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There are currently 42 member reviews
for Daughter of the Reich
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Kay K. (Oshkosh, WI)
Daughter of the Reich
I enjoyed this book. The author portrayed the main character with understanding and showed that love can overcome ignorance. The reader also gets a glimpse of the psyche of the German people under Hitler who followed him. It's a love story, somewhat contrived, but interesting. The main character, Hetty Heinrich, as a child wants to love her country but loving a Jew puts into question everything she is taught in her home under a father who is a high ranking Nazi official. Many are put in harms way when she can not resist her love.
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Stephanie M. (Mount Vernon, IL)
Daughter of the Reich
Another great historical book. I am totally falling for historical romance books. Hetty was a good daughter of a high ranking Nazi officer. She plays the part, exactly as was suspected she would. She did until she meets Walter. A secret love affair them begins. The book takes you they there love story, both trials and tribulations. Take the time to read and enjoy!!!!
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Ora Jonasson (Anacortes, WA)
Daughter of the Reich by Louise Fein
One summer day in 1929 seven-year old Hetty and her older brother, Karl, sit on a lakeside jetty watching Karl's friend, Walter, swimming toward them. Ignoring her brother's warning, Hetty leans over the edge and lands in deep water. Unable to swim, screaming for help, she slips beneath the surface. Walter's strong strokes draw her to shore, forming a life-long bond.
The next time we meet Hetty she is eleven years old and just entering gymnasium. One by one classmates and friends enter the story, along with the subtle changes taking place in their lives and their country. These children of Leipzig, Germany, struggle with the hatred being taught, changes in their parent's attitudes and cruelty they see on the street.
Louise Fein skillfully weaves the threads of Nazi prejudice and dehumanization into the thought patterns of questioning, testing, teenagers. These young people, being trained to Salute Hitler and follow his goal of creating an Aryan pure race, at the same time have strong bonds of love and friendship with the very people they are supposed to hate. Their story unfolds through powerful examples of humanness overcoming fear and poignant relationships of selfless love.
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Julie M. (Golden Valley, MN)
A German Perspective on WWII
There have been many stories about the atrocities of WWII, but Daughter of the Reich portrayed so vividly how one can be swayed by the opinions and beliefs of those you are close to or respect and how it happens so unconsciously. It takes a powerful experience to change one's beliefs, overcome fear and rejection in order to do the right thing. I think it's interesting that this is set in the 1930s leading up to WWII which makes it even more relevant as we see some of these same ideas and concepts starting to be leaking into the world again and how easy it could be with the technology we have to influence people without them even being aware until it's too late. Herta's experience could literally happen today as leader's use fear to manipulate people into being complacent.
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Margot P. (Mandeville, LA)
Great for tweens, for serious readers, not so much....
If I was in senior high right now, this would undoubtedly be the best book I have ever read-a 5 star for sure. It has romance, tons of action, hateful characters (including parents), and lots of historical events that appear to be well researched. As a mature reader who reads quite a bit of Holocaust and WWII lit, the comparisons to All the Light I Cannot See and The Nightingale are simply unfounded. The book is a 3 so hence the final average of 4 star rating.
The novel has far too many implausible situations, a sugary love story that of course ends in pregnancy (which I get as Fein wanted to include the Kindertransport to the story). The diary entries were distracting and unnecessary and the epilog was just what the reader would predict. All this being said, I would be lying if I did not admit, I cried at the end and at a few other spots in the tale. Recommend this to mature teens, books clubs with diverse readers and any one looking for immersion in a page turner.
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Lucy S. (Westford, MA)
Emotional journey
There are many books that describe those terrible times from the perspective of the persecuted. This was the emotional journey of a young girl, daughter of a high ranking Nazi father who falls in love with her Jewish childhood friend. The characters were brought alive on the page and although it was heartbreaking to read, it kept one's attention, reading the horror and cruelty of the time and the ability of some people to rise above it.
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Carol T. (Ankeny, IA)
This grew on me
When I started Daughter of the Reich, I thought it was so-so, just another WWII novel; however, after just a few pages, I found it mesmerizing. Louise Fein has a knack for historical fiction - really pulling me into the mind of the main character. Some of the minor characters (Tomas, for instance) could use a little more development, but on the whole, I whole-heartedly recommend Daughter of the Reich and will be watching for Fein's next book.
