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The Kommandant's Girl #0
The Ambassador's Daughter
Paris, 1919. The world's leaders have gathered to rebuild from the ashes of the Great War. But for one woman, the City of Light harbors dark secrets and dangerous liaisons, for which many could pay dearly.
Brought to the peace conference by her father, a German diplomat, Margot Rosenthal initially resents being trapped in the congested French capital, where she is still looked upon as the enemy. But as she contemplates returning to Berlin and a life with Stefan, the wounded fiance she hardly knows anymore, she decides that being in Paris is not so bad after all.
Bored and torn between duty and the desire to be free, Margot strikes up unlikely alliances: with Krysia, an accomplished musician with radical acquaintances and a secret to protect; and with Georg, the handsome, damaged naval officer who gives Margot a job—and also a reason to question everything she thought she knew about where her true loyalties should lie.
Against the backdrop of one of the most significant events of the century, a delicate web of lies obscures the line between the casualties of war and of the heart, making trust a luxury that no one can afford.
Brought to the peace conference by her father, a German diplomat, Margot Rosenthal initially resents being trapped in the congested French capital, where she is still looked upon as the enemy. But as she contemplates returning to Berlin and a life with Stefan, the wounded fiance she hardly knows anymore, she decides that being in Paris is not so bad after all.
Bored and torn between duty and the desire to be free, Margot strikes up unlikely alliances: with Krysia, an accomplished musician with radical acquaintances and a secret to protect; and with Georg, the handsome, damaged naval officer who gives Margot a job—and also a reason to question everything she thought she knew about where her true loyalties should lie.
Against the backdrop of one of the most significant events of the century, a delicate web of lies obscures the line between the casualties of war and of the heart, making trust a luxury that no one can afford.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 20, 2012
1491 people are currently reading
12249 people want to read
About the author
Pam Jenoff
33 books6,767 followersPam is the author of several novels, including her most recent The Woman With The Blue Star, as well as The Lost Girls of Paris and The Orphan's Tale, both instant New York Times bestsellers. Pam was born in Maryland and raised outside Philadelphia. She attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and Cambridge University in England. Upon receiving her master’s in history from Cambridge, she accepted an appointment as Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. The position provided a unique opportunity to witness and participate in operations at the most senior levels of government, including helping the families of the Pan Am Flight 103 victims secure their memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, observing recovery efforts at the site of the Oklahoma City bombing and attending ceremonies to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of World War II at sites such as Bastogne and Corregidor.
Following her work at the Pentagon, Jenoff moved to the State Department. In 1996 she was assigned to the U.S. Consulate in Krakow, Poland. It was during this period that Pam developed her expertise in Polish-Jewish relations and the Holocaust. Working on matters such as preservation of Auschwitz and the restitution of Jewish property in Poland, Jenoff developed close relations with the surviving Jewish community.
Having left the Foreign Service in 1998 to attend law school at the University of Pennsylvania, Jenoff practiced law at a large firm and in-house for several years. She now teaches law school at Rutgers.
Following her work at the Pentagon, Jenoff moved to the State Department. In 1996 she was assigned to the U.S. Consulate in Krakow, Poland. It was during this period that Pam developed her expertise in Polish-Jewish relations and the Holocaust. Working on matters such as preservation of Auschwitz and the restitution of Jewish property in Poland, Jenoff developed close relations with the surviving Jewish community.
Having left the Foreign Service in 1998 to attend law school at the University of Pennsylvania, Jenoff practiced law at a large firm and in-house for several years. She now teaches law school at Rutgers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 871 reviews
June 23, 2024
3.5~3
March 18, 2013
Review is slightly spoilerish.
There are enough reviews that recap the plot quite nicely, so I'm not going to waste your time and mine with one more rehash. I'll just talk about the reading experience. There was so much potential in the subject matter; The Treaty of Versailles with the main characters being German, a world still recovering from the Great War, yet all I got was a silly fluff of a romance novel with a not very easy to like heroine.
All that potential, and pretty much flushed down the toilet by the use of the first person (present tense) narrative. Margot is as immature and self-centered as any twenty-year-old can be, but *hearing* it in her own words just doesn't put her in a terribly sympathetic light. For the daughter of a diplomat involved in a dicey political situation, Margot was allowed way more freedom to come and go as she pleased (at all hours of the day and night!), let alone making insta-friends with some rather left-wing radical types (her loose lips are what gets her into a rather dicey situation that's a big part of the story).
And then we get into Margot's relationship with German naval officer Georg. I rather liked him as a character, but since it is all presented from Margot's POV, the reader isn't able to get inside his head. Margot was able to come and go from Georg's room so they could *work* at all hours of the day or night with nary an eyebrow being raised or a scandalized whisper to be had. I, however, was raising my eyebrows when Georg collapsed at a party and was rushed to the hospital, diagnosed with pneumonia and was pumped full of drugs (what kind of drugs did they have in 1919?) and released to his hotel in care of a nurse the next day. And two days after that he's recovered enough to call on Margot and stand outside in the rain with nary a cough or a sneeze. He rescues Margot from a fall in the cold river and no set-back to be had. Two days later and he's riding a bike (can I have those drugs for my cold?).
Back to the narrative and this is where I'm getting slightly into spoiler territory so I'll tag it as such. . Kind of jarring. In the end, it's just a lukewarm romance without much chemistry between the lead pair. Library only.
There are enough reviews that recap the plot quite nicely, so I'm not going to waste your time and mine with one more rehash. I'll just talk about the reading experience. There was so much potential in the subject matter; The Treaty of Versailles with the main characters being German, a world still recovering from the Great War, yet all I got was a silly fluff of a romance novel with a not very easy to like heroine.
All that potential, and pretty much flushed down the toilet by the use of the first person (present tense) narrative. Margot is as immature and self-centered as any twenty-year-old can be, but *hearing* it in her own words just doesn't put her in a terribly sympathetic light. For the daughter of a diplomat involved in a dicey political situation, Margot was allowed way more freedom to come and go as she pleased (at all hours of the day and night!), let alone making insta-friends with some rather left-wing radical types (her loose lips are what gets her into a rather dicey situation that's a big part of the story).
And then we get into Margot's relationship with German naval officer Georg. I rather liked him as a character, but since it is all presented from Margot's POV, the reader isn't able to get inside his head. Margot was able to come and go from Georg's room so they could *work* at all hours of the day or night with nary an eyebrow being raised or a scandalized whisper to be had. I, however, was raising my eyebrows when Georg collapsed at a party and was rushed to the hospital, diagnosed with pneumonia and was pumped full of drugs (what kind of drugs did they have in 1919?) and released to his hotel in care of a nurse the next day. And two days after that he's recovered enough to call on Margot and stand outside in the rain with nary a cough or a sneeze. He rescues Margot from a fall in the cold river and no set-back to be had. Two days later and he's riding a bike (can I have those drugs for my cold?).
Back to the narrative and this is where I'm getting slightly into spoiler territory so I'll tag it as such. . Kind of jarring. In the end, it's just a lukewarm romance without much chemistry between the lead pair. Library only.
January 8, 2025
I have a Pam Jenoff fan who likes to donate her books to our Little Free Library Shed.
So, for some reason, I keep thinking I will give her books a try…again. They look interesting. They are historical fiction, and when I am in the mood for historical fiction, I am hopeful.
So, this is my third Pam Jenoff book.
I have reviewed, Almost Home and The Lost Girls of Paris. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
According to the author, this book is a prequel to her books The Kommandant’s Girl and The Diplomat’s Wife. I haven’t read those two. Do I want to? There is another book of hers that was also dropped off, The Orphan’s Tale…it is in my pile…I will let you know.
Anyway, back to this one.
The story takes place after World War I and focuses largely on human emotions rather than the political changes taking place in Europe as the continent begins to recover.
To be honest it felt more like a silly fluff of a romance novel with a not very easy to like heroine.
There are a lot of different plot strands weaving in and out, but none of them are fully explored or developed.
Potential? Yes.
Did it meet it?
So, for some reason, I keep thinking I will give her books a try…again. They look interesting. They are historical fiction, and when I am in the mood for historical fiction, I am hopeful.
So, this is my third Pam Jenoff book.
I have reviewed, Almost Home and The Lost Girls of Paris. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
According to the author, this book is a prequel to her books The Kommandant’s Girl and The Diplomat’s Wife. I haven’t read those two. Do I want to? There is another book of hers that was also dropped off, The Orphan’s Tale…it is in my pile…I will let you know.
Anyway, back to this one.
The story takes place after World War I and focuses largely on human emotions rather than the political changes taking place in Europe as the continent begins to recover.
To be honest it felt more like a silly fluff of a romance novel with a not very easy to like heroine.
There are a lot of different plot strands weaving in and out, but none of them are fully explored or developed.
Potential? Yes.
Did it meet it?
February 8, 2013
2.5 stars
I tend to prefer to read historical fiction set before the twentieth century, but as I’m very interested in the events of the First World War, I was intrigued by the premise of this story, which takes place in 1919, shortly after the armistice.
Professor Rosenthal is a respected academic who has been asked to attend the peace negotiations in Versailles. His daughter, twenty-year-old Margot, accompanies him; principally because she does not want to go home to Berlin where her wounded fiancé awaits her.
While I did come to enjoy the book, I have to admit that it was hard going for the first 50 or 60 pages. The narration is first person in the present tense, which is not a favourite with me; I frequently find it limiting and in this case, as Margot is quite a solitary person, there is a lot of description and not much happening. The story begins to pick up shortly thereafter as Margot becomes acquainted with Krysia, a Polish musician who encourages her to think about who she is and what she wants - and Captain Georg Richwalder, the young German naval officer who gives her a job.
Jenoff does a good job in creating the atmosphere of post-war Paris, but I had hoped there would be a little more historical insight especially about the drawing up of the famous treaty and its likely effects. The latter half of the book concentrates far more on Margot’s burgeoning yet impossible romance with Georg and the untangling of the web of deceit which surrounds her and her father.
Margot is very naïve and frequently seemed to be drifting from one mistake to the next without asserting any control over her life. She has allowed herself to become engaged to a man she has known since childhood but does not love mostly because she feared the disappointment she would cause to others by saying ‘no’. When she finds real love with Georg, she is too weak to break off her engagement (although as it turns out, it’s more complicated than that). Because of a careless word in the wrong place, she opens herself up to blackmail by what she believes to be a Communist group that wants her to pass on the information she is able to acquire about the German military through her work with Georg.
There are a lot of different plot strands weaving in and out, but none of them are fully explored or developed. We discover that Margot’s father has deceived her about her mother; her friend Krysta also deceives her; Margot lies to Stefan and to Georg; there is the fact that Margot is Jewish, yet by the end of the book Georg is beginning to sympathise more and more with the National Socialists. To have dealt with all these strands satisfactorily would perhaps have required a longer book; or that the author had tried to cram less into this one.
There were a lot of anachronisms, too. For instance, there is a reference to women having stopped wearing crinolines ‘recently’ and to ambulances having ‘sirens’ (surely they would have had bells?) There are a lot of expressions that feel too modern and those oft-used Americanisms, “fall” and “sidewalk”. Then there is the fact that Georg, while suffering from pneumonia is up and about a mere couple of days after being taken to hospital, and Margot’s father is sent home a few days after having had a heart attack.
There was a good book in here somewhere – but sadly, I don’t think this was it. There was real potential in the story and in the premise – especially given that the central characters were German and having to deal with the way they were perceived after the war, with how their world was changing and with the terrible problems of poverty and anarchy that were rife throughout their country. There was a thread touching on Margot’s identity as a Jew and her discomfort with the move towards assimilation being taken by some members of her family, but that was never fully worked through either.
Having said all that, however, I didn’t hate the book. I dislike the wasted potential, but even though the story was rather creaky in places I found myself enjoying it and able to roll my eyes at the anachronisms and clichés and then carry on reading.
By the end of the story, Margot is finally beginning to stand on her own, and the book leaves things open – will she return to Germany and to Georg or will she make a life for herself elsewhere without him?
Overall then, I have mixed feelings about this book. Would I recommend it? If you’re looking for a fairly quick read set in a time period which is not often featured in romantic HF and are in a forgiving mood, then yes. But if you want something that is meatier when it comes to the historical detail, then this is perhaps not the book for you.
With thanks to Harlequin/Mira and NetGalley for the review copy.
I tend to prefer to read historical fiction set before the twentieth century, but as I’m very interested in the events of the First World War, I was intrigued by the premise of this story, which takes place in 1919, shortly after the armistice.
Professor Rosenthal is a respected academic who has been asked to attend the peace negotiations in Versailles. His daughter, twenty-year-old Margot, accompanies him; principally because she does not want to go home to Berlin where her wounded fiancé awaits her.
While I did come to enjoy the book, I have to admit that it was hard going for the first 50 or 60 pages. The narration is first person in the present tense, which is not a favourite with me; I frequently find it limiting and in this case, as Margot is quite a solitary person, there is a lot of description and not much happening. The story begins to pick up shortly thereafter as Margot becomes acquainted with Krysia, a Polish musician who encourages her to think about who she is and what she wants - and Captain Georg Richwalder, the young German naval officer who gives her a job.
Jenoff does a good job in creating the atmosphere of post-war Paris, but I had hoped there would be a little more historical insight especially about the drawing up of the famous treaty and its likely effects. The latter half of the book concentrates far more on Margot’s burgeoning yet impossible romance with Georg and the untangling of the web of deceit which surrounds her and her father.
Margot is very naïve and frequently seemed to be drifting from one mistake to the next without asserting any control over her life. She has allowed herself to become engaged to a man she has known since childhood but does not love mostly because she feared the disappointment she would cause to others by saying ‘no’. When she finds real love with Georg, she is too weak to break off her engagement (although as it turns out, it’s more complicated than that). Because of a careless word in the wrong place, she opens herself up to blackmail by what she believes to be a Communist group that wants her to pass on the information she is able to acquire about the German military through her work with Georg.
There are a lot of different plot strands weaving in and out, but none of them are fully explored or developed. We discover that Margot’s father has deceived her about her mother; her friend Krysta also deceives her; Margot lies to Stefan and to Georg; there is the fact that Margot is Jewish, yet by the end of the book Georg is beginning to sympathise more and more with the National Socialists. To have dealt with all these strands satisfactorily would perhaps have required a longer book; or that the author had tried to cram less into this one.
There were a lot of anachronisms, too. For instance, there is a reference to women having stopped wearing crinolines ‘recently’ and to ambulances having ‘sirens’ (surely they would have had bells?) There are a lot of expressions that feel too modern and those oft-used Americanisms, “fall” and “sidewalk”. Then there is the fact that Georg, while suffering from pneumonia is up and about a mere couple of days after being taken to hospital, and Margot’s father is sent home a few days after having had a heart attack.
There was a good book in here somewhere – but sadly, I don’t think this was it. There was real potential in the story and in the premise – especially given that the central characters were German and having to deal with the way they were perceived after the war, with how their world was changing and with the terrible problems of poverty and anarchy that were rife throughout their country. There was a thread touching on Margot’s identity as a Jew and her discomfort with the move towards assimilation being taken by some members of her family, but that was never fully worked through either.
Having said all that, however, I didn’t hate the book. I dislike the wasted potential, but even though the story was rather creaky in places I found myself enjoying it and able to roll my eyes at the anachronisms and clichés and then carry on reading.
By the end of the story, Margot is finally beginning to stand on her own, and the book leaves things open – will she return to Germany and to Georg or will she make a life for herself elsewhere without him?
Overall then, I have mixed feelings about this book. Would I recommend it? If you’re looking for a fairly quick read set in a time period which is not often featured in romantic HF and are in a forgiving mood, then yes. But if you want something that is meatier when it comes to the historical detail, then this is perhaps not the book for you.
With thanks to Harlequin/Mira and NetGalley for the review copy.
April 4, 2019
📚”Sen kuzeyi gösteren pusula gibisin Margot. Yolumu bulmama yardımcı oluyorsun.”
Bazı kitaplar olay örgüsü, kurgusu ve karakterleriyle kendini sevdirirken, bazı kitaplar da hikayenin anlatımıyla kendini sevdiriyor sanırım. Büyükelçinin Kızı, hem anlatımıyla hem küçük duygusal dokunuşlarıyla kendini sevdirdi. Çok şaşırtacak, hiç tahmin edilemeyecek bir kurgusu olmamasına rağmen, naif, sıcak ve duygusal anlatımıyla elimden bırakmadan okudum diyebilirim.
Yoruma başlamadan, bir uyarı yapayım. Seriyi okumayı düşünüyorsanız, mutlaka Büyükelçinin Kızı’ndan başlamalısınız. Yazar kitabı daha sonra yazmasına ve ilk iki kitaptan sonra yayımlanmasına rağmen, hem kronolojik açıdan, hem de karakterler sıralaması açısından ilk okunması daha iyi olacaktır. Önce Kumandanın Aşığı okunursa, bu ara kitabın sonuyla ilgili çok ciddi spoiler yemiş olursunuz.
Kitabın en büyük özelliği, savaşın insanlarda bıraktığı izleri, insanların hayatını ve kişiliklerini nasıl değiştirdiğini, bazı insanların yaralarını sarmaya çalışırken, bazılarının da kimliklerinden ötürü dışlanmasını, savaş sonrası yıkımda kendi vatanlarında bile kendilerine yer bulamamasını çok güzel anlatmıştı. Hikayenin birçok yerinde, I. Dünya Savaşı’ndan sonra, II. Dünya Savaşı’nın gelişine zemin hazırlayan, tarihsel olaylara yer verilmişti. Özellikle Yahudilerin yaşayacakları kabus gibi günlerin esas başlangıcı, bu savaş sonrasındaki olaylardı.
Yazarın bütün betimlemelerine bayıldım, film izler gibi okuduğum kitaplardan birisi oldu. Paris sokaklarına ait yer-mekan tasvirleri, insanların bazı ülkelere veya kimliklere bakış açısını yansıtması, özellikle modernleştiğini iddia eden bir toplumca kadına uygulanan dayatmaları, baskıları, beklentileri anlatması çok başarılıydı. Sırf 1919 dönemini ve savaş sonrası yaşananları bu kadar başarılı anlatması bile kitabı sevme nedenim oldu. Uzun süren monologları okumaktan çok hoşlanmadığım halde, Margot’un gözünden 1919 Paris’ine ve Almanya’sına bakarken hiç sıkılmadım. Aksine çok akıcı ve ilgi çekici bir anlatımı vardı.
20 yaşındaki Margot’u ben severek okudum ama çoğu kişiyi sinirlendirebilecek, saç baş yoldurtacak bir karakter aslında. Margot bana göre mağdurdu; zamanının şartlarına, savaş sonrası belirsizliğine, babasının korkularına, nişanlısının bencilliğine boyun eğmişti. Margot’un istedikleriyle, kendisinden beklenenler çok farklıydı. Hem yaşının küçüklüğüyle hem de sevdiklerini memnun etme ya da üzmeme çabasıyla bir sürü yanlış kararlar aldı. Bu kararların en büyük zararını da kendisiyle, Georg’a yaşattı. Bazı yerlerde kafasını duvara vurup aklını başına getirtmek istedim, bazı yerlerde içinde bulunduğu çıkmazda yaşadığı çaresizliği sonuna kadar hissettim. Benim karaktere kızmam daha çok sevdiğim birinin yanlışını görünce kızmak gibiydi. O yüzden Margot’un yaşadıkları, savaş sonrası tablosuyla birleşince, en çok hissettiğim duygu hüzün oldu.
Georg, bu kitabın eeeen güzel yanıydı belki de. 25 yaşında olmasına rağmen, hem askeri kimliği, hem de savaşta yaşadıkları sebebiyle yaşından çok olgun bir karakterdi. Yıllardır savaşmaktan başka bir şey bilmediği için, hareketleri ve konuşmaları ilk başlarda kaba gelse de ilerledikçe ağır, olgun kişiliğini çok sevdim. Antlaşma öncesinde, gerçek barış ortamı sağlanması ve sonrasında korunması için, yürekten inanarak uğraşmasına hayran kaldım. Böyle baskın ve ağır bir karakterin, ilgisini ve sevgisini açık açık göstermesi, sevdiği kadın için sürekli taviz verip çabalaması, karakteri daha çok sevmemi sağladı.
Henüz Bronz Atlı okumadığımdan (benzer konular ama daha az dram) ve beklentimi ortalama tuttuğumdan kitabı, özellikle yazarın anlatımını çok sevdim. ‘Margot’un beni sinirlendirmesine izin vermem’ diyebilen, savaşın sonundaki yıkımın tek taraflı olmadığını çok güzel bir anlatımla okumak isteyen, I. Dünya Savaşı sonrası yaşanan, tarihe dayalı olayların eşliğinde biraz hüzünlü, biraz kaderin oyunlarıyla sınanan bir aşk hikayesi okumak isteyenlere tavsiye ederim.
January 14, 2022
4 stars for the Ambassador's Daughter by Pam Jenoff. I have been wanting to read the Kommandan't Girl for some time, as I love this author. This novel, is the prequel to a trilogy, and its actually my series for 2022. What a way to start the year. This novel was simply outstanding. The tension in the story kept building, and there is a young naive heroine coming of age, whose story I know in advance is going to shape through two more books. Set in the aftermath of World War One, Margot is with the delegation preparing to manage the shambles of Versailles, trying to assist with the treaty. She is caught between three men, including her father, and a whole lot of politics, and the mess of falling in love. It's very well done. I greatly enjoyed it, and can't wait for the next.
June 24, 2021
4.5 stars
June 16, 2013
I was very disappointed in the book. None of the characters were very appealing, with the exception of Krysia, who ends up betraying her and Margot's friendship. The main character, Margot, is what made the book so awful for me to read. Throughout the book she made one decision about her life - to be ambivalent. She let her father, Stefan, Ignatz, Georg, and Celia all make decisions for her. She struggled between duty and desire but did nothing either way. She did not break off her and Stefan's engagement, but she continued to pursue a relationship with Georg. As she herself said, her father raised her to be independent, so why was she finding it so difficult to make a decision about her own life? I will not be reading the rest of her books if her characters are like this.
January 10, 2017
This book is a prequel to The Kommandant's Girl and The Diplomat's Wife. It 19s 1919 and twenty-year-old, Margot is staying in Paris with her father, an ambassador working for the German government on the Treaty of Versailles. She is bored and lonely, until she makes friends with Krysia, a mysterious musician. Margot inadvertently repeats secret information putting her father 19s reputation in jeopardy. George Richwalder, a handsome naval officer, also working for the German government, offers her work as a translator and Margot can't help being attracted to the emotionally damaged, but charismatic officer. She begins to question her feelings for her fiance, Stefan, a soldier slowly recovering from his catastrophic wounds back home. Her father expects her to want to return to Germany to marry Stefan, but Margot keeps prolonging her return as best she can.
I think, because Margot felt so young and naive to me most of the time, I found her relationship with Georg Richwalder, an older man, fairly unrealistic and a bit strange at times. If Margot was mature with a characteristics that made her feel older than her twenty years, it might have been a bit more plausible, but this was not the case. I'm a bit unsure as to why the older Richwalder would be interested in someone who is portrayed as still a child.
I'd categorize this novel as historical fiction with strong romance elements. I'm not a huge romance fan but I found the history and politics of the time interesting and the romance a bit melodramatic. I can't say for sure that everything in the novel is historically accurate, but it felt realistic to me. I do recommend that you read this book if you intend to read The Kommandant's Girl, as there are spoilers in it regarding the history of these characters. I do think The Kommandant's Girl is a much better book and readers can skip this one if they choose.
I think, because Margot felt so young and naive to me most of the time, I found her relationship with Georg Richwalder, an older man, fairly unrealistic and a bit strange at times. If Margot was mature with a characteristics that made her feel older than her twenty years, it might have been a bit more plausible, but this was not the case. I'm a bit unsure as to why the older Richwalder would be interested in someone who is portrayed as still a child.
I'd categorize this novel as historical fiction with strong romance elements. I'm not a huge romance fan but I found the history and politics of the time interesting and the romance a bit melodramatic. I can't say for sure that everything in the novel is historically accurate, but it felt realistic to me. I do recommend that you read this book if you intend to read The Kommandant's Girl, as there are spoilers in it regarding the history of these characters. I do think The Kommandant's Girl is a much better book and readers can skip this one if they choose.
December 7, 2014
I may have finally found the most unlikable protagonist of all literature. And not in a good way. The Ambassador's Daughter is not the kind of book I'd naturally pick up; I find war stories really depressing, but at the behest of a relative, I said I'd give it a go.
The depiction of post-WW1 Paris seemed realistic, but I found it hard to immerse myself in it, which may have been down to the characters rather than the description. Occasionally I felt like the author was checking boxes on descriptions she wanted to slot in to show she knew her stuff. This was still probably the best part of the book.
Margot is the main character. Personally, I've always felt that if protagonist is selfish, hypocritial and lacking integrity they must, at the very least, have a very good sense of humour. Margot was all of the above, but devoid of any sense of humour.
While others across the continent suffer immensely due to the effects of the war, Margot continues to live reasonably comfortably with her father. Rather than actively seeking out ways to help others, or improve herself, she is bored enough to wander around, even trailing after a woman who seems interesting. More than that, we discover that she has a fiancee back in Germany, who is waiting for her to rejoin him, who has been injured in the war, and she can barely bring herself to read his letters or respond. We learn that she got engaged to him because she felt sorry for him, and this is supposed to excuse her for her complete lack of loyalty throughout the book. It says a lot that she dated this guy for a few years, and they couldn't even become good enough friends for her to say to him that she didn't think it was going anywhere romantically.
When she meets Georg, she falls in love with him. Wait, how long has it been? Less than a week? Of course, she doesn't tell him that she isn't single. She feels a little guilty about being a cheat, but not guilty enough to stop.
What's more, she fairly stupidly chats to strangers about things her father has confided in her privately, connected to the peace conference. When this nearly ends in tragedy, she is blackmailed for more information. Instead of going to her father, who loves her dearly, and explaining that she talked too much on one occasion, she decides that she will go along with the blackmail, and starts to steal from Georg. Georg is not much of a better character, because he gets over the double deceit pretty quickly.
I could go on, but Margot really is awful. There is a point in the book where she says she hates fakeness. I think my mouth dropped.
Krysia is a far more interesting character, who I believe is the subject of at least one of the other books in this series .
Needless to say, I'll not be recommending this one.
The depiction of post-WW1 Paris seemed realistic, but I found it hard to immerse myself in it, which may have been down to the characters rather than the description. Occasionally I felt like the author was checking boxes on descriptions she wanted to slot in to show she knew her stuff. This was still probably the best part of the book.
Margot is the main character. Personally, I've always felt that if protagonist is selfish, hypocritial and lacking integrity they must, at the very least, have a very good sense of humour. Margot was all of the above, but devoid of any sense of humour.
While others across the continent suffer immensely due to the effects of the war, Margot continues to live reasonably comfortably with her father. Rather than actively seeking out ways to help others, or improve herself, she is bored enough to wander around, even trailing after a woman who seems interesting. More than that, we discover that she has a fiancee back in Germany, who is waiting for her to rejoin him, who has been injured in the war, and she can barely bring herself to read his letters or respond. We learn that she got engaged to him because she felt sorry for him, and this is supposed to excuse her for her complete lack of loyalty throughout the book. It says a lot that she dated this guy for a few years, and they couldn't even become good enough friends for her to say to him that she didn't think it was going anywhere romantically.
When she meets Georg, she falls in love with him. Wait, how long has it been? Less than a week? Of course, she doesn't tell him that she isn't single. She feels a little guilty about being a cheat, but not guilty enough to stop.
What's more, she fairly stupidly chats to strangers about things her father has confided in her privately, connected to the peace conference. When this nearly ends in tragedy, she is blackmailed for more information. Instead of going to her father, who loves her dearly, and explaining that she talked too much on one occasion, she decides that she will go along with the blackmail, and starts to steal from Georg. Georg is not much of a better character, because he gets over the double deceit pretty quickly.
I could go on, but Margot really is awful. There is a point in the book where she says she hates fakeness. I think my mouth dropped.
Krysia is a far more interesting character, who I believe is the subject of at least one of the other books in this series .
Needless to say, I'll not be recommending this one.
July 30, 2021
Mă bucur că acesta este primul roman al autoarei pe care îl citesc. Am constatat cu surprindere că este și primul volum al seriei.
O lectură despre maturizare, dobândirea încrederii de sine, aprecierea propriei persoane; într-un context socio-politic plin de frământări, când un continent întreg se zbate să-și revină după un război care a lăsat în urmă moarte, distrugere, răni purulente și oameni marcați pe viață.
Recenzia mea completă o găsiți aici:
https://justreadingmybooks.wordpress....
O lectură despre maturizare, dobândirea încrederii de sine, aprecierea propriei persoane; într-un context socio-politic plin de frământări, când un continent întreg se zbate să-și revină după un război care a lăsat în urmă moarte, distrugere, răni purulente și oameni marcați pe viață.
Recenzia mea completă o găsiți aici:
https://justreadingmybooks.wordpress....
February 3, 2013
This novel had a different perspective that could have been quite interesting. Unfortunately, for me, it never delivered its promise. Set after WW1 in Paris, Margot arrives at the famous Reparations Conference with her father, an university professor who is a delegate to it. Although German and Jewish, they spent the war at Oxford University in England and so avoided many of the hardships their fellow countrymen endured.
Margot is engaged to a wounded soldier. After four years apart she no longer is in love with him. She meets and falls in love with a German naval officer. She also meets a reactionary group of friends who long to influence the conference with their view of the future. They want Margot to be a spy for them.
This could have been interesting but is basically a dressed up romance novel. It's better than a romance novel but not as good as a literature novel. I think if you are fans of Nora Roberts or Danielle Steele, you might really enjoy this. Unfortunately, it's just not my cup of tea.
Margot is engaged to a wounded soldier. After four years apart she no longer is in love with him. She meets and falls in love with a German naval officer. She also meets a reactionary group of friends who long to influence the conference with their view of the future. They want Margot to be a spy for them.
This could have been interesting but is basically a dressed up romance novel. It's better than a romance novel but not as good as a literature novel. I think if you are fans of Nora Roberts or Danielle Steele, you might really enjoy this. Unfortunately, it's just not my cup of tea.
June 13, 2020
World War 1 has just ended, the memories of its horrors still fresh in the minds of almost all Europeans.
Many lost their pre-war homes, now living in “Displaced Persons” camps, little makeshift communities that were hastily erected amidst the ruins of the cities. Reliable delivery of basic necessities such as water, electricity and sanitation are but a distant memory for many. And by far worst of all was the crushing grief brought on by the loss of life. Some came back injured, forcing a sudden change of circumstance as families are forced to find a new way to live.
All hoped for a brighter future that seemed impossible.
Through their hunger, weariness and despair, the people pray for a sustained period of peace, and perhaps one day, a return to some semblance of “normalcy.”
The hopes of the people are symbolized by the gathering of representatives from nations all around the globe. They are working on an agreement that will eventually be named, “The Treaty of Versailles.” An agreement that was to be a bold declaration of self-determination for some countries, and the beginning of a period of reparation for those countries who fought the war on the “losing” side.
This was the historical backdrop for the opening of this story. Here, the author, Pam Jenoff shows us the scenes of Parisians enthusiastically cheering the grand arrival of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson. Its in the midst of this celebratory scene that we come to understand that Wilson’s to play the role of champion of the very peace, freedom and security the people so long for.
One of the curious onlookers turns out to be our protagonist, a Jewish German young lady named Margot Rosenthal. She’s in Paris to accompany her father, an academic who’d spent years on the staff of Oxford University and now, a rather reluctant German representative in the treaty talks.
He’d been talked into taking on the role of Ambassador by his brother-in-law, a captain of the electronics industry who’d held a position of prestige during the war. A position that eliminated any opportunity for him to represent Germany himself. Margot’s father was doubtful about the process right from the beginning, referring to the treaty as “The dog and pony show at Versailles.” But despite his misgivings, he eventually relented to the prodding of his persuasive brother-in-law and soon after, moves to Paris, the site of the initial treaty talks, with his daughter Margot.
We are told that the two of them live at the Hotel Relais Saint-Honore, a place her father chose because of its close proximity to the foreign ministry, and the conference proceedings. It was also just far enough away to provide this little family of two a bit of privacy from the people who were not welcoming to the presence of the “enemy” Germans.
Margot’s mother has passed away ten year previously, a victim of the dreaded Spanish Flu.
In the opening pages of the story, we see the scenes of a father and daughter reluctantly, but resignedly taking up temporary residence in Paris. I thought it was such a unique scenario to place these two characters in. I was intrigued right from the beginning.
I was a short way into the book when I came across an interview in which Pam Jenoff was asked about the challenges of writing a novel that takes place in a historical setting. She replied, talking about her goal of writing a historical novel that feels real to the reader, she said:
“Its about balancing. Specific historical details with broader feeling and theme.”
This balance was the foundational strength of this novel.
By the end, I was invested in the characters, and as with all good stories, found myself thinking about what I was reading, even when I was doing other things.
Many lost their pre-war homes, now living in “Displaced Persons” camps, little makeshift communities that were hastily erected amidst the ruins of the cities. Reliable delivery of basic necessities such as water, electricity and sanitation are but a distant memory for many. And by far worst of all was the crushing grief brought on by the loss of life. Some came back injured, forcing a sudden change of circumstance as families are forced to find a new way to live.
All hoped for a brighter future that seemed impossible.
Through their hunger, weariness and despair, the people pray for a sustained period of peace, and perhaps one day, a return to some semblance of “normalcy.”
The hopes of the people are symbolized by the gathering of representatives from nations all around the globe. They are working on an agreement that will eventually be named, “The Treaty of Versailles.” An agreement that was to be a bold declaration of self-determination for some countries, and the beginning of a period of reparation for those countries who fought the war on the “losing” side.
This was the historical backdrop for the opening of this story. Here, the author, Pam Jenoff shows us the scenes of Parisians enthusiastically cheering the grand arrival of U.S. President Woodrow Wilson. Its in the midst of this celebratory scene that we come to understand that Wilson’s to play the role of champion of the very peace, freedom and security the people so long for.
One of the curious onlookers turns out to be our protagonist, a Jewish German young lady named Margot Rosenthal. She’s in Paris to accompany her father, an academic who’d spent years on the staff of Oxford University and now, a rather reluctant German representative in the treaty talks.
He’d been talked into taking on the role of Ambassador by his brother-in-law, a captain of the electronics industry who’d held a position of prestige during the war. A position that eliminated any opportunity for him to represent Germany himself. Margot’s father was doubtful about the process right from the beginning, referring to the treaty as “The dog and pony show at Versailles.” But despite his misgivings, he eventually relented to the prodding of his persuasive brother-in-law and soon after, moves to Paris, the site of the initial treaty talks, with his daughter Margot.
We are told that the two of them live at the Hotel Relais Saint-Honore, a place her father chose because of its close proximity to the foreign ministry, and the conference proceedings. It was also just far enough away to provide this little family of two a bit of privacy from the people who were not welcoming to the presence of the “enemy” Germans.
Margot’s mother has passed away ten year previously, a victim of the dreaded Spanish Flu.
In the opening pages of the story, we see the scenes of a father and daughter reluctantly, but resignedly taking up temporary residence in Paris. I thought it was such a unique scenario to place these two characters in. I was intrigued right from the beginning.
I was a short way into the book when I came across an interview in which Pam Jenoff was asked about the challenges of writing a novel that takes place in a historical setting. She replied, talking about her goal of writing a historical novel that feels real to the reader, she said:
“Its about balancing. Specific historical details with broader feeling and theme.”
This balance was the foundational strength of this novel.
By the end, I was invested in the characters, and as with all good stories, found myself thinking about what I was reading, even when I was doing other things.
January 26, 2013
Margot Rosenthal is accompanying her father to Paris. Margot’s father is attending a peace conference. Margot would rather be something else versus joining her father. However, when Margot thinks about where she should be and that is with her fiancé’ Stefan, Margot realizes that Paris is not so bad after all. It is not that Margot did not once love Stefan but since his return, he is a changed man.
While in Paris, Margot meets Krysia, a piano player and Georg, a solider. Both Krysia and Georg will help shape and change Margot’s world forever.
The Ambassador’s Daughter is like the fourth book that I have read by this author. I have enjoyed reading books from this author. Pam makes her characters feel alive and the world she builds around them in her books is great. It is like I booked a trip to wherever the story is based around.
I have not read the Kommandant’s Girl, so I did not make the connection like some of the other readers did that this book was a prequel to the Kommandant’s Girl. Of course, not that it mattered to me as I still enjoyed this book. For me it probably was a good thing that I had not read Kommandant’s Girl this way I did not already know how it would all end. I was just able to sit back and read this book.
I liked Margot although I can not say that I was in love with her. This is because, while Margot was nice so was almost too nice. I wanted her to have more of a back bone and stand up for herself and not try to be what everyone else wanted or thought she should be. For example, I thought that Margot should have cut off her engagement to Stefan. It was clear that Margot had strong feelings for Georg. The last few chapters tied up the story nicely. While there really was no surprises.
While in Paris, Margot meets Krysia, a piano player and Georg, a solider. Both Krysia and Georg will help shape and change Margot’s world forever.
The Ambassador’s Daughter is like the fourth book that I have read by this author. I have enjoyed reading books from this author. Pam makes her characters feel alive and the world she builds around them in her books is great. It is like I booked a trip to wherever the story is based around.
I have not read the Kommandant’s Girl, so I did not make the connection like some of the other readers did that this book was a prequel to the Kommandant’s Girl. Of course, not that it mattered to me as I still enjoyed this book. For me it probably was a good thing that I had not read Kommandant’s Girl this way I did not already know how it would all end. I was just able to sit back and read this book.
I liked Margot although I can not say that I was in love with her. This is because, while Margot was nice so was almost too nice. I wanted her to have more of a back bone and stand up for herself and not try to be what everyone else wanted or thought she should be. For example, I thought that Margot should have cut off her engagement to Stefan. It was clear that Margot had strong feelings for Georg. The last few chapters tied up the story nicely. While there really was no surprises.
February 4, 2013
Three and a half stars: A compelling look back at a historical time of great change.
Margot accompanies her father to Paris where he is a German delegate for the Peace Conference of 1919. It is a hopeful time as the powers of the world attempt to forge a new understanding and new world order after the harsh and brutal culmination of World War I. Margot is hiding a secret....a secret of her heart. She is not in love with her fiancé, Stephen. Stephen was a friend who courted her before the war and she promised him her hand before he left to fight, but her heart never beat wildly for him. He returned four years later, a crumpled and wounded man, a shell of his former self. No matter how hard she tries to convince herself to marry him, she can't. Paris provides an excellent opportunity for her to escape. Stephen's letters lay on her table, unread as Margot begins to forge new friendships and to express her own opinions on politics, not knowing that her mutterings will land her in a very precarious position. Margot befriends a German solider, Georg, and she begins helping him translate documents for the peace conference, hoping the two can make a difference for Germany. She doesn't expect to find herself falling head over heels in love with him, but she can't love him as she is engaged to another man. Will Margot listen to her heart or follow societal expectations?
What I Liked:
*I admit, my knowledge on World War I is limited, especially when it comes to the proceedings that followed. I am aware that the powers that be tried to establish a New World Order and they laid the groundwork for the U.N. and such. I do know that the reparations taken toward Germany were the beginnings of the unrest that ultimately led to Germany's participation in World War II. This book helped me to understand a bit more about the time and the Peace Conference. I liked learning more about this historical time and I could easily see the start for the prejudice against the Jews. Of course, it is easy to look back and see how Germany was treated at this peace conference and conjecture why they armed against the rest of the world, but to live it is a whole other matter.
*Margot is a complex character indeed. She is a young woman who feels the strangling constraints of society and her family's expectations tightening around her like a corset. Her impending nuptials pull tighter and tighter as she continually struggles to break free and live her own life. She is on the cusp of new beginnings for women all over the world, as the women in Germany have just gained the right to vote. Slowly, women are breaking free of the traditional roles of wife, mother and caretaker and allowing themselves to envision futures with careers, travel and opinions of there own. It is a struggle for her to free herself from everything and it is a reminder for all of us women today of all that our predecessors endured in order for us to have the freedoms we enjoy today. I very much liked reading Margot's journey.
*I adored the relationship between Margot and her father. They have been on their own for over ten years since the death of her mother and they are as close as can be. Yet, they have their differences as well as their secrets from one another. Their relationship is complex like any relationship and throughout the book it is tested several times. I admired the way the two were able to talk openly and come to an understanding. The relationship felt so real and it was truly my favorite part of the book.
*The romance in this one is not fiery or passionate. It is more of a slow burner, and I liked that. It starts as a slight attraction and grows into a friendship and then something more. It is fraught with difficulty as Margot is engaged to another man, and Georg has never really been in love. It moves at a slow and steady pace, and it takes its time to develop, which made it seem genuine. I liked that the pair were able to overcome so many obstacles.
And The Not So Much:
*This book moves at a slow pace, and it took me awhile to settle into the story. I was very interested in the Peace Conference and learning more about this period in general so I was able to keep reading. The final third of the story picks up the pace and it moves to a fast, jaw dropping finale. There is a big reveal and a very surprising event at the end that notched up the action. You must be patient with this one, and I assure you the ending really packs a punch.
*I read an ARC version of this book, and I am guessing that this will likely be corrected in the final copy, but there were numerous times when the story jumped ahead in time from one paragraph to the next and I was confused. I noticed that there were no chapter breaks in my copy so I think that when the story unexpectedly jumped ahead when there was likely a chapter change.
*I have to admit, the big twist at the end was not surprising to me at all. I think because I saw a movie that incorporated this same idea and it was in my head throughout the book. Also, there were some indications along the way that totally made me think there was something amiss with Margot's friendship with the musician. It was still a startling reveal despite my previous conjectures.
The Ambassador's Daughter was an entertaining read that revealed to me the struggles that women in this era faced as they fought to move beyond the traditional female role. It was a time of great promise, as the world powers attempted to find a peaceful solution after the tragic war, but in the end their efforts set in motion the unrest in Germany that ultimately led to World War II. I enjoyed learning more about this time period and following Margot's story. If you are a fan of historical fiction and want to learn more about this era definitely pick them.
Favorite Quotations:
"Papa has always accepted me wholly as I am, with all of my rough spots and imperfections."
"There is no peace without war."
"It's a hard thing to be rejected simply for being who you are."
"The war changed people in so many ways and we all have to live with who are now."
"There is no one in the world to whom I feel closer than Papa. Yet despite our deep affection, there are vast areas of darkness, things unsaid, parts of ourselves that we cannot share."
"The things he has seen have worn grooves in him, like driftwood pounded by the water, making him fascinating in a way that other men simply are not."
"It's always politics, isn't it, unless it is our own point of view? Then it is the truth."
"What is it about ourselves that makes us believe we can change great events with our thoughts and deeds?"
"There's a connection between us, a spark that would burn through the decades, through the everyday, and all of the great hurts and triumphs."
"I reach out and cup my hand around the back of his neck, holding him. Everything I have ever wanted is both inches and lifetimes away."
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Rainy Day Ramblings.
Margot accompanies her father to Paris where he is a German delegate for the Peace Conference of 1919. It is a hopeful time as the powers of the world attempt to forge a new understanding and new world order after the harsh and brutal culmination of World War I. Margot is hiding a secret....a secret of her heart. She is not in love with her fiancé, Stephen. Stephen was a friend who courted her before the war and she promised him her hand before he left to fight, but her heart never beat wildly for him. He returned four years later, a crumpled and wounded man, a shell of his former self. No matter how hard she tries to convince herself to marry him, she can't. Paris provides an excellent opportunity for her to escape. Stephen's letters lay on her table, unread as Margot begins to forge new friendships and to express her own opinions on politics, not knowing that her mutterings will land her in a very precarious position. Margot befriends a German solider, Georg, and she begins helping him translate documents for the peace conference, hoping the two can make a difference for Germany. She doesn't expect to find herself falling head over heels in love with him, but she can't love him as she is engaged to another man. Will Margot listen to her heart or follow societal expectations?
What I Liked:
*I admit, my knowledge on World War I is limited, especially when it comes to the proceedings that followed. I am aware that the powers that be tried to establish a New World Order and they laid the groundwork for the U.N. and such. I do know that the reparations taken toward Germany were the beginnings of the unrest that ultimately led to Germany's participation in World War II. This book helped me to understand a bit more about the time and the Peace Conference. I liked learning more about this historical time and I could easily see the start for the prejudice against the Jews. Of course, it is easy to look back and see how Germany was treated at this peace conference and conjecture why they armed against the rest of the world, but to live it is a whole other matter.
*Margot is a complex character indeed. She is a young woman who feels the strangling constraints of society and her family's expectations tightening around her like a corset. Her impending nuptials pull tighter and tighter as she continually struggles to break free and live her own life. She is on the cusp of new beginnings for women all over the world, as the women in Germany have just gained the right to vote. Slowly, women are breaking free of the traditional roles of wife, mother and caretaker and allowing themselves to envision futures with careers, travel and opinions of there own. It is a struggle for her to free herself from everything and it is a reminder for all of us women today of all that our predecessors endured in order for us to have the freedoms we enjoy today. I very much liked reading Margot's journey.
*I adored the relationship between Margot and her father. They have been on their own for over ten years since the death of her mother and they are as close as can be. Yet, they have their differences as well as their secrets from one another. Their relationship is complex like any relationship and throughout the book it is tested several times. I admired the way the two were able to talk openly and come to an understanding. The relationship felt so real and it was truly my favorite part of the book.
*The romance in this one is not fiery or passionate. It is more of a slow burner, and I liked that. It starts as a slight attraction and grows into a friendship and then something more. It is fraught with difficulty as Margot is engaged to another man, and Georg has never really been in love. It moves at a slow and steady pace, and it takes its time to develop, which made it seem genuine. I liked that the pair were able to overcome so many obstacles.
And The Not So Much:
*This book moves at a slow pace, and it took me awhile to settle into the story. I was very interested in the Peace Conference and learning more about this period in general so I was able to keep reading. The final third of the story picks up the pace and it moves to a fast, jaw dropping finale. There is a big reveal and a very surprising event at the end that notched up the action. You must be patient with this one, and I assure you the ending really packs a punch.
*I read an ARC version of this book, and I am guessing that this will likely be corrected in the final copy, but there were numerous times when the story jumped ahead in time from one paragraph to the next and I was confused. I noticed that there were no chapter breaks in my copy so I think that when the story unexpectedly jumped ahead when there was likely a chapter change.
*I have to admit, the big twist at the end was not surprising to me at all. I think because I saw a movie that incorporated this same idea and it was in my head throughout the book. Also, there were some indications along the way that totally made me think there was something amiss with Margot's friendship with the musician. It was still a startling reveal despite my previous conjectures.
The Ambassador's Daughter was an entertaining read that revealed to me the struggles that women in this era faced as they fought to move beyond the traditional female role. It was a time of great promise, as the world powers attempted to find a peaceful solution after the tragic war, but in the end their efforts set in motion the unrest in Germany that ultimately led to World War II. I enjoyed learning more about this time period and following Margot's story. If you are a fan of historical fiction and want to learn more about this era definitely pick them.
Favorite Quotations:
"Papa has always accepted me wholly as I am, with all of my rough spots and imperfections."
"There is no peace without war."
"It's a hard thing to be rejected simply for being who you are."
"The war changed people in so many ways and we all have to live with who are now."
"There is no one in the world to whom I feel closer than Papa. Yet despite our deep affection, there are vast areas of darkness, things unsaid, parts of ourselves that we cannot share."
"The things he has seen have worn grooves in him, like driftwood pounded by the water, making him fascinating in a way that other men simply are not."
"It's always politics, isn't it, unless it is our own point of view? Then it is the truth."
"What is it about ourselves that makes us believe we can change great events with our thoughts and deeds?"
"There's a connection between us, a spark that would burn through the decades, through the everyday, and all of the great hurts and triumphs."
"I reach out and cup my hand around the back of his neck, holding him. Everything I have ever wanted is both inches and lifetimes away."
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Rainy Day Ramblings.
August 9, 2013
'Nothing is ever quite the same after you've been elsewhere, is it?'
We meet Margot Rosenthal and her father in London, and follow them to Paris in 1919, where her academic Papa Professor Rosenthal is assisting in an advisory capacity as a diplomat with the conference where the world's leaders have come together to try and move forwards after World War I. The bulk of the story is set in Paris and Versailles, and the final part is set back in Berlin, where Margot's Jewish family is from.
It is her days in Paris that will change Margot's life and her view of the world. There she meets Krysia, an enigmatic pianist who Margot is drawn to, feeling lonely and seeking friendship in this unfamiliar city where she is still regarded by many as the enemy. She also meets Captain Georg Richwalder, a handsome young naval officer who served in the war and is now working with the German delegation at the conference. There is an immediate and strong mutual attraction between Margot and Georg, but Margot holds back, feeling guilty that back home, her wounded fiancé Stefan is waiting for her. She is torn between her duty and commitment to him, made in haste pre-war, and the newfound, more passionate emotions she feels for Georg. She spends many hours working with him, assisting with translating some key documents.
Through the changes in Georg, as observed by Margot, Pam Jenoff writes perceptively of how innocent young men were irrevocably changed by their experiences in the war:
'"I was studying at university when the war broke out." His eyes have a faraway look and his voice sounds like mine when I speak of travel. I see him then as a boy, wide-eyed and bright with a future in front of him. He is so broken now, like so many others. I am seized by the urge to take him into my arms. Can he be healed or is he too far gone?'
Georg is only in his mid twenties now, but feels like an older, broken man in some ways. His work at the conference has given him some purpose again, as he searches desperately for some good to have come from the war; 'It has to have meant something, doesn't it?' The story also touches on the restrictions on a woman's life and choices back then.
Margot is very close to her father, her mother having passed away years before as she understands it. Yet she suspects that her father keeps things from her, as she herself has now begun to keep things from him. Their relationship is subject to much change and damage as the story unfolds.
'There is no one in the world to whom I feel closer than Papa. Yet despite our deep affection, there are vast areas of darkness, things unsaid, parts of ourselves that we cannot share. Once upon a time the idea of keeping secrets from Papa was unfathomable...Our trust is a thread that, once pulled at, is swiftly unraveling.'
Margot makes for a flawed, passionate, interesting and at times frustrating lead character. The narrative is written in the first-person, so we have only her take on everything, and she is at times very independent, yet at other times quite naïve and uncertain of herself. Her inadvertent mention to new acquaintances introduced to her via Krysia of matters that she ought to have kept to herself leads to her being blackmailed and becoming embroiled in deception involving those she cares about, leading to a heavy sense of guilt and anxiety.
Her relative youth and inexperience is reflected in the way she struggles to commit to one course of action, and a lot of the narrative has her debating internally as to what course she ought to take. When her fiancé Stefan re-enters her life, there is a sense that he is a 'long outstanding bill, now come due', a rushed commitment in her past, made too quickly due to the war, that she now feels obliged to fulfill, not through feelings of love but through duty and guilt. I could sympathise to some extent about her indecision though, and her conflicting feelings; after all, she is only twenty years old. By the end of the story though, she begins at last to find her own strength.
Although I wasn’t sure about aspects of the events towards the end - one in particular felt just too convenient in a way - overall I did really enjoy becoming immersed in this historical tale with its romance and mystery; I was intrigued as to what path Margot would take, and how the different plots that made up the novel would develop and conclude. In particular it was interesting to read something set at this pivotal time in history, and in these history-laden cities, facing up to the aftermath of the Great War. There is a hint that Georg, so unhappy by the conference’s conclusions, is leaning towards certain sympathies in Germany at that time, and bearing in mind Margot’s religion, I wonder if this is taken up again in Kommandant’s Girl, to which this novel is the prequel, and which I will try to read one day.
This is a good tale weaving together a key point in history with romance, mystery, desire and love versus loyalty and duty, with lies and secrets, dangerous encounters, and self-discovery; a young woman finding herself, making friends, learning who she can and cannot trust, and falling in love. It boasts an attractive, atmospheric cover design, too.
We meet Margot Rosenthal and her father in London, and follow them to Paris in 1919, where her academic Papa Professor Rosenthal is assisting in an advisory capacity as a diplomat with the conference where the world's leaders have come together to try and move forwards after World War I. The bulk of the story is set in Paris and Versailles, and the final part is set back in Berlin, where Margot's Jewish family is from.
It is her days in Paris that will change Margot's life and her view of the world. There she meets Krysia, an enigmatic pianist who Margot is drawn to, feeling lonely and seeking friendship in this unfamiliar city where she is still regarded by many as the enemy. She also meets Captain Georg Richwalder, a handsome young naval officer who served in the war and is now working with the German delegation at the conference. There is an immediate and strong mutual attraction between Margot and Georg, but Margot holds back, feeling guilty that back home, her wounded fiancé Stefan is waiting for her. She is torn between her duty and commitment to him, made in haste pre-war, and the newfound, more passionate emotions she feels for Georg. She spends many hours working with him, assisting with translating some key documents.
Through the changes in Georg, as observed by Margot, Pam Jenoff writes perceptively of how innocent young men were irrevocably changed by their experiences in the war:
'"I was studying at university when the war broke out." His eyes have a faraway look and his voice sounds like mine when I speak of travel. I see him then as a boy, wide-eyed and bright with a future in front of him. He is so broken now, like so many others. I am seized by the urge to take him into my arms. Can he be healed or is he too far gone?'
Georg is only in his mid twenties now, but feels like an older, broken man in some ways. His work at the conference has given him some purpose again, as he searches desperately for some good to have come from the war; 'It has to have meant something, doesn't it?' The story also touches on the restrictions on a woman's life and choices back then.
Margot is very close to her father, her mother having passed away years before as she understands it. Yet she suspects that her father keeps things from her, as she herself has now begun to keep things from him. Their relationship is subject to much change and damage as the story unfolds.
'There is no one in the world to whom I feel closer than Papa. Yet despite our deep affection, there are vast areas of darkness, things unsaid, parts of ourselves that we cannot share. Once upon a time the idea of keeping secrets from Papa was unfathomable...Our trust is a thread that, once pulled at, is swiftly unraveling.'
Margot makes for a flawed, passionate, interesting and at times frustrating lead character. The narrative is written in the first-person, so we have only her take on everything, and she is at times very independent, yet at other times quite naïve and uncertain of herself. Her inadvertent mention to new acquaintances introduced to her via Krysia of matters that she ought to have kept to herself leads to her being blackmailed and becoming embroiled in deception involving those she cares about, leading to a heavy sense of guilt and anxiety.
Her relative youth and inexperience is reflected in the way she struggles to commit to one course of action, and a lot of the narrative has her debating internally as to what course she ought to take. When her fiancé Stefan re-enters her life, there is a sense that he is a 'long outstanding bill, now come due', a rushed commitment in her past, made too quickly due to the war, that she now feels obliged to fulfill, not through feelings of love but through duty and guilt. I could sympathise to some extent about her indecision though, and her conflicting feelings; after all, she is only twenty years old. By the end of the story though, she begins at last to find her own strength.
Although I wasn’t sure about aspects of the events towards the end - one in particular felt just too convenient in a way - overall I did really enjoy becoming immersed in this historical tale with its romance and mystery; I was intrigued as to what path Margot would take, and how the different plots that made up the novel would develop and conclude. In particular it was interesting to read something set at this pivotal time in history, and in these history-laden cities, facing up to the aftermath of the Great War. There is a hint that Georg, so unhappy by the conference’s conclusions, is leaning towards certain sympathies in Germany at that time, and bearing in mind Margot’s religion, I wonder if this is taken up again in Kommandant’s Girl, to which this novel is the prequel, and which I will try to read one day.
This is a good tale weaving together a key point in history with romance, mystery, desire and love versus loyalty and duty, with lies and secrets, dangerous encounters, and self-discovery; a young woman finding herself, making friends, learning who she can and cannot trust, and falling in love. It boasts an attractive, atmospheric cover design, too.
April 14, 2024
The book was good but not as good as her other books. I also struggled with the main character. I just didn’t care for her. I felt she was immature and selfish.
February 22, 2013
I was very much looking forward to starting The Ambassador’s Daughter as soon as it came through my letterbox. The cover especially is BEAUTIFUL! It is very eye-catching and the scene that was pictured immediately had me intrigued about the plot line and keen to discover more!
I really enjoyed this story! It captivated me from the beginning and I was hooked! I found it very difficult to put the book down, even for things such as a cooking, and my mind constantly strayed back to the story and what was happening.
One thing I particularly enjoyed about The Ambassador’s daughter was the time period that it was set in. Usually there are a lot of books set during the war, but I liked that this one was set after World War One during the peace negotiations. Another thing that interested me was that Pam Jenoff cast Margot as the daughter of a German Ambassador, and so as a reader we were able to see how Margot and her father were perceived after the war, and see the world from their points of view, as well as their thoughts and feelings in regards to the war and everything around them.
Pam Jenoff excelled in creating very-well written and carefully thought out characters. I warmed to Margot straight away, as a girl trying to find her place in a constantly changing world with an uncertain future ahead of her. I felt very protective over her as a character in the beginning, and Margot especially kept me reading as I was desperate to follow her on her journey, throughout the challenges she faced, and into her future. I liked how the romance was written. Margot and Georg had a very strong connection, and I enjoyed the way that they were with each other.
There are many twists and turns in the book – some came as a complete shock to me and I once had to stop and catch my breath as I was suddenly taken with the surprise. I won’t say too much more but I urge you all to give this book a try. Words cannot expressed how much I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It is definitely one of my favourite books that I have read this year.
The Ambassador’s Daughter is an engrossing, yet emotional novel that is filled with history. However what stands out most is the people that were affected by the war – Pam Jenoff has created real scenarios, real people with real emotions, thoughts and feelings. This creates a very strong and powerful novel that many readers will create a connection with. Personally I will now be buying and reading more of Pam Jenoff’s books. I would very much recommend The Ambassador’s Daughter – It is a brilliantly written, gripping novel.
I really enjoyed this story! It captivated me from the beginning and I was hooked! I found it very difficult to put the book down, even for things such as a cooking, and my mind constantly strayed back to the story and what was happening.
One thing I particularly enjoyed about The Ambassador’s daughter was the time period that it was set in. Usually there are a lot of books set during the war, but I liked that this one was set after World War One during the peace negotiations. Another thing that interested me was that Pam Jenoff cast Margot as the daughter of a German Ambassador, and so as a reader we were able to see how Margot and her father were perceived after the war, and see the world from their points of view, as well as their thoughts and feelings in regards to the war and everything around them.
Pam Jenoff excelled in creating very-well written and carefully thought out characters. I warmed to Margot straight away, as a girl trying to find her place in a constantly changing world with an uncertain future ahead of her. I felt very protective over her as a character in the beginning, and Margot especially kept me reading as I was desperate to follow her on her journey, throughout the challenges she faced, and into her future. I liked how the romance was written. Margot and Georg had a very strong connection, and I enjoyed the way that they were with each other.
There are many twists and turns in the book – some came as a complete shock to me and I once had to stop and catch my breath as I was suddenly taken with the surprise. I won’t say too much more but I urge you all to give this book a try. Words cannot expressed how much I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It is definitely one of my favourite books that I have read this year.
The Ambassador’s Daughter is an engrossing, yet emotional novel that is filled with history. However what stands out most is the people that were affected by the war – Pam Jenoff has created real scenarios, real people with real emotions, thoughts and feelings. This creates a very strong and powerful novel that many readers will create a connection with. Personally I will now be buying and reading more of Pam Jenoff’s books. I would very much recommend The Ambassador’s Daughter – It is a brilliantly written, gripping novel.
October 8, 2013
Georg Richwalder? The kommandant?!? This was my reaction upon learning that The Ambassador's Daughter was a prequel to The Kommandant's Girl, which I absolutely loved. But unfortunately, much like The Diplomat's Wife, the storyline and characters paled in comparison to Jenoff's treatment of the kommandant and Emma.
While it was quite interesting to meet Georg before he became the kommandant and to get to know Krysia as a younger woman, that's where my interest in this story ended.
Margot was far too weak for me, especially for an educated young woman with so much freedom and seemingly so much support from her father. Throughout the story I just kept wishing she'd be true to herself, to admit that she no longer loved Stefan and really do something about it other than pining for Georg, resenting her aunt, and pretending that her life in Berlin didn't exist just because she hadn't been back there in a while. Her claim that she had to stay with Stefan simply because four years before she agreed to sign a piece of paper uniting them as husband and wife (her half-hearted "ja" of a wedding vow as further evidence of how little she truly wanted to be with him) didn't hold up for me, on any level.
There were certainly some interesting aspects of this story - the climate in Paris in 1918-1919, a glimpse at Krysia's life before her role in The Kommandant's Girl, and background on the kommandant himself. But compared to some of Jenoff's other works, this really fell flat.
While it was quite interesting to meet Georg before he became the kommandant and to get to know Krysia as a younger woman, that's where my interest in this story ended.
Margot was far too weak for me, especially for an educated young woman with so much freedom and seemingly so much support from her father. Throughout the story I just kept wishing she'd be true to herself, to admit that she no longer loved Stefan and really do something about it other than pining for Georg, resenting her aunt, and pretending that her life in Berlin didn't exist just because she hadn't been back there in a while. Her claim that she had to stay with Stefan simply because four years before she agreed to sign a piece of paper uniting them as husband and wife (her half-hearted "ja" of a wedding vow as further evidence of how little she truly wanted to be with him) didn't hold up for me, on any level.
There were certainly some interesting aspects of this story - the climate in Paris in 1918-1919, a glimpse at Krysia's life before her role in The Kommandant's Girl, and background on the kommandant himself. But compared to some of Jenoff's other works, this really fell flat.
April 3, 2013
Brought to the peace conference by her father, a German diplomat, Margot Rosenthal initially resents being trapped in the congested French capital, where she is still looked upon as the enemy. But as she contemplates returning to Berlin and a life with Stefan, the wounded fiancé she hardly knows anymore, she decides that being in Paris is not so bad after all.
Bored and torn between duty and the desire to be free, Margot strikes up unlikely alliances: with Krysia, an accomplished musician with radical acquaintances and a secret to protect; and with Georg, the handsome, damaged naval officer who gives Margot a job—and also a reason to question everything she thought she knew about where her true loyalties should lie.
Bored and torn between duty and the desire to be free, Margot strikes up unlikely alliances: with Krysia, an accomplished musician with radical acquaintances and a secret to protect; and with Georg, the handsome, damaged naval officer who gives Margot a job—and also a reason to question everything she thought she knew about where her true loyalties should lie.
July 4, 2013
I am having a hard time sticking through to the end on this book. Like other reviewers, I find the first-person narrative to be limited and confusing.
In addition, the writing gets in the way of the story. Partly due to the character's perspective and partly due to the way the author/Margot describe everything.
Lastly, the characters and relationships aren't developed enough to make me care about them. It also seems that Margot is very attached to people we've barely met in the book, with no explanation.
I am going to try to finish this book, but I'm going to have to reward myself with a really good one next. In the end, I'm glad it's a library book.
In addition, the writing gets in the way of the story. Partly due to the character's perspective and partly due to the way the author/Margot describe everything.
Lastly, the characters and relationships aren't developed enough to make me care about them. It also seems that Margot is very attached to people we've barely met in the book, with no explanation.
I am going to try to finish this book, but I'm going to have to reward myself with a really good one next. In the end, I'm glad it's a library book.
May 20, 2020
This book fell short of expectations,
The authors books are usually very interesting. This one was not.
The authors books are usually very interesting. This one was not.
February 23, 2024
First of all, the first-person present tense narration threw me off at first. Once I got used to it, I was there for the ride.
The main character, Margot, is so naive. SO naive. But it drew me in because it isn't far from how I was at age twenty.
This book had lots of potential with the content matter bit I felt the story was a little too fluffy and less political than it seems.
There were exciting parts, but it almost felt like the author left out so much that she started in the beginning that it felt rushed near the end, like she was scrambling to wrap it up.
SPOILER***
For example, she just kills off the man Margot was supposed to marry right at the end so she could be free to express her feelings with the man she actually wants, or reveal Krysia as a spy after not bringing up the stealing of information again until the end. It all felt very "Chekov's gun".
Anyway, I still liked it and it kept me in, but did disappoint in ways. That's why I'm rating it 2 stars, because honestly if it was less I wouldn't have finished it.
The main character, Margot, is so naive. SO naive. But it drew me in because it isn't far from how I was at age twenty.
This book had lots of potential with the content matter bit I felt the story was a little too fluffy and less political than it seems.
There were exciting parts, but it almost felt like the author left out so much that she started in the beginning that it felt rushed near the end, like she was scrambling to wrap it up.
SPOILER***
For example, she just kills off the man Margot was supposed to marry right at the end so she could be free to express her feelings with the man she actually wants, or reveal Krysia as a spy after not bringing up the stealing of information again until the end. It all felt very "Chekov's gun".
Anyway, I still liked it and it kept me in, but did disappoint in ways. That's why I'm rating it 2 stars, because honestly if it was less I wouldn't have finished it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2023
3.5⭐🤔🤷🏽♀️
It was okay..
It was okay..
September 9, 2022
Started slow, more hours of my life lost to a poor book. However then picked up a little. Hope shone brightly. However then more disappointment to finish.
April 9, 2024
This one took me awhile to get into and I really did not like Margot, the main character, until the last few chapters. The underlying story was was interesting though!
March 24, 2022
Interesting and very different perspective about the First World War and how the tensions began that led to the Second. Main characters are Jewish Germans from Berlin, Germany. Historical fiction doesn’t usually cover the German side so it was a compelling read.
July 19, 2025
Good read. Not riveting but entertaining. There is the hardship in this war related novel as I have had in other historical fictions but it was ok.
February 19, 2013
The 1919 Paris Peace Conference. Versailles. President Wilson’s Fourteen Points. A German Jewish professor appointed as adviser to the conference. His daughter, 20-year-old Margot Rosenthal, who accompanies him. Her fiance Stefan, seriously injured in the war, recuperating in Berlin, whom Margot is avoiding. Sounds like it has possibilities.
Except I didn’t know that the book was published by Harlequin until I read this paragraph: “His head turns then in my direction and as our eyes meet, a light dawns within him. I hold his gaze, mindful that I am staring but unable to look away. His face breaks wide open then with the vulnerability of a young child. The people and sound fade, leaving just Georg and me and then endless space between us. In that moment, the walls crumble, revealing the attraction that should not exist, but nonetheless does.”
Uh oh. History is taking a back seat to a days-old attraction. What will Margot do? She is promised to Stefan, a man she hasn’t seen since she was 16, when in a weak moment she agreed to become engaged. She feels guilty, very guilty. But she’s never felt such a spark as she does with Georg, a German Naval officer and delegate to the conference. She keeps meaning to confess to him that she is betrothed. But, but, but.
And how about her newfound friend, Polish pianist Krysia Smok, whose blue cloak catches Margot’s eye during the parade to welcome President Wilson to Paris, and whom she follows. Follows?! Several times! Krysia readily accepts Margot, instructs her in politics, and becomes her life coach. (“Be true to yourself!”)
Then there’s the man who is blackmailing Margot for documents and information, threatening to ruin her father’s reputation if she doesn’t oblige him. Such intrigue.
Margot really is annoyingly naive, self-centered, and indecisive. She has secrets and she betrays a friend. Yet when she learns that her father had his secrets and that a friend has betrayed her, she is stunned, offended, and quite angry. And each time she grits her teeth and decides to bare all, a crisis occurs -- a sudden illness, a surprise visitor, a mysterious death, a spy in the den -- all preventing Margot from clearing her conscience (and to keep us in suspense?).
“The Ambassador’s Daughter,” set in a fascinating time and place, is in the end a silly book.
Except I didn’t know that the book was published by Harlequin until I read this paragraph: “His head turns then in my direction and as our eyes meet, a light dawns within him. I hold his gaze, mindful that I am staring but unable to look away. His face breaks wide open then with the vulnerability of a young child. The people and sound fade, leaving just Georg and me and then endless space between us. In that moment, the walls crumble, revealing the attraction that should not exist, but nonetheless does.”
Uh oh. History is taking a back seat to a days-old attraction. What will Margot do? She is promised to Stefan, a man she hasn’t seen since she was 16, when in a weak moment she agreed to become engaged. She feels guilty, very guilty. But she’s never felt such a spark as she does with Georg, a German Naval officer and delegate to the conference. She keeps meaning to confess to him that she is betrothed. But, but, but.
And how about her newfound friend, Polish pianist Krysia Smok, whose blue cloak catches Margot’s eye during the parade to welcome President Wilson to Paris, and whom she follows. Follows?! Several times! Krysia readily accepts Margot, instructs her in politics, and becomes her life coach. (“Be true to yourself!”)
Then there’s the man who is blackmailing Margot for documents and information, threatening to ruin her father’s reputation if she doesn’t oblige him. Such intrigue.
Margot really is annoyingly naive, self-centered, and indecisive. She has secrets and she betrays a friend. Yet when she learns that her father had his secrets and that a friend has betrayed her, she is stunned, offended, and quite angry. And each time she grits her teeth and decides to bare all, a crisis occurs -- a sudden illness, a surprise visitor, a mysterious death, a spy in the den -- all preventing Margot from clearing her conscience (and to keep us in suspense?).
“The Ambassador’s Daughter,” set in a fascinating time and place, is in the end a silly book.
July 7, 2013
A friend and I were discussing war fiction, particularly those that were love stories, but not romances (The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, etc) and she recommended Pam Jenoff. I picked up this title hoping for another well written love story, full of the ambiance of the period with strong characters. Sadly, this did not meet my expectations.
Set in Paris after the Armistice, this is the story of Margot Rosenthal. Brought to the peace conference by her father, a German diplomat, the Rosenthals spent the war in London, where her father was a visiting professor. Her fiance, Stefan, returned from the war badly wounded and Margot herself has changed from the 16 year old who became engaged. As she struggles with her duty to Stefan and the desire to be free, Margot makes friends with Krysia, a Polish radical and Georg, a naval officer with the German delegation.
These friendships are a odds with each other, but both offer Margot a chance to develop on her own terms, rather than follow the path set for her by others. Unfortunately, Margot's character is never fully realized and the circumstances that she finds herself are rather trite. In addition, some random event occurs that prevents the character from actually taking a stance and making a decision for herself.
The premise had promise that wasn't fully realized. There was little depth and the characters were one dimensional. The novel would be a great light read – perfect for traveling – but fell short for me.
Set in Paris after the Armistice, this is the story of Margot Rosenthal. Brought to the peace conference by her father, a German diplomat, the Rosenthals spent the war in London, where her father was a visiting professor. Her fiance, Stefan, returned from the war badly wounded and Margot herself has changed from the 16 year old who became engaged. As she struggles with her duty to Stefan and the desire to be free, Margot makes friends with Krysia, a Polish radical and Georg, a naval officer with the German delegation.
These friendships are a odds with each other, but both offer Margot a chance to develop on her own terms, rather than follow the path set for her by others. Unfortunately, Margot's character is never fully realized and the circumstances that she finds herself are rather trite. In addition, some random event occurs that prevents the character from actually taking a stance and making a decision for herself.
The premise had promise that wasn't fully realized. There was little depth and the characters were one dimensional. The novel would be a great light read – perfect for traveling – but fell short for me.
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