What a great book!

First of all, because of the fascinating use of language. Such rich descriptions! There are words used in ways I have not encountered, yet ring so true. I must admit that I also encountered some words which were totally new to me. Though I very quickly stopped looking them up. I was too wrapped up in the story to stop for that – it was hard enough to stop when it was time to stop reading!

I had heard about the book for quite some time but was hesitant about reading it. I wasn’t sure that I was in the mood for another book that takes place during World War Two, especially one that is over 500 pages long. I was also afraid that if the book’s main characters were a French girl who lost her sight and a poor German boy, the book would be terribly “shmaltzy’.

The plot is engrossing and the writing beautiful and I was totally wrapped up in it. It could have been a bit shorter and one can argue whether or not the epilogue is as good as rest the of the book, but that’s just quibbling.

IT’S A GOOD BOOK!