(2/15/2020)
I have read a lot of war books regarding WWII lately and honestly, to say I liked this one more than others is not something any one should say. With that being said, war in itself is a true debasing of a person's character, what a person is pushed to do all to make it to see another day is painful to read let alone actually experience it. Izabela and her soldier Bill push them through some extremely harrowing moments all in the name of love and survival. I honestly cannot imagine going through what they did. We truly downplay what living through a war really does to a person. Maggie Brookes captures the rawness of war without trying to romanticize it. Yes, on one hand one can interpret this story as a love story, however, it is more of a survival and true companionship story. What Izzy and Bill witness, live through and yet still manage to have optimism is nothing short of amazing. I hesitate to say "I really liked this book" because truly to like a story such as this is something none of us should.