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The Heppenheimer Family Holocaust Saga #1
Stumbling Stones: Based on a True Story
"Alice knew that Selma sometimes felt judged by their mother and didn't always like it when Alice was praised and Selma was not. Alice glanced over at her sister, but Selma was smiling at Alice. In what Alice understood might be Selma's last act of generosity towards her sister, Selma was going to let Alice bask in the glow of Emma's pride toward her elder daughter. Then the three shared a hug, a hug that seemed to last forever."
Alice Heppenheimer, born into a prosperous German Jewish family around the turn of the twentieth century, comes of age at a time of growing opportunities for women.
So, when she turns 21 years old, she convinces her strict family to allow her to attend art school, and then pursues a career in women's fashion. Alice prospers in her career and settles into married life, but she could not anticipate a Nazi Germany, where simply being Jewish has become an existential threat. Stumbling Stones is a novel based on the true story of a woman driven to achieve at a time of persecution and hatred, and who is reluctant to leave the only home she has ever known.
But as strong and resilient as Alice is, she now faces the ultimate challenge - will she and her husband be able to escape Nazi Germany or have they waited too long to leave?
Alice Heppenheimer, born into a prosperous German Jewish family around the turn of the twentieth century, comes of age at a time of growing opportunities for women.
So, when she turns 21 years old, she convinces her strict family to allow her to attend art school, and then pursues a career in women's fashion. Alice prospers in her career and settles into married life, but she could not anticipate a Nazi Germany, where simply being Jewish has become an existential threat. Stumbling Stones is a novel based on the true story of a woman driven to achieve at a time of persecution and hatred, and who is reluctant to leave the only home she has ever known.
But as strong and resilient as Alice is, she now faces the ultimate challenge - will she and her husband be able to escape Nazi Germany or have they waited too long to leave?
287 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 9, 2024
413 people are currently reading
3530 people want to read
About the author
Bonnie Suchman
4 books54 followersBonnie is a lawyer who used her legal skills to research the Heppenheimer family. Bonnie has two adult children and lives in Maryland with her husband, Bruce Heppen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
April 5, 2024
3.5 stars
( It would have been 4 or 4.5 stars, but formatting issues and changing of tenses in paragraphs made it difficult to follow at times).
The meaning behind the title has become very important to me in the last few months. My husband and I traveled to Amsterdam in November 2023, and there learned what these small brass plates in front of so many buildings were. Each brass “stolpersteine”, or “stumbling stone”, is placed in front of the building where the Jewish occupants lived freely, before being deported. This was a project started years ago; the goal is to create a Stolpersteine for every person persecuted and / or killed by the Nazis, throughout all of Europe.
I am in tears right now, after reading the novel and the author’s notes about the research she did to learn about her husband’s German Jewish family. I can still picture the stolpersteines I saw all over Amsterdam, stone after stone, block after block after block…
Thanks to people like this author, persons like those in her husband’s family will never, ever be forgotten.
( It would have been 4 or 4.5 stars, but formatting issues and changing of tenses in paragraphs made it difficult to follow at times).
The meaning behind the title has become very important to me in the last few months. My husband and I traveled to Amsterdam in November 2023, and there learned what these small brass plates in front of so many buildings were. Each brass “stolpersteine”, or “stumbling stone”, is placed in front of the building where the Jewish occupants lived freely, before being deported. This was a project started years ago; the goal is to create a Stolpersteine for every person persecuted and / or killed by the Nazis, throughout all of Europe.
I am in tears right now, after reading the novel and the author’s notes about the research she did to learn about her husband’s German Jewish family. I can still picture the stolpersteines I saw all over Amsterdam, stone after stone, block after block after block…
Thanks to people like this author, persons like those in her husband’s family will never, ever be forgotten.
July 1, 2024
In this incredible and difficult World War II historical fiction novel, Bonnie Suchman brings Alice Heppenheimer, a visionary fashion designer from a successful German Jewish family in the first half of the twentieth century, to life. Following Alice’s development into an independent woman with a fashion career in 1920s and 1930s Nuremberg and Frankfurt, readers experience the rise of the Nazi party and the growth of overt public antisemitism in Germany -- and the terrifying reality of no escape too late -- in the years before World War II with her. Following the story of Alice and her family, readers gain an insight into the prewar difficulties of life as a German Jew rather than the wartime difficulties which are so popular in the historical fiction genre. Suchman’s characters are the star of the novel, full of heart and emotion, and their relationships with each other are fascinating to follow and see develop. The historical setting is vibrant and well-researched, allowing Suchman to further bring the novel and Alice’s struggles to life. Alice is a complex, realistic, and kind heroine whose story and family are interesting to follow, and her perspective of prewar German antisemitism is a nice change from similar historical fiction novels set during, rather than before, World War II.
Thanks to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for the advance copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for the advance copy.
May 24, 2024
While it was a work of fiction, it read like fact. I learned something I didn't previously know and that's always a good day.
April 1, 2024
Stumbling Stones is an exciting fictional offshoot from a non-fiction book by this author called Broken Promises. Full disclosure, I read that book, too, and found it amazing. I’ve read history books about the inhuman treatment of the Jewish people by the Nazis, but Broken Promises was more poignant because it focused on the fate of one family. The impact of Nazi policy on those good Germans was both enlightening and heartbreaking to read. The fiction novel Stumbling Stones takes my favorite of the family members, Alice, and relives the history through her eyes.
The vivacious Alice Falkenstein, nee Heppenheimer, comes of age in 1920s Germany. Her parents support her dream of learning to design and make fashionable dresses and handbags. This was quite adventurous for a woman then, so we already know she is special. We follow her through her early life when Jews like herself were integrated into social and professional German life. Year after year we move into the Nazi era where Jews are pushed out, ostracized, and brazenly harassed. A bully boy who taunts her with antisemitic notes transforms into a uniformed Nazi ready to kill her. We are compelled to consider how would we cope with such brutality when we are only trying to live your life? Alice’s story of family, friendship, marriage, and entrepreneurship is beautifully told by Ms. Suchman. Throughout the book we root from a special woman in a cruel vortex of history we know will maul her.
The vivacious Alice Falkenstein, nee Heppenheimer, comes of age in 1920s Germany. Her parents support her dream of learning to design and make fashionable dresses and handbags. This was quite adventurous for a woman then, so we already know she is special. We follow her through her early life when Jews like herself were integrated into social and professional German life. Year after year we move into the Nazi era where Jews are pushed out, ostracized, and brazenly harassed. A bully boy who taunts her with antisemitic notes transforms into a uniformed Nazi ready to kill her. We are compelled to consider how would we cope with such brutality when we are only trying to live your life? Alice’s story of family, friendship, marriage, and entrepreneurship is beautifully told by Ms. Suchman. Throughout the book we root from a special woman in a cruel vortex of history we know will maul her.
August 6, 2024
Where to begin? I'm still lost for words after finishing this novel, but here goes.
First, a little bit of background, though. For those who don't know, Stumbling Stones ('Stolpersteine' in German) is a project that commemorates the victims of Nazi Germany's reign of terror. I'm using that expression, usually reserved for the French Revolution, intentionally, as that is what it was. Victims recognised by Stolpersteine included opponents of the regime, 'undesirables' (homosexuals, Sinti & Roma, members of the resistance, mentally ill, ...) – but most of all, they cover the large Jewish population in Germany who were forced into the death camps. It is a worthy project that Bonnie Suchman discovered by chance on a stopover in Frankfurt a few years ago, and one that led to her researching her husband's family history.
The Heppenheimers were a well-off family based in Frankfurt, with a branch in Mannheim. Their metal scrap business did well for decades, but things changed during the recession of the early 1920s, and then the restrictions, bit by bit, imposed over the coming years.
Stumbling Stones is the fictionalised account of Alice Heppenheimer's life, and what a fascinating life she must have led. Based on intensive research, including personal letters and official records, Ms Suchman has brought this ambitious young woman to life. Not content with merely becoming a wife, Alice moved to Nürnberg in 1917, to study at an arts and crafts college. It was a most unusual move, but it showed her dream – to become a fashion designer. She must have been very gifted, as she did very well.
Alice then married Ludwig, who, unfortunately, kept losing his jobs during the volatile days of the late 1910s and early 1920s. His obsession with the growing rise of the right-wing annoyed her, as she wanted to focus on her career. Setting up an arts studio, selling items, and creating her own designs, Alice kept busy as the shadows over Germany began to lengthen.
When her marriage failed a few years later, she returned to Frankfurt to re-start her business there, but already some restrictions had come to pass, making things more difficult for her. Her flourishing enterprise floundered as customers began to avoid her for being Jewish. The media nurtured this fear and hatred, but still, Alice held on to her dream.
Her second husband, Alfred, was supportive of her, but when his own work as a salesman became restricted, they begin to struggle. In the meantime, several family members managed to emigrate, to avoid the growing anti-Jewish developments across the country.
Alice and Alfred applied for visas to the US, but delay after delay, often on spurious grounds, show up the volatile nature of the application system. This was very well outlined in the book.
Alice is a fascinating woman, modern, forward-thinking, well ahead of her time. Independent, with a strong sense of her own business dream and her much-respected talent as a designer, she should have succeeded with her plans. Had not the country changed into something truly sinister...
Stumbling Stones is told from Alice's point of view, and we see her interactions with her extensive family, officials, and her view on life in general, which adds a personal touch. Not until later in the 30s did she fully realise the danger they found themselves in. They were ordinary Germans, after all. Were they not?
Alice's story is an intimate viewpoint for showing us how Germany changed between the late 1910s and the early 1940s. Many fictional novels I've read, set during World War II, appear sanitised, compared – stripped of the strong sense of realism of the day-to-day dangers German Jews had to cope with. Stumbling Stones shows the true reality of the times, and it's not a pretty sight. But it makes for utterly compelling reading.
Unfortunately, the one thing that lets the novel down is the rather haphazard editing. There are many repetitions, which could have been avoided with the help of a good editor. These slowed the otherwise good pace, and made me skip some sections. This is not the author's fault, but the publisher's. Lastly, it would also have helped to have a German speaker at hand, for the German words used, as I found a few minor errors. These issues should be resolved in future editions of this otherwise enthralling novel.
Stumbling Stones is the story of an amazing woman, who could have become one of the foremost fashion designers of her times, in her country of birth. But with the rise of the Nazis, and the insidious harassment she and her family faced over the years, this was not to be.
Ms Suchman's research is remarkable, and I'm glad she managed to find out so much about this unusual great-aunt of her husband's. Alice and Alfred deserve their own stumbling stones, and I hope they'll receive them soon. Other members of their family already have theirs in place.
Perhaps, when you visit Germany, look out for these stones on the pavements in front of residential buildings where these people once lived and loved. I have spotted some in my home town of Heidelberg, and I will keep looking out for them on future trips.
Stumbling Stones is a remarkable account of one fascinating woman, who, with a strong sense of independence and great talent, could have been a highly successful businesswoman, well ahead of her time. I'm glad Ms Suchman told us about her. I, for one, will remember Alice's story...
First, a little bit of background, though. For those who don't know, Stumbling Stones ('Stolpersteine' in German) is a project that commemorates the victims of Nazi Germany's reign of terror. I'm using that expression, usually reserved for the French Revolution, intentionally, as that is what it was. Victims recognised by Stolpersteine included opponents of the regime, 'undesirables' (homosexuals, Sinti & Roma, members of the resistance, mentally ill, ...) – but most of all, they cover the large Jewish population in Germany who were forced into the death camps. It is a worthy project that Bonnie Suchman discovered by chance on a stopover in Frankfurt a few years ago, and one that led to her researching her husband's family history.
The Heppenheimers were a well-off family based in Frankfurt, with a branch in Mannheim. Their metal scrap business did well for decades, but things changed during the recession of the early 1920s, and then the restrictions, bit by bit, imposed over the coming years.
Stumbling Stones is the fictionalised account of Alice Heppenheimer's life, and what a fascinating life she must have led. Based on intensive research, including personal letters and official records, Ms Suchman has brought this ambitious young woman to life. Not content with merely becoming a wife, Alice moved to Nürnberg in 1917, to study at an arts and crafts college. It was a most unusual move, but it showed her dream – to become a fashion designer. She must have been very gifted, as she did very well.
Alice then married Ludwig, who, unfortunately, kept losing his jobs during the volatile days of the late 1910s and early 1920s. His obsession with the growing rise of the right-wing annoyed her, as she wanted to focus on her career. Setting up an arts studio, selling items, and creating her own designs, Alice kept busy as the shadows over Germany began to lengthen.
When her marriage failed a few years later, she returned to Frankfurt to re-start her business there, but already some restrictions had come to pass, making things more difficult for her. Her flourishing enterprise floundered as customers began to avoid her for being Jewish. The media nurtured this fear and hatred, but still, Alice held on to her dream.
Her second husband, Alfred, was supportive of her, but when his own work as a salesman became restricted, they begin to struggle. In the meantime, several family members managed to emigrate, to avoid the growing anti-Jewish developments across the country.
Alice and Alfred applied for visas to the US, but delay after delay, often on spurious grounds, show up the volatile nature of the application system. This was very well outlined in the book.
Alice is a fascinating woman, modern, forward-thinking, well ahead of her time. Independent, with a strong sense of her own business dream and her much-respected talent as a designer, she should have succeeded with her plans. Had not the country changed into something truly sinister...
Stumbling Stones is told from Alice's point of view, and we see her interactions with her extensive family, officials, and her view on life in general, which adds a personal touch. Not until later in the 30s did she fully realise the danger they found themselves in. They were ordinary Germans, after all. Were they not?
Alice's story is an intimate viewpoint for showing us how Germany changed between the late 1910s and the early 1940s. Many fictional novels I've read, set during World War II, appear sanitised, compared – stripped of the strong sense of realism of the day-to-day dangers German Jews had to cope with. Stumbling Stones shows the true reality of the times, and it's not a pretty sight. But it makes for utterly compelling reading.
Unfortunately, the one thing that lets the novel down is the rather haphazard editing. There are many repetitions, which could have been avoided with the help of a good editor. These slowed the otherwise good pace, and made me skip some sections. This is not the author's fault, but the publisher's. Lastly, it would also have helped to have a German speaker at hand, for the German words used, as I found a few minor errors. These issues should be resolved in future editions of this otherwise enthralling novel.
Stumbling Stones is the story of an amazing woman, who could have become one of the foremost fashion designers of her times, in her country of birth. But with the rise of the Nazis, and the insidious harassment she and her family faced over the years, this was not to be.
Ms Suchman's research is remarkable, and I'm glad she managed to find out so much about this unusual great-aunt of her husband's. Alice and Alfred deserve their own stumbling stones, and I hope they'll receive them soon. Other members of their family already have theirs in place.
Perhaps, when you visit Germany, look out for these stones on the pavements in front of residential buildings where these people once lived and loved. I have spotted some in my home town of Heidelberg, and I will keep looking out for them on future trips.
Stumbling Stones is a remarkable account of one fascinating woman, who, with a strong sense of independence and great talent, could have been a highly successful businesswoman, well ahead of her time. I'm glad Ms Suchman told us about her. I, for one, will remember Alice's story...
September 3, 2024
I really had problems to get into this novel and never really managed! Even though the idea was good, the writing style is near appalling: many repetitions of the same verb within a paragraph; repetitions of a name, when a personal pronoun would have been appropriate, etc. I found rather silly and not plausible the way they decided to research into the past. How come they were never tempted before??? The book needs much editing and the story needs quite a bit of work as well.
March 18, 2024
A Heartfelt Journey Through Persecution and Resilience
In Stumbling Stones, Bonnie Suchman masterfully transports readers to a tumultuous era in history. Set against the backdrop of Nazi Germany, this novel follows the life of Alice Heppenheimer, a woman whose unwavering determination and resilience are put to the ultimate test. Reading about the horrors of Nazi Germany in historical fiction whether in “The Book thief” or “The Boy in Striped Pyjamas” or now in Stumbling stones is much different than reading history books. Because non-fiction may give you facts and details but fiction has a way of compelling you to confront the emotions, the eerie sense of dread that existed among people and feel the fear as if you were witnessing things with your own eyes.
It requires quite a craft to be able to tell a story so disheartening with an optimistic protagonist the way Suchman has done in this book. Alice makes you feel hopeful even when the world is falling apart around her. And it is in that sense of resilience that you feel so strongly for her.
Often when thinking about the holocaust, people wonder “Why didn’t they just leave?” And I believe this book does well to answer that question of what it feels like to abandon a life you have created by giving your blood, sweat and tears. The hope that you cling to, that things are only bad momentarily and there will be light. The fear of the unknown if you leave without knowing where to go or what to do. The complete sense of helplessness at being persecuted because of your mere existence. All these were persistent themes throughout the book.
I write this review, talking more about the depth it entails than the details because I felt like the author wanted to create a story in which the story was more important than the characters. It wasn’t just Alice’s story. It could be anyone’s. And yet the turn of events, the circumstances and the emotions it invoked was what mattered.
Yet, I do consider that having such authenticity in characters helped make the story more powerful. Suchman’s portrayal of Alice is both relatable and inspiring. Her inner struggles, hopes, and fears resonate deeply. The novel vividly captures the fear, uncertainty, and courage of those facing persecution during World War II. Readers will be moved by Alice’s journey and I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to read the story of the holocaust beyond concentration camps.
In Stumbling Stones, Bonnie Suchman masterfully transports readers to a tumultuous era in history. Set against the backdrop of Nazi Germany, this novel follows the life of Alice Heppenheimer, a woman whose unwavering determination and resilience are put to the ultimate test. Reading about the horrors of Nazi Germany in historical fiction whether in “The Book thief” or “The Boy in Striped Pyjamas” or now in Stumbling stones is much different than reading history books. Because non-fiction may give you facts and details but fiction has a way of compelling you to confront the emotions, the eerie sense of dread that existed among people and feel the fear as if you were witnessing things with your own eyes.
It requires quite a craft to be able to tell a story so disheartening with an optimistic protagonist the way Suchman has done in this book. Alice makes you feel hopeful even when the world is falling apart around her. And it is in that sense of resilience that you feel so strongly for her.
Often when thinking about the holocaust, people wonder “Why didn’t they just leave?” And I believe this book does well to answer that question of what it feels like to abandon a life you have created by giving your blood, sweat and tears. The hope that you cling to, that things are only bad momentarily and there will be light. The fear of the unknown if you leave without knowing where to go or what to do. The complete sense of helplessness at being persecuted because of your mere existence. All these were persistent themes throughout the book.
I write this review, talking more about the depth it entails than the details because I felt like the author wanted to create a story in which the story was more important than the characters. It wasn’t just Alice’s story. It could be anyone’s. And yet the turn of events, the circumstances and the emotions it invoked was what mattered.
Yet, I do consider that having such authenticity in characters helped make the story more powerful. Suchman’s portrayal of Alice is both relatable and inspiring. Her inner struggles, hopes, and fears resonate deeply. The novel vividly captures the fear, uncertainty, and courage of those facing persecution during World War II. Readers will be moved by Alice’s journey and I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to read the story of the holocaust beyond concentration camps.
August 16, 2024
Stumbling Stones by Bonnie Suchman is a remarkably moving tale about a young, career-minded Jewish woman in Germany while under the threat of Nazi dictatorship. The tale builds upon the author’s true family heritage. Alice Heppenheimert’s story is not one to miss.
Alice is 21 years old, newly engaged, and eager to start her career as an aspiring designer. When she graduates with an arts degree, her business-minded family isn’t exactly beaming with pride and expectations, but that doesn’t bother her. She’s ready to break away and start her new life away from Frankfurt. But as she begins to make her way in the world in Nuremburg, she soon faces two major roadblocks: her struggling marriage and something unimaginably worse–the Nazi Party.
Author Bonnie Suchman has truly blessed readers by expounding upon her distant relative’s life in Stumbling Stones. With some creative liberty, she gives historical insight into what it looked like for Jews who lived in Germany leading up to the Holocaust. They were persecuted and attacked decades before the war broke out. The way Author Bonnie Suchman has written Alice’s story is clear, moving, and compelling. She thoughtfully named the book Stumbling Stones because that’s what Frankfurt, Germany’s memorial plaques are called. They plaques honor Jews who lost their lives or were forced to leave their homes during the Holocaust.
Stumbling Stones is altogether an amazing dabbling into historical fiction, woven with many elements of truth. Bonnie Suchman draws readers in with her foray into her ancestor’s history, and reading it feels like sinking into the past. Stumbling Stones by Bonnie Suchman is an incredible page-turner. It is exceptionally well-written, thought-provoking and compelling
Alice is 21 years old, newly engaged, and eager to start her career as an aspiring designer. When she graduates with an arts degree, her business-minded family isn’t exactly beaming with pride and expectations, but that doesn’t bother her. She’s ready to break away and start her new life away from Frankfurt. But as she begins to make her way in the world in Nuremburg, she soon faces two major roadblocks: her struggling marriage and something unimaginably worse–the Nazi Party.
Author Bonnie Suchman has truly blessed readers by expounding upon her distant relative’s life in Stumbling Stones. With some creative liberty, she gives historical insight into what it looked like for Jews who lived in Germany leading up to the Holocaust. They were persecuted and attacked decades before the war broke out. The way Author Bonnie Suchman has written Alice’s story is clear, moving, and compelling. She thoughtfully named the book Stumbling Stones because that’s what Frankfurt, Germany’s memorial plaques are called. They plaques honor Jews who lost their lives or were forced to leave their homes during the Holocaust.
Stumbling Stones is altogether an amazing dabbling into historical fiction, woven with many elements of truth. Bonnie Suchman draws readers in with her foray into her ancestor’s history, and reading it feels like sinking into the past. Stumbling Stones by Bonnie Suchman is an incredible page-turner. It is exceptionally well-written, thought-provoking and compelling
January 2, 2025
This book has been so well researched, which isn't always easy as the Nazis destroyed so much. In the Epilogue, the author explains that, whilst some facts about Alice are known, such as where and when she was born, where she studied and worked, who she married and where and how she was killed; much less is known about ^her^ as a person. Which is where the fiction element comes in. Bonnie has created a strong woman who anyone would be proud to claim as an ancestor. I felt transported to Germany in the 1920s and 30s, and I think the book did a really good job of showing how slowly the Nazis took control, and how easy it must have been to accept the laws they enacted. It was startlingly clear why so many people said "we will leave, but not yet". It also shows how they made it almost impossible to actually leave by introducing contradictory laws such as Jews having to have a certain amount of savings to emigrate, whilst also confiscating their money.
At times there was a lot of 'info dumping' which was repeated a few times. I think if you were reading this with minimal knowledge of that time it would be useful information. However, for me it wasn't information that I didn't already know, and, as such, it interrupted the flow of the story. I also found the writing to be a bit wooden and clunky at times with lots of repetition that could have been edited out IMO. This meant I struggled to fully immerse myself in the story.
But the ending was so sad, and so beautiful. I how that the end really was that peaceful for Alice and Albert.
At times there was a lot of 'info dumping' which was repeated a few times. I think if you were reading this with minimal knowledge of that time it would be useful information. However, for me it wasn't information that I didn't already know, and, as such, it interrupted the flow of the story. I also found the writing to be a bit wooden and clunky at times with lots of repetition that could have been edited out IMO. This meant I struggled to fully immerse myself in the story.
But the ending was so sad, and so beautiful. I how that the end really was that peaceful for Alice and Albert.
May 7, 2024
Stumbling Stones by Bonnie Suchman is a dual timeline WWII historical fiction novel. I read lots of WWII historical fiction and I have not read about the markers indicating former homes of Jewish occupants who were deported and lost their lives under Nazi rule. In modern day, while traveling in Frankfurt the author and her husband discovered the brass markers. Set off to search for her husband's German Jewish family the author envisions the dramatic story of his great-aunt Alice.
Alice Heppenheimer is from a wealthy Jewish family and has a talent for women's fashion. She marries and pursues her desired career until Nazi Germany changes the course of her life. Determining when the best time to leave or unfortunately waiting too long is one question that has determined the fate of too many Jewish families during WWII. Married and separated from her loving family, Alice must flee.
I found the story, like so many others of WWII Jewish families, heartbreaking. The resilience and strength to rebuild after so much tragedy is what make me keep reading more WWII historical fiction. Their heroism and determination are incredibly inspirational.
Don't miss the author's notes at the end of the novel.
Alice Heppenheimer is from a wealthy Jewish family and has a talent for women's fashion. She marries and pursues her desired career until Nazi Germany changes the course of her life. Determining when the best time to leave or unfortunately waiting too long is one question that has determined the fate of too many Jewish families during WWII. Married and separated from her loving family, Alice must flee.
I found the story, like so many others of WWII Jewish families, heartbreaking. The resilience and strength to rebuild after so much tragedy is what make me keep reading more WWII historical fiction. Their heroism and determination are incredibly inspirational.
Don't miss the author's notes at the end of the novel.
May 20, 2024
This is Bonnie Suchman's second book about her husband's family in Germany, particularly their experiences during World War II, and in this volume she fictionalizes the story of an aunt about whom little is known. Using this strategy, Suchman is able to expand on the lives of many characters who experienced the ever tightening antisemitic laws of Nazi Germany. Her account of the protagonist Alice, the creative and independent minded woman who struggles to maintain family ties while following her dream of becoming a fashion designer, is full of historical details that make for rich reading. In addition to being a family account, this novel addresses the question asked by so many who first learn about the Holocaust: why did more Jews not leave Europe when they had the chance? Suchman clearly shows how bureaucratic failures, family ties, naive confidence about the future, and yes -- bad luck, all contributed to millions of European Jews being caught in the trap of the Third Reich. I recommend this book to all who want to learn about life in Nazi Germany through the eyes of one sprightly woman who in her own way is "Everywoman" as well.
May 4, 2024
I had never heard of the Stumbling Stones until reading this novel. With more research into them, I found them. I visited Germany a few years back with my mother in law who was a child during WWII in Nuremberg. After reading this novel, I can visualize walking down the cobbled streets and seeing the stumbling stones, but I never stopped to take a look. The background given was so detailed and thought out. I wanted Alice to leave and survive. The turmoil of this terrible time is haunting!
About halfway through, I started thinking this book is a personal tribute to a family member. As I read your author's note, I realized I was right.
Alice would be so proud to have her story told. The book is a masterpiece telling about Alice and her family. I would highly recommend to anyone interested in the life of the Jewish people during this time in history. Seeing the details of how life was and how it changed in a matter of years for Alice and her family was scary. This story needs to be read and remembered. Thank you for telling this story.
About halfway through, I started thinking this book is a personal tribute to a family member. As I read your author's note, I realized I was right.
Alice would be so proud to have her story told. The book is a masterpiece telling about Alice and her family. I would highly recommend to anyone interested in the life of the Jewish people during this time in history. Seeing the details of how life was and how it changed in a matter of years for Alice and her family was scary. This story needs to be read and remembered. Thank you for telling this story.
May 8, 2024
Stumbling Stones by Bonnie Suchman is an achingly beautiful novel based on the real life of a female German Jew during the 1920s and into World War II. Alice was a fashion designer and free thinker in Germany who was determined to be independent in a man's world. After enjoying temporary success designing handbags, her world changed forever with personal woe as well as war repercussions. This is an emotionally crushing and poignant story of courage, perseverance and the horrors of war.
The author drew on the compelling experience of her husband's family for her inspiration. It is obvious she put her heart and care into her words. Holocaust stories like this are difficult to read but so important. Precious stumbling stone tributes are an excellent way to honour the victims of the Nazi regime. The writing didn't read as much like a novel as I expected it to but it was well worth reading nonetheless.
My sincere thank you to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this thought-provoking novel.
The author drew on the compelling experience of her husband's family for her inspiration. It is obvious she put her heart and care into her words. Holocaust stories like this are difficult to read but so important. Precious stumbling stone tributes are an excellent way to honour the victims of the Nazi regime. The writing didn't read as much like a novel as I expected it to but it was well worth reading nonetheless.
My sincere thank you to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this thought-provoking novel.
April 2, 2025
I enjoyed this book not because it entertained me but because it brought alive how the Nazis systematically eroded the rights of the Jews over a period of time in the 1930s and 1940s culminating in their forced removal to the death camps. What is surprising is the extent to which the Nazis went to stop Jews from emigrating by a combination of fake taxes, spurious charges and the freezing of bank accounts. If the Nazis had allowed them to leave, who knows what difference that would have made to number who were exterminated in the concentration camps? Towards the end, many countries stopped accepting German Jews, including what was Palestine.
There was always a sense of hope amongst the Jewish community that things would turn out all right in the end...
I only gave the book four stars because, at times, I did find the style of writing not to my taste. But, apart from that, a good read for students of this period of history.
Well done to the author.
There was always a sense of hope amongst the Jewish community that things would turn out all right in the end...
I only gave the book four stars because, at times, I did find the style of writing not to my taste. But, apart from that, a good read for students of this period of history.
Well done to the author.
April 1, 2024
This is the story of Alice, a young and ambitious woman from a loving and prosperous family, set in Germany before the Nazis began to come to power. But there are changes, subtle at first, then some far more frightening. Bonnie Suchman has crafted this fictional story from facts, blending them into a narrative that immerses us in the lives of these characters. Alice and her Jewish community grapple with extraordinary circumstances, each responding uniquely and in their own time, to the political upheaval and the peril faced by Jews under the Nazi regime. Through meticulous research and storytelling, this author brings to life the complexities of being a Jew during the rise of Nazi Germany and the jeopardy they faced, providing echoes of the past that reverberate our present reality.
April 13, 2024
Stumbling Stones is a fictional account of the life of a real person made believable and accessible by the author’s frequent use of actual historical details from pre World War II Germany. WWII and holocaust lit seems like a whole literary genre these days and this is the first book I have read that clearly answers the question, why didn’t they leave? And by ending before the main character gets to a concentration camp it is fairly unique. The protagonist, Alice Heppenheimer, is a fully developed interesting woman who was flawed and human but worthy of her story being developed into a fictional book to claim her place in history.
May 27, 2024
Well written story
Stumbling Stones by Bonnie Suchman opens with an incredible description of the emerging antisemitic atmosphere in early 20th-century Germany. The fear that accumulates within the main and minor characters is palpable. How does one maintain an ordinary routine under such conditions? Alice, the main character, symbolizes a resilience, capable of navigating this horrifying reality without knowing what awaits next. The novel delves into coping with this emerging reality until the climactic scene where Alice is advised to ‘disappear’ into her cherished memory land before facing her ultimate fate.
Stumbling Stones by Bonnie Suchman opens with an incredible description of the emerging antisemitic atmosphere in early 20th-century Germany. The fear that accumulates within the main and minor characters is palpable. How does one maintain an ordinary routine under such conditions? Alice, the main character, symbolizes a resilience, capable of navigating this horrifying reality without knowing what awaits next. The novel delves into coping with this emerging reality until the climactic scene where Alice is advised to ‘disappear’ into her cherished memory land before facing her ultimate fate.
June 18, 2024
Bittersweet
The story of this warm and gifted woman was well worth the read. The author writes in a simple straightforward style that I'm not sure I liked. In the beginning I felt she might be writing for young adults. But the story of Anna and her family was compelling and the ending of course was tragic. I felt I had lost a dear friend. I will look for more from Ms. Suchman.
The story of this warm and gifted woman was well worth the read. The author writes in a simple straightforward style that I'm not sure I liked. In the beginning I felt she might be writing for young adults. But the story of Anna and her family was compelling and the ending of course was tragic. I felt I had lost a dear friend. I will look for more from Ms. Suchman.
July 15, 2024
A fantastic story with characters who really came to life! The only reason I mark it down one is because the writing at times was often quite clunky and repetitive - it felt like it needed another edit - and the dialogue also felt stilted. But I can’t fault the telling of the story itself! I’d also never heard the term “stumbling stones” before so it was interesting to put a name to something I’d seen but never given much thought to.
November 26, 2024
Bonnie Suchman's "Stumbling Stones" offers a moving portrayal of resilience and determination during the horrors of Nazi Germany. The story follows the journey of Alice Heppenheimer, a talented and ambitious German Jewish woman, capturing her struggle to balance personal aspirations with the insidious danger threatening her existence. Suchman bases her novel on true events, exploring love, identity, and survival in the face of persecution.
December 21, 2025
Compelling
This book is a family history. It is a compelling book. That one had to complete the book for the outcome, even though one knew what the outcome would be keeps one reading.
For someone to research their family history through such a traumatic time in our history and to use this knowledge to translate factual items and documents and convert into believable people is I think a wonderful gift.
This book is a family history. It is a compelling book. That one had to complete the book for the outcome, even though one knew what the outcome would be keeps one reading.
For someone to research their family history through such a traumatic time in our history and to use this knowledge to translate factual items and documents and convert into believable people is I think a wonderful gift.
April 29, 2024
This story is a heartbreaker. I knew that the stones where being placed in front of former Jewish residences as a way to tell the story and remember. I love how she went down the rabbit hole with a stumbling stone even though it happened to be her family member(s). Ms. Suchman does a great job bringing the past alive.
May 7, 2024
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Growing up in Frankfurt, Alice Heppenheimer is a strong willed talented young woman, set on a career in designing fashion. The advent of Nazism changes all these plans, as well as putting her and her entire family in danger. Well written historical fiction and worth the read.
Growing up in Frankfurt, Alice Heppenheimer is a strong willed talented young woman, set on a career in designing fashion. The advent of Nazism changes all these plans, as well as putting her and her entire family in danger. Well written historical fiction and worth the read.
June 4, 2024
Very moving book
This book was vivid from the start. I could not put it down. I was so hopping that Alfred and Alice would make it to freedom and at last in one way they did and are together. This is heartbreaking more so than other Holocaust books I have read. I highly recommend this book it is wonderful.
This book was vivid from the start. I could not put it down. I was so hopping that Alfred and Alice would make it to freedom and at last in one way they did and are together. This is heartbreaking more so than other Holocaust books I have read. I highly recommend this book it is wonderful.
September 20, 2024
STUMBLING STONES
This was such an insightful book into one Jewish family’s struggles and joys during WWll in Germany. That any country could treat their fellow countrymen in such a horrendous manner baffles me no matter how many stories I read. The atrocities against the Jews in all of Europe during this dark time in the history of mankind is unfathomable.
This was such an insightful book into one Jewish family’s struggles and joys during WWll in Germany. That any country could treat their fellow countrymen in such a horrendous manner baffles me no matter how many stories I read. The atrocities against the Jews in all of Europe during this dark time in the history of mankind is unfathomable.
October 8, 2024
A must read
Bonnie Such man took a very sad time in history and made it very real because of all the detail she put in the book. It was family history which always makes for a more interesting book. I do feel this time in history does not need to be forgotten. I do not understand the hatred in this world.
Bonnie Such man took a very sad time in history and made it very real because of all the detail she put in the book. It was family history which always makes for a more interesting book. I do feel this time in history does not need to be forgotten. I do not understand the hatred in this world.
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October 22, 2024Excellent
A very unique story of the rise of the Nazi's in the 20's, 30's and 40's and the impact on a Jewish family. This book is exceptionally well written, a beautiful story of love and bravery. I've seen Stumbling Stones in Europe...and now to read a family story associated with the Stones is humbling.
A very unique story of the rise of the Nazi's in the 20's, 30's and 40's and the impact on a Jewish family. This book is exceptionally well written, a beautiful story of love and bravery. I've seen Stumbling Stones in Europe...and now to read a family story associated with the Stones is humbling.
December 9, 2025
Absolutely an amazing read. My goodness this book is a must read and explains the Jewish population in Germany of what they had to contend with from the Nazis. The greed of the Nazis is phenomenal in all aspects and how they managed to take again when there was little left.
This is a must read. The story of Alice needs to be remembered and all that she was achieving in her short life.
This is a must read. The story of Alice needs to be remembered and all that she was achieving in her short life.
December 11, 2025
A moving reconstruction
The central character imagined from many source records is brought to life by the able author. Set in the 20s & 30s in the context of a prosperous business family and the impact of nazification and the destruction of German Jews and their role in German society. Highly recommended.
The central character imagined from many source records is brought to life by the able author. Set in the 20s & 30s in the context of a prosperous business family and the impact of nazification and the destruction of German Jews and their role in German society. Highly recommended.
May 3, 2024
This was a very heartfelt and heart wrenching journey of a character who never gave up hope no matter how dark her days were. This is novel is beautifully written and is a great example as to why “people just didn’t leave” no matter how bad things got and no matter how bad things seemed.
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