Book Review: A Child for the Reich by Andie Newton

“Where’s Ema?” she asked, pulling her hand back.

“They took her,” I said.

Andie Newton, A Child for the Reich

Review:

I’ve read a few books about Nazis taking children during World War II, but never quite in the way A Child for the Reich presents. It’s haunting to think about and especially read about even when the particular characters are fictional.

With rumors going around about the ‘Brown Sisters’ kidnapping Czech children that match the Aryan profile, Anna is determined to keep her blond hair and blue-eyed daughter Ema from being taken away from her. When Ema is snatched right out of her arms, her determination shifts. She will stop at nothing to get her daughter back.

This was an emotional read, but also an inspiring one. Anna’s love for her child is admirable to say the least. The story was told in a mostly linear timeline with a few flashbacks scattered throughout. There are a number of cliffhanger chapters that kept me turning the page. This along with wonderful characters made it difficult to put down.

Though I read the paperback version, I’d be curious to also listen to the audiobook once it’s released. I feel like the book has the potential to be even more enjoyable with a narrator. There is no shortage of emotion from which to draw.

A huge thanks to Harper360 for sending me a free ARC copy of the book to read and review!

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• It focuses on a lesser talked about part of WWII.
• We get glimpses of what Ema is going through during this time.

What I didn’t like:

• Too slow-paced for me given the nature of the plot.

Afterthoughts:

Sometimes it’s difficult to come by unique books in WWII fiction. Though A Child for the Reich does follow the typical format, the main dynamics stand out.

Where to buy the book: