Chasing Shadows

I still remember the first Lynn Austin book I ever read, primarily because I reread it recently and it still resonated with me.  So when a Lynn Austin book becomes available I have to read it, well, most of the time.  There are a few of her books I still haven't delved into, but that's a story for another day.  Today's review is on Chasing Shadows, a World War II era book that takes place in the Netherlands. While there are some books about World War II that deal with the battles and their aftermath, this one deals with the lives of people who are subject to the whims and impulses of a conquering government.  

Imperialism and domination were the keystones of the two major Axis players of the war.  The German National Socialists were also seeking racial purity and elimination of a race of people they deemed evil and corrupting.  While many people did not hold with the government's ideologies and did what they could to protect the Jews, they were still subject to the rules and laws of those people in power.  Some people put on their courageousness and did what they could to help these marginalized citizens. 

Chasing Shadows is a book about the bravery of ordinary people who disagreed with those in power, especially those who let their power go to their heads. The plot is dark with the clouds of evil hovering over the daily lives of the characters, and it deals with not only the history of the era, but also the fallout of the war on individual lives.  There are two intersecting stories that were common to the times.   On the one hand, there are the lives of farmers--ordinary citizens, as it were--and their families who have their food confiscated by the soldiers, but they also provide a safe haven and what little food they can for the Jews who would otherwise be sent to the camps.  On the other hand, there are the families of the Jews themselves who live in great fear every moment of the day.  Lynn has focused on one farmer's family and one Jewish family in this book and these narratives are based on real people and real events. 

I've never read a book of the World War II era that showcased the daily life of people and their hardships. I do enjoy reading WWII era books because my father served, two of his brothers served, and several of my uncles on my mother's side of the family also served. It is not as though I was unaware of the events, but to read it in a novelization where the emotions and the thoughts of the characters are displayed, the true meaning of the events drives home.  This is a five star book that will last in the reader's mind for a long time after the last pages are read. 

Tyndale House and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are my own.