Article contributed by Zoë Leonarczyk
While any book about the Holocaust makes for a difficult read, I find books that revolve around individuals in or related to the Nazi regime to be even more difficult. How could someone wholeheartedly support such a cruel and inhumane belief system? Daughter of the Reich is a captivating story on finding love and realising that what your family has led you to believe may not really be as justice filled as it tries to appear.
Daughter of the Reich takes place in the years leading up to World War II. This is always such an interesting, if not horrifying, time period to read about particularly because we know the history. We know what the blind fanaticism and anti-Semitism led up to and it adds a sort of horror element to every decision made during this time period.
This sign of a good historical fiction book is being transported back to the time period in which it is set, and Daughter of the Reich does just that. It is a wholly immersive read and doesn’t shy away from any of the atrocities that were occurring well before the second World War. This story ranges from the summer of 1929 to the summer of 1939, and even includes an epilogue in the 1990s. Even though this book covers quite a few years, the story continues to flow smoothly and transcend the time in which it is depicting.
The story follows Hetty Heinrich, a daughter of a Nazi officer. During this time Hetty is confused on what to feel and believe. She aspires to become a doctor, but if she is to believe the teachings of what a German girl should be like she must toss away that dream and learn to be subservient. Hetty is just trying to grow up and finish school, but she is worried about what her father will expect from her. She’s also worried that she doesn’t believe in what her family does. One thing Hetty is certain of, however, is that she is in love with Walter. But not only is he her brother’s friend, but he is also a young Jewish man. The closer she gets to him, the more Hetty realises that she doesn’t believe what her family does.
Walter is the catalyst that Hetty needed to stop and look at the atrocities happening around her. He not only challenges her to open up her eyes, but also pushes her to become a better person and follow in her own belief system. The closer Walter and Hetty become, the more horrors Hetty are forced to face and make judgements on. And in a world where everyone else seems to be brain washed it takes a strong will to go against society.
Before this year, I couldn’t remember reading any books on the Holocaust told from the perspective of those close to, or in, the Nazi regime. However, after Daughter of the Reich, I can say that I have read two this year. Personally, I find that these stories are even more difficult to read than any other story about the Holocaust. There is just something so horrifying as to read about the mindset behind those who committed such crimes. It puts you in the mind of those who followed Hitler’s ideology and the blind fanaticism they had. The horror aspect really comes through in seeing how those individuals truly believed in what they were doing, that they truly thought an entire group of people deserved to die.
Daughter of the Reich is one of those important stories that need to be shared. It’s that story of fighting for what you believe in. For defying those who would have you become some twisted version of yourself. For finding love and growing from it. It may be a difficult read, but that’s what makes it worthwhile. I think that it is important to not shy away from these reads and instead to learn and grow from them.
Daughter of the Reich is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore!
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Synopsis | Goodreads
For fans of The Nightingale and All the Light We Cannot See, a spellbinding story of impossible love set against the backdrop of the Nazi regime.
As the dutiful daughter of a high-ranking Nazi officer, Hetty Heinrich is keen to play her part in the glorious new Thousand Year Reich. But she never imagines that all she believes and knows about her world will come into stark conflict when she encounters Walter, a Jewish friend from the past, who stirs dangerous feelings in her. Confused and conflicted, Hetty doesn’t know whom she can trust and where she can turn to, especially when she discovers that someone has been watching her.
Realizing she is taking a huge risk—but unable to resist the intense attraction she has for Walter—she embarks on a secret love affair with him. Together, they dream about when the war will be over and plan for their future. But as the rising tide of anti-Semitism threatens to engulf them, Hetty and Walter will be forced to take extreme measures.
Will the steady march of dark forces destroy Hetty’s universe—or can love ultimately triumph…?
Propulsive, deeply affecting, and inspired by the author’s family history, Daughter of the Reich is a mesmerizing page-turner filled with vivid characters and a meticulously researched portrait of Nazi Germany. In this riveting story of passion, courage and morality, Louise Fein introduces a bold young woman determined to tread the treacherous path of survival and freedom, showing readers the strength in the power of love and reminding us that the past must never be forgotten.
