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The Partisan
He has a portfolio worth billions, but he does not feel the security to leave her graveside. She would have dirtied her hands on the dusty crypt of their secrets had he only consented for a moment, opening the casket for their children—and grandchildren—to look in at what he had buried.
Stefan Kosar had escaped the Nazis, but there was no escaping his guilt. As the soft wind blowing in from the Hudson River gently rustled the flowers atop her casket, he wondered if it was her own hand somehow shaking the petals—telling him one last time to share their legacy, and not hide it any longer. Having shut out his son, daughter, and the media from his past, Stefan's limo departs the cemetery with his children and journeys back to his youth. His narration opens the crypt--a saga of family affluence, tragedy, poverty, and armed resistance in Nazi-occupied Slovakia during WWII.
In an era when ruthless ideology enslaved a sovereign nation, readers are invited into the dark lives of individuals in which fear and brutality become commonplace. Stefan's dream of a happy marriage and prosperous future becomes a nightmare as he struggles to maintain the simple dignity that is hollowed out by the cruelty of fascism. Having lost so much, young Stefan finds genuine love and discovers there can be virtue in suffering and victory in death.
"The Partisan" is an epic tale of the cultural destruction of tyranny and the extremes that men of honor will endure for the cause of freedom.
Stefan Kosar had escaped the Nazis, but there was no escaping his guilt. As the soft wind blowing in from the Hudson River gently rustled the flowers atop her casket, he wondered if it was her own hand somehow shaking the petals—telling him one last time to share their legacy, and not hide it any longer. Having shut out his son, daughter, and the media from his past, Stefan's limo departs the cemetery with his children and journeys back to his youth. His narration opens the crypt--a saga of family affluence, tragedy, poverty, and armed resistance in Nazi-occupied Slovakia during WWII.
In an era when ruthless ideology enslaved a sovereign nation, readers are invited into the dark lives of individuals in which fear and brutality become commonplace. Stefan's dream of a happy marriage and prosperous future becomes a nightmare as he struggles to maintain the simple dignity that is hollowed out by the cruelty of fascism. Having lost so much, young Stefan finds genuine love and discovers there can be virtue in suffering and victory in death.
"The Partisan" is an epic tale of the cultural destruction of tyranny and the extremes that men of honor will endure for the cause of freedom.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 17, 2013
15 people are currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
William Jarvis
1 bookLibrarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 9, 2014
We are proud to announce that THE PARTISAN by William Jarvis is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells a reader that this book is well worth their time and money!
September 29, 2015
Reviewed for Readers' Favorite
The year is 1996 and Stefan Kosar and his children, Thomas and Julia, are at the Sea of Mary Memorial Gardens, Southwest Manhattan Island in New York. They are saying goodbye to Ana, a wife and mother who brings with her a family secret that dates back to the turbulent years of the Second World War in Slovakia. William Jarvis's novel, The Partisan, is the story of the Kosars, a family of Slovak industrialists and nationalists. The young Stefan was a student in Geneva when the Nazis were ruthlessly subjugating most of Europe. Life will never be the same again for the whole family when their father Tomas, a member of the Slovak delegation negotiating with Germany and Britain at the outbreak of the Second World War, was imprisoned for treason by his own people. Estefan, Patrik and Matilda are left to continue their father's business and moral legacy. This is their story.
This novel brings me back to a time when most people in East Europe lived in fear and where brutality was a common occurrence. It is amazing how William Jarvis is able to make his characters real and alive. The narrative is character and dialogue-driven with a pace that will keep the reader glued to his reading corner. The Partisan is a historical fiction that will send chills through your spine because the conflict and the terror are told in such a way that they become palpable. This is because of the excellent descriptive style of the author. Although the setting of the story changes from Slovakia to the United States of America, it does not affect its fluidity and coherence; in fact, it enhances them. I have read a lot of novels about war-torn Europe and I am not new to the brutality of that era but this story stands out because of the author's excellent writing style and creativity.
The year is 1996 and Stefan Kosar and his children, Thomas and Julia, are at the Sea of Mary Memorial Gardens, Southwest Manhattan Island in New York. They are saying goodbye to Ana, a wife and mother who brings with her a family secret that dates back to the turbulent years of the Second World War in Slovakia. William Jarvis's novel, The Partisan, is the story of the Kosars, a family of Slovak industrialists and nationalists. The young Stefan was a student in Geneva when the Nazis were ruthlessly subjugating most of Europe. Life will never be the same again for the whole family when their father Tomas, a member of the Slovak delegation negotiating with Germany and Britain at the outbreak of the Second World War, was imprisoned for treason by his own people. Estefan, Patrik and Matilda are left to continue their father's business and moral legacy. This is their story.
This novel brings me back to a time when most people in East Europe lived in fear and where brutality was a common occurrence. It is amazing how William Jarvis is able to make his characters real and alive. The narrative is character and dialogue-driven with a pace that will keep the reader glued to his reading corner. The Partisan is a historical fiction that will send chills through your spine because the conflict and the terror are told in such a way that they become palpable. This is because of the excellent descriptive style of the author. Although the setting of the story changes from Slovakia to the United States of America, it does not affect its fluidity and coherence; in fact, it enhances them. I have read a lot of novels about war-torn Europe and I am not new to the brutality of that era but this story stands out because of the author's excellent writing style and creativity.
May 16, 2017
An important and excellent read!!
I chose this rating for several reasons. A very good book, talented author and most importantly it is a history of truth!
I should like to point out that this brutality - and bravery only occurred one generation ago and it reveals the true value of human depravity and human bravery. The story is very difficult to put down, even overnight and in truth, history is so very important to mankind! If one doesn't know history, they are likely to repeat it. I have forgotten where that quote comes from but it is true!
People cannot believe this occurred, but it did! The most cruel and barbaric side of human nature! I'm fact, these behaviors, around the world - especially today, are being repeated. The depravity of humankind is something everyone should know about to prevent these atrocities from happening again.
But, so too, the immense bravery and courage is the more important story that should be known as a matter of knowing that fear and anxieties can be overcome.
As far as the world is a mess, in 2017, it could be VERY important for new generations to know that there is always hope, resistance, hero partisans and sometimes a necessity to overcome fear.
If you were born after the 1950's, you probably vaguely know about the holocaust. This was going on between the late 1930's and into the middle of the 1940's. However, anti-Semitism goes on, today. I am a Catholic and not Jewish. I write these comments for humankind. Anti-Semitism has always existed! We are fellow human beings, pretty much born into various religions and should work together to rid our world of religious persecution, hatred based on race, barbarity and utter chaos.
AGAin, an excellent story of truly good people, brave, courageous and revealing the disgusting and evil side of depraved individuals.
I chose this rating for several reasons. A very good book, talented author and most importantly it is a history of truth!
I should like to point out that this brutality - and bravery only occurred one generation ago and it reveals the true value of human depravity and human bravery. The story is very difficult to put down, even overnight and in truth, history is so very important to mankind! If one doesn't know history, they are likely to repeat it. I have forgotten where that quote comes from but it is true!
People cannot believe this occurred, but it did! The most cruel and barbaric side of human nature! I'm fact, these behaviors, around the world - especially today, are being repeated. The depravity of humankind is something everyone should know about to prevent these atrocities from happening again.
But, so too, the immense bravery and courage is the more important story that should be known as a matter of knowing that fear and anxieties can be overcome.
As far as the world is a mess, in 2017, it could be VERY important for new generations to know that there is always hope, resistance, hero partisans and sometimes a necessity to overcome fear.
If you were born after the 1950's, you probably vaguely know about the holocaust. This was going on between the late 1930's and into the middle of the 1940's. However, anti-Semitism goes on, today. I am a Catholic and not Jewish. I write these comments for humankind. Anti-Semitism has always existed! We are fellow human beings, pretty much born into various religions and should work together to rid our world of religious persecution, hatred based on race, barbarity and utter chaos.
AGAin, an excellent story of truly good people, brave, courageous and revealing the disgusting and evil side of depraved individuals.
November 27, 2014
The Partisan, historical fiction, not very historic and absurdly fictional. The history was wrong, the characters didn't act or react according to the norms of 1938. A total waste of time.
December 30, 2014
Excellent. Historically accurate.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews