by Liz Tolsma
Christian Fiction / Historical
Available May 2014
Thomas Nelson
352 pages
About the Book
Gisela must hold on to hope and love despite all odds in the midst of a war-torn country.
Gisela Cramer is an American living in eastern Germany with her
cousin Ella Reinhardt. When the Red Army invades, they must leave their
home to escape to safety in Berlin.
However, Ella is a nurse and refuses to leave, sending her young
daughters with Gisela. During their journey, Gisela meets Mitch Edwards,
an escaped British POW. She pretends she is his wife in order to
preserve his safety among other Germans, especially one wounded German
soldier, Kurt, who has suspicions about Mitch’s identity. Kurt also has
feelings for Gisela and tries to uncover the truth about her “marriage.”
Their journey to Gisela’s mother in Berlin is riddled with tragedy
and hardship, but they strive to keep Ella’s daughters safe so they can
reunite with their mother. During the journey Gisela and Mitch begin to
develop feelings for one another beyond friendship. They reach Berlin,
but their struggles are far from over. Gisela and Mitch must learn to
live for the day and find hope in the darkest of circumstances.
In this moving, historically accurate portrayal of WWII Germany, the
characters learn that, even with destruction all around them, some
things last forever.
My Thoughts
Daisies Are Forever tells the story of an eclectic group of people living in Germany near the end of World War II. The surrender of the German army and the arrival of the Russian army are imminent, yet German citizens may be in more danger than ever. As family, friends, and strangers band together, they must constantly fight to survive.
As I read this book, it was hard to believe that this could happen in real life. However, the story is based on the accounts of the author's aunt and friend, so as difficult to believe as it is, this book is historically accurate. I cannot imagine living in Germany during this time.
While the premise was interesting, I found it difficult to get into the story and had to really push myself to continue at times. There's a lot going on throughout the book, but at times it felt repetitive. I also had great difficulty keeping the characters straight in my mind.
Even with these "downfalls" though, I'm glad to have read this story. It truly opened my eyes to the horrors of war in a new way. And the author does a great job of keeping Christ at the center of the story without it seeming forced.
If you enjoy World War II fiction, Daisies Are Forever may just be the book for you! [3 stars]
I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson via Litfuse Publicity in exchange for my fair and honest review.
About the Author
New York Times best-selling author Liz Tolsma is the author of Daisies Are Forever, Snow on the Tulips, and the contributing author
of A Log Cabin Christmas. When not busy putting words to paper, Liz
enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden,
kayaking, and camping. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and
children, all adopted internationally.
Liz Tolsma Online
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