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The End and the Beginning: A Novel
A stunning tour de force of a novel based on the true story of a fourteen-year-old boy’s harrowing experience fleeing a Hitler youth camp with his best friend in the last days of the Second World War—perfect for readers of
All the Light We
Cannot See
and
The German Girl
.
At the start of the war, eight-year-old Max Bernot lives with his sister and parents in Lauterbach, Saarland, a narrow strip of territory between the French and German defence lines. His German father, Anton, and his French mother, Marguerite, do their best to shield Max and his sister, Anna, from Nazi violence, but in late 1944, their beloved godfather is executed in their garden by the SS, and Max, now thirteen, is conscripted in the Volkssturm. Less than a month later, Max flees a Hitler Youth camp in Bavaria with his best friend, Hans. His to return home and tell his mother the truth about his godfather’s murder As he escapes, he sends postcards to his family that trace his fraught journey across a country in its death throes.
Unbeknownst to Max, his mother is trapped in the German interior, coerced into working for a fanatical Nazi officer. Desperate to escape and reunite her family, Marguerite must first protect Anna from the sinister attentions of their captor, who could hold information on Max’s whereabouts even as Allied planes circle closer.
Deftly interweaving the wartime stories of Max and Marguerite, The End and the Beginning maps the loss of innocence of a generation of children raised in the shadow of the Reich and follows the fate of one family, neither wholly French nor entirely German, who find themselves on the wrong side whichever way they turn.
At the start of the war, eight-year-old Max Bernot lives with his sister and parents in Lauterbach, Saarland, a narrow strip of territory between the French and German defence lines. His German father, Anton, and his French mother, Marguerite, do their best to shield Max and his sister, Anna, from Nazi violence, but in late 1944, their beloved godfather is executed in their garden by the SS, and Max, now thirteen, is conscripted in the Volkssturm. Less than a month later, Max flees a Hitler Youth camp in Bavaria with his best friend, Hans. His to return home and tell his mother the truth about his godfather’s murder As he escapes, he sends postcards to his family that trace his fraught journey across a country in its death throes.
Unbeknownst to Max, his mother is trapped in the German interior, coerced into working for a fanatical Nazi officer. Desperate to escape and reunite her family, Marguerite must first protect Anna from the sinister attentions of their captor, who could hold information on Max’s whereabouts even as Allied planes circle closer.
Deftly interweaving the wartime stories of Max and Marguerite, The End and the Beginning maps the loss of innocence of a generation of children raised in the shadow of the Reich and follows the fate of one family, neither wholly French nor entirely German, who find themselves on the wrong side whichever way they turn.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 5, 2024
29 people are currently reading
576 people want to read
About the author
K.J. Holdom
1 book8 followersK.J. Holdom is a New Zealand writer who lives in Auckland. A former journalist, she holds a master’s in creative writing from the University of Auckland, where she won the 2018 Master of Creative Writing Prize for best manuscript. The End and the Beginning is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
September 16, 2024
K.J. Holdom shows readers that despite fear being so prevalent, and its manifestations so overwhelming, 14-year-old Max Bernot harnessed it and revealed that courage isn’t fearlessness, but rather putting one step in front of the other even when afraid. Max had a cold resolve not to quit or give in and his willpower and courage fuelled it.
I appreciated the glimpse into a rarely seen slice of war; childhood experienced by children raised by one German and one French parent living in the Saarland, “a narrow strip of territory between the French and German defence lines.” With a heritage such as this and the unfortunate reality of living in Lauterbach, it would seem as though the Bernot children had little chance of success. Allow debut author Holdom to hook you into a compelling story with her spellbinding literary skills. You’ll follow Max and his friend, Hans, as they flee a Hitler Youth Camp and attempt to return home. Along the way, Max sends postcards that trace his harrowing journey.
To discover that this story was inspired by a real person and real events added to the impact. After Googling Edmund Baton and finishing this book, I realized the value of understanding fear and learning to control and counter it. Max Bernot and his mother, Marguerite, show us that the best antidote to fear is purposeful action.
I don’t think I’ll forget this book any time soon, nor will I give in to judging others' actions so readily. I’ve been reminded that unless I’m walking in their shoes, I can’t possibly understand the choices made to get from point A to point B.
What a beautiful cover and encompassing title!
I was gifted this copy by Simon & Schuster Canada and was under no obligation to provide a review.
I appreciated the glimpse into a rarely seen slice of war; childhood experienced by children raised by one German and one French parent living in the Saarland, “a narrow strip of territory between the French and German defence lines.” With a heritage such as this and the unfortunate reality of living in Lauterbach, it would seem as though the Bernot children had little chance of success. Allow debut author Holdom to hook you into a compelling story with her spellbinding literary skills. You’ll follow Max and his friend, Hans, as they flee a Hitler Youth Camp and attempt to return home. Along the way, Max sends postcards that trace his harrowing journey.
To discover that this story was inspired by a real person and real events added to the impact. After Googling Edmund Baton and finishing this book, I realized the value of understanding fear and learning to control and counter it. Max Bernot and his mother, Marguerite, show us that the best antidote to fear is purposeful action.
I don’t think I’ll forget this book any time soon, nor will I give in to judging others' actions so readily. I’ve been reminded that unless I’m walking in their shoes, I can’t possibly understand the choices made to get from point A to point B.
What a beautiful cover and encompassing title!
I was gifted this copy by Simon & Schuster Canada and was under no obligation to provide a review.
July 10, 2024
Based on the true account of a young boy’s courageous escape from service in the Nazis’ last chance militia, The End and the Beginning is a haunting but beautiful story of friendship and loyalty, of laughter between tears, and of a steadfast trust in survival based on childhood innocence. The prose is poetry, the imagery crystal, the truth unimaginable.
May 23, 2025
The author, K.J. Holdom is from New Zealand and lives in Auckland. “The End and the Beginning” is her first novel and what a tour de force! Ms. Holdom deftly interweaves the wartime stories of Max and Marguerite, his mother. “The End and the Beginning” maps the loss of innocence of a generation of children raised in the shadow of the Reich and follows the fate of one family, neither wholly French nor entirely German, who find themselves on the wrong side, no matter which way they turn.
I love reading WWII historical books and I most enjoy the ones that give me a different perspective on things. Because you were German did not mean that you were automatically loyal and agreed with the Nazi Regime. Every day German families were torn apart, were hungry, suffered from bombing and also died… not because they were fighting in the war, but because they were caught up in a war they didn’t want.
In “The End and the Beginning” the family, like so many others on the French/German border which had for centuries belonged to either France or Germany. And, like many other families, did not identify with the Nazis. Unfortunately, towards the end of the war, their young son, Max, was drafted into the Hitler Youth Camp. He desperately tried to escape and return to his family.
It is based on a true story and the author does excellent work in describing the plight of all the citizens who never wanted the war. Another gut-wrenching and sad story of that terrible war. Well written and well worth the read.
I love reading WWII historical books and I most enjoy the ones that give me a different perspective on things. Because you were German did not mean that you were automatically loyal and agreed with the Nazi Regime. Every day German families were torn apart, were hungry, suffered from bombing and also died… not because they were fighting in the war, but because they were caught up in a war they didn’t want.
In “The End and the Beginning” the family, like so many others on the French/German border which had for centuries belonged to either France or Germany. And, like many other families, did not identify with the Nazis. Unfortunately, towards the end of the war, their young son, Max, was drafted into the Hitler Youth Camp. He desperately tried to escape and return to his family.
It is based on a true story and the author does excellent work in describing the plight of all the citizens who never wanted the war. Another gut-wrenching and sad story of that terrible war. Well written and well worth the read.
December 17, 2024
It is apparent that the first victims of the Nazi regime were the Germans. First came the spurious question of just who was entitled to be qualified. This was a moot point, particularly for those who had always considered themselves German as well as for those who lived in the shifting border zones and including those who married them.
The border lifts, the border shifts. It has changed in her lifetime and will probably change again now. p280
It's disquieing to remember that mass murder was carried out not only by trained soldiers but by teenagers. When you were a child they began their indoctrination. Even towards the end of the war German children were being shipped to so called children's evacuation camps, Hitler Youth camps all but hidden in the countryside.
Edmund Baton with his best friend Hans escaped from one of those places and almost made it home through the chaos of the final days of war.
KJ Holdom traces their journey in this extraordinary fictional rendition.
Stories change with each telling. I was not always able to verify the facts. Some subjects hadn't been discussed in seventy years. p328
So much power was placed in the hands of those with so little ability to control their impulses. p256
This is an outstanding book offering an underrated perspective.
What really has changed, besides the players?
The border lifts, the border shifts. It has changed in her lifetime and will probably change again now. p280
It's disquieing to remember that mass murder was carried out not only by trained soldiers but by teenagers. When you were a child they began their indoctrination. Even towards the end of the war German children were being shipped to so called children's evacuation camps, Hitler Youth camps all but hidden in the countryside.
Edmund Baton with his best friend Hans escaped from one of those places and almost made it home through the chaos of the final days of war.
KJ Holdom traces their journey in this extraordinary fictional rendition.
Stories change with each telling. I was not always able to verify the facts. Some subjects hadn't been discussed in seventy years. p328
So much power was placed in the hands of those with so little ability to control their impulses. p256
This is an outstanding book offering an underrated perspective.
What really has changed, besides the players?
September 11, 2024
Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for the ARC copy of this novel.
Okay I'm not crying you're crying.
This novel is a different take on a World War II novel, following Max as he runs away from his youth regiment heading towards the front and also his mother, Marguerite as she tries to keep herself and her daughter save when they are forced to move into Germany to work for a high ranking Nazi officer. Neither are aware of what has happened to the others.
Max's journey with his friend Hans is gripping. They take you across Germany with them on trains and on foot, trying to get back to their families in the Saarland. They come up against different obstacles, each more dangerous than the next. The reader is rooting for Max to get back to his family, all while learning his past and what had lead him there in the first place. It is interesting to see the way fear can cause you to do courageous things; and what they are willing to do to get home.
The best character development in the story is Anna. While not giving away too much, she undergoes character development that seems shocking at first, until you remember what she is witness to.
Overall, an important story and in part based on a true story.
Okay I'm not crying you're crying.
This novel is a different take on a World War II novel, following Max as he runs away from his youth regiment heading towards the front and also his mother, Marguerite as she tries to keep herself and her daughter save when they are forced to move into Germany to work for a high ranking Nazi officer. Neither are aware of what has happened to the others.
Max's journey with his friend Hans is gripping. They take you across Germany with them on trains and on foot, trying to get back to their families in the Saarland. They come up against different obstacles, each more dangerous than the next. The reader is rooting for Max to get back to his family, all while learning his past and what had lead him there in the first place. It is interesting to see the way fear can cause you to do courageous things; and what they are willing to do to get home.
The best character development in the story is Anna. While not giving away too much, she undergoes character development that seems shocking at first, until you remember what she is witness to.
Overall, an important story and in part based on a true story.
December 6, 2024
Trigger Warnings: Rape is mentioned and alluded to in this story, Murder, Death, Bullying.
*Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for a physical galley of The End and the Beginning by K. J. Holdom! I write up this review willingly and without any compensation whatsoever.*
I remember seeing this cover and being intrigued, then reading the blurb and knowing I had to review it! I was so excited to read this book—it was my most anticipated read of fall!
It made my whole season having it to read and review!
I mean, a story inspired by true events of a Hitler Youth Camp teenager who escapes with his best friend? To find his mother, who’s also struggling in her own way—against a Nazi officer keeping her prisoner under threats?
YES, YES, definitely!!
Want to know how enjoyable it was, and what surprises I encountered during my reading experience?
Read on, lovelies!
The Positive Points
The best point about this book is how unique a point of view this is; it’s like being inside Germany during the end of the war. It’s rare that we get to see and experience this. There are few books tackling this topic, like The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. And it’s even based on a true story, wow!
As for the writing, there’s a certain poetry in description, and a strong imagery, mostly in setting.
I like the structure of the book: the backstory is told through the character’s POV in italics in big chunks (but not info dumps) inside the chapters. They’re memories, distant yet part of the present, like in italics in the text. A clever and fun way of doing this. Furthermore, I noticed there a lot of anguish and fleeting thoughts from previous scenes on Max’s part, one of the two main characters.
Plus, the research was thoroughly done and it shows through things like the black bread they ate, and people’s customs (such as how in France back at that time, high-born families never said, “bon appétit”) and events.
Max saved a cat—or a Horst (a character in the Hitler Youth Camp), which makes him more lovable. By siding with Horst, a “loser” in the Hitler Youth Camp as seen by his superiors and colleagues, I got attached to Max. His heart is sweet and soft and in the right place. Also, I love that he’s half-French, and half-German. This complicates things for him and unveils a different side of History we're not very knowledgeable about.
Speaking of characters, I fell in love with Max and Hans’ friendship right from their first scene. They’re so cute! Their friendship is everything, aw, my heart! So pure and true, right up until the very end of the book. Friendship is a huge theme, vital in this story.
As for the mother, Marguerite, she has some spike and fight in her! I like her and find her funny. I’m attached to her and what happens to her. Marguerite is a strong character, but rather fearful. She’s realistic, as not everyone has great courage. Yet, she cares for her children above all. I thought stuff like : “Awww, poor mother…” because she feels guilty of sending Max to that Hitler Youth Camp, and she wants him back to her side now, to protect him somehow. Truthfully, the mother’s worry and guilt towards her children is understandable. And mostly how she now wants a simple life for them, but at least a life where they’re safe and not in the middle of a bloody war. So they can at least live.
In my opinion, both POVs are survival stories, but in very different perspectives. Max is on the run, trying to survive the harsh reality of war and nature as he tries to reach his house with his best friend Hans. Meanwhile, the mother, Marguerite, is endeavoring to survive her time with her captor, a high-ranking nazi officer, and also trying to keep her daughter, Anna, safe.
Once the author used the title as a sentence, and gosh, was I happy! :D I love when they do that. Also, the author always leaves us with tension, questions, or cliffhangers at the end of each chapter. It’s fun! And very intriguing.
This quote exemplifies really well how reading this book feels like: it’s tense, and like I need to know more, but at the same time, I know I’ll be smacked hard with shock and feels with what happens next, what truly happened, and the information given as we move forward! The End and the Beginning reads like a psychological thriller—it’s enjoyable!
Something that totally impressed me is that he side characters are not furniture like they are in most stories! They have lives and agendas of their own in this one. One even helps Marguerite without her knowing until the act is done, and bravo! So realistic, and fun to bring a side character’s secret agenda in like this against the Nazi keeping them prisoners.
My heart ached, and I was tearful in the last chapter with Max. So unfair for this little boy. But hadn’t Germany been unfair to most?
Moreover, I love that the author tells us how her research went and how she learned of Edmund’s story through generous relatives and more at the end of the book. It’s very fascinating and insightful to know, both for other authors and readers alike. She also added her sources, yay! I always find this so thrilling because I love to read more about captivating topics.
Lastly, I am glad this novel exists, if only to tell Edmund’s story, and also to talk about how it was inside Germany and with their indoctrination.
The Negative Points
Unfortunately, I noticed there were a few French errors… I speak French as my first language, and I am an editor, so it’s quite easy for me to spot those. I really hope a French-speaking editor worked on these sentences before publication.
Also, I think I had a bad timing with this book. It’s quite a heavy read in terms of topics and emotions, and I’m recovering from an open-heart surgery and it’s hard. So, two heavy things at the same time weren’t perhaps the best pairing in my life at the moment because it turned out hard to read…
I am not a fan of slow-paced reads, and according to the blurb, I imagined there would be more action. But all that is subjective, and while this is a heavy read, with a sense of impending doom written throughout, don’t let it deter you from reading this original book! These reasons are personal, and you might find this book at the right moment, and love the slow character-driven focus!
I am taking away one star because the blurb really made me think it would be action-filled, or at least told at a rapid pace. Also, because of the French errors—there weren’t many, but I really hope they’ve been checked by a French-speaking editor before publication.
In Conclusion
All in all, I really enjoyed this book’s structure and the agency of the side characters, as well as the thorough research. While it was a hard read for me due to timing, it was nonetheless very unique and interesting. I give The End and the Beginning by K. J. Holdom a rating of 4 stars out of 5! It’s an original debut book, and I hope you will give it a read!
*Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for a physical galley of The End and the Beginning by K. J. Holdom! I write up this review willingly and without any compensation whatsoever.*
I remember seeing this cover and being intrigued, then reading the blurb and knowing I had to review it! I was so excited to read this book—it was my most anticipated read of fall!
It made my whole season having it to read and review!
I mean, a story inspired by true events of a Hitler Youth Camp teenager who escapes with his best friend? To find his mother, who’s also struggling in her own way—against a Nazi officer keeping her prisoner under threats?
YES, YES, definitely!!
Want to know how enjoyable it was, and what surprises I encountered during my reading experience?
Read on, lovelies!
The Positive Points
The best point about this book is how unique a point of view this is; it’s like being inside Germany during the end of the war. It’s rare that we get to see and experience this. There are few books tackling this topic, like The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. And it’s even based on a true story, wow!
As for the writing, there’s a certain poetry in description, and a strong imagery, mostly in setting.
I like the structure of the book: the backstory is told through the character’s POV in italics in big chunks (but not info dumps) inside the chapters. They’re memories, distant yet part of the present, like in italics in the text. A clever and fun way of doing this. Furthermore, I noticed there a lot of anguish and fleeting thoughts from previous scenes on Max’s part, one of the two main characters.
Plus, the research was thoroughly done and it shows through things like the black bread they ate, and people’s customs (such as how in France back at that time, high-born families never said, “bon appétit”) and events.
Max saved a cat—or a Horst (a character in the Hitler Youth Camp), which makes him more lovable. By siding with Horst, a “loser” in the Hitler Youth Camp as seen by his superiors and colleagues, I got attached to Max. His heart is sweet and soft and in the right place. Also, I love that he’s half-French, and half-German. This complicates things for him and unveils a different side of History we're not very knowledgeable about.
Speaking of characters, I fell in love with Max and Hans’ friendship right from their first scene. They’re so cute! Their friendship is everything, aw, my heart! So pure and true, right up until the very end of the book. Friendship is a huge theme, vital in this story.
As for the mother, Marguerite, she has some spike and fight in her! I like her and find her funny. I’m attached to her and what happens to her. Marguerite is a strong character, but rather fearful. She’s realistic, as not everyone has great courage. Yet, she cares for her children above all. I thought stuff like : “Awww, poor mother…” because she feels guilty of sending Max to that Hitler Youth Camp, and she wants him back to her side now, to protect him somehow. Truthfully, the mother’s worry and guilt towards her children is understandable. And mostly how she now wants a simple life for them, but at least a life where they’re safe and not in the middle of a bloody war. So they can at least live.
In my opinion, both POVs are survival stories, but in very different perspectives. Max is on the run, trying to survive the harsh reality of war and nature as he tries to reach his house with his best friend Hans. Meanwhile, the mother, Marguerite, is endeavoring to survive her time with her captor, a high-ranking nazi officer, and also trying to keep her daughter, Anna, safe.
Once the author used the title as a sentence, and gosh, was I happy! :D I love when they do that. Also, the author always leaves us with tension, questions, or cliffhangers at the end of each chapter. It’s fun! And very intriguing.
“The world pulls away. It feels as if she has lost her footing and been hurled into the air, weightless, staring at the endless glory of the stars, all the time bracing for the smack of bone on ice.” (Marguerite's POV)
This quote exemplifies really well how reading this book feels like: it’s tense, and like I need to know more, but at the same time, I know I’ll be smacked hard with shock and feels with what happens next, what truly happened, and the information given as we move forward! The End and the Beginning reads like a psychological thriller—it’s enjoyable!
Something that totally impressed me is that he side characters are not furniture like they are in most stories! They have lives and agendas of their own in this one. One even helps Marguerite without her knowing until the act is done, and bravo! So realistic, and fun to bring a side character’s secret agenda in like this against the Nazi keeping them prisoners.
My heart ached, and I was tearful in the last chapter with Max. So unfair for this little boy. But hadn’t Germany been unfair to most?
Moreover, I love that the author tells us how her research went and how she learned of Edmund’s story through generous relatives and more at the end of the book. It’s very fascinating and insightful to know, both for other authors and readers alike. She also added her sources, yay! I always find this so thrilling because I love to read more about captivating topics.
Lastly, I am glad this novel exists, if only to tell Edmund’s story, and also to talk about how it was inside Germany and with their indoctrination.
The Negative Points
Unfortunately, I noticed there were a few French errors… I speak French as my first language, and I am an editor, so it’s quite easy for me to spot those. I really hope a French-speaking editor worked on these sentences before publication.
Also, I think I had a bad timing with this book. It’s quite a heavy read in terms of topics and emotions, and I’m recovering from an open-heart surgery and it’s hard. So, two heavy things at the same time weren’t perhaps the best pairing in my life at the moment because it turned out hard to read…
I am not a fan of slow-paced reads, and according to the blurb, I imagined there would be more action. But all that is subjective, and while this is a heavy read, with a sense of impending doom written throughout, don’t let it deter you from reading this original book! These reasons are personal, and you might find this book at the right moment, and love the slow character-driven focus!
I am taking away one star because the blurb really made me think it would be action-filled, or at least told at a rapid pace. Also, because of the French errors—there weren’t many, but I really hope they’ve been checked by a French-speaking editor before publication.
In Conclusion
All in all, I really enjoyed this book’s structure and the agency of the side characters, as well as the thorough research. While it was a hard read for me due to timing, it was nonetheless very unique and interesting. I give The End and the Beginning by K. J. Holdom a rating of 4 stars out of 5! It’s an original debut book, and I hope you will give it a read!
July 31, 2025
A wonderful, tender story following a family through the second world war, separated as Hitler's army/vision progresses.
Without giving away any spoilers, you get to know the characters through snippets of pre-separation family life and key moments of change/growth as the characters reflect through their journey.
The book gives insight into what just one family went through but is delicately written so the trauma & gravity of the situation doesn't weigh too heavy on the reader.
I really enjoyed this read and look forward to more from this author.
Without giving away any spoilers, you get to know the characters through snippets of pre-separation family life and key moments of change/growth as the characters reflect through their journey.
The book gives insight into what just one family went through but is delicately written so the trauma & gravity of the situation doesn't weigh too heavy on the reader.
I really enjoyed this read and look forward to more from this author.
December 29, 2024
Beautifully written novel touching on a small portion of the great story of suffering of people in Nazi Germany. The impact on the lives of children. And the indoctrination of children. (I was reminded of Free, a memoir by Lea Ypi about growing up in communist Albania.)
The rhythm of switching between month and son made for a great read. Touching and poignant as it is based on the true story of a boy. Impressive for a first novel, I found the Book Notes very interesting. Highly recommend.
The rhythm of switching between month and son made for a great read. Touching and poignant as it is based on the true story of a boy. Impressive for a first novel, I found the Book Notes very interesting. Highly recommend.
November 6, 2024
Poignant, thought-provoking, and moving!
The End and the Beginning is predominantly set in Germany from January to May 1945 and is told from two different perspectives; Marguerite, a French mother living with her family in Saarland on the Germany-France border who, after her cousin is murdered, her husband is arrested, and her son is sent away to fight, spends her days working for a vicious Nazi while doing whatever she can to protect her daughter and locate her son, and Max Bernot, a thirteen-year-old boy who, after being conscripted to participate in the Hitler Youth Program, decides to escape as soon as he has the opportunity in order to make his way home.
The prose is eloquent and expressive. The characters are courageous, vulnerable, and resilient. And the plot is a heart-wrenching, absorbing tale about life, love, loneliness, friendship, familial relationships, heartbreak, pain, war, loss, grief, guilt, hope, loyalty, and survival.
Overall, The End and the Beginning is an atmospheric, touching, beautifully written novel by Holdom that transports you to another time and place and immerses you so thoroughly into the personalities, feelings, and lives of the characters you can’t help but be affected. It is undoubtedly one of my favourite reads of the year that does an incredible job of highlighting the indomitable spirit of humanity to survive, endure, conquer, and continue to love in even the harshest of environments and situations.
The End and the Beginning is predominantly set in Germany from January to May 1945 and is told from two different perspectives; Marguerite, a French mother living with her family in Saarland on the Germany-France border who, after her cousin is murdered, her husband is arrested, and her son is sent away to fight, spends her days working for a vicious Nazi while doing whatever she can to protect her daughter and locate her son, and Max Bernot, a thirteen-year-old boy who, after being conscripted to participate in the Hitler Youth Program, decides to escape as soon as he has the opportunity in order to make his way home.
The prose is eloquent and expressive. The characters are courageous, vulnerable, and resilient. And the plot is a heart-wrenching, absorbing tale about life, love, loneliness, friendship, familial relationships, heartbreak, pain, war, loss, grief, guilt, hope, loyalty, and survival.
Overall, The End and the Beginning is an atmospheric, touching, beautifully written novel by Holdom that transports you to another time and place and immerses you so thoroughly into the personalities, feelings, and lives of the characters you can’t help but be affected. It is undoubtedly one of my favourite reads of the year that does an incredible job of highlighting the indomitable spirit of humanity to survive, endure, conquer, and continue to love in even the harshest of environments and situations.
February 6, 2025
*4 5 stars*
I really enjoyed this book! I have read lots of WWII historical fictions but thought that this book still managed to be unique and informative. I enjoyed the setting, which took place in Germany right at the end of the war from March-September 1945 as well as the main characters Max and Marguerite. Max, a member of Hitler’s Youth, and Marguerite, a French-German citizen, had the relationship of mother-son which I thought was a little unusual. It was done well though and I felt for both characters. I thought the author did a really good job at showcasing the different motivations and perspectives that people had about WWII. At the end of the book I felt that Holdom really conveyed the message that there really is no winner in war- both sides made inhumane decisions that resulted in horrifying tragedies. But people had to decide to move forward and to rebuild their lives and start hoping for a better future despite those tragedies. The book was well-written and obviously well-researched and I would recommend it for those who enjoy the historical fiction genre!
I really enjoyed this book! I have read lots of WWII historical fictions but thought that this book still managed to be unique and informative. I enjoyed the setting, which took place in Germany right at the end of the war from March-September 1945 as well as the main characters Max and Marguerite. Max, a member of Hitler’s Youth, and Marguerite, a French-German citizen, had the relationship of mother-son which I thought was a little unusual. It was done well though and I felt for both characters. I thought the author did a really good job at showcasing the different motivations and perspectives that people had about WWII. At the end of the book I felt that Holdom really conveyed the message that there really is no winner in war- both sides made inhumane decisions that resulted in horrifying tragedies. But people had to decide to move forward and to rebuild their lives and start hoping for a better future despite those tragedies. The book was well-written and obviously well-researched and I would recommend it for those who enjoy the historical fiction genre!
January 8, 2025
I’ve read several books on WWII and it was refreshing to read this one from a different perspective about a German family torn apart by the events of the war. They were not loyal to the Nazis and their young son was drafted into the Hitler Youth near the end of the war. He tried desperately to escape and return to his family. It is based on a true story and the author does a good job of describing the plight of all the citizens that never wanted the war. Another gut-wrenching and sad story of that terrible war.
October 23, 2024
A really thought provoking book about a family caught in no man's land between France and Germany. A chilling reminder of how children and young adults were brainwashed by the Fuhrer and how they were taken away from their families and put in camps to train as soldiers.
This is a really well written book and a great read.
Would thoroughly recommend it.
This is a really well written book and a great read.
Would thoroughly recommend it.
November 8, 2024
4.5 stars
Inspired by the true story of a young boy's escape from the Nazi youth militia during the final horrifying weeks of World War II, The End and the Beginning is an unforgettable historical novel.
At the start of the Second World War, eight year-old Max Bernot is living with his half-French, half-German family in the Saarland - a region on the border between France and Germany that had been reintegrated into Germany following a plebiscite in 1935. Max's parents, Anton and Marguerite, do their best to shield him and his older sister, Anna, from Nazi violence but it reaches their doorstep anyway when Max's beloved godfather is executed in their garden by the SS.
On the cusp of turning 14, Max and his best friend, Hans, are conscripted to a Hitler youth camp in Bavaria. Just a few weeks later, in March of 1945, the youth group is ordered to head to the front to join the fight and Max and Hans decide to flee. As Allied forces are closing in, Max and Hans set out on a harrowing cross-country journey of several hundred kilometres towards the Saarland. Max sends postcards home to his mother along the way not knowing that she and Anna are no longer there. Max believes that his mother thinks he betrayed his godfather and is determined to make it home so he can explain what happened.
At the same time as Max and Hans are on the run, Marguerite and Anna leave the Saarland and move to a requisitioned mansion in the interior of Germany when Marguerite is ordered to work for a Nazi official. Marguerite is desperate to escape and reunite her family but she has to protect Anna from the attentions of the Nazi officer they're living with while also trying to get information from him on Max's whereabouts.
The End and the Beginning is a compelling debut novel that weaves together the late-war experiences of a mother and her young teenage son to provide an interesting perspective that I have not read before in World War II fiction. Through Max and Marguerite, we witness the horrors and the violence inflicted on German civilians by SS officers, the impact the war had on children in Germany, the indoctrination of children with propaganda by the regime and how it destroyed families, and the hardship the citizenry faced as the Allies rolled through Germany at the tail end of the war. The End and the Beginning depicts the ordeal of one shattered family living through a time of unspeakable evil in a moving story of friendship, lost innocence, courage and survival. A heartbreaking and unforgettable read.
Be sure to read the Note to Readers that includes details about Edmund Baton, the young boy whose story inspired the novel.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for sending an ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Inspired by the true story of a young boy's escape from the Nazi youth militia during the final horrifying weeks of World War II, The End and the Beginning is an unforgettable historical novel.
At the start of the Second World War, eight year-old Max Bernot is living with his half-French, half-German family in the Saarland - a region on the border between France and Germany that had been reintegrated into Germany following a plebiscite in 1935. Max's parents, Anton and Marguerite, do their best to shield him and his older sister, Anna, from Nazi violence but it reaches their doorstep anyway when Max's beloved godfather is executed in their garden by the SS.
On the cusp of turning 14, Max and his best friend, Hans, are conscripted to a Hitler youth camp in Bavaria. Just a few weeks later, in March of 1945, the youth group is ordered to head to the front to join the fight and Max and Hans decide to flee. As Allied forces are closing in, Max and Hans set out on a harrowing cross-country journey of several hundred kilometres towards the Saarland. Max sends postcards home to his mother along the way not knowing that she and Anna are no longer there. Max believes that his mother thinks he betrayed his godfather and is determined to make it home so he can explain what happened.
At the same time as Max and Hans are on the run, Marguerite and Anna leave the Saarland and move to a requisitioned mansion in the interior of Germany when Marguerite is ordered to work for a Nazi official. Marguerite is desperate to escape and reunite her family but she has to protect Anna from the attentions of the Nazi officer they're living with while also trying to get information from him on Max's whereabouts.
The End and the Beginning is a compelling debut novel that weaves together the late-war experiences of a mother and her young teenage son to provide an interesting perspective that I have not read before in World War II fiction. Through Max and Marguerite, we witness the horrors and the violence inflicted on German civilians by SS officers, the impact the war had on children in Germany, the indoctrination of children with propaganda by the regime and how it destroyed families, and the hardship the citizenry faced as the Allies rolled through Germany at the tail end of the war. The End and the Beginning depicts the ordeal of one shattered family living through a time of unspeakable evil in a moving story of friendship, lost innocence, courage and survival. A heartbreaking and unforgettable read.
Be sure to read the Note to Readers that includes details about Edmund Baton, the young boy whose story inspired the novel.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada for sending an ARC of this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
June 23, 2025
I was not expecting the ending to be as sad as it was. I kept hoping and hoping through the entire book that maybe it would have a happy ending. I was wrong. This was an amazing book, with an amazing story.
December 29, 2024
A historical WWll novel written from a unique and interesting perspective. A well written book.
January 30, 2025
Beautiful prose. Amazing history.
A delightful read with attention to historic detail. This captivating story brings to light some of the less-remembered aspects of wide-spread conflict, such as family separation and refugee displacement. Very topical. Well done.
A delightful read with attention to historic detail. This captivating story brings to light some of the less-remembered aspects of wide-spread conflict, such as family separation and refugee displacement. Very topical. Well done.
November 19, 2024
There aren't so many books which explore the child's experience of Germany in WWII. I loved the innocence and hope that Max and his best friend Hans continued to show. The playfulness of pretending to visit restaurants. Especially the scene where they join two other children in a mock fight, with finger pistols, despite being in the middle of a real war!
Being a parent in those times must have meant living on a knifes edge. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't.
Beautifully written, too.
Being a parent in those times must have meant living on a knifes edge. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't.
Beautifully written, too.
October 5, 2024
What a book. I fell in love with all the characters and loved and cried alongside them. Then my heart broke when I read the authors notes and understood what was true. I didn’t know about Saarland and the tragedy and difficulty of living on the border of France and Germany in the time of Hitler, so a new story for me. Highly recommend.
February 19, 2025
A very touching story of children caught in the Nazi indoctrination and camps during the end of WWII. The author offers a unique perspective I’ve not read about in other books of this time period. My heart wept for the boys, women, girls and families caught in this web. I found the story could have been tighter and moved too slowly.
December 19, 2024
A wonderful story. Raising so many questions. Where do we belong when we are “from” multiple countries and they are at war? Children being manipulated by propaganda and how do you parent those children and keep everyone alive? Loved it. Highly recommend
February 14, 2025
This beautiful and haunting debut novel by author K.J. Holdom can be at times extremely difficult to read. The author has based this mesmerizing and moving account on a real boy (Edmund Baton) who, along with a friend ran away from a Nazi youth camp. All they wanted to do was get home and everywhere they turned, they encountered many horrific obstacles. (Once you have finished reading the book, please read the Author's Note to Readers that introduces you to Edmund).
The End and The Beginning takes you on two journeys: one being that of 13 year old Max Bernot and his closest friend Hans who in the last few months of Hitler's tyranny and evil, decide that they are going to escape the youth camp that they are sent to under Hitler rule and make their way back to their families. Unfortunately, everywhere that they turn it seems like they take a step backward instead of a step forward. And in the end, even with the war having ended, they end up in worse circumstances than what they began in.
The other journey is Max's french mother Marguerite and sister Anna who are trapped in Germany and are forced to work for a maniacal and deeply delusional Nazi officer. He uses intimidation and oppression to force Max's mother and sister into working in his household under unspeakable conditions.
This is so eloquently written and yet, there were times that it made me gasp in horror and it also made me weep for the senselessness of so many innocent people to have to endure the evil of the Hitler regime. I think it will be a long time before I can get the story of Max, Hans and his mother and sister out of my mind. It will stay with me because everything in this book, every horrible shocking thing that happened, you know happened in real life during those horrifying years and that crushing war.
I highly recommend this masterful and powerful debut novel.
The End and The Beginning takes you on two journeys: one being that of 13 year old Max Bernot and his closest friend Hans who in the last few months of Hitler's tyranny and evil, decide that they are going to escape the youth camp that they are sent to under Hitler rule and make their way back to their families. Unfortunately, everywhere that they turn it seems like they take a step backward instead of a step forward. And in the end, even with the war having ended, they end up in worse circumstances than what they began in.
The other journey is Max's french mother Marguerite and sister Anna who are trapped in Germany and are forced to work for a maniacal and deeply delusional Nazi officer. He uses intimidation and oppression to force Max's mother and sister into working in his household under unspeakable conditions.
This is so eloquently written and yet, there were times that it made me gasp in horror and it also made me weep for the senselessness of so many innocent people to have to endure the evil of the Hitler regime. I think it will be a long time before I can get the story of Max, Hans and his mother and sister out of my mind. It will stay with me because everything in this book, every horrible shocking thing that happened, you know happened in real life during those horrifying years and that crushing war.
I highly recommend this masterful and powerful debut novel.
December 4, 2024
The End and the Beginning is a historical fiction set in Germany and France during the last weeks of WW2 and the following liberation. This story follows multiple people from the Bernot family, a French-German family living on Germany's border with France. It is a story of courage, family, identity, and survival. Some chapters follow Max Bernot and his friend Hans as they escape a Hitler Youth Camp to find their way back home to their family. The story also follows mother and daughter Marguerite and Anna, who are forced to work in a Nazi's home. The Bernot family is separated during the war, with no idea of the whereabouts of their family members and no idea whether they still live.
This was an impactful story, based on true events. I am not generally a reader of the historical fiction genre, and so I don't think I appreciated this story to its fullest. I felt that it deserved a reader who is better versed in WW2 history as this story references places, people, and events that I am not familiar with. I believe it took more preliminary knowledge of WW2 history to appreciate this one. It may be a book better suited to more "seasoned" historical fiction readers.
Read if you like...
📚 Historical fiction
🗞 WWII history
👥️ Dual POVs
🕐 Dual timelines
🙏Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada and NetGalley for a gifted advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
⚠️ Potential Trigger Warnings (may not be an exhaustive list): rape, starvation, war, crimes of war, concentration camps, brutality, death, torture.
This was an impactful story, based on true events. I am not generally a reader of the historical fiction genre, and so I don't think I appreciated this story to its fullest. I felt that it deserved a reader who is better versed in WW2 history as this story references places, people, and events that I am not familiar with. I believe it took more preliminary knowledge of WW2 history to appreciate this one. It may be a book better suited to more "seasoned" historical fiction readers.
Read if you like...
📚 Historical fiction
🗞 WWII history
👥️ Dual POVs
🕐 Dual timelines
🙏Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada and NetGalley for a gifted advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
⚠️ Potential Trigger Warnings (may not be an exhaustive list): rape, starvation, war, crimes of war, concentration camps, brutality, death, torture.
November 13, 2024
While this historical novel is fiction, it is based on a true story and a lot of research and is a compelling read.
13 year old Max is sent to a Nazi youth camp near the end of WW2. He has already been indoctrinated at school and at after school activities and meetings. He meets Hans who will become his best friend and partner as they struggle with what they have been taught versus what they believe in their hearts and try to escape being sent to the front to fight for Hitler.
I always learn something new when I read a WW2 novel or memoir and this book is no exception. From 14 year old children using machine guns on the front to the brutal internment camps in France AFTER the war had already ended where thousands died of hunger and dysentery (I have never heard of La Chauvinerie scandal before reading this book and the question is why not?).
The author leaves us with this "The flags are flying again, the rabid talk has returned." Having just celebrated Remembrance Day here in Canada with the slogan "Lest we Forget" I can't help but seriously think we have forgotten. From the rise in populism throughout Europe and the recent election of Trump in the States, I fear we are destined to repeat the great sins of authoritarian rule.
13 year old Max is sent to a Nazi youth camp near the end of WW2. He has already been indoctrinated at school and at after school activities and meetings. He meets Hans who will become his best friend and partner as they struggle with what they have been taught versus what they believe in their hearts and try to escape being sent to the front to fight for Hitler.
I always learn something new when I read a WW2 novel or memoir and this book is no exception. From 14 year old children using machine guns on the front to the brutal internment camps in France AFTER the war had already ended where thousands died of hunger and dysentery (I have never heard of La Chauvinerie scandal before reading this book and the question is why not?).
The author leaves us with this "The flags are flying again, the rabid talk has returned." Having just celebrated Remembrance Day here in Canada with the slogan "Lest we Forget" I can't help but seriously think we have forgotten. From the rise in populism throughout Europe and the recent election of Trump in the States, I fear we are destined to repeat the great sins of authoritarian rule.
November 5, 2024
The Bernot family live in Saarland, a small area between the French and German divisive line; a line that has become even more unclear with the advance of the German army. In the last years of the war, thirteen year old Max has been conscripted while his mother is at home trying to keep her daughter and herself alive.
Max flees the army and walks home, writing letters to his family along the way. While his mother struggles after being trapped into working for a Nazi officer. The two stories are interwoven throughout, poignantly articulating loss of innocence and the impact of German idealism on a generation.
Thank you to Netgalley for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! This book can be found everywhere in stores today!
The End and the Beginning is absolutely stunning historical fiction! It is so meaningful to find new accounts of the events of World War II, as a defining era that few people alive have lived through, new takes on the same time period bring altered perspective and nuance that is deeply needed. It is one of my favourite time periods, and this book is so movingly written that it is one of my favourites of the year!
November 11, 2024
The End and the Beginning tells the stories of Max and Marguerite in the final months of World War Two. Max is a young Hitler Youth recruit who ditches his troop with his best friend Hans to battle his way home through dangerous lands. Marguerite, his mother, is on the other side of the country working for a brute of a Nazi officer who has terrifying designs on Maguerite's beautiful and somewhat fanatical teenage daughter Anna.
The writing itself is stunning, with the story providing enough suspense to keep you turning the page. The characters are full of heart, while being so desperately human with all their flaws and facades. Though the setting is bleak, and the portrayal of Nazi Germany is vivid - the writer infuses enough beauty and light that the reader will never feel deflated (and we all could do with a little hope right now). I loved the sparks of humour from Hans, and the multitude of small kindnesses and acts of courage from our protagonists while facing the most terrible of circumstances.
A moving read, it's a book you'll rush home to pick up and won't want to end.
The writing itself is stunning, with the story providing enough suspense to keep you turning the page. The characters are full of heart, while being so desperately human with all their flaws and facades. Though the setting is bleak, and the portrayal of Nazi Germany is vivid - the writer infuses enough beauty and light that the reader will never feel deflated (and we all could do with a little hope right now). I loved the sparks of humour from Hans, and the multitude of small kindnesses and acts of courage from our protagonists while facing the most terrible of circumstances.
A moving read, it's a book you'll rush home to pick up and won't want to end.
September 1, 2024
“How is a mother to counsel her daughter in such matters? We learn from our mothers how to feed a family on scraps, calm a fussing baby, draw infection from a would, cool a fever, coax a chicken into laying, but where is the preparation for this? Rape is the oldest weapon of war. Where is the wisdom handed down on that subject?” - K.J. Holdom. 💜💜💜💜A huge thank you to @simonschusterca for the advanced readers copy of “The End and the Beginning”. I am blown away by the strength and courage of Max throughout the novel. And to know that Max is based off a true story of unbelievable courage is truly astonishing. K.J. Holdom has written a well researched historical fiction that will stick with me. If you are a fan of “All the Light We Cannot See” I highly recommend giving this debut novel a chance. Not only did this story hold my attention, it made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me hold my daughter closer and it taught me more about the courage of the human spirit but also the atrocities of the Second World War and the aftermath that is still felt today.
September 18, 2024
History is written by the victors, so it was refreshing to read this story about a German family torn apart by the events of the Second World War. Living next to the border between Germany and France, without love or loyalty for the Nazis, they were herded into a trap from which there was no escape. Their young son was drafted into Hitler youth and much of the story concerns his desperate attempt to escape and return to his family. His mother was also forced into working for a Nazi official whom she feared and detested. Based on a true story, this book highlights the plight of all those civilians who never wanted war, and whose lives were changed forever by the evil that resulted. I received an Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 15, 2024
This is a story of a family on the border between Germany and France.
Thirteen-year-old Max Bernot’s German father, Anton; French mother, Marguerite, and sister, Anna, have managed to survive most of WWII, but this all changes when Anton is arrested, Max’s godfather is executed in their garden, and Max is conscripted into the Hitler Youth.
Max and his best friend Hans escape from the camp and spend the rest of the War trying to get home through terrible devastation and danger. Meanwhile his mother and sister have an equally difficult time getting through the War.
The bond between Max and Hans is strong and is forever.
Thirteen-year-old Max Bernot’s German father, Anton; French mother, Marguerite, and sister, Anna, have managed to survive most of WWII, but this all changes when Anton is arrested, Max’s godfather is executed in their garden, and Max is conscripted into the Hitler Youth.
Max and his best friend Hans escape from the camp and spend the rest of the War trying to get home through terrible devastation and danger. Meanwhile his mother and sister have an equally difficult time getting through the War.
The bond between Max and Hans is strong and is forever.
April 9, 2025
A historical novel set at the end of WW2 in Germany - a pair of 13 year olds who are in a Hitler Youth Camp unwillingly, decide to escape and try to get back home, 200 km away. Meanwhile their family endures the German political climate as defeat appears inevitable. The author is a New Zealander, which makes her empathy and understanding of families who are both German and French remarkable - she based the story on actual facts and thorough research. Highly recommended as a different perspective on how many different ‘sides’ and grey areas there are in a war.
January 4, 2025
oh my - this is a heartbreaking story - it took me a long time to finish - it is very detailed and descriptive and a difficult novel to read. However, it is very good and tells a story that is is less told. I can tell a lot of research and thought went into the writing of the telling of these young boys as they struggle to get home, and to the family they left behind, who had their own horror to deal with. I feel very sad now that i have finished it. There is no happy ending here.
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