What do you think?
Rate this book
The War Trilogy #1
Of Windmills and War
The rumblings of war in distant countries mattered little to Danny McClain. Growing up in Chicago, his world revolved around after-school jobs, a rescued beagle, his pen pal in Holland, and the Cubs' chance to go to the World Series. Then, in December of 1941, news of the attack on Pearl Harbor hit much too close to home. In a few years, Danny found himself in the co-pilot seat of a B-17, stationed with the 390th Bomb Group in Framlingham, England. Anya Versteeg had been just a teenager when Hitler's troops invaded her homeland of Holland in May of 1940. Forced to grow up much too fast, the feisty preacher's daughter eagerly immersed herself in the Dutch Resistance. Certain that God had turned His back on Holland, she did whatever she had to do to save her country before it was too late. By 1945, the people of Occupied Holland were starving. Thousands were dying every day. Then, just days before the war ended, help came to the Netherlands like manna from heaven. Operation Chowhound held special meaning for Lieutenant Danny McClain. Somewhere below in the battered land of tulips and windmills was the girl who needed rescuing, and he would move heaven and earth to find her.
598 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 21, 2012
11582 people are currently reading
4620 people want to read
About the author
Diane Moody
35 books220 followersBorn in Texas and raised in Oklahoma, Diane Hale Moody is a graduate of Oklahoma State University. She lives with her husband Ken in the rolling hills just outside of Nashville. They are the proud parents of two grown and extraordinary children, Hannah and Ben.
Just after moving to Tennessee in 1999, Diane felt the tug of a long-neglected passion to write again. Since then, she's written a column for her local newspaper, feature articles for various magazines and curriculum, and several novels with a dozen more stories eagerly vying for her attention.
When she's not reading or writing, Diane enjoys an eclectic taste in music and movies, great coffee, the company of good friends, and the adoration of a peculiar little pooch named Darby.
Just after moving to Tennessee in 1999, Diane felt the tug of a long-neglected passion to write again. Since then, she's written a column for her local newspaper, feature articles for various magazines and curriculum, and several novels with a dozen more stories eagerly vying for her attention.
When she's not reading or writing, Diane enjoys an eclectic taste in music and movies, great coffee, the company of good friends, and the adoration of a peculiar little pooch named Darby.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 705 reviews
March 2, 2015
The reviews for this book both here and on Amazon have shaken my faith in user reviews! The writing in this book can only be described as insipid. The language was so unimaginative and basic that it made me think the book was written for young readers. On top of that, the dialogue between the characters was so simple it made them seem immature or childlike. I felt like the book could have been half as long as it was because there was so much extra language that added nothing to the plot or to my understanding of the characters. The plot itself was also annoyingly predictable with way too many convenient coincidences. I had to force myself to finish it, even though I didn't really care about the characters and pretty much knew how it would end as soon as Danny read Anya's letter. There were several points in the second half of the book where I had to put the book down because I was so exasperated with how sappy and trite it was. The premise for the story had so much promise, but this book was a major disappointment.
January 15, 2013
Awesome book!!!! I enjoyed this so much. It was an easy read that kept me wanting more. A very nice tribute to the men and women who fought during WWll. The love story that spans the last 5 years of the war is one of joy and tears. I highly recommend this book.
April 29, 2017
“Moms are supposed to worry.”
A freshman historical novel. Moody focuses on the exploits of American Army Air Force B-17 bomber crews in World War II. Done partly to commend the experiences of her father and his wartime comrades. She does it well. But she doesn’t just dump the reader into the story at Pearl Harbor. She fashions a touching tale of how a boy in Chicago and a girl in Utrecht (Netherlands) become pen pals. How his brother is at Pearl Harbor. And how the Dutch resistance battled the Nazi invaders.
“War was necessary … but that sure didn’t make it palatable.”
Historical fiction is a demanding genre, especially when set in an era as recent as World War II. Moody’s aviation and resistance threads rings true and much of her cultural context is sound, but miscues jerk the reader out of the spell of the story. (See quibbles)
“And tomorrow we’ll do it again.”
One area that sets Moody’s story apart is the realistic inner voice of her principal characters. She also introduces a family with generational mental health issues, which heightens the emotional connection.
“If we don’t, who will?”
The Holocaust. The Dutch resistance came into being in part to save their Jewish neighbors from German exportation and genocide, though they could not have known specifics of Auschwitz and the gas chambers detailed here.
“I don’t believe in coincidences.”
Issues of faith. Moody deals with religion in a period-appropriate manner. Characters thank God, curse God, don’t see that God can have anything to do with their circumstances. Some folks turn to religion under stress; others turn away. All well presented.
“Whatever it takes.”
Quibbles. There are many, but they are not as damaging to the story as it may seem. Foremost, everyone knows too much, too soon. In wartime—especially in the 1940s—the disposition and intent of the enemy is often not known by opposing armies, let alone civilians. For example, the Dutch Resistance knows all about the Battle of the Bulge, including how it turns out, while it's in progress. An SS officer too closely resembles fictional SS Col Hand Landa, including his use of English. Troops moved across the US in 1938 by rail, not air. A 1939 phone call from Guam, though possible, would have been prohibitively expensive for a sailor, not to mention multiples: “each time he called.” German language is too similar for someone to get away with calling them “swine” in Dutch. If I’m feverish, a hand on my forehead feels cool, not warm. “… himself a human canon falling …” Two errors in one phrase.
“Love will find a way.”
Overall, a welcome tale. No, I’d never heard about the Operations Manna and Chowhound. Excellent.
“The pigs will fly.”
A freshman historical novel. Moody focuses on the exploits of American Army Air Force B-17 bomber crews in World War II. Done partly to commend the experiences of her father and his wartime comrades. She does it well. But she doesn’t just dump the reader into the story at Pearl Harbor. She fashions a touching tale of how a boy in Chicago and a girl in Utrecht (Netherlands) become pen pals. How his brother is at Pearl Harbor. And how the Dutch resistance battled the Nazi invaders.
“War was necessary … but that sure didn’t make it palatable.”
Historical fiction is a demanding genre, especially when set in an era as recent as World War II. Moody’s aviation and resistance threads rings true and much of her cultural context is sound, but miscues jerk the reader out of the spell of the story. (See quibbles)
“And tomorrow we’ll do it again.”
One area that sets Moody’s story apart is the realistic inner voice of her principal characters. She also introduces a family with generational mental health issues, which heightens the emotional connection.
“If we don’t, who will?”
The Holocaust. The Dutch resistance came into being in part to save their Jewish neighbors from German exportation and genocide, though they could not have known specifics of Auschwitz and the gas chambers detailed here.
“I don’t believe in coincidences.”
Issues of faith. Moody deals with religion in a period-appropriate manner. Characters thank God, curse God, don’t see that God can have anything to do with their circumstances. Some folks turn to religion under stress; others turn away. All well presented.
“Whatever it takes.”
Quibbles. There are many, but they are not as damaging to the story as it may seem. Foremost, everyone knows too much, too soon. In wartime—especially in the 1940s—the disposition and intent of the enemy is often not known by opposing armies, let alone civilians. For example, the Dutch Resistance knows all about the Battle of the Bulge, including how it turns out, while it's in progress. An SS officer too closely resembles fictional SS Col Hand Landa, including his use of English. Troops moved across the US in 1938 by rail, not air. A 1939 phone call from Guam, though possible, would have been prohibitively expensive for a sailor, not to mention multiples: “each time he called.” German language is too similar for someone to get away with calling them “swine” in Dutch. If I’m feverish, a hand on my forehead feels cool, not warm. “… himself a human canon falling …” Two errors in one phrase.
“Love will find a way.”
Overall, a welcome tale. No, I’d never heard about the Operations Manna and Chowhound. Excellent.
“The pigs will fly.”
June 20, 2016
Safe to say that I disagree with the majority of readers of this book. I found the storytelling to be very rote and amateur. The dialogue, in particular, was insipid and unrealistic. None of the characters felt real (or even interesting) to me. There also seemed to be a half-baked attempt to explore how faith suffers during times of war, but it never really went anywhere. Characters would occasionally stop believing in God (you know, dark times, war, etc.) but then a "miracle" would happen and they'd believe again. It was really a bit much without any sort of sensible or concerted attempt to distill further.
June 10, 2017
I applaud all authors who tackle romance or other fictional works set during WWII, because it’s important we never forget the atrocities inflicted by the Germans in almost all of Europe, in such a short period; between 1939-1945.
This book compelled me from the beginning when we meet a teenager, Danny McClain, living an ordinary life in Chicago, having a pen pal in Utrecht, the Netherlands, called Hans Versteeg. I’m very familiar with the Dutch language, as it also the language spoken in Flanders, Belgium, where I’m from. It felt recognizable to read about the life of Hans and his younger sister Anya.
As the years go on, Danny’s older brother, Joey is enlisted, and stationed at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attack, and the now older Danny’s is conflicted; should he continue college or enlist. When he decides to do the latter, he chooses to go into the Army Air Force and after months and months of training he finds himself an officer and a co-pilot of a B17 Bomber, flying out of Framingham, Great-Britain in order to bomb and destroy targets in Germany. During one of those missions, Danny’s flying Fortress (his B17 plane) is hit, and Danny parachutes in West Holland, near the German border, where he finally meets Anya, who has become a resistance fighter, belonging to a Dutch underground network, helping to move endangered people, or helping stranded Allied soldiers (like Danny) to get back to the English coast.
Personally, I thought this was a great read right until Danny meets Anya. From that point on, I thought the book got a bit maudlin and syrupy. I totally understood Anya’s point of view, but it got a bit repetitive and tedious towards the end. Still, I enjoyed this book and would certainly recommend it, because it is important we keep on honoring the courage and the sacrifices made by a great generation of men and women.
This book compelled me from the beginning when we meet a teenager, Danny McClain, living an ordinary life in Chicago, having a pen pal in Utrecht, the Netherlands, called Hans Versteeg. I’m very familiar with the Dutch language, as it also the language spoken in Flanders, Belgium, where I’m from. It felt recognizable to read about the life of Hans and his younger sister Anya.
As the years go on, Danny’s older brother, Joey is enlisted, and stationed at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attack, and the now older Danny’s is conflicted; should he continue college or enlist. When he decides to do the latter, he chooses to go into the Army Air Force and after months and months of training he finds himself an officer and a co-pilot of a B17 Bomber, flying out of Framingham, Great-Britain in order to bomb and destroy targets in Germany. During one of those missions, Danny’s flying Fortress (his B17 plane) is hit, and Danny parachutes in West Holland, near the German border, where he finally meets Anya, who has become a resistance fighter, belonging to a Dutch underground network, helping to move endangered people, or helping stranded Allied soldiers (like Danny) to get back to the English coast.
Personally, I thought this was a great read right until Danny meets Anya. From that point on, I thought the book got a bit maudlin and syrupy. I totally understood Anya’s point of view, but it got a bit repetitive and tedious towards the end. Still, I enjoyed this book and would certainly recommend it, because it is important we keep on honoring the courage and the sacrifices made by a great generation of men and women.
March 11, 2013
For me this was just okay. It read like a made-for-teenagers-tv-movie. In fact, I may have made a mistake and missed that this was young adult fiction. Nobody in this story; well nobody except for the Nazis and the requisite taciturn/grumpy Dad, had any flaws. They were all soo sweet and sooo good they didn't even have any bad thoughts. I like a good old fashioned great story/happy ending as much as the next person but this was just a big too much whipped cream for me. The one thing I did like about it was learning a bit about the WWII resistance in the Netherlands as well as the food drops (Operations Chowhound & Manna).
Just so-so for me.
Just so-so for me.
August 7, 2014
This book was horrible. The religious aspect of it was like nails on a chalkboard. The atheist dad was apparently a horrible person until he starts to pray. The Nazi's were described as "godless" Where in fact, the majority of the Nazi party were christians. I despised how she dubbed people "good" or "bad" based upon whether or not they prayed. And the audacity of the first world prayers by Danny and his family were atrocious. I'm not entirely sure what the Jews and all the other people who were tortured, starved, mutilated, and killed did wrong for their prayers not to be heard, but luckily Danny and his family had theirs answered every time. Maybe that is why god didn't save the Jews? He was too busy helping Danny with his sprained foot and making sure he and Anya would get together.
This book had horrible writing, and a dumb story. I love historical fiction, but I will never read another Diane Moody book. I'm just mad at myself for finishing the dumb thing.
This book had horrible writing, and a dumb story. I love historical fiction, but I will never read another Diane Moody book. I'm just mad at myself for finishing the dumb thing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2013
Wow! What impressed me most about this book was the level of detail. The author's father actually flew in a B-17 during the war, and it inspired her to write a book about it. Where is gets interesting is the dual perspective she wove throughout the book. One of the main characters is a boy growing up in Chicago, and the other is a Dutch citizen who ultimately joins the resistance when the Nazis invade and occupy The Netherlands. This was one of those books I couldn't put down, but also didn't want to read because it would end too soon.
June 18, 2013
An interesting historical fiction novel of WWII that eventually brings us to the food drops operation in Holland at the end of the war: Operation Chowhound. The story is an easy read that sometimes borders on the romantic. The main character is very likeable and incredibly good. I would recommend it to anyone interested in stories based on events of WWII.
January 18, 2016
Loved this WWII action and romance, all 598 pages of it! Of course, I need to read how these lives continue, so am immediately reading 'Beyond the Shadow of War' from Amazon KOLL. Was happy to see I could borrow it for this month.
July 30, 2019
Great people story and romance steeped in a war torn world.
Our 2 protagonists are heroes living in America and Holland communicating with each other as pen pal.
As the war heats up the 2 protagonists lose contact with each other but never forget one another. How they come together is a beautiful story.
The author paints vivid scenes of the horrors of the second world war, the losses of lives and the heroic deeds of many characters. The narrator is excellent in portraying the different character's with great interpretations of each person's voice.
Our 2 protagonists are heroes living in America and Holland communicating with each other as pen pal.
As the war heats up the 2 protagonists lose contact with each other but never forget one another. How they come together is a beautiful story.
The author paints vivid scenes of the horrors of the second world war, the losses of lives and the heroic deeds of many characters. The narrator is excellent in portraying the different character's with great interpretations of each person's voice.
June 24, 2020
Really enjoyed
I dont often read historical fiction but I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to reading the next one soon.
I dont often read historical fiction but I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to reading the next one soon.
January 15, 2023
I inserted this book under the classification “war“ although it is a bit of a different kind of war book. It is about World War II, and it is some thing of an in-depth look at Holland/the Netherlands during the German occupation. It is not so much about the battles of the soldiers, but about the battles of the civilians.
It is may be a bit too much to call it a romance, but it is certainly about love. Love of family and love of country. I as a dedicated antiwar person this book does its part in glorifying the heroism of war. In part, and tells the story of the Americans who were flying the Fortresses that bombed the German cities. Some of us would call these bombings war atrocities, but this story does not deal with the men who were flying the planes with anything but respect and admiration.
Some people might think this book is a bit simplistic and a bit idealistic. But I do think that it gave a pretty accurate perspective of the whore that was faced by many people in the Netherlands, in a very direct and personal way. I told a personal story about life in the Netherlands during the German occupation with which I was unfamiliar. so it was a learning experience. World War II history in Europe, often focuses on France. I am not sure if the story of the occupation of the Netherlands was particularly unique among the multiple small countries that were occupied. But I thought the story of the life of the, regular people in Holland was told fairly well.
This is not exactly a story with a totally happy ending because a lot of people‘s eyes right before your very eyes, but it is a fact that the main characters have a rather startling and happy ending, evidently. Part of the story of soldiers going to other countries to fight a war is the many stories of those who bring home waves from that country when they come home. This is that kind of a story rather than the story of the women and children who are left behind by soldiers. This is definitely a feel good kind of story that does not leave out the hard aspects of war stories. It does have many of the people who die, but it does not dwell on or focus on those people for the most part.
It is may be a bit too much to call it a romance, but it is certainly about love. Love of family and love of country. I as a dedicated antiwar person this book does its part in glorifying the heroism of war. In part, and tells the story of the Americans who were flying the Fortresses that bombed the German cities. Some of us would call these bombings war atrocities, but this story does not deal with the men who were flying the planes with anything but respect and admiration.
Some people might think this book is a bit simplistic and a bit idealistic. But I do think that it gave a pretty accurate perspective of the whore that was faced by many people in the Netherlands, in a very direct and personal way. I told a personal story about life in the Netherlands during the German occupation with which I was unfamiliar. so it was a learning experience. World War II history in Europe, often focuses on France. I am not sure if the story of the occupation of the Netherlands was particularly unique among the multiple small countries that were occupied. But I thought the story of the life of the, regular people in Holland was told fairly well.
This is not exactly a story with a totally happy ending because a lot of people‘s eyes right before your very eyes, but it is a fact that the main characters have a rather startling and happy ending, evidently. Part of the story of soldiers going to other countries to fight a war is the many stories of those who bring home waves from that country when they come home. This is that kind of a story rather than the story of the women and children who are left behind by soldiers. This is definitely a feel good kind of story that does not leave out the hard aspects of war stories. It does have many of the people who die, but it does not dwell on or focus on those people for the most part.
July 16, 2024
I found the book to be sad but with hope intertwined within the realities of a time mist of us have not lived through. I read several reviews from a few years back describing the book as being very simple, boring, and too frequently mentioning God. I would like yo counter that. If you never lived in fear rather terror, or experienced true hunger, you cannot fathom that the simplest things mean the most. Times were simpler back then. The world was more inclined yo believing in ga higher power and was not fearful of sharing that thought . Though the story was a fiction, many events were true. It would be impossible to know the exact dialog between the people of that time. I marvel at how well the author was able to understand and put those feelings into words. So many times we use elaborate words to express ourselves when the simplest words serve us better.
February 3, 2021
( Young adult ) definitely an easy read! I’m in a moment of sadness, as I just finished this book. I must order the next book as soon as I’m able! I must say; This is going to be hard to top so early in 2021!! IF YOU LOVE TO READ WW2, THIS IS THE BOOK TO READ! ( also there’s 3 books total!) my Journey continues! DANNY & AYNA! 😍😍😍
September 4, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and following the lives of Danny McClain and Anya Versteeg. For the first-half of the book, I found Anya's story far more compelling as she struggled to stay alive during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Despite tremendous risks and personal sacrifices, she joined the Dutch resistance movement helping Jewish children escape to freedom. When she was on a mission, I was on tenterhooks, hoping she wouldn't be caught by the German soldiers patrolling the railway stations. From the start, I admired Anya's strength, determination and courage, even though she could be extremely stubborn at times, and my heart bled for the loses she suffered time and again.
Danny's story wasn't as exciting but his family's dynamics was interesting, especially the changing relationship with his father. I enjoyed watching Danny work his way through school and college before enlisting into the airforce. Once he started training and then flying missions over Germany, the action really picked up.
However, my favourite part of the book was when Danny's and Anya's stories finally converged after Danny's plane was shot down over the Netherlands close to the German border. Suddenly, both their lives were in mortal danger with the Nazis determined to destroy all members of the Dutch Resistance and capture the enemy pilot.
Despite the atrocities and horrors of war, the last few chapters were uplifting. I loved learning about Operation Chowhound where, instead of dropping bombs and causing mass destruction, huge bundles of food were dropped at various locations around Holland to feed its starving population. The reactions from the American pilots and the Dutch citizens brought tears to my eyes.
The fact that the author's father served as a co-pilot in World War II and took part in Operation Chowhound certainly gave Of Windmills and War greater depth and credibility, and it was a wonderful tribute to all the men and women who fought to protect the precious gift of freedom. A poignant read.
Danny's story wasn't as exciting but his family's dynamics was interesting, especially the changing relationship with his father. I enjoyed watching Danny work his way through school and college before enlisting into the airforce. Once he started training and then flying missions over Germany, the action really picked up.
However, my favourite part of the book was when Danny's and Anya's stories finally converged after Danny's plane was shot down over the Netherlands close to the German border. Suddenly, both their lives were in mortal danger with the Nazis determined to destroy all members of the Dutch Resistance and capture the enemy pilot.
Despite the atrocities and horrors of war, the last few chapters were uplifting. I loved learning about Operation Chowhound where, instead of dropping bombs and causing mass destruction, huge bundles of food were dropped at various locations around Holland to feed its starving population. The reactions from the American pilots and the Dutch citizens brought tears to my eyes.
The fact that the author's father served as a co-pilot in World War II and took part in Operation Chowhound certainly gave Of Windmills and War greater depth and credibility, and it was a wonderful tribute to all the men and women who fought to protect the precious gift of freedom. A poignant read.
April 7, 2020
Fabulous book. I had heard a bit about Holland during WWII, but not in detail. This is a must read for everyone. Such a brave nation to go through that suffering and come out strong and resilient. I loved this story.
December 5, 2018
I had really high hopes for this story. But sadly, after reading the second book in this story I just felt beaten over the head with the authors religion. Not for me.
January 9, 2020
Enchanting and Significant
This book tells a moving and believable story but it is also historically accurate and informative. A very enjoyable read.
This book tells a moving and believable story but it is also historically accurate and informative. A very enjoyable read.
May 8, 2020
I really enjoy this book, feeling the love this person had for Anya all those years. Love reading historial fiction especially WWII.
July 11, 2017
Diane Moody has written a detailed and moving tale of two young people—Danny McClain and Anya Versteeg—who live through the harrowing times of World War II. This is an especially meaningful story for me since my parents lived through similar trials and ordeals of that global conflict. The reader gets to know both characters in up-close and intimate portraits as Ms. Moody deftly paints a picture of each character’s growing pains – Danny in Chicago and Anya in Utrecht, a city near Amsterdam in the Netherlands – as they both deal with their individual family relationships and crises. While Danny co-pilots an Army Air Corps B-17 on bombing runs over Germany, and Anya throws herself into working with the Dutch Resistance and evading the Nazis in the occupied Netherlands, the reader can begin to anticipate an inevitable intersection of their paths. To borrow Irving Stone’s title, we get to experience “the agony and the ecstasy” of what it must have been like to endure those most trying of times. Of Windmills and War is a hard-to-put-down and satisfying read.
September 16, 2019
World War II stories always intrique me, but this book could have been much better if the characters would have been more believable and the dialogue more interesting. Almost everyone was just too nice. The story is predictable and I had to almost push myself to finish. I learned a bit more about the lives of the pilots and also what it was like for the Dutch, which is my ancestry so those facts kept me interested somewhat. I don't think I'll spend the time to read the other two books in this trilogy.
November 6, 2020
This novel, set during World War II, gives a nostalgic view of an almost perfect all-American family. The author uses the jaded formula of boy falls in love but is separated from girl by war. The twists of plot, most of which are implausible, become predictable along each step of the way. However, the author does create an atmosphere where we readers like the characters and wish for their happiness.
May 20, 2017
No, this book doesn't talk much about the war - but how Danny and Anya struggle being on both sides of it.
Danny is introduced to us from a young age, you could relate to most of the complexities he is mixed up in. Anya is brave and heartbroken and as a part of the Resistance fights hard and for long.
The book in one of those is so well written that it makes you play the scenes in your mind while you read!
Danny is introduced to us from a young age, you could relate to most of the complexities he is mixed up in. Anya is brave and heartbroken and as a part of the Resistance fights hard and for long.
The book in one of those is so well written that it makes you play the scenes in your mind while you read!
January 22, 2020
Beautiful written! I’ve read many books centered around this time period but this is the first about Holland. The strength and faith the people had in standing up to protect the innocents and themselves as the Nazi invaders caused havoc, death, and destruction is simply incredible. Interesting to since the country is known for its peaceful stance in world matters. I strongly recommend this book.
December 17, 2019
This was a tear jerker for me. From the episodes of Pearl Harbor to the flights of the 390th over Germany it was a tense description . Especially since I have a Dutch heritage. I enjoyed the outcome.
September 19, 2022
I did like this. It was a little long and a little too "perfect". That seems an odd way to describe it because even beyond the war, there was a good bit of tragedy. I had not read about the Dutch resistance during ww2. I'll check out the next book now that I see it is a trilogy!
November 18, 2022
Wow. Best book I’ve read in a while. Hard to read at times but amazing story of what happened in the Netherlands durning ww2. This is a thriller, romance, suspense, emotional ride. I feel in love with both MC and couldn’t wait to see how their stories ended. Highly Recommend!
May 3, 2020
Read in less than 24 hours! Phenomenal!
May 3, 2024
Amazing read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 705 reviews