There are a few cases when I would like to give a book 6 stars, but this is one of them. Having lived in Germany ten years after WWII, the book brought back memories of things I was told by people who lived there during the war. I think the author connected with the sadness of those memories. The people who survived, those that were lost, and the daily hardships. The characters were well rounded. The fantasy aspects with the addition of a golem (Ava) added a different aspect to the war story, but it made the story work when you ask. "What is life?" I have found a new favorite author.

I am not sure if it was bad timing for me, the fact that I listened to an audio instead of reading the book, or I am just not an Alice Hoffman fan. But I struggled to give this a 3 star rating. I did not hear the wonderful prose that has been mentioned by others, nor the great mysticism and folklore that they say shined in this story. I found it to be confusing and fragmented. I did not think that the alternating chapters worked - at least not in the audio. It was very hard to follow.

I realize I am going against the flow on this book, but for me, it was a waste of my time.