reich grow stricter, their relationship is fraught with danger. This is not strictly a love story, though, since the author paints the war in blazing color, with nothing held back. The insight into the characters as they are either indoctrinated into the Nazi way of life or are isolated and ostracized, is very authentic and will touch the heart and mind of every reader as they witness the effort of these teenagers to cope with the injustices all around them. Those Germans that succumb ignore the evil, those that don’t are targets, and they are in constant danger of being punished and/or attacked in the same brutal way as the Jews. As Hitler grows in stature and people are more and more brainwashed by his propaganda and promises, or are in fear of retribution if they do not obey his commands, the relationship between Walter and Hetty grows stronger. Their love is forbidden, and the consequences of their relationship are grave.When the book ends in 1994, the reader has had a broad, if not in-depth, glimpse into the horrors of the Holocaust from the German point of view on both the Aryan and non-Aryan side. What makes this book so forceful is that it is presented by the daughter of someone rising up in the ranks of the military, in the Waffen SS, a brutal arm of Hitler’s army of haters. As she slowly awakens and matures, her eyes are open to the unjust treatment of the Jews, and the reader is enlightened as to just how difficult it was to resist and fight the Nazis. Those who disagreed were helpless to fight back. Hetty, like other young people, was unable to resist her parent’s efforts to restrain her from questioning Hitler. She could not fight off the admiration of a wild-eyed, unstable Nazi teenager, Tomas, who professes his unwanted, undying love for her even as he attempts to blackmail her.As the book moves forward to the beginning of the war, Hetty faces tough decisions as the result of some rather thoughtless, immature behavior becomes dire. Although Walter and Hetty seemed more adult than their years at times, at others they seemed immature as they blissfully disregarded the danger of their flouting of the rules. When the book ends 55 years later, the reader learns the results of the coupling of Hetty and Walter. The reader learns about the kinder transports, the horrors of the concentration camps, the lack of any safe havens for Jews, and the inhumanity of Hitler’s plans for his Final Solution. Although the history offered is not deep, because it would require volumes, it is an excellent overview of life during the reign of Hitler, as it was seen through the eyes of Germans, some who were Jewish and some who were Aryan. One cannot but help notice the contradiction in the author’s descriptions of both Hetty and Walter. While Hetty, the Aryan is dark haired, the Jew is portrayed with features that are more Aryan. Walter is blond and blue-eyed. Perhaps the author wanted to point out the stupidity of such stereotypes. In spite of the book’s shortcomings, it succeeded in illustrating the type of person that blindly followed Hitler, the reasons why many of them did not even notice they were being manipulated by their limited education and the controlled information provided by the media until it was too late to stop the progress of Hitler’s evil. Greed, jealousy, and poverty were partly responsible for their blind obedience and for their acceptance of using certain groups as scapegoats. They viewed them as less than human, as less pure and less valuable than they were, which allowed them to revel in the pain and mistreatment of those they targeted. I fear in America today, in the year 2021, we may be experiencing the same kind of blindness, as one group tries to silence all others and demands punishment which is sometimes undeserved.

[cj82487 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I absolutely loved this book. It had me on the edge of my seat at times talking to the characters as if they were sitting across from me. It made me nervous and on edge but I couldn’t put it down once I picked it up. It took me a while to read only because life is crazy sometimes, but whenever I would find time to read it, I feverishly flipped pages. I’m glad the ending filled all the necessary gaps but wasn’t cookie cutter good ending. It felt realistic and based on true events more than a work of fiction at times. Definitely recommend this book for anyone that has a spot for historical fiction based in Nazi Germany.

[nicx27 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Hidden Child of the title is Mabel, the young daughter of Eleanor and Edward Hamilton. When we are introduced to Mabel she is a happy little girl, enjoying life. For any parents, the development of her epileptic seizures would be devastating but Eleanor and Edward are supporters of the Eugenics movement, in other words they support many quite radical ways of trying to eradicate hereditary illnesses and the lower classes from society. Edward works in this field and is ambitious. Eleanor has her own reasons for being in favour of the movement. In its most simplistic form the movement must have seemed like a good idea but it is, of course, quite a horrific prospect and one that had quite catastrophic consequences. Where Mabel is concerned, Edward cannot be seen to have such an ill daughter, whereas Eleanor is more focused on her child as an individual. It's such an intriguing storyline from Louise Fein.I didn't realise the Eugenics movement had been so prominent in the UK in the 1920s. The author wrote this book from her own experiences and the fact that 100 years ago her daughter would have been banished out of sight in the same way Mabel was is a sobering thought.There are some great characters in this book. Eleanor and Edward are well-written and I particularly liked Eleanor's sister, Rose, and her best friend, Sophie, who were a great support to her. There are some really pompous men to roll your eyes at too! This is a hefty book at 500 pages and the first two-thirds or so are spent building up to the faster paced latter third. That build up is needed to really show the progression of Edward in his beliefs alongside the deterioration of Mabel. This is an interesting book in terms of the social history involved too. Set in 1928, the effects of the First World War are still being felt, the banking crash is coming and the National Socialist Party is on the rise in Germany. This is a moving tale and one which provided food for thought and poses the question "what would I do?", leading up to what I thought was a very satisfactory ending. This is a story that will stay with me, just like Fein's first book, People Like Us.

[sunqueen_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Told from the POV of a young German girl, whose father is an up and coming star in the Nazi party. We all know how the Nazi's were to everybody else, but they were pretty mean to their own people as well.

[grandmacootie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When I received the advance copy of Daughter of the Reich from LibraryThing I fully expected to enjoy it, because the WWII era is one of my favorite historical periods to read about. But I did not anticipate such a riveting, powerful book that would so perfectly capture the rise of the Third Reich and the tide that swept the average German along with it. The story begins in 1933. Hetty is just a child and her brother’s friend Walter has just saved her from drowning. The story then quickly moves to 1937 when she is a preteen and focuses on the two years before WWII started. Things have changed. The Heinrich family has moved up in the world, into a big house with servants, and her father has suddenly become an important man. Things have changed in Germany but life is good. Why question Hitler’s views and actions since they have benefitted so much from them? Hetty is still a child used to doing what her parents tell her so apart from noticing that some of her teachers are no longer at school and Walter isn’t around much anymore none of this really makes much of an impact on her.A chance meeting with Walter gives her a glimpse of what life is like “on the other side” but she finds it hard to accept. She can’t believe Walter is a Jew. How could she have not known? He doesn’t look or sound like a Jew, he says he is still a German and loves his country, but she knows now that the Jews are evil and dirty and greedy and the cause of all the bad things that have happened to the German people. It must be true; Hitler says so. So can she trust Walter, or is his true and cunning self just coming out now?Author Louise Fein does a spectacular job of presenting the gradual but inexorable change in life in Germany. School, news, religion, recreation, jobs - everywhere you look the message is clear: the Germans owe everything to Hitler, they are the chosen people, pure, special, destined for great things. But in order for this to happen the Jews must be punished, removed, contact with them stopped. It seems amazing that the Germans so quickly went along with Hitler’s practices and policies, but they were inundated, surrounded, overwhelmed by propaganda. And well aware what happened to those that resisted.Hetty is slow to question her beliefs, even as her feelings for Walter become stronger. How can everything she has been taught, everything she has felt about her Fuhrer, be wrong? But how can her love for Walter be wrong? Aren’t people just people?Daughter of the Reich is spellbinding and mesmerizing. It’s intense with some parts hard to read, but there are pockets of love and joy and hope. Thanks to LibraryThing and publisher William Morrow/Harper Collins for providing this very enjoyable read that I highly recommend. All opinions are my own.

[samsattler · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Louise Fein’s novel Daughter of the Reich is loosely based upon her father’s family history. Fein’s father was one of the lucky Jews who managed to escape Hitler’s clutches before that became impossible. He and his young wife were taken in by England in 1933 on a temporary visa, and he remained there on a “temporary” basis until finally being granted citizenship in 1946.The novel’s narrator is Hetty Heinrich, the daughter of a high-ranking Nazi officer with grandiose ambitions. The story begins in 1929 when seven-year-old Hetty accidentally falls into a lake’s deep water and has to be rescued by Walter, a friend of her older brother Karl. Of course, the entire Heinrich family is grateful to Walter, including Hetty’s father – even though Walter is a Jew. Now, flash forward to August 1933, and things are very different. Hitler is becoming more and more powerful, but it is happening so gradually that the inevitableness of what is to come is not immediately apparent. Even Karl and Hetty, four years after Hetty’s rescue by a Jewish boy, are succumbing to the anti-Jewish propaganda that now dominates their world. Karl and Walter are no longer friends at all, and Hetty is fast becoming convinced of her own racial superiority. But for Hetty, that begins to change on the day that she encounters Walter again and feels the strong mutual attraction between them. Theirs, though, is a doomed relationship so powerful that it could result in both Hetty and Walter confined to concentration camps as punishment for daring it. The greatest sin a German woman can commit in the 1930s is to pollute her pure German blood by mixing it with that of a Jew. No excuses, no exceptions. Hetty knows exactly what will happen to her and her family if her relationship with Walter is exposed. It will mean the ruination of them all. And Walter knows that exposure would almost certainly end with his death in one of the country’s new concentration camps. But for the next six years, the couple will risk everything in order to keep their relationship alive, hoping all the while that war will end before they are exposed. Soon enough, they learn that this will not be the case. Bottom Line: Daughter of the Reich is a well-researched combination of historical fiction, psychological thriller, and coming-of-age novel that largely makes for riveting reading. It, however, suffers a bit from the relatively slow pace at which things finally come to a head for the novel’s two main characters – even to the degree that it all starts to seem a little over-repetitive. Too, the novel would have had, I think, a stronger emotional ending (even though it would have been an open-ended one) if its epilogue had been eliminated. Still, Daughter of the Reich has plenty to say about the ease at which politics-as-usual can go bad, and that’s an important message in today’s world.

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This novel makes for difficult reading at times, as it concerns the theme of euthanasia and a disabled child. I appreciated the thorough exploration of those who championed these policies in 1920s and the spirit of that era (post-WWI, the economic and cultural context), but I couldn't help but feel dragged down by this book and its topic at times. I feel for the family and the child in this novel and often I wanted to scream about the misguided ideas that definitely caused unnecessary suffering. That being said, I found the conclusion to be a happier and more satisficing ending that I had imagined possible for this story.

[cmdh5 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Daughter of the Reich by Louise Fein tells the story of Hetty Henreich, a young German girl growing up in Germany as the daughter of a Nazi SS officer surrounded by anti-semitism. She falls in love with a Jewish boy, Walter, who causes her to see her world and thoughts much differently. I struggled with this book both in delivery and writing style. Louise is a very immature young teen at the beginning of the book and the writing style lacks nuance and growth. I appreciate the story the writer was going for, it was ambitious to do so both authentically and with respect. For me, it didn’t work. That said, I realize I’m in the minority here and that’s okay. Historical Fiction is a huge genre, particularly WWII. This is a double edged sword. Many stories are being told that need to be. However, the bar is then set very high for comparison. Thank you to LibraryThing as well as William Morrow for the Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review The Daughter the Reich.

[kathl33n-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I see most people are writing glowing reviews of this, and in terms of the historical value and the view point of the main character, I can completely agree. This was an interesting tale of WWII told from the POV of a young girl who was embroiled, through her school and family, in the harsh and extremist views of the Nazis. Difficult to understand those views and really quite difficult to read, as this book did not hold back on the attitudes toward Jews. Where it fell flat for me was the maturity of the MC. She begins the story around age 12/13 I believe, just before the war began, but as the war progressed and her experiences became dark and conflicted, I didn't see any growth in her character. She still felt very pubescent to me and I would have thought this would have been an atmosphere for her to mature very quickly. Many thanks to the publisher and LibraryThing for providing me with an advanced copy. This opinion is my own.

[ang709 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have mixed emotions about this read. I thought Hetty's inner struggle was interesting, but this book had a juvenile feel to it. Hetty was a younger character than I expected going into this, and the first person point of view made her seem even more childish. I also didn't like the fact that she was not at the age of consent when she was having her relationship with Walter. I did find the ending moving. Thank you to LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program for the ARC.

[mpmills · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This well-researched novel is set in Germany in the years before the war. Hetty Heinrich is 12 in 1933, daughter of a high ranking Nazi newspaper editor, and totally immersed in the Nazi cause. She eventually falls in love with Karl, a Jewish friend, and her beliefs slowly change. It was interesting how the children were indoctrinated in Nazi beliefs from a early age, but I still find it hard to understand how a whole nation could let this happen. A lot can be learned today from this horrific time in history. Good book!

[queencersei · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Hetty Heinrich lives a seemingly ideal childhood in 1930's Germany. The daughter of a pro Nazi newspaper publisher, Hetty lives a comfortable existence with her parents and older brother, soaking in the belief that Adolf Hitler is an ideal leader. That the German people and herself are destined for greatness. As Hetty becomes a teenager though, she cannot help but notice the hostility and even cruelty directed towards the preserved enemies of the German state. In particular she cannot forget the boy, Walter, who saved her from drowning as a child. As Hetty ages, her childhood crush on the Jewish Walter only intensifies, causing her to question everything she has been taught to believe. Eventually Hetty is forced to decide between her loyalty to her family and her love for Walter.

[chrisac_2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this book as part of the Early Reviewers group. I couldn't put it down. This story of young people caught up in the rise of Hitler and the Nazis was a gripping, suspenseful tale. The characters are well written and the reader gets to see this awful period through the eyes of the all believing daughter of a high ranking Nazi as well as through the eyes of her love, a young Jewish man whose family are persecuted. At first, she, Hetty, cannot believe the things her young man, Walter is telling her. Once she sees the chinks in the armor her father has built, things change. One thing that struck me is that many of the conversations the characters have in 1938 are all too similar to conversations we have and hear about in 2020. What is true, what is not, whom to believe and racism are timeless themes. The way the Nazis lied to the people is similar to the so called "fake news" that still exists today.This was an excellent book; and I recommend it for students of history. It is fact based fiction, but it hits the mark.

[susan0316 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read a lot of World War II fiction and this is a different look at the war than what is normally written. This book takes place in Germany before the war and gives a view of how many of the German people revered Hitler and thought that he was the only person that could save their country. Most of the people who disagreed with this opinion were sent to 'work camps' or murdered on the street.Hetty is the daughter of a high-ranking Nazi official. She lives in a huge house with her father, her mother who spends her time working with charities and her brother. The novel begins in 1933 when Hetty is 12. She attends BDM (The League of German Girls or Band of German Maidens (German: Bund Deutscher Mädel, abbreviated as BDM) was the girls' wing of the Nazi Party youth movement, the Hitler Youth.) meetings and believes her father that Hitler is the only way for Germany to be saved. She wants to do whatever she can to help Germany succeed and is enthralled with Hitler as a leader. UNTIL... she sees Walter again. Walter had been a friend to her brother and she had a crush on him after he saved her from drowning when she was very young. When she finds out that Walter is really Jewish, despite having Aryan features, she knows that he is an enemy to her beloved country. When she sees him again and starts to talk to him, her world is turned upside down and she begins to wonder if all she has been taught has been a lie - are Jews really being prosecuted, are people being treated cruelly, are Jewish people starving? All of these questions begin to prey on her mind as her relationship with Walter grows stronger even though she knows that she will be severely punished if they are ever seen together. As she decides who to believe and tries to save Walter and his family, her life at home is becoming more difficult and the possibility of exposure is getting stronger as she realizes that someone is following her. Will hatred cause the end of Hetty's love for Walter or will love overcome all of the hate?Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

[pdebolt_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This novel is set in Germany right before WWII. Hetty Heinrich lives with her mother, her brother, Karl,, and her father, a high-ranking SS officer. Germany is captivated and enthralled by the maniacal, racist rantings of Adolf Hitler. As children, Karl's best friend is Walter, who is Jewish. Hetty, a few years younger, develops a crush on Walter that lasts into their adolescence despite his not being of Aryan descent. Their relationship develops to a point that is dangerous for both of them when people are spying on their neighbors in order to report their "transgressions" to the authorities, and no one is safe from the terrors inflicted by the Nazis. This novel showcases the horrors of the Reich and the brainwashing of the German people. It is also a testament to people with the courage to try to save those who were being persecuted.I am grateful to LibraryThing and to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this well-written book.

[mommom46 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

With thanks to LibraryThing for the chance to read and preview this book. Daughter of the Reich is about Germany and the rise of Hitler taking place in Leipzig. It is a moving and well researched book,although the book began with writing that seemed very juvenile. I realize that it was a young girl speaking but it tainted the beginning of the book for me. The story started to mean more to me as Hetty grew up and started to see the chaos that Hitler was creating around her. How easy it is to brainwash children and create deep divisions amongst the people that need scapegoats to blame.Joseph Goebbels famous quote “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it,people will eventually come to believe it” was evident in the story. Also from Goebbels,” A lie told once remains a lie,a lie told a thousand times becomes the truth”. Both statements are being used in today’s political climate. There was lots to think about in this book and would create great book club discussions. I highly recommend it.

[written-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another book that leaves you thinking. How could this happen? What would you do?Hetty and her brother Karl as children were friends with Walter, a Jewish boy. Then Nazi Germany starts it's rise to power and friendships are broken and forbidden. Hitler takes hold of the German people and all the evil spews forth.Hetty's father is part of the Nazi movement and she too believes the Nazi propaganda. Hitler's pull to brainwash the youth. To control their thoughts and where to direct their hatred. Hetty and her family are "good" German's. But at some point things start to change in Hetty's way of thinking. She runs into Walter and remembers his saving her from drowning as a child. How could Walter, a childhood friend be the "enemy" just because he is Jewish?Hetty begins sneaking out to meet with Walter, knowing what will happen to both of them if they are found out. And so the story begins...The author tells a very good story in that I got lost in the book. I could feel the tension, the fear,the sadness, the terror of what was happening. Putting the book down I still had this sense of dread and it was because I was caught up in the story.A good book about a very hard subject to read about.