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Shadows of Berlin


A captivating novel of a Berlin girl on the run from the guilt of her past and ...
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Did your opinion of Angelika change as you learned more of her story? Why do you suppose she was so determined to take Rachel under her wing? In Rachel’s position, would you have accepted her help?

Created: 04/28/22

Replies: 13

Posted Apr. 28, 2022 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

Did your opinion of Angelika change as you learned her story? Why was so determined to take Rachel under her wing? Would you have accepted her help?

Did your opinion of Angelika change as you learned more of her story? Why do you suppose she was so determined to take Rachel under her wing?

In Rachel’s position, would you have accepted her help in Berlin?
How about in New York City ten years after the end of the war? 
Why or why not?


Posted Apr. 29, 2022 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Tired Bookreader

Join Date: 08/19/11

Posts: 209

RE: Did your opinion of Angelika change ...

It would be easy to say that a person may have chosen a more 'ethical' route; however, that would have been death. Human nature is to do anything to survive. Angelika may have seen some of Rachel's mother's talent and affection which gave her the impetus to have a piece of her lover alive.


Posted Apr. 29, 2022 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
dorinned

Join Date: 10/13/14

Posts: 176

RE: Did your opinion of Angelika change ...

Angelika was a complicated person. She reaped the benefits of her beauty during the war by covert actions and when she took Rachel under her wing as a "student" to do the same, she may have been doing it because of her regard for Rachel's mother. Rachel was hardly in a position to refuse to associate with and obey Angelika; she was only a child and was in a very fearful, dangerous position as a Jewish child in Nazi Germany. As far as Rachel's fears still being present ten years later in New York City, the kind of horrors she experienced are not cast aside easily; I'm not sure how anyone could ever completely recover from that sort of experience. As far as her reaction to Angelika at that time, ten years after the war, it's difficult to know how one would react. The fact that Angelika brought Rachel her mother's painting was certainly a positive action.


Posted Apr. 29, 2022 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Maggie

Join Date: 01/01/16

Posts: 434

RE: Did your opinion of Angelika change ...

My opinion of Angelika did not change. I believe she helped the young Rachel because of the love she had for Rachel’s mother. Rachel had to except her help in Berlin to save her life. She also believed her mother would be saved, which was not the case. Ten years later in New York City I would not have wanted her friendship.


Posted May. 01, 2022 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
carriem

Join Date: 10/19/20

Posts: 237

RE: Did your opinion of Angelika change ...

Angelika took Rachel under wing but for selfish reasons mostly because her love for her mother but also it provided her another with another possible reporter for U-boat residents and Rachel though a child thought her mother would be saved (which did not happen). I do not think Angelika changed that much except she bring a painting to Rachel that her mother had painted. On the other had we this mainly from Rachel’s view who is still coming to terms with her past.


Posted May. 03, 2022 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
robertaw

Join Date: 04/20/16

Posts: 83

RE: Did your opinion of Angelika change ...

My opinion did not change. I though Angelika was immoral and remained manipulative until the end.


Posted May. 05, 2022 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
susanr

Join Date: 04/14/11

Posts: 201

RE: Did your opinion of Angelika change ...

My opinion of Angelika didn't change at all during the book. She was an egotistical narcissist who always looked at for herself without worrying about other people. As far as helping Rachel, I felt that she had an ulterior motive that she didn't share. I just don't think it was possible for her to care about anyone other than herself.


Posted May. 08, 2022 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
melissa c.

Join Date: 01/10/21

Posts: 111

RE: Did your opinion of Angelika change ...

To my own surprise, my opinion of Angelika did change. By no means did I "like" her character towards the end of the book, but my initial "strong dislike" did soften when she brought Rachel her mother's painting.


Posted May. 09, 2022 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
swchis39

Join Date: 09/26/12

Posts: 172

RE: Did your opinion of Angelika change ...

My opinion of Angelina did not change. Who knows what one would do with faced with few options for survival but she had no moral backbone.


Posted May. 10, 2022 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
cindyr

Join Date: 05/25/21

Posts: 28

RE: Did your opinion of Angelika change ...

I don't believe anyone of us can be certain of what we would do, the lengths we would go to in order to survive certain death from the Nazis in WWII. "Angel of Death" accurately described Angelina in Berlin. She did what she had to do to keep herself and Rachel alive. Ten years later, she has a forgive and forget attitude, but that doesn't work for Rachel. I'm kind of shocked to write I felt a bit sorry for Angelina dying alone.


Posted May. 13, 2022 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Navy Mom

Join Date: 04/12/12

Posts: 294

RE: Did your opinion of Angelika change ...

Angelika seemed despicable to me. I understand doing what needs to be done to survive, but she went too far. I think the Uncle was on the same level as Angelika. I do think that Angelika loved Rachel's mother but it seems that attraction wasn't consummated instead she was passed to the brother. Just the fact she was in the U.S. and married to a wealthy man shows how manipulative she was. (Can't help but compare her to what we are now hearing about Amber Heard who also appears to manipulate men to get what she wants.)


Posted May. 13, 2022 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
kimk

Join Date: 10/16/10

Posts: 889

RE: Did your opinion of Angelika change ...

No, my opinion of Angelika didn't change over the course of the novel. I thought she was despicable, start to finish. She was manipulative and self-centered. Granted, she did what she needed to to survive, but I still felt like she saved Rachel out of a warped desire to hurt Rachel's mother.


Posted May. 23, 2022 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
beckys

Join Date: 08/12/16

Posts: 233

RE: Did your opinion of Angelika change ...

My opinion of Angelika didn't change over the course of the novel. She had zero morals and I feel like any thing she did to help Rachel was self serving.


Posted May. 25, 2022 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
sharalynnep

Join Date: 12/04/11

Posts: 63

RE: Did your opinion of Angelika change ...

No, she was an awful person from beginning to end. Even in the end when she contacted Rachel she more or less told her she wasn't afraid of Rachel turning her in because she'd take her down as well. She saved Rachel to get back at Rachel's mother, not because she was a good person.


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