The Far Side of the Sky: A Novel of Love and Survival in War-Torn Shanghai

Adler Family #1

by Daniel Kalla

November 9, 1938—Kristallnacht—the Nazis unleash a night of terror for Jews all across Germany. Meanwhile, the Japanese Imperial Army rampages through China and tightens its stranglehold on Shanghai, a city that becomes the last haven for thousands of desperate European Jews.Dr. Franz Adler, a renowned surgeon, is swept up in the wave of anti-Semitic violence and flees to Shanghai with his daughter. At a refugee hospital, Franz meets an enigmatic nurse, Soon Yi "Sunny" Mah. The chemistry between them is intense and immediate, but Sunny's life is shattered when a drunken Japanese sailor murders her father.The danger escalates for Shanghai's Jews as the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. Facing starvation and disease, Franz struggles to keep the refugee hospital open and protect his family from a terrible fate.The Far Side of the Sky focuses on a short but extraordinary period of Chinese, Japanese, and Jewish history when cultures converged and heroic sacrifices were part of the everyday quest for survival.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, World War II, China, Historical, Asia, Holocaust

463 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 20, 2011

About the author

Born, raised, and still residing in Vancouver, Daniel has worked as an ER Physician for the past twenty years. He is also the author of fifteen published novels, which have been translated into thirteen languages.

In his latest novel, THE DEEPEST FAKE, a tech CEO and AI pioneer’s carefully curated life is unraveling—his wife is cheating, someone is defrauding his company, and he’s just been handed a fatal diagnosis. He’d end it all, if only he could trust his own reality. As deepfakes and deception blur the lines between truth and illusion, the novel explores the challenges and pitfalls of safeguarding reality in an age when it can be fabricated.

Daniel received his B.Sc. and MD from the University of British Columbia, where he is now a clinical associate professor. He is the proud father of two girls and a poorly behaved but lovable mutt, Milo.

Reviews

[KOMET · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the books I've read so far this year, this one is among the best. With real, compelling characters and the city of Shanghai itself as center stage, I fairly raced through the last hundred pages.

The story begins in Vienna in the immediate aftermath of Kristallnacht in November 1938. Widespread attacks on Jewish synagogues and property throughout the Reich have made the situation for German and Austrian Jews --- already tenuous --- even more desperate. A widowed Viennese doctor and former Head of Surgery at one of the city's premiere hospitals --- Franz Adler --- is forced to leave the city with his daughter and sister-in-law (whose husband was murdered by the Nazis) and flee to Shanghai, one of the few places on earth offering sanctuary to Jews. The author makes Shanghai vividly come to life in this novel. At the time of the Adler's arrival, it is a large city overflowing with all kinds of people that is demarcated into a military zone among the Japanese, British, and American forces. Imagine a city with the charm and characteristics of Monte Carlo and New York but also with the stark poverty of Calcutta, and you'll have a good sense of what Shanghai was like in the late 1930s.

While Franz struggles to make a life for himself, his daughter and sister-in-law through his work at a refugee hospital and the Country Hospital, he makes the acquaintance of a half Chinese-half American nurse named Soon Yi "Sunny" Mah. The author shows a deft hand in revealing to the reader how the lives of the Adlers and that of "Sunny", her family and friends become increasingly bound together in Shanghai as the Second World War makes itself felt there. (I won't give too much away, except to say that there is a blossoming love story in these pages that will pull at one's heartstrings.)

This is a novel in which a reader can completely lose him/herself because it is so well-written and engaging. Before reading "The Far Side of the Sky", I had no idea that upwards of 20,000 Jews from prewar Europe had managed to find sanctuary in Shanghai. Nor that there was a rich and diverse Jewish presence in Shanghai that went back to the 19th century. Eagerly, I await the publication of the paperback edition of the sequel, "Rising Sun, Falling Shadow."

[Doriana Bisegna · Rating 2 out of 5]

After having read countless books of fiction about the Holocaust, this is by far the weakest! While I enjoyed reading about a different place (Shanghai) and how many Jews from Europe ended up there, the story was so sanitized and somehow Harlequinesque...if I may be so bold as to say that!! Every character was too perfect too wonderful, too loving or comically evil and so predictable. Every problem had a solution, everytime someone was taken in for questioning they miraculously were let go...and they were JEWISH!!! How could that be?? This book started grating on my nerves when every obstacle was somehow overcome so rapidly and so painlessly. This novel could have been so much richer, so much more historically accurate and so much more satisfying and interesting! What a missed opportunity for Daniel Kalla!

[Linda Frank · Rating 2 out of 5]

Now this is a subject matter I not only know well but am writing about in my own forthcoming new novel.

Unfortunately, this book is very superficial and predictable. The author is a physician, and it's obvious that HE knows medicine very well, given the detailed medical procedures and jargon in the book. No surprises in the plot. Maybe I do know the history too well, but these characters are so stereotypical that I could see everything coming way ahead. Also, the story stops at a happy ending point, at a time just before the not-so-happy circumstances that would inevitably befall the Viennese refugees in Shanghai after Pearl Harbor (relocation to the Hongkew ghetto). It would have been interesting to follow the family there, especially in light of the marriage that takes place.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This historical novel is based on a little known part of the history of WWII, the emigration of twenty thousand German Jews to Shanghai, China being the only country who had not closed their borders to refugees trying to escape Germany. Shanghai at the time was militarily divided between the Japanese and the Western powers and had virtually no passport control. After 1938, every country including the USA and Great Britain had shut their doors to Jews desperate to escape the the genocide started by the Nazis. "What I fail to understand is how a civilized world that claims to be so appalled by such brutality can simply turn its back on the victims."

This love story between an Austrian Jewish surgeon and an Eurasian nurse is set in this intriguing city, home to expatriates, gangsters, prostitutes, and misplaced persons. Intrigue, medical drama and a little romance keep the story moving along at a fast pace and the courage displayed by these characters is remarkable.

[Olivermagnus · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book begins in 1938 in Vienna, where Dr. Franz Adler, a secular Jew and widowed surgeon, lives with his young daughter, Hannah. When Nazis murder Adler’s brother on Kristallnacht, he realizes that he must get his family to safety. Learning that the Nazi's are allowing some Jews with visas to go to China, he manages to book passage for himself, his daughter, his widowed sister-in-law, Esther, and a gay artist friend. In an alternating storyline, we meet “Sunny” Mah, a Eurasian nurse, who is dealing with her own safety concerns in a city populated with Japanese. Once Franz arrives in Shanghai , he is able to use his skills as a doctor to provide for his family. Working together in a refugees hospital, Sunny and Franz are immediately attracted to one another, but they cannot pursue their feelings because of difficult choices facing both of them.

The main characters are very well done, but the secondary characters are equally as fascinating. We meet an American who uses his Bronx cheerfulness to keep the darkness at arm's length. There's also the charismatic and defiant artist, Ernst, who endangers his life for his art. We have a sympathetic German character who can't equate himself with the Nazi's, even though he is forced to do their work. There are also some real life characters who interact with the fictional characters to move the story forward.

I had no idea that some Jews were allowed to escape to China early in the Nazi regime. There was a very vibrant Jewish community of 20,000 in Shanghai. I have read a number of books dealing with Jews during World War II and they have been primarily set in Europe so I found this a fascinating story. The author has done a great deal of research and said he based this drew upon his own family’s heritage. This was a very readable book and I found it gripping from beginning to end. It's the first book in a trilogy and I've already reserved the second book, Rising Sun, Falling Shadow, which begins right after Pearl Harbor.

[Natasa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is very interesting. I believe few know the history of the Jews fleeing to China during the second world war. But the story itself lacks something. I feel the characters themselves could have been more empathetic. I wanted to be more emotionally involved with them.

[Lesley Albers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! It's been awhile since I've read a book that I couldn't stop thinking about when I wasn't able to read it. I practically devoured this book...although the issues in this book regarding WWII are sad and unjust I feel I've learned a lot about the history of Shanghai during that time. I don't want to ruin it for other book club readers so I will just say that the story is bittersweet.
This is the first book I've read of Daniel Kalla's but definitely not the last.
Great pick for Book Club!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

WWII era historical fiction surrounding a period of history that few know about- that of the German and Austrian Jewish refugees that came to live in Shanghai. A must read!

[Hermien · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit romanticised to make it 5 stars for me but still a fascinating look at Shanghai during WWII and the refuge it provided for German and Austrian jews.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Far Side of the Sky is about the Jewish refugee community in Shanghai. Readers get glimpses of refugee life in 1938-9, 1940, 1941, 1942. (For example, the narrative might cover one or two months in a given year, and then jump to the next year.)

Franz Adler is able to flee Vienna, Austria, after Kristallnacht with his young daughter, Hannah, and his sister-in-law, Esther. Also accompanying them is an artist Ernst Muhler who fears persecution as well. (He joins them at the very last minute when his boyfriend decides to join the Nazis.) Their destination is Shanghai, one of the few places welcoming Jewish refugees.

The novel focuses on Adler's work in two hospitals. The other main character in this one is a nurse with great potential Soon Yi Mah (Sunny). Though readers follow the stories of these characters, I personally never felt connected with them. I knew enough about them to care about their fates, what happened next, etc. But I never felt like I knew them.

The setting is unique and interesting. The story is fascinating and compelling. The characters, well, they disappointed me. But. I think there is enough to enjoy this one that I'd definitely still recommend it.

[Suze · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really had no idea that there was such a large contingent of German and Austrian Jewish people in Shanghai during WWII. No other country would accept them as they tried to escape being slaughtered in Nazi Germany. They were forced to make dangerous, long sea voyages to Shanghai.....those that were lucky enough to have the money and the right papers.

This book follows a family who, after Kristallnacht, gathered what they could and ran as fast as they could away from the horrors. They managed to find a new life, totally different, in Shanghai, China.

I loved (or, in some cases, hated) the characters, and felt the stress they must have endured, over and over again, as they made their way through new rules and regulations in a completely foreign country.

This is a book I had a hard time putting down, so yes...several very late nights. Worth it!!

Highly recommended!

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose this book from the Canadian authors section for the historical aspects, not having read any WWII stories about Shanghai. The writing pulled me in right away and I was engaged throughout the whole story but a little disappointed to discover that this was just the first of three parts to the story. The historical aspect was educational and as with anything about the war, often brutal and difficult to read but it was coupled with love stories that may not be realistic but they softened the harshness of war's realities. There are certainly some decisions and actions that involved ethical and moral examinations which could make this a good book club read.

[Scooter · Rating 1 out of 5]

I got through this book but did not enjoy it. Character development - none. You did not make a connection to any of the chararcters. It seemed like they came on the scene to render dialogue pertaining to historical facts.
This book did enlighten me to the little known fact of Jews escaping to Shanghai during the bleakest time in human history.

[Marc Cullison · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent portrayal of Shanghai during WWII. Based on fact, the book has rich characters and a suspenseful plot. It was almost disheartening to read, again, about the horrors and atrocities of the war, but such is the case with any war. Well written and filled with a profusion of emotions, the book brings to life the struggles and angst of Jews during the war. A very good book.

[Sue Manning · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very entertaining and well written book. Having read dozens of books set during the Holocaust, I was intrigued that this one covers a corner of that terrible history that not many books do. The descriptions of Shanghai are vivid and interesting. The medical content is engaging. And the characters are well developed, and make it easy to imagine all the complexities of the reality of that time.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The book centers on the story of Jews who escaped to China from Nazi Germany during the late 1930's. This is a part of the WWII history that I did not know anything about -- in fact I did not know anything about the rich Jewish culture existing in China. It was a wonderful and hopeful story -- although to be fair there is the expected brutality found in much WWII fiction. It was well worth it....I do recommend this book. The story / people/ place are completely different from any other WWII fiction you have read.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this. It covered an aspect of this historical time period I hadn't heard of before. I liked the characters and selfishly was quite satisfied about how things were wrapped up in the end. People may argue it wasn't realistic enough, but I appreciated a tiny glimmer of light from this very dark time.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the streets of Vienna on November 9th, 1938, Kristallnacht to Shanghai, August 3, 1942, Daniel Kalla weaves a story that stays with you long after the last page is turned. Such horrible atrocities were endured by far too many! But I also appreciated that kindness could be found when least expected.

[Paige G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters are a bit weak, but the setting made up for it. It’s been a few years since I read this book but it was as engaging as I remember it to be.

[Katja · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this historical fiction book about Jewish refugees in Shanghai during WWII.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This page turner historical novel is based on a little known part of the history of WWII, the emigration of twenty thousand German Jews to Shanghai, the only place that would take them. Shanghai at the time was militarily divided between the Japanese and the Western powers and had virtually no passport control. After 1938, every country including the USA and Great Britain had shut their doors to Jews desperate to escape the the genocide started by the Nazis.

This love story between an Austrian Jewish surgeon and an Eurasian nurse is set in this intriguing city, home to expatriates, gangsters, prostitutes, and misplaced persons. The author is an emergency room physician and the book,similar to "Cutting for Stone", uses a hospital setting (in this case, a hospital set up to see to the huge influx of Jews into Shanghai) as backdrop to the plot.

[Dawn Beam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish there was more insight and intensity to the characters. I liked all the characters, a lot, but I wish I was offered a more in depth understanding of their thoughts and feelings. And because of this, even though the characters do go thru many changes, I don't feel like any of those outside events truly changed any of the characters. Even the 2 main characters who should have been so in love didn't even have a very intense love affair.

They story was really slow in some places, no "holy shit" moments and in many parts almost became predictable and cheesy.

BUT I do like the historical accuracy.

While not the worst book I've read, I did make it to the end and was excited for it to finally be over.

[Gayle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book for the story, the time period and the history. I liked & related to the people. That said, the atmosphere did seem somewhat shallow for the subject matter. Also, he did not fill out the rest of the refugee or Chinese communities in such a way that you felt really involved.
It would have been shorter & greatly improved with better editing. One very odd spot, a romantic flashback near the beginning of chapter 30, reads - "...she could taste the baking soda in his toothpaste & feel the soft pressure of his lips on hers". :) Who even thinks that!! Yet still, I will read the next instalment. I am a sucker for a saga.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Far Side Of The Sky was a fascinating look at a part of history that I never knew before reading it.
The terror of Kristallnacht forces Austrian Jew Dr Adler to search for a way out of Nazi Germany for his family and himself.With his brother murdered by the SS and his father to ill to travel, this story follows Adler and his family's journey to find a place to belong.
This book moved me in ways that I never imagined it would. It really is a story that needed to be told. Well done Mr. Kalla!
I recieved this book in a Goodreads Giveaway.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good read, I really liked it! It sat on my shelf for a long time and I didn't think I'd ever get to it because it is a fiction. But it is a historical fiction and I'm glad I finally read it. Now I look forward to finding the second part, Rising Sun, Falling Shadow.
This spans the years 1938 (Vienna) to 1942 (Shanghai). I like the characters although I think they are an odd mix considering that time period. I may be wrong but it may be the author's liberal bias to favor more unorthodox personalities? Despite this, I still can't help but hope for and like these characters!

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another World War II novel, but this time it takes place in Shanghai where a lot of German/Austrian Jews went because no other countries would take them. This story follows an Austrian surgeon and a few years of his life in Shanghai. The Japanese occupy the city and are supporting the Nazi regime, so the Jews are constantly worried about their safety. This book is a quick easy read, not particularly well-written, but it is interesting.

[Katrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, really. The beginning was really good, but it unravelled a bit from there. Not much, it's still worth the read, but I can't say I loved it.
I think the best part was reading about Shanghai during WWII. I really need to learn more Chinese and Japanese history. Everything about this book seems credibly sourced, though I'm probably not the person to ask.

[Jessie Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moving and with a unique perspective on the multitude of horrors that was Nazi Germany and WWII, this is a thoroughly solid, heartfelt novel.

Review to come.

[Samantha White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! I hope there is a sequel.

[Jane Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent I have read it twice in three years.