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Jews, The Third Reich, and a Web of Secret #2
The Stolen Child: Jews, the Third Reich, and a Web of Secrets, Book 2
Hide Karl in plain sight. That was the idea. It was meant to be foolproof.
Who would think of finding an Aryan-looking Jewish child in the household of a high-ranking Nazi officer? What could possibly go wrong?
When four-year-old Karl, Kara's son, suddenly disappears, Kara's worst fear becomes her painful reality. Has someone seen through her cover?
An increasingly frustrating search for the missing boy ensues. Kara is succored by Oskar, an SS officer who would do anything to have Kara's love. His compassion is in stark contrast to his office's macabre nature.
As her world is turned upside down, the grim nature of the Third Reich becomes much more apparent to Kara. The rot has eaten deep into many German hearts, even that of her beloved sister Anka.
As a fog of fear and evil envelops Kara's life, the hope of a love she had always ached for stirs ever so slightly.
How far would one go to get a hold of what they so desperately want? Will Kara see her son ever again?
Who would think of finding an Aryan-looking Jewish child in the household of a high-ranking Nazi officer? What could possibly go wrong?
When four-year-old Karl, Kara's son, suddenly disappears, Kara's worst fear becomes her painful reality. Has someone seen through her cover?
An increasingly frustrating search for the missing boy ensues. Kara is succored by Oskar, an SS officer who would do anything to have Kara's love. His compassion is in stark contrast to his office's macabre nature.
As her world is turned upside down, the grim nature of the Third Reich becomes much more apparent to Kara. The rot has eaten deep into many German hearts, even that of her beloved sister Anka.
As a fog of fear and evil envelops Kara's life, the hope of a love she had always ached for stirs ever so slightly.
How far would one go to get a hold of what they so desperately want? Will Kara see her son ever again?
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Published November 8, 2022
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About the author
Roberta Kagan
70 books644 followersI’m an American writer of Jewish and Romany decent. I write Historical Fiction and Historical Romance, most of which is set during the holocaust. Although I never discount the horrors of the time period, the main focus of my work is on ordinary people who prove to be strong heroic characters in unfathomable circumstances.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
August 22, 2021
The Stolen Child is the second book in Roberta Kagan’s WW2 historical series: Jews, The Third Reich and a Web of Secrets. I read book one, Her Son’s Secret, and appreciated knowing the backstory prior to reading. Book two starts where book one finished.
When Kara leaves her four-year-old son, Karl, with a babysitter, an old Polish woman, she never suspects that heartache that is to come. Karl, an Aryan-looking Jewish boy, and the babysitter go missing. When Oskar, a friend of her brother-in-law, offers to help Kara find her son, she discovers his ulterior motives. Can Kara be true to Abram or does she have to rethink her values to save her son?
I was shocked at the mindset of the Nazis and their beliefs, especially the propaganda and the lengths they went to ensure the master race remained superior. I hated how blatantly manipulative and obsessive Oskar and his fellow SS officers were in making sure they got what they wanted, regardless of the cost. I was saddened at how sisters, Kara and Anka, weren’t the support they could have been to each other because of secrets. They’d been so close growing up (book 1) and looked out for each other. Then their relationship deteriorated when she married a man intent on working his way up the Nazi hierarchy. Decisions made out of desperation during wartime had far reaching effects, but they also had the potential to hurt those closest.
The plot and the characters pull me into the story and more than make up for the difficulty I have with Kagan’s writing style.
I’m looking forward to book three, despite the shocking ending. I know Roberta Kagan loves her cliff-hanger endings.
Publishes September 15, 2021.
I was gifted this advance copy by Roberta Kagan, The Book Whisperer, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
When Kara leaves her four-year-old son, Karl, with a babysitter, an old Polish woman, she never suspects that heartache that is to come. Karl, an Aryan-looking Jewish boy, and the babysitter go missing. When Oskar, a friend of her brother-in-law, offers to help Kara find her son, she discovers his ulterior motives. Can Kara be true to Abram or does she have to rethink her values to save her son?
I was shocked at the mindset of the Nazis and their beliefs, especially the propaganda and the lengths they went to ensure the master race remained superior. I hated how blatantly manipulative and obsessive Oskar and his fellow SS officers were in making sure they got what they wanted, regardless of the cost. I was saddened at how sisters, Kara and Anka, weren’t the support they could have been to each other because of secrets. They’d been so close growing up (book 1) and looked out for each other. Then their relationship deteriorated when she married a man intent on working his way up the Nazi hierarchy. Decisions made out of desperation during wartime had far reaching effects, but they also had the potential to hurt those closest.
The plot and the characters pull me into the story and more than make up for the difficulty I have with Kagan’s writing style.
I’m looking forward to book three, despite the shocking ending. I know Roberta Kagan loves her cliff-hanger endings.
Publishes September 15, 2021.
I was gifted this advance copy by Roberta Kagan, The Book Whisperer, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
September 17, 2021
Jews, the Third Reich, and a Web of Secrets, Book 2
Ms. Kagan knows how to pen a story that will pull you in from the start and keeps you captive till you reached the conclusion ... then you are left there wondering what comes next...I never felt lost not knowing what had previously happened in “Her Son’s Secret” book #1 but now I wish I had known that book#2 picked up where book#1 left...
The principal characters:
Kara (the mother), Karl (the son) and Oskar (SS officer)
In a few words what to expect:
Four year old Karl suddenly disappears launching an increasingly frustrating search. Oskar will do anything for Kara’s love; his empathy towards the situation is in absolute contrast to the macabre nature of an officer. What game is Oskar playing?
My thoughts:
What a captivating story. For most part I wanted so much for Kara to see through Oskar but he was so conniving that she never did. I felt like screaming open your eyes...but again I had the advantage as the reader to see Oskar’s side. I felt the pain Kara had losing her son and the torment she suffered not knowing if he was dead or alive. The emotions get to you...and behind all this is Oskar... This story is a terrifying look at how manipulative and cunning some can be. Oskar in front of Kara is a sweet and loveable man but deep down he is a devious and cruel individual.
Ms. Kagan writing style is simple and easy to follow. The narrative pulls you in from the start and serves to drive the sheer anguish felt by many. This is another poignant war story.
I received this book from the Book Whisperer for an honest and unbiased review
Ms. Kagan knows how to pen a story that will pull you in from the start and keeps you captive till you reached the conclusion ... then you are left there wondering what comes next...I never felt lost not knowing what had previously happened in “Her Son’s Secret” book #1 but now I wish I had known that book#2 picked up where book#1 left...
The principal characters:
Kara (the mother), Karl (the son) and Oskar (SS officer)
In a few words what to expect:
Four year old Karl suddenly disappears launching an increasingly frustrating search. Oskar will do anything for Kara’s love; his empathy towards the situation is in absolute contrast to the macabre nature of an officer. What game is Oskar playing?
My thoughts:
What a captivating story. For most part I wanted so much for Kara to see through Oskar but he was so conniving that she never did. I felt like screaming open your eyes...but again I had the advantage as the reader to see Oskar’s side. I felt the pain Kara had losing her son and the torment she suffered not knowing if he was dead or alive. The emotions get to you...and behind all this is Oskar... This story is a terrifying look at how manipulative and cunning some can be. Oskar in front of Kara is a sweet and loveable man but deep down he is a devious and cruel individual.
Ms. Kagan writing style is simple and easy to follow. The narrative pulls you in from the start and serves to drive the sheer anguish felt by many. This is another poignant war story.
I received this book from the Book Whisperer for an honest and unbiased review
August 18, 2021
Oskar's Deceit
When book one ended Kara went to pick up Karl at the babysitters and both him and the babysitter were gone.
Oskar, a Nazi officer and a friend of her sister Anka's husband, offered to help her find Karl.
Oskar and Kara search for Karl and Kara becomes close to Oskar although she really still loves Abram, Karl's dad. She knows that no one, not even her sister can know that Karl is half Jewish.
The book shows the disturbing way that the Nazi's think that Germans are the master race and every else their slaves. Her sister is completely taken in with the concept of the German superiority and it bothers Kara and causes tension between the two of them. Will her relationship with her sister ever be the same?
The Nazi propaganda was everywhere and many Germans believed it, lived it in every aspect of their lives and taught it to their children. The schools had books with horrible pictures Jewish people and disabled people making them look like monsters and promoting the concept that Germans were the only master race.
Will Kara and Oskar find Karl, or will he be lost to Kara forever? She fears for Karl and worries that someone has found out he is half Jewish and wonders if he is safe. She wishes Abram were here with her. She wishes she could talk to her sister but she can't .
This book focuses on the search for Karl and Oskar's obsession with Kara. The ending is so sad, It does set up for book three which I can't wait to read.
This is a great series, I recommend it.
Thanks to Roberta Kagan and the Book Whisperer for allowing me to read a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.
When book one ended Kara went to pick up Karl at the babysitters and both him and the babysitter were gone.
Oskar, a Nazi officer and a friend of her sister Anka's husband, offered to help her find Karl.
Oskar and Kara search for Karl and Kara becomes close to Oskar although she really still loves Abram, Karl's dad. She knows that no one, not even her sister can know that Karl is half Jewish.
The book shows the disturbing way that the Nazi's think that Germans are the master race and every else their slaves. Her sister is completely taken in with the concept of the German superiority and it bothers Kara and causes tension between the two of them. Will her relationship with her sister ever be the same?
The Nazi propaganda was everywhere and many Germans believed it, lived it in every aspect of their lives and taught it to their children. The schools had books with horrible pictures Jewish people and disabled people making them look like monsters and promoting the concept that Germans were the only master race.
Will Kara and Oskar find Karl, or will he be lost to Kara forever? She fears for Karl and worries that someone has found out he is half Jewish and wonders if he is safe. She wishes Abram were here with her. She wishes she could talk to her sister but she can't .
This book focuses on the search for Karl and Oskar's obsession with Kara. The ending is so sad, It does set up for book three which I can't wait to read.
This is a great series, I recommend it.
Thanks to Roberta Kagan and the Book Whisperer for allowing me to read a complimentary copy of the book for my honest review.
December 28, 2021
Great story, albeit contrived, but there are too many errors in the language. It sometimes reads like a bad translation.
September 10, 2021
Oh my word, I don’t even know if I have enough words to describe how much I loved this book. I had to go buy the first one so I read it first, but this arc was such an amazing read for me. There were some disturbing things in it for sure, but the book is so well written. I couldn’t put it down, I think I read both books in three days maybe 4 days. I can’t wait for the third book to come out.
September 9, 2021
This is the second book in Roberta Kagan's trilogy, "Jews, The Third Reich, and a Web of Secrets". Though I find Kagan's style of writing elementary and somewhat redundant, constantly repeating a thought over and over in one paragraph after another I was invested in Kara and Karl's story after reading the first book, "Her Son's Secret".
I took a chance, wanting to know what happens when at the end of the first book Karl disappears along with his Polish babysitter, leaving Kara frantic and blaming her sister Anka for forcing her to leave Karl and go to a Nazi party.
Not knowing where to turn, Kara accepts help from Nazi officer Oskar, a friend of her brother-in-law's and a man who is enthralled with Kara and wants her for himself.
Kara begins to trust Oskar more and more as the days turn into months and Karl is still missing. But is the gentle, understanding, helpful man Oskar portrays to Kara truly him? Or underneath the loving facade does there lay someone more devious and sinister? Someone manipulating enough to use Kara's plight to his own advantage?
Despite the writing style the story picks up seamlessly where the first ended and is filled with all the history, mystery and intrigue you could want. The ending, as with the first book is heart-wrenching, I can't wait for the third installment to see how everything is resolved and what truths come to light.
I would recommend to WWII historical fiction fans that like a quick, somewhat simplistic story set to entertain and intrigue, with enough mystery involved to keep you guessing.
I rated this one a little higher than I did the first, maybe because I am getting used to the writing style. Thank you to publishers The Book Whisperer and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.
I took a chance, wanting to know what happens when at the end of the first book Karl disappears along with his Polish babysitter, leaving Kara frantic and blaming her sister Anka for forcing her to leave Karl and go to a Nazi party.
Not knowing where to turn, Kara accepts help from Nazi officer Oskar, a friend of her brother-in-law's and a man who is enthralled with Kara and wants her for himself.
Kara begins to trust Oskar more and more as the days turn into months and Karl is still missing. But is the gentle, understanding, helpful man Oskar portrays to Kara truly him? Or underneath the loving facade does there lay someone more devious and sinister? Someone manipulating enough to use Kara's plight to his own advantage?
Despite the writing style the story picks up seamlessly where the first ended and is filled with all the history, mystery and intrigue you could want. The ending, as with the first book is heart-wrenching, I can't wait for the third installment to see how everything is resolved and what truths come to light.
I would recommend to WWII historical fiction fans that like a quick, somewhat simplistic story set to entertain and intrigue, with enough mystery involved to keep you guessing.
I rated this one a little higher than I did the first, maybe because I am getting used to the writing style. Thank you to publishers The Book Whisperer and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.
December 3, 2022
This is the 2nd in the series (a series that should not have been a series. A series is when a story ends, and a new story begins with the same characters. This story DOES NOT end, which is frustrating. She should have just written a long book like other authors do). That being said, this was better than the first book of the series, which makes sense as the first book had to introduce everyone, this book had the action and the last book will have the conclusion. After Kara's 1/2 Jewish son is taken, a SS officer steps up and helps her find him. The SS officer is so kind and helpful, and is in love with her. When he asks her to marry him, she is so grateful for all of his help, she agrees. She is completely oblivious that the SS Officer is your stereotypical SS Officer, as he is too kind to be mean to anyone. The SS officer is not what he appears to be, which sets up the conclusion to be very good, but I'll have to wait till I can get that book.
What I liked about this book a lot, which actually for the first time just happened in another book that I read, is how easily the German people were led to follow the rhetoric of Hitler. Not living in Germany at the time, many of us villainize all German's that followed Hitler, but it is not that easy. This book brings you through a German family that grew up in poverty with nothing and shows how Hitler made life for them so much better. It is still not right, but the author did a good job showing the time from a different perspective.
What I liked about this book a lot, which actually for the first time just happened in another book that I read, is how easily the German people were led to follow the rhetoric of Hitler. Not living in Germany at the time, many of us villainize all German's that followed Hitler, but it is not that easy. This book brings you through a German family that grew up in poverty with nothing and shows how Hitler made life for them so much better. It is still not right, but the author did a good job showing the time from a different perspective.
June 23, 2022
A big thank you to the author Roberta Kagan, the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my candid review.
I was very disappointed with this book. The premise is that a beautiful Polish woman marries a Jewish man and bears a child, Karl. Then, after the Nazis take over, she poses as a single widowed mother in Nazi-occupied Warsaw. A Nazi officer is extremely interested in dating/marrying Kara. Then her son disappears and the only one who will help her is the Nazi officer.
This story was designed to incorporate every horrible atrocity perpetrated by the Nazis and collaborators all in the same story....no matter how loosely connected the story becomes. It includes the atrocities in the Warsaw Ghetto, the Liebensborn project, euthanization of babies with birth defects, atrocities at the labor camps, the crematoriums, the adoption of Polish children into proper Aryan German families, and just about every story of horror in the war. The story is so unbelievable, the characters so unpleasant and the coincidences so contrived. I have read many, many books on WWII and this one was not just disappointing, it was an waste of time.
I was very disappointed with this book. The premise is that a beautiful Polish woman marries a Jewish man and bears a child, Karl. Then, after the Nazis take over, she poses as a single widowed mother in Nazi-occupied Warsaw. A Nazi officer is extremely interested in dating/marrying Kara. Then her son disappears and the only one who will help her is the Nazi officer.
This story was designed to incorporate every horrible atrocity perpetrated by the Nazis and collaborators all in the same story....no matter how loosely connected the story becomes. It includes the atrocities in the Warsaw Ghetto, the Liebensborn project, euthanization of babies with birth defects, atrocities at the labor camps, the crematoriums, the adoption of Polish children into proper Aryan German families, and just about every story of horror in the war. The story is so unbelievable, the characters so unpleasant and the coincidences so contrived. I have read many, many books on WWII and this one was not just disappointing, it was an waste of time.
June 9, 2023
The Stolen Child by Roberta Kagan
I was so surprised to receive an email from Roberta Kagan giving me a link to her second book in her latest saga, The Third Reich and a Web of Secrets But at the same time I was honoured to be given the privilege.
I enjoyed reading The Stolen Child, it was so good to see what happened to little Karl who was abducted at the end of book One when Kara, his mother left him with a Polish babysitter while she attended a party with her sister Anka, her sister’s husband, Ludwig and Ludwig’s friend, Oskar.
At first you think how wonderful Oskar is to be doing so much to help Kara get her boy back, it seems he goes far beyond anyone else would have but then you find out what he has done behind the scene to convince Kara that she should depend only on him and marry him, you become truly shocked how manipulative a person can be.
I cannot wait to read book three in the saga.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Roberta Kagan herself for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I was so surprised to receive an email from Roberta Kagan giving me a link to her second book in her latest saga, The Third Reich and a Web of Secrets But at the same time I was honoured to be given the privilege.
I enjoyed reading The Stolen Child, it was so good to see what happened to little Karl who was abducted at the end of book One when Kara, his mother left him with a Polish babysitter while she attended a party with her sister Anka, her sister’s husband, Ludwig and Ludwig’s friend, Oskar.
At first you think how wonderful Oskar is to be doing so much to help Kara get her boy back, it seems he goes far beyond anyone else would have but then you find out what he has done behind the scene to convince Kara that she should depend only on him and marry him, you become truly shocked how manipulative a person can be.
I cannot wait to read book three in the saga.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Roberta Kagan herself for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
September 5, 2021
I have been waiting eagerly for the second book of the series Jews, The Third Reich and Web of Secrets series and was so mighty excited when I got the ARC from the author herself!!!
Note:- If you have not read My Son's Secret, the first book of the series, then you must read that book before reading The Stolen Child.
So in the previous book, we see Kara leaving her son Karl behind with a babysitter only after returning did she find out that both the babysitter and Karl are missing, the first book ending with Abram in Auschwitz concentration camp.
This book follows the story after Karl goes missing. Oskar, the Nazi officer with whom Kara gets acquainted through her sister Anka and brother-in-law Ludwig, using his own connections helps Kara to find her son--which he eventually succeed. And Kara soon starts falling for Oskar, which make her conflicted with her own feelings as she still loved Abram. But throughout this book, we see Oskar's facade, the brutal treatment towards Jews and Polish, indifference to their feelings. As a person who did Holocaust history in school and later on in college, I have read all those brutal atrocities and treatments committed by the Nazis towards the Jews so reading this book, the author gave us a picture of both sides--what it is to live as a German during the war and what it is to live as a Jew or Pole during the war. While the Germans with connections as high ranking Nazi officials lived a life of luxury, on the other hand, Jews and Poles lived in a life of fear and hate instilled in their minds. So kudos to the author, who did a good job painting that image, which was realistic and actually happened in real life! Naturally, I feel hatred towards Oskar, Anka and Ludwig for their blind faith towards Hitler and I am glad that Kara did not succumb to it, probably due to the fact that she still loved Abram. I just feel like I was living during that time and I actually felt so scared for Kara--will Oskak find out her secret? What's going to happen? This book was literally unputdownable and I manage to finish this book within two days!
Besides that, the writing was really great and I was engrossed in the book, from the first chapter till the end. And the end....wow!!!! Now I cannot wait for the third and final book to come soon! Will Abram and Kara get back together? What's going to happen to Oskar and Kara once when the war is coming to an end? We shall see if these questions are answered in the next and final book!
Many thanks to Netgalley and the author for providing me the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
Note:- If you have not read My Son's Secret, the first book of the series, then you must read that book before reading The Stolen Child.
So in the previous book, we see Kara leaving her son Karl behind with a babysitter only after returning did she find out that both the babysitter and Karl are missing, the first book ending with Abram in Auschwitz concentration camp.
This book follows the story after Karl goes missing. Oskar, the Nazi officer with whom Kara gets acquainted through her sister Anka and brother-in-law Ludwig, using his own connections helps Kara to find her son--which he eventually succeed. And Kara soon starts falling for Oskar, which make her conflicted with her own feelings as she still loved Abram. But throughout this book, we see Oskar's facade, the brutal treatment towards Jews and Polish, indifference to their feelings. As a person who did Holocaust history in school and later on in college, I have read all those brutal atrocities and treatments committed by the Nazis towards the Jews so reading this book, the author gave us a picture of both sides--what it is to live as a German during the war and what it is to live as a Jew or Pole during the war. While the Germans with connections as high ranking Nazi officials lived a life of luxury, on the other hand, Jews and Poles lived in a life of fear and hate instilled in their minds. So kudos to the author, who did a good job painting that image, which was realistic and actually happened in real life! Naturally, I feel hatred towards Oskar, Anka and Ludwig for their blind faith towards Hitler and I am glad that Kara did not succumb to it, probably due to the fact that she still loved Abram. I just feel like I was living during that time and I actually felt so scared for Kara--will Oskak find out her secret? What's going to happen? This book was literally unputdownable and I manage to finish this book within two days!
Besides that, the writing was really great and I was engrossed in the book, from the first chapter till the end. And the end....wow!!!! Now I cannot wait for the third and final book to come soon! Will Abram and Kara get back together? What's going to happen to Oskar and Kara once when the war is coming to an end? We shall see if these questions are answered in the next and final book!
Many thanks to Netgalley and the author for providing me the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.
August 27, 2021
The second in the series, The Stolen Child seamlessly picks up where My Son's Secret left off. Set during WWII in Germany, this is a story about impossible heartache, love and hope in dire circumstances. Kara's darling wee son Karl disappeared and she is beyond frantic. He had been at his babysitter's home but cannot be found; neither can the babysitter. Of course during the war people disappear for all sorts of sinister reasons. But he looks purely Aryan.
SS Officer Oskar adores Kara. He treats her with tenderness and assures her Karl will be found. Kara sympathizes with Jews but most around her do not, including her dear sister Anka and brother in law Ludwig. However, she reasons this away to herself and finds herself in the midst of many sticky webs. The story details the desperate search for a son and the lengths people go to to just survive.
Secrets and deceptions abound. Nazis have a firm physical and mental hold and many otherwise kind people are enthralled with Hitler's ideals and act accordingly. The Jews are treated worse than vermin. Though some details are difficult to read as they are so horrific, it is important not to downplay reality. The author does a beautiful job of this. She includes the raw details yet we see slivers of hope. What people go through is unimaginable but there is always hope, one of my favourite words.
This unputdownable book is compelling and breathtaking in its simple writing which to me serves to drive home the sheer anguish and despair felt by so many. Like the first in the series, the story is poignant and powerful. It has soul. The author has a gift for fiction intermingled with fact, obviously well researched. If you love cliffhangers like me, you will be pleased with this one which opens up many questions and possibilities. And that precious cover! It truly captures what the book is about.
My sincere thank you to The Book Whisperer and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this sobering, evocative and simply amazing book.
SS Officer Oskar adores Kara. He treats her with tenderness and assures her Karl will be found. Kara sympathizes with Jews but most around her do not, including her dear sister Anka and brother in law Ludwig. However, she reasons this away to herself and finds herself in the midst of many sticky webs. The story details the desperate search for a son and the lengths people go to to just survive.
Secrets and deceptions abound. Nazis have a firm physical and mental hold and many otherwise kind people are enthralled with Hitler's ideals and act accordingly. The Jews are treated worse than vermin. Though some details are difficult to read as they are so horrific, it is important not to downplay reality. The author does a beautiful job of this. She includes the raw details yet we see slivers of hope. What people go through is unimaginable but there is always hope, one of my favourite words.
This unputdownable book is compelling and breathtaking in its simple writing which to me serves to drive home the sheer anguish and despair felt by so many. Like the first in the series, the story is poignant and powerful. It has soul. The author has a gift for fiction intermingled with fact, obviously well researched. If you love cliffhangers like me, you will be pleased with this one which opens up many questions and possibilities. And that precious cover! It truly captures what the book is about.
My sincere thank you to The Book Whisperer and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this sobering, evocative and simply amazing book.
October 24, 2021
The Stolen Child: Jews, The Third Reich, and a Web of Secrets Book 2 is by Roberta Kagan. This is the second book in the trilogy and is a heart-breaking one that will make you angry and so very sad and emotional.
Kate was very distraught as she paced the floor in the room in Warsaw. Her sister, Anka, was trying to calm her down; but all Kate could think of was her son. Kate had fallen in love with a Jewish bookshop owner when she and a friend had made a daring trek through the Mittle (Jewish section) to the bookshop. Kate and Abram made an immediate connection and he loaned her a forbidden book. Her friend was appalled and begged Kate not to return. Kate did return and fell further in love. It was against the Nazi law to marry so when she became pregnant, they decided to live together when she became pregnant. Eventually, Abram was taken by the Gestapo and his mother persuaded Kate to return to her sister for her safety and that of their son, Karl. Anka believed Karl was the son of a married German who had gone back to his wife abandoning Karl and Kate. Anka welcomed her into her home.
Anka insisted Kate hire a babysitter and go to a formal ball with her husband Ludwig and a friend Obersturmfueher Oscar Leach. Oscar was a guard at Auschwitz but failed to tell Kate this. The next morning, when they went to get Karl, no one was there and finally an old woman peeked out of her apartment and told them that men in black coats came and got them. Oscar told Kate he would leave no stone unturned to find him. Would he be able to find him or would he be lost in the expanse of Germany?
Kate was very distraught as she paced the floor in the room in Warsaw. Her sister, Anka, was trying to calm her down; but all Kate could think of was her son. Kate had fallen in love with a Jewish bookshop owner when she and a friend had made a daring trek through the Mittle (Jewish section) to the bookshop. Kate and Abram made an immediate connection and he loaned her a forbidden book. Her friend was appalled and begged Kate not to return. Kate did return and fell further in love. It was against the Nazi law to marry so when she became pregnant, they decided to live together when she became pregnant. Eventually, Abram was taken by the Gestapo and his mother persuaded Kate to return to her sister for her safety and that of their son, Karl. Anka believed Karl was the son of a married German who had gone back to his wife abandoning Karl and Kate. Anka welcomed her into her home.
Anka insisted Kate hire a babysitter and go to a formal ball with her husband Ludwig and a friend Obersturmfueher Oscar Leach. Oscar was a guard at Auschwitz but failed to tell Kate this. The next morning, when they went to get Karl, no one was there and finally an old woman peeked out of her apartment and told them that men in black coats came and got them. Oscar told Kate he would leave no stone unturned to find him. Would he be able to find him or would he be lost in the expanse of Germany?
September 11, 2021
Vond het een beetje raar verhaal, maar dat kan komen omdat ik het eerste deel nooit heb kunnen lezen., en het is toch wel belangrijk om deze gelezen te hebben, daar boek 2 begint waar boek 1 (Her Son’s Secret) eindigt. Nu mis je belangrijke achtergrond informatie.
Kara laat haar zoontje Karl achter bij een baby-sitter, een oude Poolse vrouw. Nooit had zij kunnen vermoeden hoewel ellende en verdriet dit zou brengen, als later blijkt dat Karl en de oude vrouw zijn verdwenen. Oskar, een vriend van haar zwager, biedt aan om te helpen zoeken naar het kind.
Langzaam groeien Kara en Oskar naar elkaar toe, hoewel Kara nog steeds van Abram, de vader van Karl, houdt. Niemand, zelfs Kara's zus Anka niet, weet dat Karl's vader Jood is, en hij daar door een half-Jood.
Terwijl Oskar zich voordoet als een meelevende, vriendelijk SS-officier, die alleen wil helpen Kara en Karl te herenigen, blijkt hij vooral een manipulatief persoon te zijn. Gedurende het boek zijn we getuigen van zijn behandeling en minachting van Joden en Polen. Het was voor mij al vrij snel duidelijk hoe de vork in de steel zat, hoewel ik in eerste instantie Ludwig verdacht was ik al over op Oskar als brein van deze misdaad.
Het plot van het verhaal en de personages trokken mij het verhaal in, en maakten de schrijfstijl van de auteur meer dan goed.
Dit (e)book heb ik ontvangen via #Netgalley en #bookfunnel in ruil voor een review. De reden dat ik dit boek maar 2 1/2 ster geef ligt in het feit dat het bijna onmogelijk is om dit boek te lezen zonder kennis van het voorgaande deel.
Kara laat haar zoontje Karl achter bij een baby-sitter, een oude Poolse vrouw. Nooit had zij kunnen vermoeden hoewel ellende en verdriet dit zou brengen, als later blijkt dat Karl en de oude vrouw zijn verdwenen. Oskar, een vriend van haar zwager, biedt aan om te helpen zoeken naar het kind.
Langzaam groeien Kara en Oskar naar elkaar toe, hoewel Kara nog steeds van Abram, de vader van Karl, houdt. Niemand, zelfs Kara's zus Anka niet, weet dat Karl's vader Jood is, en hij daar door een half-Jood.
Terwijl Oskar zich voordoet als een meelevende, vriendelijk SS-officier, die alleen wil helpen Kara en Karl te herenigen, blijkt hij vooral een manipulatief persoon te zijn. Gedurende het boek zijn we getuigen van zijn behandeling en minachting van Joden en Polen. Het was voor mij al vrij snel duidelijk hoe de vork in de steel zat, hoewel ik in eerste instantie Ludwig verdacht was ik al over op Oskar als brein van deze misdaad.
Het plot van het verhaal en de personages trokken mij het verhaal in, en maakten de schrijfstijl van de auteur meer dan goed.
Dit (e)book heb ik ontvangen via #Netgalley en #bookfunnel in ruil voor een review. De reden dat ik dit boek maar 2 1/2 ster geef ligt in het feit dat het bijna onmogelijk is om dit boek te lezen zonder kennis van het voorgaande deel.
August 30, 2021
EBook Review: THE STOLEN CHILD by Roberta Kagan
(T) aking
(H) ome
(E) xacerbation...
(S) ecrets
(T) o
(O) bscure...
(L) ove
(E) rrant?
(N) oticed?
(C) an
(H) elp
( I ) gnite
(L) ove?
(D) esperation?
THE STOLEN CHILD, happened in plain sight.
Yet no trace, where could he be?
Thrown off kilter, all can think of.
A woman's life, that's already upside down.
If you're different, dehumanized in an instant.
Young taught early, prescripts behavior and thinking.
Who to trust, is very important question.
So many unknowns, hard to make decisions.
Can't know motives, of those around you.
To what extent, they're willing to go.
Following the flow, when to let go?
Life is confusing, what believe doesn't match.
Just the beginning, where goes from here?
Case of survival, dreams for better tomorrow?
These her choices, what would you do?
We can learn, from experiences of others.
Pick up book, follow this story closely.
Take to heart, same issues exist today.
Thanking the author, a well written story.
I can say, I'm ready for more.
***************************
I received this book free, and I am
leaving this review voluntarily.
***************************
(T) aking
(H) ome
(E) xacerbation...
(S) ecrets
(T) o
(O) bscure...
(L) ove
(E) rrant?
(N) oticed?
(C) an
(H) elp
( I ) gnite
(L) ove?
(D) esperation?
THE STOLEN CHILD, happened in plain sight.
Yet no trace, where could he be?
Thrown off kilter, all can think of.
A woman's life, that's already upside down.
If you're different, dehumanized in an instant.
Young taught early, prescripts behavior and thinking.
Who to trust, is very important question.
So many unknowns, hard to make decisions.
Can't know motives, of those around you.
To what extent, they're willing to go.
Following the flow, when to let go?
Life is confusing, what believe doesn't match.
Just the beginning, where goes from here?
Case of survival, dreams for better tomorrow?
These her choices, what would you do?
We can learn, from experiences of others.
Pick up book, follow this story closely.
Take to heart, same issues exist today.
Thanking the author, a well written story.
I can say, I'm ready for more.
***************************
I received this book free, and I am
leaving this review voluntarily.
***************************
August 31, 2021
This book is the second on the Jews, The Third Reich, and a Web of Secrets trilogy and starts immediately where the first one ends. Kara's son Karl has disappeared along with the Polish babysitter hired to look after him for the night.
Kara is desperate and relies more and more on Oskar, the high ranking Nazi Officer in love with her. He vows to do everything in his power to find Karl. Without giving any spoilers away, we find out that Oskar is not really who he portraits to be and his motives are not really pure.
Roberta Kagan did it again, this book is very well researched and written, the details of the events described in it are accurate and described with details, even the painful ones.
The ending of the book is heartbreaking but leads perfectly to the upcoming book three of the series, which I can't wait to read and learn the fate of all the characters in the book.
I love the cover in the book, captures perfectly the essence of the little boy in the center of the series.
Thank you to Roberta Kagan, Netgalley and Book Whisperer for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review
Kara is desperate and relies more and more on Oskar, the high ranking Nazi Officer in love with her. He vows to do everything in his power to find Karl. Without giving any spoilers away, we find out that Oskar is not really who he portraits to be and his motives are not really pure.
Roberta Kagan did it again, this book is very well researched and written, the details of the events described in it are accurate and described with details, even the painful ones.
The ending of the book is heartbreaking but leads perfectly to the upcoming book three of the series, which I can't wait to read and learn the fate of all the characters in the book.
I love the cover in the book, captures perfectly the essence of the little boy in the center of the series.
Thank you to Roberta Kagan, Netgalley and Book Whisperer for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review
September 8, 2021
This was book two in the series: Jews, The Third Reich, and a Web of Secrets. Full disclosure, I have not read the first book and think perhaps it would have aided in setting the scene and having a more fully developed sense of the characters and backstory. I had some difficulties with the way that the author writes, sometimes the dialog felt very stiff to me, but it didn’t detract too much from the solid storyline. Kara has left her 4-year-old son, Karl, with a babysitter and both have vanished. With the help of Oskar, a Nazi officer, Kara tries to locate Karl. Through this journey she gradually develops feelings for Oskar but finds herself conflicted knowing how Oskar would react should he find out that Karl is half-Jewish. The horrendous details of life under Nazi rule are presented with empathy and care but remain true to what was happening at the time. The author has done her research. The ending is unexpected and breathtakingly sad. It sets it up well for the third book in the series. Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
October 8, 2021
This book is the second on the Jews, The Third Reich, and a Web of Secrets trilogy and starts immediately where the first one ends. Kara's son Karl has disappeared along with the Polish babysitter hired to look after him for the night.
Kara is desperate and relies more and more on Oskar, the high ranking Nazi Officer in love with her. He vows to do everything in his power to find Karl. Without giving any spoilers away, we find out that Oskar is not really who he portraits to be and his motives are not really pure.
Roberta Kagan did it again, this book is very well researched and written, the details of the events described in it are accurate and described with details, even the painful ones.
The ending of the book is heartbreaking but leads perfectly to the upcoming book three of the series, which I can't wait to read and learn the fate of all the characters in the book.
I love the cover in the book, captures perfectly the essence of the little boy in the center of the series.
Thank you to Roberta Kagan, Netgalley and Book Whisperer for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review
Kara is desperate and relies more and more on Oskar, the high ranking Nazi Officer in love with her. He vows to do everything in his power to find Karl. Without giving any spoilers away, we find out that Oskar is not really who he portraits to be and his motives are not really pure.
Roberta Kagan did it again, this book is very well researched and written, the details of the events described in it are accurate and described with details, even the painful ones.
The ending of the book is heartbreaking but leads perfectly to the upcoming book three of the series, which I can't wait to read and learn the fate of all the characters in the book.
I love the cover in the book, captures perfectly the essence of the little boy in the center of the series.
Thank you to Roberta Kagan, Netgalley and Book Whisperer for my copy of the book in exchange for an honest review
October 9, 2021
This was book two in the series: Jews, The Third Reich, and a Web of Secrets. Full disclosure, I have not read the first book and think perhaps it would have aided in setting the scene and having a more fully developed sense of the characters and backstory. I had some difficulties with the way that the author writes, sometimes the dialog felt very stiff to me, but it didn’t detract too much from the solid storyline. Kara has left her 4-year-old son, Karl, with a babysitter and both have vanished. With the help of Oskar, a Nazi officer, Kara tries to locate Karl. Through this journey she gradually develops feelings for Oskar but finds herself conflicted knowing how Oskar would react should he find out that Karl is half-Jewish. The horrendous details of life under Nazi rule are presented with empathy and care but remain true to what was happening at the time. The author has done her research. The ending is unexpected and breathtakingly sad. It sets it up well for the third book in the series. Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
September 11, 2021
The Stolen Child by Roberta Kagan
I was so surprised to receive an email from Roberta Kagan giving me a link to her second book in her latest saga, The Third Reich and a Web of Secrets But at the same time I was honoured to be given the privilege.
I enjoyed reading The Stolen Child, it was so good to see what happened to little Karl who was abducted at the end of book One when Kara, his mother left him with a Polish babysitter while she attended a party with her sister Anka, her sister’s husband, Ludwig and Ludwig’s friend, Oskar.
At first you think how wonderful Oskar is to be doing so much to help Kara get her boy back, it seems he goes far beyond anyone else would have but then you find out what he has done behind the scene to convince Kara that she should depend only on him and marry him, you become truly shocked how manipulative a person can be.
I cannot wait to read book three in the saga.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Roberta Kagan herself for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I was so surprised to receive an email from Roberta Kagan giving me a link to her second book in her latest saga, The Third Reich and a Web of Secrets But at the same time I was honoured to be given the privilege.
I enjoyed reading The Stolen Child, it was so good to see what happened to little Karl who was abducted at the end of book One when Kara, his mother left him with a Polish babysitter while she attended a party with her sister Anka, her sister’s husband, Ludwig and Ludwig’s friend, Oskar.
At first you think how wonderful Oskar is to be doing so much to help Kara get her boy back, it seems he goes far beyond anyone else would have but then you find out what he has done behind the scene to convince Kara that she should depend only on him and marry him, you become truly shocked how manipulative a person can be.
I cannot wait to read book three in the saga.
I would like to thank Net Galley and Roberta Kagan herself for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
March 21, 2022
I couldn't put this novel down.
I honestly didn't think the book two The Stolen Child would grab my attention and my heart as quickly and as completely as the first novel.
I was already emotionally invested in book two after reading book one.
I had to find out what happened to German Kara
and her beloved Jewish husband Abram. Their's was a love story that wasn't meant to be. When they had their son Karl it only sealed their love affair with each other. After Abram is taken prisoner by the Germans Kara attempts to go on with her life determined to protect her son Karl and never let her secret of him being half Jewish be found out. Trying to survive she goes to live with her sister Anka and her SS husband Ludwig. There she meets Oskar,a German soldier who sets out to make her his wife. When Karl is kidnapped by the Germans Oskar promises to help Kara find him. But is Oskar the gentleman he pretends to be or a evil monster? Will Kara ever see her beloved son and husband again?
This novel will grab your heart and hold tight until the last page.
I honestly didn't think the book two The Stolen Child would grab my attention and my heart as quickly and as completely as the first novel.
I was already emotionally invested in book two after reading book one.
I had to find out what happened to German Kara
and her beloved Jewish husband Abram. Their's was a love story that wasn't meant to be. When they had their son Karl it only sealed their love affair with each other. After Abram is taken prisoner by the Germans Kara attempts to go on with her life determined to protect her son Karl and never let her secret of him being half Jewish be found out. Trying to survive she goes to live with her sister Anka and her SS husband Ludwig. There she meets Oskar,a German soldier who sets out to make her his wife. When Karl is kidnapped by the Germans Oskar promises to help Kara find him. But is Oskar the gentleman he pretends to be or a evil monster? Will Kara ever see her beloved son and husband again?
This novel will grab your heart and hold tight until the last page.
July 20, 2023
The Stolen Child by Roberta Kagan appealed to me because it is about WWII. The story is about two sisters who choose different paths. Kara meets Abram and is drawn to him through forbidden books which he gives to her. She becomes pregnant, but they cannot marry because Abram is Jewish. She moves in with him and his mother becomes her great friend. Anka, her sister, marries a Nazi and the sisters become estranged. Their father was abusive to their mother and each sister. When Kristallnacht occurs, Kara must leave to protect her son. She goes to her sister and must keep secret the true parentage of her son. The book ends very abruptly and only then did I realize it was the first of a series of books. I would have preferred a softer ending as now I will have to read the next book, The Stolen Child and then A Web of Secrets.
September 15, 2021
Argh! The author has a way of sucking you into the story and then just....leaving you hanging! This is a follow-up to her first story, in what we can only assume will be a trilogy, following Kara as she searches for her son, Karl. The SS officer, Oskar, is by her side the entire time...but not necessarily ON her side. The book does a fantastic job of looking at different perspectives, showing the nuances of grey that impact our decision making, particularly in cases of trying times. We advance through a few years of the war during this installment, but it cuts off right at a crucial scene...leaving the reader going 'what happens next?!?!' My biggest complaint here is that I now have to wait several months to see how it all plays out...
March 16, 2022
Oh my what a read, so this is book 2 and it's just so heart breaking to read how things were some back then. The news was treated attrociosly and to think that the worst most evil officer of them al! Was now married to Kara, how could she be so nieve you want to scream at her while yr reading. A true love is just waiting to be pulled back together again. This book is a real page Turner. I do think though that at the end of seas rushed slightly it as of been nice to of found out more where abbriham was a litt!e bit sooner so as to not rush it all in right at the end, but this is still an amazing read and thank God there is a book 3, I was starting to panic thinking there was no time for a proper ending that this love/war/heartbreak story needs. Poor karah ...
November 10, 2021
The Stolen Child: Will He Be Found!
Part 2 of this series is intense as was Part 1. Despite the care given to protect young Karl, he and his father, Abram, vanished. His mother, Kara, searches for her only child throughout this book. Will she be able to find her beloved son?
Read this book to see the lengths she goes through to search for her lost son.
I reread part one of this trilogy yesterday to refresh my recollection of this story. Then I went on into this book and the author's intensity made it almost impossible to put the book down at all. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have to date. Now on to part 3!
Part 2 of this series is intense as was Part 1. Despite the care given to protect young Karl, he and his father, Abram, vanished. His mother, Kara, searches for her only child throughout this book. Will she be able to find her beloved son?
Read this book to see the lengths she goes through to search for her lost son.
I reread part one of this trilogy yesterday to refresh my recollection of this story. Then I went on into this book and the author's intensity made it almost impossible to put the book down at all. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have to date. Now on to part 3!
November 14, 2021
The second in a trilogy.. Kara was married to a Jew, she loved him dearly and they had a son Karl. He was taken away be the Nazi’s in the Second World War and send to a camp where he was tortured... Kara believed him dead.
An SS Officer Oskar fell in love with Kara, but the love was not returned. So Oskar devised a plan, unbeknownst to Kara, and kidnapped her son. He then gave her every assistance he could in her search for Karl hoping she would fall in love with him.
Did the plan work? You will have to read the book to find out. It is an interesting tale, one discovers that Oskar has dual personalities.
An SS Officer Oskar fell in love with Kara, but the love was not returned. So Oskar devised a plan, unbeknownst to Kara, and kidnapped her son. He then gave her every assistance he could in her search for Karl hoping she would fall in love with him.
Did the plan work? You will have to read the book to find out. It is an interesting tale, one discovers that Oskar has dual personalities.
February 22, 2022
My wife and I read this book together. We cannot praise this book enough, it is simply stunning. There is a perfect mix of historical insight, superb characterisation, gripping plot, romance, a will for survival against the odds and relationships based on necessity rather than true love. Karl, Kara's son is kidnapped from a polish nanny, making Kara frantic with concern for her child. Who has taken the infant? I will not reveal any more, but there are twists aplenty. Meanwhile Abram the father of Karl faces a daily struggle for survival ln a prison camp. Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in WW2 social history in Nazi Germany.
September 29, 2021
I was able to read and finish "The Stolen Child", by Roberta Kagan. The principal character, Kara, finds that her son Karl is missing. Little does she know the circumstances behind his disappearance. A Nazi officer, Oskar says he will help her find her son. I felt the author was very good at depicting the evil of N Germany . However, I had trouble with the up in the air ending. In addition, I felt Kara was incredibly naive about Oskar, the Nazi officer. I also couldn't understand her encouraging her evil sister into adopting a baby. For these reasons, I did not rate the book higher.
October 6, 2021
"The Stolen Child" is one of Roberta Kagan's very best. Kara and her young son, Karl led me through an emotional, terrifying, heart wrenching tour of the sickening world of National Germany and occupied Poland during the early 1940's.
A monster of unmatched cunning and cruelty orchestrates a kidnapping and alternatively romances and terrorizes a desperate young mother.
As are most of Ms. Kagan's stories, this one too is a "cliff hanger".
You will finish this book gasping for breath and clawing to get your hands on the final installment of this saga of Jewish life.
Well Done, Roberta!
A monster of unmatched cunning and cruelty orchestrates a kidnapping and alternatively romances and terrorizes a desperate young mother.
As are most of Ms. Kagan's stories, this one too is a "cliff hanger".
You will finish this book gasping for breath and clawing to get your hands on the final installment of this saga of Jewish life.
Well Done, Roberta!
October 20, 2021
This novel is the second book in a trilogy by Roberta Kagan. I really enjoyed it and now I have to go back and read the first one! Kara's son Karl is missing and she is desperate to find out what happened to him. Set during WWII, Oskar who is an SS officer vows to help her find him. But things are not what they seem to be and Kara is very naive about what is going on. This story shows how deceiving people can be to get what they want. My only complaint is that it has a very abrupt ending and now we have to wait for book 3!!
October 31, 2021
The Stolen Child is the 2nd book of the Sons Secret. It is a historical fiction.
I didn't read the 1st book of the series, although I didn't feel out of the loop, I do feel I may have missed certain pieces. However, I do feel you can read the book without the 1st one.
Although the book started of quite slow, it was written in a great way. It really made my opinions change on a certain individual couple times from like to absolute hate.
It did end in one interesting cliffhanger I do hope to see what happens next!!
Thank you to Netgalley and Roberta Kagan for the copy!!
I didn't read the 1st book of the series, although I didn't feel out of the loop, I do feel I may have missed certain pieces. However, I do feel you can read the book without the 1st one.
Although the book started of quite slow, it was written in a great way. It really made my opinions change on a certain individual couple times from like to absolute hate.
It did end in one interesting cliffhanger I do hope to see what happens next!!
Thank you to Netgalley and Roberta Kagan for the copy!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews