By 
Catherine Taylor, the Author of “The Many Seas to Guernsey” has written a powerful, captivating and intriguing Historical Fiction Novel. In this well written novel, there is a wealth of information and research about the time period just before the war in Europe, and then the actual war. The author vividly describes the landscape, the scenery, the plot and the dramatic, complex, complicated and flawed characters. In 1936, the female protagonist Kitty Garland-Fry moves to an inherited house in Guernsey with her artistic and bohemian parents. Kitty is a writer and uses her imagination to write fairy tales, but feels bored. She meets Lukas von Harnitz, a handsome young man studying to be a priest. His family lives in Germany, but he is taking his widowed English mother to England. Both Kitty and Lukas bond over books, poetry and the beautiful scenery. Kitty realizes that Lukas will be a Priest, and unavailable to her as a suitor. Lukas is torn between his ambition as a Priest, and his feelings for Kitty.
As Hitler and Germany get more aggressive, life becomes more dangerous, challenging, and complicated. Both Kitty and Lukas are strongly against Hitler and Nazism. The author does compare the British and German feelings towards the war. Kitty meets Lukas’ s cousin, a German soldier, and his family. Lukas is surprised by things he sees in the church, and the feelings as Germany takes over. He questions his decisions, and is trying to be guided by his moral compass. The author discusses the tragedies and heartbreak, and destruction in war. The author takes us on a journey throughout Europe as the war starts to take hold. The author discusses the importance of courage, family, neighbors, friends, faith, hope and love. There will be an anticipated second book, which I look forward to reading. I highly recommend this book to others.
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