The Light After the War

By Anita Abriel

Inspired by the true story of one woman's extraordinary journey to forge a new life after escaping a train bound for Auschwitz.

In 1946 two young Hungarian refugees arrive in Naples after losing everyone they loved before the war. Vera Frankel and her best friend, Edith Ban, are haunted by their terrifying escape from a train headed for Auschwitz after their mothers threw them from the carriage, promising they would follow. But instead the girls find themselves alone in a frozen, alien land. They manage to find refuge and barter for their lives by working on an isolated farm in Austria until the end of the war.

Armed with a letter of recommendation from an American general, Vera finds work and new hope at the United States Embassy and, despite her best intentions, falls in love the handsome and enigmatic Captain Anton Wight. But when Anton suddenly disappears, Vera is forced to drastically change course. Their quest to rebuild their lives takes Vera and Edith from Naples to Ellis Island to Venezuela and finally Sydney as they carve out careers – and find love.

Heartbreakingly moving and compelling, The Light After the War is inspired by the true story of the author’s Holocaust survivor mother.
 
Praise for The Light After the War

‘You will be swept away by this fast-paced, heartbreaking and hopeful tale of friendship, family, second chances and the enduring power of love, based on the true story of the author’s mother in war-torn Europe.’ Kristin Harmel, bestselling author of The Room on Rue Amelie 

‘A heartfelt and memorable tale of family, love, resilience and the triumph of human spirit.’ Pam Jenoff,  bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Paris

'There is so much in The Light After the War that truly shines: Unforgettable love, family, faith—and the courageous resolve of two young women to mend their lives and seek new beginnings in a world tragically changed. Fans of historical fiction are sure to devour this tale of hope, reinvention and the power of friendship to heal the heart’s deepest wounds.' Roxanne Veletzos, author of The Girl They Left Behind

‘Heartbreakingly moving and compelling … a testament to the power of humanity, to those people who even after unspeakable horrors and loss, still believe in the beauty and wonder of love, hope and friendship.’ Better Reading

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia
• Release date: Feb 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781760852412

Anita Abriel

Anita Abriel was born in Sydney, Australia. She received a BA in English literature with a minor in creative writing from Bard College. She is the internationally bestselling author of The Light After the War, Lana’s War, and A Girl During the War. She lives in California with her family.

Reviews for The Light After the War

[janarose1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Following WWII, Vera and her friend Edith leave Hungary as refugees and travel to Naples. Vera secures a job at the U.S. embassy where she falls in love with Anton. When Anton suddenly leaves, Vera and Edith travel first to New York, where they are turned away, and then to Caracas.I found this book to be very predictable and the characters stereotypical. The plot seemed to move at a slow pace and focused too much on Vera's romances. Overall, this book was a bust.

[soosthemoose · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyable book about the effects of WWII on Jews in the years after the war.

[silversreviews · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Two friends who couldn’t be separated even by the war.Vera and Edith had been friends since childhood. They escaped a train bound for Auschwitz, spent the remainder of the war working on a farm, moved to Naples, tried to settle in New York, then went to Caracas, Venezuela, and then went their separate ways.In Naples they both found love and both lost love.We follow both girls in their adventures and heartbreaks and find they never were separated from each other.THE LIGHT AFTER THE WAR is actually based on the author's mother's life.Ms. Abriel did a marvelous job of easily taking us from one time period to the next and making the story line very interesting. It is a story line that easily pulls you in and has you caring deeply about Vera and Edith.Vera was sweet and Edith was fearless and ambitious.If you need an uplifting book, THE LIGHT AFTER THE WAR will fit the bill.A heartbreaking but truly lovely journey shared with Vera and Edith that will require tissues at times, but also a lot of happy times. 5/5This book was given to me by the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

[shelleyraec · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

World War II fiction tends to focus on the wartime experiences of German or French Jews, and most often takes place in France, Germany, or the UK. The Light After the War by Anita Abriel has an interesting difference, in that it is set over about two years immediately post war with two main characters who are Hungarian Jews, and primarily takes place in Italy, and later, Venezuela.Best friends Vera and Edith are barely seventeen when they escape during transport to Auschwitz from Budapest, and find refuge in a small Austrian village for the duration of the war. Eventually the girls make their way to Naples, where Edith, who dreams of becoming a fashion designer, finds work as a seamstress, and Vera is employed by the American embassy as a secretary, and falls in love with her boss, Captain Anton Wight. When Vera’s relationship abruptly ends, the friends are fortuitously offered the opportunity to emigrate to America, but denied entry, they settle in Caracas where they hope to forge a new life for themselves.I was intrigued by the inspiration for this novel, the main characters of The Light Before the War are based on (and even named for) members of Abriel’s own family. Her mother, Vera Frankel, and best friend, Edith, really did escape a train carrying them to Auschwitz, how closely subsequent events mirror their experiences isn’t entirely clear though Abriel confirms some key incidents (one which in particular shocked me) are true in notes found at the end of the novel.I was surprised to learn that Venezuela granted asylum to Jews fleeing the Nazi regime and the deprivations of the post-war period. I wasn’t aware of that fact, and was interested to later discover that at its peak the country hosted a community of around 65,000 Jews, (though recent political strife has reduced those numbers considerably).Unfortunately, despite finding elements of the story fascinating, I found the prose itself rather flat, and the pace largely monotonous, in part I think because of the past-tense narrative used in both the ‘present day’ storyline and the flashbacks. Though I dislike the phrase, I also thought there was far more ‘telling than showing’, and a lack of emotional depth. Resilience is all well and good, but the girls never really seem to be afraid, or even more than mildly anxious, with any obstacles they were faced with too easily overcome. I’m glad that Abriel was able to share her family’s story, her mother’s survival in such circumstances is a triumph. Though The Light After the War wasn’t as engaging as I hoped for, I agree with the author that tales like these ensure the Holocaust will never be forgotten, and never be repeated

[susan.h.schofield · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5 stars. This was an interesting story of two Jewish Hungarian young women who are like sister and their lives in the first years after the end of World War II. There were also flashbacks to their childhood and their lives during the war through the book. I found these flashbacks to be a little choppy - there wasn't always a smooth transition to them. I felt like the book was more romance than it was historical fiction. But I did enjoy it and would like to know more about the author's mother since it was based on her stories of survival during World War II. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

[tamidale · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Using her mother’s life as inspiration, Anita Abriel writes an uplifting story about two Hungarian women who managed to escape from a train headed for Auschwitz. In the years that follow, the women manage to survive and follow their dreams in spite of their hardships.Vera wants to become a writer and is the most level-headed of the two. Edith is interested in fashion and romance. The two grew up as neighbors and are as close as sisters. They have a healthy balancing relationship throughout the story.Even though the story follows the lives of both women, Vera is the main focus throughout. From a farm in Austria, the women travel to Naples in search of employment. While there, Vera falls in love and becomes engaged, but events occur that prevent the marriage from happening.Vera and Edith end up in Caracas, where both their careers take off. Edith makes a name for herself with her women’s fashions and Vera becomes a copywriter. Their lives seem to come full circle while they are in Caracas. Loved ones from the past reappear. At times, things didn’t seem very uplifting, especially for Vera. Luckily things have a way of working out and in the end, this story has a happy ending.The story does make references to the concentration camps, but not in any great detail. The main focus is moving past the sorrow and making a life for themselves.Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review

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

Inspired by her mother's story, Anita Abriel's The Light After the War takes readers across the world following the paths of girlhood friends Vera and Edith from Budapest to escaping the Nazis and hiding out in Austria, to Italy and Venezuela.Believing they had lost their families and loved ones, the girls try to move on with their lives after the war. Edith dreams of becoming a fashion designer and Vera had hoped to be a playwright but settles for copywriting.The background of Jews migrating to more tolerant societies was new and interesting. There is referred violence and death relating to the Holocaust and the girls must resist predatory men, but there is nothing graphic in the story. The concentration is on their determination and friendship, and the charmed luck their beauty brings in the form of helpers and aides along their journey.Easy to read and easy to digest, with star-crossed lovers and jealousy, the novel felt more like a romance than heavier WWII-era historical-fiction fare. The resolution will satisfy those who believe in fate and true love.I was given access to a free book by the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.

[susan0316 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book begins after the end of World War II with flashbacks to times before and during the war. It is the debut novel from this author and is based on her mother's life during and after the war. I read a lot of books about the WWII but have read very few about what life was like for the survivors after the war and this well written and well researched book answered a lot of the questions I had about how people worked to try to put normalcy back in their lives.The book begins in 1946 when Vera and Edith, best friends since childhood, arrive in Naples. They had grown up in Budapest and managed to escape from a transport to Auschwitz. They had spent the last several years hiding out at a farm in Austria. Both women are happy to be alive and they know that they need to find jobs to survive. Vera is ready to go back to living again but Edith has been broken by her life during the war and losing the love of her life. They both find love until life interrupts their plans and they have a chance to go to America. When those plans get derailed, they end up moving to Caracas. They find jobs and hope for the future there and both of them flourish as long as they try not to think about the losses in their pasts. Will Vera and Edith be able to move forward and find love and joy in their lives or will their pasts continue to keep them find finding happiness?This is a wonderful book about friendship, love and survival. I loved the strong friendship between the two women and their perseverance to create a better life for themselves. If you are a fan of WWII fiction, this is a book that you don't want to miss.Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.