The Baker's Daughter: Summary and book reviews of The Baker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy, plus links to an excerpt from The Baker's Daughter and a biography of Sarah McCoy.

In 1945, Elsie Schmidt is a naive teenager, as eager for her first sip of champagne as she is for her first kiss. She and her family have been protected from the worst of the terror and desperation overtaking her country by a high-ranking Nazi who wishes to marry her. So when an escaped Jewish boy arrives on Elsie's doorstep in the dead of night on Christmas Eve, Elsie understands that opening the door would put all she loves in danger. Sixty years later, in El Paso, Texas, Reba Adams is trying to file a feel-good Christmas piece for the local magazine. Reba is perpetually on the run from memories of a turbulent childhood, but she's been in El Paso long enough to get a full-time job and a fiancé, Riki Chavez. Riki, an agent with the U.S. Border Patrol, finds comfort in strict rules and regulations, whereas Reba feels that lines are often blurred. Reba's latest assignment has brought her to the shop of an elderly baker across town. The interview should take a few hours at most, but the owner of Elsie's German Bakery is no easy subject. Reba finds herself returning to the bakery again and again, anxious to find the heart of the story. For Elsie, Reba's questions are a stinging reminder of darker times: her life in Germany during that last bleak year of WWII. And as Elsie, Reba, and Riki's lives become more intertwined, all are forced to confront the uncomfortable truths of the past and seek out the courage to forgive.

Some of the recent comments posted about The Baker's Daughter. Join the discussion! You can see the full discussion here.

Can you sympathize with Reba's desire to remember her father differently?
Yes, I can sympathize with Reba, because she did love her father & it traumatized her to learn of his illness & problems because she saw a lot of herself in her father. Today, things would have been done differently. in some ways he was alot like... - barbarab

Do you have friends or family members with whom you frequently exchange letters, cards, or emails, though you rarely see them in person or talk on the phone?
Davina, You have to order the cards with the printed signature - I didn't phrase that well! I love fountain pens as well. I used to buy disposable ones at Borders, before its demise, which were okay as far as not leaving too many blots. I... - lisag

Does Josef’s personal suffering justify his public actions? How does Riki justify his daily work?
I felt for Josef as well. We always believe that put in the same situation we will act differently. But the truth is we are all human and react in the moment. I had a difficult job during a difficult time - rebajane

Have recipes played a part in your own childhood and adult life?
To a certain extent. I have fond memories of certain things my mother and aunt cooked throughout my childhood. Neither were particularly good cooks but some things they made were memorable. I am an okay cook. What frustrates me is the lack of time... - malindan

How does McCoy depict gender roles? How does the issue of empowerment manifest in Elsie and Reba's stories?
Empowered? That word doesn't fit Elsie & Reba for me. Looked it up & found some interesting background on what word meant before becoming a buzzword - " to invest with authority, authorize ... ". Elsie was challenged because of the war. She had... - marganna

Let's discuss Elsie...
I think that Elsie accepted Josef's attentions for several reasons: loyalty to her family, the excitement of being a part of what she viewed at first as a glamorous world, and her natural feeling as a young girl of liking the attention of a... - eileenh

Similar books?
I still haven't read The Book Thief. It's been on my list forever. It's the current One Book/One Chicago read and the author's coming to speak in the city soon. Too bad it's such a pain getting from the far-flung suburbs to the city. - lisag

Was Mutti right to keep the letters from Elsie? What may have happened if she hadn't kept them a secret?
I don't think she was right, although, initially, it may have seemed to Mutti to be the prudent thing to do. Knowing Tobias's fate would have been such a relief for Elsie, and they may have forged a lifelong relationship. I think Mutti just wanted... - susank

What are some positive attributes of communal living? What are the negatives?
I Agree with Ann S. The Lebensborn Program was not a commune by any stretch of the imagination. I was especailly horrified to see that children were taken away from their mothers and given to others with the birth mothers not knowing any more... - beckyh

What was your overall feeling of the book? Did you experience strong emotions while reading?
It seems a lot of people disliked the font used for the letters. I also found it more difficult to read than the regular print. The older I get the more closely I examine a book's print before I buy it. That never used to be a problem!... - lisag

When is it right to accept regulations without question and when is it right to act on our own convictions?
Even on a smaller scale, there's often peer pressure to act in an immoral or dangerous way. It permeates multiple layers of society and takes a lot of strength of character to go against the system, when it's so much easier just going along with... - lisag

Where do you think Riki and Reba are today?
I'm certain they are together. Maybe with kids, a 2 car garage and a dog or two... Seriously tho, they'd be together facing life with it's ups & downs. Both had grown during the book. Both understand the challenges of life and were ready to embrace... - marganna

Why does Reba continuously reinvent herself?
Reba didn't know who she was. She was in a job that she really didn't like. She was in a relationship with a man she really didn't know. I think Reba began to grow in her relationships with Elsie and Jane. She began to feel things again, as she... - CoventryReader

Media Reviews

Historical Novel Society Replete with raw emotion and suspense, The Baker's Daughter is a fascinating journey through a horrifying time in world history that will resonate long after you close the book. Tatiana de Rosnay, international bestselling author of Sarah's Key and A Secret Kept A beautiful, heart-breaking gem of a novel written just the way I like them, with the past coming back to haunt the present, endearing heroines and a sunny, hopeful ending. You'll wolf it up in one delicious gulp. Kelly O'Connor McNees, author of The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott Elsie Schmidt is the brave and unforgettable heroine of Sarah McCoy's beautifully written tale of family, friendship, and love. The Baker's Daughter demonstrates how the past can teach us - if only we will listen. Amanda Hodgkinson, New York Times bestselling author of 22 Brittania Road A sensitive, multilayered novel, this is a moving examination of the effect war and the politics of exclusion, have on the human heart. Jenna Blum, international bestselling author of The Stormchasers and Those Who Save Us The Baker's Daughter was a constant warm companion to me during cross-country travels, a novel I looked forward to returning to night after night. The rare book in which the modern-day story is as compelling as the wartime tale it contains, The Baker's Daughter offers a look at Nazi Germany through the lens of the immigration issues of our own time. El Paso, TX and Garmisch, Germany make for an unexpected harmony of flavors.

Recent Reader Reviews

Rated of 5 by Susan
Must Read
One of the best books I have ever read. I recommend this book to everyone who comes into the Library.

Rated of 5 by Grace
A Compelling Tale
Harsh, poignant, and touching, beautifully written, yet haunting. McCoy's novel is compelling and powerful with richly developed characters, especially Elsie.

Rated of 5 by Carol_R
The Baker's Daughter Review
If you have the appetite for a bittersweet tale, read Sarah McCoy’s “The Baker’s Daughter.” Not only will it stir your senses, it will stir your heart. The baker’s daughter is Elsie Schmidt. Her life unfolds before our eyes when reporter Reba...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Becky H
The Baker's Daughter
A "feel good" newspaper feature is the link between the horrors of Germany during WWII and two women with secrets in present day El Paso, Texas. Both women's stories are compelling in themselves and as their lives intersect over the...   Read More

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