Those Who Save Us
by Jenna Blum
by Jenna Blum
Those Who Save Us is beautifully written. The story takes place during WWII and present day. The main characters are a woman and her daughter, both of whom lead adventurous lives but for very different reasons.
The story begins in the present day with the awkwardness between mother and daughter. As the plot develops, we learn that the mother, Anna, a German, has lived through the trauma of WWII. Anna gives birth to a daughter by her Jewish lover during the war and we see the lengths she must go to protect the child and try to help her lover who has been sent to a concentration camp. The conditions in which she must live and try to raise a child are harrowing. The hunger, freezing conditions and threats from German officers are terrifying.
Trudy, the daughter, is completely unaware of the risks her mother has taken during the war and lives a very different life in the States. However, the events Trudy has witnessed, as a child, have taken their toll without her realizing. Trudy’s childhood has effected her relationships as she has grown up and her marriage. As Trudy embarks on a project to interview German citizens and their experiences during the war, Trudy finally begins to understand her mother’s behavior.
The story goes back and forth between WWII and modern day but it’s seamlessly written. The women both have strength of character you can admire. The book makes you question the decisions Anna made during the war but you also start to wonder how you would cope with such terrifying situations and how far you would go to protect your loved ones.
With the anniversary of D-Day on June 6, this book truly makes you realize how fortunate we are that we can have amazing adventures and the freedom of choice to do so.
Lorna is editor-in-chief of Boudica.com and has her own blog, Calif Lorna.
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