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The Cherry Harvest
A memorable coming-of-age story and love story, laced with suspense, which explores a hidden side of the home front during World War II, when German POWs were put to work in a Wisconsin farm community . . . with dark and unexpected consequences
The war has taken a toll on the Christiansen family. With food rationed and money scarce, Charlotte struggles to keep her family well fed. Her teenage daughter, Kate, raises rabbits to earn money for college and dreams of becoming a writer. Her husband, Thomas, struggles to keep the farm going while their son, and most of the other local men, are fighting in Europe.
When their upcoming cherry harvest is threatened, strong-willed Charlotte helps persuade local authorities to allow German war prisoners from a nearby camp to pick the fruit.
But when Thomas befriends one of the prisoners, a teacher named Karl, and invites him to tutor Kate, the implications of Charlotte’s decision become apparent—especially when she finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Karl. So busy are they with the prisoners that Charlotte and Thomas fail to see that Kate is becoming a young woman, with dreams and temptations of her own—including a secret romance with the son of a wealthy, war-profiteering senator. And when their beloved Ben returns home, bitter and injured, bearing an intense hatred of Germans, Charlotte’s secrets threaten to explode their world.
The war has taken a toll on the Christiansen family. With food rationed and money scarce, Charlotte struggles to keep her family well fed. Her teenage daughter, Kate, raises rabbits to earn money for college and dreams of becoming a writer. Her husband, Thomas, struggles to keep the farm going while their son, and most of the other local men, are fighting in Europe.
When their upcoming cherry harvest is threatened, strong-willed Charlotte helps persuade local authorities to allow German war prisoners from a nearby camp to pick the fruit.
But when Thomas befriends one of the prisoners, a teacher named Karl, and invites him to tutor Kate, the implications of Charlotte’s decision become apparent—especially when she finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Karl. So busy are they with the prisoners that Charlotte and Thomas fail to see that Kate is becoming a young woman, with dreams and temptations of her own—including a secret romance with the son of a wealthy, war-profiteering senator. And when their beloved Ben returns home, bitter and injured, bearing an intense hatred of Germans, Charlotte’s secrets threaten to explode their world.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 2, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 407 reviews
July 19, 2015
I won a copy from GoodReads First Reads.
So who knew there were Nazi POWs in Wisconsin during the Second World War? If I learned that anywhere, I had forgotten. And Northern Lights! The atmosphere and sense of place were what I enjoyed about this pretty little book, especially with the locale being a Door County farm community.
It's cherry picking time but all the workers are off to war. The previous year that meant no harvest and no income. So Charlotte and Thomas, the farmers, suggest bringing in POWs to help. Hard times make people do things they wouldn't ordinarily do, so I hope that explains some of the selfish ways displayed by Charlotte; but really there was more to it than that. And she appreciated neither the books that Thomas and their daughter Kate shared, nor the fact that Thomas lovingly recited poetry to her. It annoyed her, for goodness sake. So she annoyed me and it was hard to empathize. She has some experiences with some of the POWs, to say the least! The epilogue explains her and her actions a little better.
Thomas and Kate were likeable, and the war-wounded son Ben, but I really don't feel like I know any of them very well. In short, Thomas is a good man, Kate a teenager waiting for her freedom, and Ben is very troubled. 3.5 stars.
So who knew there were Nazi POWs in Wisconsin during the Second World War? If I learned that anywhere, I had forgotten. And Northern Lights! The atmosphere and sense of place were what I enjoyed about this pretty little book, especially with the locale being a Door County farm community.
It's cherry picking time but all the workers are off to war. The previous year that meant no harvest and no income. So Charlotte and Thomas, the farmers, suggest bringing in POWs to help. Hard times make people do things they wouldn't ordinarily do, so I hope that explains some of the selfish ways displayed by Charlotte; but really there was more to it than that. And she appreciated neither the books that Thomas and their daughter Kate shared, nor the fact that Thomas lovingly recited poetry to her. It annoyed her, for goodness sake. So she annoyed me and it was hard to empathize. She has some experiences with some of the POWs, to say the least! The epilogue explains her and her actions a little better.
Thomas and Kate were likeable, and the war-wounded son Ben, but I really don't feel like I know any of them very well. In short, Thomas is a good man, Kate a teenager waiting for her freedom, and Ben is very troubled. 3.5 stars.
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July 12, 2016Completely divided on this book for a number of reasons.
I liked the fact Charlotte was the adulterer, although I never liked her at all. Thomas was a solid character, I wish more was revealed and developed, he kept my attention when I wanted to close the cover and call it a day.
Charlotte didn't gain any points in my book, didn't like her or warm to her. She came across as cold, aloof, I felt a disconnect with her throughout the story. I never understood the attraction or draw between her and Karl, it was never expanded upon, all of a sudden it appears out of nowhere. Katie was far too immature and naive for her years. Her relationship with Clay was a complete waste of time, more filler than anything. PTSD and Ben's difficulties acclimating to home could have been more detailed along with sharing a stronger focus. The ending was completely predictable.
The narrative was far too busy for my taste, way to much going on with little explanation. The framework is there for a promising narrative, as is I felt cheated.
I would definitely read more from Sanna, she possesses creativity, with a need to declutter, sticking to a minimal of story lines and subplots, more character development, with all certitude her next project will be great.
For this and more reviews visit http://ravenhairedgirl.com
I liked the fact Charlotte was the adulterer, although I never liked her at all. Thomas was a solid character, I wish more was revealed and developed, he kept my attention when I wanted to close the cover and call it a day.
Charlotte didn't gain any points in my book, didn't like her or warm to her. She came across as cold, aloof, I felt a disconnect with her throughout the story. I never understood the attraction or draw between her and Karl, it was never expanded upon, all of a sudden it appears out of nowhere. Katie was far too immature and naive for her years. Her relationship with Clay was a complete waste of time, more filler than anything. PTSD and Ben's difficulties acclimating to home could have been more detailed along with sharing a stronger focus. The ending was completely predictable.
The narrative was far too busy for my taste, way to much going on with little explanation. The framework is there for a promising narrative, as is I felt cheated.
I would definitely read more from Sanna, she possesses creativity, with a need to declutter, sticking to a minimal of story lines and subplots, more character development, with all certitude her next project will be great.
For this and more reviews visit http://ravenhairedgirl.com
March 5, 2015
Rarely do I have the delicious opportunity and luxury to read almost non-stop as I did with Lucy Sanna's novel "The Cherry Harvest." It's the best way to read and allowed me to follow her memorable and conflicted characters without missing a beat, through a well-told and crafted story.
While war raged in Europe, on the Christiansen's Wisconsin cherry farm, without workers, Charlotte and Thomas worry that they will lose their harvest. Emotions are high, ripe for the sort of conflict that arises when German POWs are brought to work the land and pick the cherries. Everything that follows moves the story forward in a highly emotional and unpredictable way. It is in Charlotte's emotionally conflicted struggles that the book is most powerful, and in the intimate and beautifully written lovemaking scenes that it is most lyrical.
There is a secondary story about teenage daughter, Kate Christiansen, somewhat less satisfying to this reader, who meets the son of a senator in a somewhat F. Scott Fitzgerald setting, and struggles somewhat predictably with her sexual awakenings.
Both the family and this reader are once again brought back into Sanna's riveting story-telling when son and brother Ben returns from the battlefield. In a powerful and unexpected confrontation, we are witness to how war wounds us.
The Christiansen family and "The Cherry Harvest" stay with me, in their emotional and disturbing story of struggle and survival during a dark time in history. Sanna has created a very readable book for readers of all ages, which would easily lend itself to the Big Screen. You may also find yourself yearning for cherry pie!
P.S. I was given an Advanced Reader's copy.
While war raged in Europe, on the Christiansen's Wisconsin cherry farm, without workers, Charlotte and Thomas worry that they will lose their harvest. Emotions are high, ripe for the sort of conflict that arises when German POWs are brought to work the land and pick the cherries. Everything that follows moves the story forward in a highly emotional and unpredictable way. It is in Charlotte's emotionally conflicted struggles that the book is most powerful, and in the intimate and beautifully written lovemaking scenes that it is most lyrical.
There is a secondary story about teenage daughter, Kate Christiansen, somewhat less satisfying to this reader, who meets the son of a senator in a somewhat F. Scott Fitzgerald setting, and struggles somewhat predictably with her sexual awakenings.
Both the family and this reader are once again brought back into Sanna's riveting story-telling when son and brother Ben returns from the battlefield. In a powerful and unexpected confrontation, we are witness to how war wounds us.
The Christiansen family and "The Cherry Harvest" stay with me, in their emotional and disturbing story of struggle and survival during a dark time in history. Sanna has created a very readable book for readers of all ages, which would easily lend itself to the Big Screen. You may also find yourself yearning for cherry pie!
P.S. I was given an Advanced Reader's copy.
May 28, 2015
Original review can be found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...
I received an advanced readers copy from William Morrow via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
I love historical fiction particularly when the story takes place during either of the World Wars. This book takes on an angle that I have not read about before which says quite a bit because I have read more war stories than I can count. It takes place on American soil where German war prisoners were used to help with the farming community in Wisconsin.
The synopsis is fairly detailed so I won't get into re-telling the story instead I will discuss my thoughts starting with the plot...
There were many things going on in The Cherry Harvest. There were the POW's brought in to do the farming, difficult times with rationing, coming of age, young love, sex, infidelity and PTSD to name just a few. As interesting as each topic was I found myself wishing for more. It was almost like there were so many threads that each one was glossed over a little in order to fit them all in. The impact of each individual topic was lost or drowning a little because of everything else that was going on. You would also think that with so much going on, the story would move quickly. This was the case with the second half of the book but I found it sluggish and slow in the beginning. The second half was far better than the first to the point I had to stay up to finish it. I also have to comment on the amazing job of the author in describing farm life during that period.
I struggled slightly with the characters. For the life of me I could not warm up to Charlotte. She was the one who so strongly spoke in favour of having the POW's help with the farming but was resentful, unpleasant and scared once they were there. She was whiny and immature in my opinion. I also thought that Kate came across much younger than she actually was. Although I didn't dislike her as much as her mother I found her terribly naive for someone of her age. However, I really liked Thomas which made the storyline involving Karl a little hard to swallow. The storyline involving Karl and Charlotte was grossly underdeveloped so I never really felt the attraction or became invested in how it would play out.
Without giving anything away I do have to comment on the ending. Surprisingly I was very satisfied with how it ended and I think I would have felt a little let down if it had ended any other way. I did not see it ending the way it did but was quite pleased with it.
In the end I enjoyed reading The Cherry Harvest and thought that the bones were good and that there were a few golden moments within it. I look forward to reading more from Sanna.
I received an advanced readers copy from William Morrow via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
I love historical fiction particularly when the story takes place during either of the World Wars. This book takes on an angle that I have not read about before which says quite a bit because I have read more war stories than I can count. It takes place on American soil where German war prisoners were used to help with the farming community in Wisconsin.
The synopsis is fairly detailed so I won't get into re-telling the story instead I will discuss my thoughts starting with the plot...
There were many things going on in The Cherry Harvest. There were the POW's brought in to do the farming, difficult times with rationing, coming of age, young love, sex, infidelity and PTSD to name just a few. As interesting as each topic was I found myself wishing for more. It was almost like there were so many threads that each one was glossed over a little in order to fit them all in. The impact of each individual topic was lost or drowning a little because of everything else that was going on. You would also think that with so much going on, the story would move quickly. This was the case with the second half of the book but I found it sluggish and slow in the beginning. The second half was far better than the first to the point I had to stay up to finish it. I also have to comment on the amazing job of the author in describing farm life during that period.
I struggled slightly with the characters. For the life of me I could not warm up to Charlotte. She was the one who so strongly spoke in favour of having the POW's help with the farming but was resentful, unpleasant and scared once they were there. She was whiny and immature in my opinion. I also thought that Kate came across much younger than she actually was. Although I didn't dislike her as much as her mother I found her terribly naive for someone of her age. However, I really liked Thomas which made the storyline involving Karl a little hard to swallow. The storyline involving Karl and Charlotte was grossly underdeveloped so I never really felt the attraction or became invested in how it would play out.
Without giving anything away I do have to comment on the ending. Surprisingly I was very satisfied with how it ended and I think I would have felt a little let down if it had ended any other way. I did not see it ending the way it did but was quite pleased with it.
In the end I enjoyed reading The Cherry Harvest and thought that the bones were good and that there were a few golden moments within it. I look forward to reading more from Sanna.
January 19, 2016
This book has received many varied stars which I am puzzled about as I found this a powerful and compelling story about a family during World War II. I loved the setting, the characters and the fact that I was unable to do anything else until I had finished the book! Charlotte is a cherry farmer’s wife, Thomas her husband, Kate the daughter at home helping where she can but aiming for University and Ben the son off at war and to keep everything going the local farmers bring in Nazi POW’s to get the crops in. The emotion of having your son at war and bringing German’s onto the farm was intense and I felt deep down the conflicting sides……this book, for me, was a fantastic read.
June 19, 2015
Read this book IF:
You are 14-18 years old
You have not read very many novels
You enjoy grade-B Lifetime movies.
The serious reader will have this one figured out from the beginning. It should be classified under "Romance" not general fiction. Plodding story line and tedious characters.
You are 14-18 years old
You have not read very many novels
You enjoy grade-B Lifetime movies.
The serious reader will have this one figured out from the beginning. It should be classified under "Romance" not general fiction. Plodding story line and tedious characters.
February 5, 2020
”One day this will be over. But until then, we do what we must.”
A slow-burn but compulsively readable tale of love, family, loyalty, war, and the secrets we keep.
A slow-burn but compulsively readable tale of love, family, loyalty, war, and the secrets we keep.
October 28, 2024
This is a conflicting review to write. The author is a very good writer, but the content is not something I can recommend. I lost count of the open door scenes I had to skip. There is also some language in here as well as an affair which I hate reading about. One of my bigger complaints though is an ending where things seem to be open ended. Overall, this book was not for me and I cannot recommend it. I had a physical copy I found in a LFL that I am going to unhaul.
July 4, 2015
Every book has good and bad, so I'll start with speaking of the good. The author does a fantastic job of capturing, in the first chapter of the book, the basic makeup of her characters. She will add shades as the tale goes on but the basic elements of who they are is incredibly encapsulated in the opening pages.
Charlotte is butchering a rabbit at the start of the story. We know it is her daughter's rabbit, we know she had options. But she is determined to put a full meal on the table and that rabbit is how she can do it in a way that best suits her. The scene is a bit macabre and gruesome and that fits Charlotte so perfectly. We can tell from the start of the story that Charlotte is a selfish person who feels she knows whats best in whatever situation she finds herself in. We know from that first chapter that she is perfectly happy to bulldoze over everyone else to get what she wants. The author balances the scenario behind this scene so well - the killing, the mental justification for it and then the truth that comes out that selfish, selfish Charlotte doesn't stand behind the reason her daughter is saving the rabbits and the wonderful moment when the meal goes uneaten. We follow Charlotte to a meeting she is not meant to attend where she puts into motion the wheel that will eventually crush her.
The author managing to show us the end in the beginning, the way she painted her characters in a few swift strokes, just perfectly done. But the fact that she had us spend most of our book with not an interesting evil character or a deep horrible character but someone petty and selfish made this tale a chore to read. I was rooting for Charlotte's world to fall apart almost from page one, there was a certain satisfaction to seeing it happen but not enough to justify the page time spent with her. In the end, a book is more than the technical skill that the author exhibits. It's about capturing the reader and engaging them in your story, its about creating a character that stays with us long after we have closed the last page. Here, the plot is predictable, the character annoying. You are grateful to close the book and hope like heck you can forget it.
Charlotte is butchering a rabbit at the start of the story. We know it is her daughter's rabbit, we know she had options. But she is determined to put a full meal on the table and that rabbit is how she can do it in a way that best suits her. The scene is a bit macabre and gruesome and that fits Charlotte so perfectly. We can tell from the start of the story that Charlotte is a selfish person who feels she knows whats best in whatever situation she finds herself in. We know from that first chapter that she is perfectly happy to bulldoze over everyone else to get what she wants. The author balances the scenario behind this scene so well - the killing, the mental justification for it and then the truth that comes out that selfish, selfish Charlotte doesn't stand behind the reason her daughter is saving the rabbits and the wonderful moment when the meal goes uneaten. We follow Charlotte to a meeting she is not meant to attend where she puts into motion the wheel that will eventually crush her.
The author managing to show us the end in the beginning, the way she painted her characters in a few swift strokes, just perfectly done. But the fact that she had us spend most of our book with not an interesting evil character or a deep horrible character but someone petty and selfish made this tale a chore to read. I was rooting for Charlotte's world to fall apart almost from page one, there was a certain satisfaction to seeing it happen but not enough to justify the page time spent with her. In the end, a book is more than the technical skill that the author exhibits. It's about capturing the reader and engaging them in your story, its about creating a character that stays with us long after we have closed the last page. Here, the plot is predictable, the character annoying. You are grateful to close the book and hope like heck you can forget it.
January 19, 2016
While visiting Door County, Wisconsin, I went into a small bookstore on Washington Island. I was looking for something about the island; the store owner suggested that I read THE CHERRY HARVEST instead. She recommended it for its complexity and good writing. I am glad I listened to her. This is a novel that has stayed with me for several weeks.
The book is set in Door County during WWII when German POWs arrive to work the cherry harvest in place of the migrants who have gone to war. The presence of the enemy threatens the residents and their feelings of security and hatred for the enemy. The cherry growers are facing extinction and the use of the POWs is a last chance to keep the economic base of the county.
The book centers around a family of cherry growers who accept the service of the Germans. They must face a new morality and make decisions that aren't easy and that have long lasting consequences. And after they make these choices, nothing will be the same again.
This is a haunting book. I put it down wondering what choices I would have made. A good novel.
The book is set in Door County during WWII when German POWs arrive to work the cherry harvest in place of the migrants who have gone to war. The presence of the enemy threatens the residents and their feelings of security and hatred for the enemy. The cherry growers are facing extinction and the use of the POWs is a last chance to keep the economic base of the county.
The book centers around a family of cherry growers who accept the service of the Germans. They must face a new morality and make decisions that aren't easy and that have long lasting consequences. And after they make these choices, nothing will be the same again.
This is a haunting book. I put it down wondering what choices I would have made. A good novel.
September 2, 2015
The best two things about this book were the location, beautiful Door County in Wisconsin and the history lesson. I was not aware that German POWs of WWII were put to work in the cherry orchards to save the harvest. Other than the above I felt absolutely no connection to the characters and their sad situations. Charlotte, the wife and mother, was annoying as hell and Thomas, the husband, didn't have a clue. He was invisible to me. And Kate, the daughter, just a silly little girl caught up in love and fantasy. Ben , the son and brother, was nonexistent until the end of the book when he returned from the war. I thought the storyline good and really wish I could have been more emotionally involved.
October 23, 2020
Set in World War Two Wisconsin The Cherry Harvest gives the reader an insight into the difficulties of countries at war and not only at the front. The food shortages, the sending of a country's youth to a foreign conflict, the disruption to the work force and what it does to the psyche of the people, well described through the characters of conflicted Charlotte, stoic Thomas and youthful Kate. Though after following these characters through the upheaval of war unfortunately the surprising ending just didn't work for me which was a shame because otherwise a thoughtful and enjoyable read.
April 8, 2020
1.5
This was actually pretty boring! If she was trying to capture how mundane life on a Wisconsin farm was during the second world war, she definitely nailed it!
This was actually pretty boring! If she was trying to capture how mundane life on a Wisconsin farm was during the second world war, she definitely nailed it!
December 25, 2014
Powerful story about a family during World War II. Charlotte is a farmer's wife, living on a cheery orchard with her husband Thomas. Their daughter is anxious to leave and go to university, while Ben, their son, is fighting g in Italy. The orchard needs workers since most have signed up for the war effort. Bringing Nazi POWs to help local farms is at the bottom of this well written, engrossing story.
April 16, 2017
Probably actually 3.5 stars. The thing is, I really enjoyed 3/4 of the book and was for sure set to give it 4 stars. However, it all seemed to spiral out of control in the last 1/4 and I absolutely hated the ending.
I've been to Door County, Wisconsin, so for me, one of the highlights was reading about an area of the country I'v'e visited--it really is beautiful there. I kind of wonder if the lighthouse in the book is one of the ones I've been to?
I've been to Door County, Wisconsin, so for me, one of the highlights was reading about an area of the country I'v'e visited--it really is beautiful there. I kind of wonder if the lighthouse in the book is one of the ones I've been to?
June 26, 2015
This book had so much potential but just didn't do it for me. There wasn't enough of the war prisoners and too much of the main characters' shallow lives. I felt like the book couldn't decide if it was YA or romance or thriller. It should have stuck with one genre and went into more depth. And the ending? Ridiculous.
February 3, 2016
What a dumb plot progression. Only thing of value I found was learning about POW camps in the US during WW2. Please don't waste your time with this one.
May 8, 2023
Oofta.. that ending!! Overall kept me intrigued and had me doing my own research on the side. I did not know about the POW camps in Wisconsin during WWII! Looking forward to discussing this one further at book club.
January 16, 2016
Wisconsin: 1944. The United States is at war with Germany and Japan, and Charlotte and Thomas Christensen like many other American farmers are trying to bring in their harvests. With the young men overseas and migrants choosing wartime jobs; farmers are left wondering what they will do. When Charlotte manages to convince everyone to enlist the help of the German POWs lodged in a nearby Army camp, it's a decision that will have tremendous consequences.
One of our main protagonists is Charlotte, easily identified as the backbone of her family.Her husband, Thomas, is the idyllic dreamer who left the university to take over the family farm. We get a little sense that this decision had left him unfulfilled. Nonetheless, Thomas is an upright man with love for his children and devotion to his wife. Son Ben, fighting in Italy is the golden child or at least the apple of his mother's eye. While girlfriend, Josie looks longingly towards his return and their life together.
However, daughter Katie just might hold the future of her family's dreams. It is also during this time that she encounters her first love. Clay, a senator's son has foregone enlisting and attends college, but also soon finds himself in uniform. To me, I felt that Clay was the younger version of Thomas and a little foolish too. As an aside, his conversations with Katie felt odd to me.
Each chapter switches back and forth between the mother and daughter, both more similar than they are different. Both finding themselves, keeping secrets and meeting men that they probably shouldn't. I often felt when reading The Cherry Harvest that it was the grown up version of Summer of My German Soldier .
I enjoyed the writing and felt intrigued enough to read long into the wee morning hours. But I'm not really sure that I ever liked the characters. The ending accelerates and the epilogue left me with a strange sense of sadness and perhaps even a bit dissatisfied.
What worked for me was that Lucy Sanna really captures the sentiments expressed by average Americans ( well, all involved nations in WWII) at that time. Community loyalties were tested time and time again, and going against the stream was certainly frowned upon. An excellent example is when Josie labels Clay a coward for not fighting at the front line like Ben and the other boys.
In the coming months, I'm not sure that this book will linger in my memory as much as my recent WWII era read such as, Secrets of a Charmed Life, The Nightingale or All the Light We Cannot See. On the other hand, I have an absolutely unexplained desire despite my own feelings to recommend this book to others. Only because I need to discuss it with someone.
One of our main protagonists is Charlotte, easily identified as the backbone of her family.Her husband, Thomas, is the idyllic dreamer who left the university to take over the family farm. We get a little sense that this decision had left him unfulfilled. Nonetheless, Thomas is an upright man with love for his children and devotion to his wife. Son Ben, fighting in Italy is the golden child or at least the apple of his mother's eye. While girlfriend, Josie looks longingly towards his return and their life together.
However, daughter Katie just might hold the future of her family's dreams. It is also during this time that she encounters her first love. Clay, a senator's son has foregone enlisting and attends college, but also soon finds himself in uniform. To me, I felt that Clay was the younger version of Thomas and a little foolish too. As an aside, his conversations with Katie felt odd to me.
Each chapter switches back and forth between the mother and daughter, both more similar than they are different. Both finding themselves, keeping secrets and meeting men that they probably shouldn't. I often felt when reading The Cherry Harvest that it was the grown up version of Summer of My German Soldier .
I enjoyed the writing and felt intrigued enough to read long into the wee morning hours. But I'm not really sure that I ever liked the characters. The ending accelerates and the epilogue left me with a strange sense of sadness and perhaps even a bit dissatisfied.
What worked for me was that Lucy Sanna really captures the sentiments expressed by average Americans ( well, all involved nations in WWII) at that time. Community loyalties were tested time and time again, and going against the stream was certainly frowned upon. An excellent example is when Josie labels Clay a coward for not fighting at the front line like Ben and the other boys.
In the coming months, I'm not sure that this book will linger in my memory as much as my recent WWII era read such as, Secrets of a Charmed Life, The Nightingale or All the Light We Cannot See. On the other hand, I have an absolutely unexplained desire despite my own feelings to recommend this book to others. Only because I need to discuss it with someone.
June 4, 2015
I have read a lot of books that I gave 5 flowers/flowers too this year, but very few reached the wonderfulness that was The Cherry Harvest. If the cover doesn't pull you in, the story will.
The story revolves Charlotte and her daughter Kate and how their lives are changed when German POWs come to help with the harvesting.
From the start of the story, the reader can tell that Charlotte and Kate aren't a lovey dovey mother daughter pair. Though I can understand Charlotte's motive's at the beginning of the novel, she isn't a character that you can love, pity, yes, love, no.
Kate is her daughter getting ready for university. She's different from her mother, more bookish. She's like her father. She longs to get away from the farm to study literature and to write. She's much easier to like. She's smart and innocent all at the same time.
Another character that figures into the story is Josie, Kate's best friend and her brother Ben's girl. She's another character that isn't easy to like. She's a bit of a tart and more than a bit shallow.
The men in the story are much easier to like. Thomas is Charlotte's husband. He's smarter than he's given credit for. It is easy to see how he isn't suited to Charlotte even though they have been married for years. There's a scene early on with Kate when they go to a play and meet a woman that's a professor and friend who was obviously more than a friend to her father.
Somehow this relationship doesn't feel quite as bad as Charlotte's relationship with the Nazi, POW, Karl. There is so much trouble that results from this indiscretion.
I think I felt the most pity for Karl. Yes, he was the enemy, but he cared about Charlotte and did his best to protect her at a high cost.
Then there is Ben, the boy that went off to war. He was the life of the party sort, but comes back wounded and changed.
Lastly there's Clay, the wealthy senator's son who Kate falls in love with.
These characters intertwine and create a lush, beautiful story that is hard to put down. There's drama and a touch of romance and an awful lot of heartbreak.
It's not a happily ever after sort of story, and though that's what I usually look for in a great book, there's something about the heartbreaking end to this novel that made me love it. Maybe it is because it has aspects of real life to it.
This book is truly one of the best reads from 2015 and one that shouldn't be missed.
The story revolves Charlotte and her daughter Kate and how their lives are changed when German POWs come to help with the harvesting.
From the start of the story, the reader can tell that Charlotte and Kate aren't a lovey dovey mother daughter pair. Though I can understand Charlotte's motive's at the beginning of the novel, she isn't a character that you can love, pity, yes, love, no.
Kate is her daughter getting ready for university. She's different from her mother, more bookish. She's like her father. She longs to get away from the farm to study literature and to write. She's much easier to like. She's smart and innocent all at the same time.
Another character that figures into the story is Josie, Kate's best friend and her brother Ben's girl. She's another character that isn't easy to like. She's a bit of a tart and more than a bit shallow.
The men in the story are much easier to like. Thomas is Charlotte's husband. He's smarter than he's given credit for. It is easy to see how he isn't suited to Charlotte even though they have been married for years. There's a scene early on with Kate when they go to a play and meet a woman that's a professor and friend who was obviously more than a friend to her father.
Somehow this relationship doesn't feel quite as bad as Charlotte's relationship with the Nazi, POW, Karl. There is so much trouble that results from this indiscretion.
I think I felt the most pity for Karl. Yes, he was the enemy, but he cared about Charlotte and did his best to protect her at a high cost.
Then there is Ben, the boy that went off to war. He was the life of the party sort, but comes back wounded and changed.
Lastly there's Clay, the wealthy senator's son who Kate falls in love with.
These characters intertwine and create a lush, beautiful story that is hard to put down. There's drama and a touch of romance and an awful lot of heartbreak.
It's not a happily ever after sort of story, and though that's what I usually look for in a great book, there's something about the heartbreaking end to this novel that made me love it. Maybe it is because it has aspects of real life to it.
This book is truly one of the best reads from 2015 and one that shouldn't be missed.
June 2, 2015
In Door County, Wisconsin the war has taken its toll on the farming community. With all of the young men gone to fight and migrant workers finding better paying jobs, many of the farmers have missed their harvest. When the opportunity arises for German Prisoners of War to work on the farms, Charlotte Christiansen does not hesitate to take up the offer for her family’s cherry farm. When the prisoners arrive, however, she begins to have second thoughts: will her daughter Kate be safe? What about all of the dangerous tools around the farm? How can she allow the enemy in her home when her son is away fighting them? Her husband, Thomas takes an immediate liking to one of the prisoners, Karl, who speaks English. Karl is eventually allowed in the Christiansen home to tutor Kate in math. Karl is a good man, but not all of the Prisoners are. When tragedy strikes on the farm, the decisions made by the family turn out to have lasting effects.
This story intrigued me, based on the real Prisoner of War Camps in Door County, Wisconsin; there is plenty of opportunity for conflict both internal and external that is displayed throughout The Cherry Harvest. I was amazed to know that American families with boys fighting overseas really did have German prisoners helping them on their farms, like the Christiansen’s. The internal struggle that some of the characters faced with this fact was intriguing. I was engrossed reading about the experience that an American family faced while WWII was raging. Charlotte faced daily decisions about how to feed her family, Kate worried about paying to go to university, and Thomas worried about how to get gasoline for the tractor. Intense and well developed characters filled the story. Charlotte and Kate, the women, were the central figures of the story. With many men gone, they took on bigger roles. Charlotte was already a strong woman, but took on more decision making roles. Kate is just blooming into adulthood when the prisoners arrive and is left to discover a relationship on her own while her mother worries about the Prisoners and her own growing feelings for Karl. Suspense slowly builds in the story with the distrust of the Prisoners and provides quite unexpected ending. Overall, an engaging story of one families experience during World War II.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
This story intrigued me, based on the real Prisoner of War Camps in Door County, Wisconsin; there is plenty of opportunity for conflict both internal and external that is displayed throughout The Cherry Harvest. I was amazed to know that American families with boys fighting overseas really did have German prisoners helping them on their farms, like the Christiansen’s. The internal struggle that some of the characters faced with this fact was intriguing. I was engrossed reading about the experience that an American family faced while WWII was raging. Charlotte faced daily decisions about how to feed her family, Kate worried about paying to go to university, and Thomas worried about how to get gasoline for the tractor. Intense and well developed characters filled the story. Charlotte and Kate, the women, were the central figures of the story. With many men gone, they took on bigger roles. Charlotte was already a strong woman, but took on more decision making roles. Kate is just blooming into adulthood when the prisoners arrive and is left to discover a relationship on her own while her mother worries about the Prisoners and her own growing feelings for Karl. Suspense slowly builds in the story with the distrust of the Prisoners and provides quite unexpected ending. Overall, an engaging story of one families experience during World War II.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
April 21, 2015
I had high hopes for this title. German POWs in the States is a fascinating topic, and I dove into the book expecting an intriguing story. Well.... I had trouble liking any of the characters. Kate and her mother Charlotte are the two we get to know the most, and I found Kate a little too Mary Sue at times (yes, I will have a rich boy fall in love with my almost-drowned self and my farm girl self will totally fit in with his Fortune 500 life) and Charlotte could have been made a little more interesting with a little more detail. I would have loved to learn more about Thomas, the dad who had to leave college to take care of the farm. His story was more interesting to me. Really I just wanted more background, more information on all the characters. There just wasn't enough for me to really gain sympathy for any of them. And Karl seemed more of a fool than I think was warranted.
This story was worth reading for all the potential, but I just wasn't left satisfied.
This story was worth reading for all the potential, but I just wasn't left satisfied.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2020
Not at all recommended. The only reason i finished it was we were reading it for a book club. Turned out no one enjoyed it. My biggest complaint was the lack of historical detail and the fact it could have taken place about anywhere, so sparse were her descriptors. The whole love at first sight? I have too many other books to read. I wish i could have quit this at 50 pgs. It was just immature at times. Sorry.
January 21, 2025
Takes place in Door County, wisconsin near the end of WW2. I remember hearing of German PoWs being housed in Wisconsin and used for farm labor while the men were away.
Two main characters are Charlotte and Kate, mother and daughter. Charlotte is trying to feed her family and keep the farm going. Her husband is there, but character isn't well developed, kind of a dreamer whose original goals didn't include being a cherry farmer. Kate is seventeen, a smart hard working teen who dreams of going to college. Ben is the oldest child and is fighting in Italy. He is deeply missed.
Charlotte brings in German prisoners of War to work on the farm through the cherry harvest in order to save the farm. Non farming neighbors are against this.
Kate meets a rich summer resident, son of an Illinois senator. She tries to hide her humble upbringing to fit in with his friends, think Geek Girl.
Things don't end well.
Two main characters are Charlotte and Kate, mother and daughter. Charlotte is trying to feed her family and keep the farm going. Her husband is there, but character isn't well developed, kind of a dreamer whose original goals didn't include being a cherry farmer. Kate is seventeen, a smart hard working teen who dreams of going to college. Ben is the oldest child and is fighting in Italy. He is deeply missed.
Charlotte brings in German prisoners of War to work on the farm through the cherry harvest in order to save the farm. Non farming neighbors are against this.
Kate meets a rich summer resident, son of an Illinois senator. She tries to hide her humble upbringing to fit in with his friends, think Geek Girl.
Things don't end well.
July 9, 2015
This coming-of-age story is set in small farming community in Wisconsin. The war has taken a toll on the Christiansen family. With food rationed, and money scarce, Charlotte struggles to keep her family fed, often bartering for what she needs. Her teenage daughter Kate raises money to earn money for college. Charlotte's husband, Thomas, struggles to keep the cherry orchard going while their son Ben, is off fighting in Europe, and has to deal with a labor shortage also.
When their upcoming cherry harvest is threatened, strong-willed Charlotte helps persuade the county authorities to allow them to use German prisoners of war from a nearby camp to help pick the fruit.
But when Thomas befriends one of the POWs, a former teacher named Karl, and invites him to tutor Kate, it sets into motion a chain of events that will forever change all of their lives.
I have mixed feelings about this book; I liked the premise; it was an intriguing storyline, but at the same time, I just could not "warm up" to any of the main characters. Charlotte especially came across as cold and aloof, it was hard for me to feel any sympathy for her. I also did not care for a graphic description of a rabbit being butchered in the opening of the story (since it happens in the first 2 pages of the book, I don't consider this to be a "spoiler"); I understand the reasons for it, even though it's not something I approve of; I know many people were desperate and hungry at that time, but I think the graphic description of it was unnecessary.
Even though most of the characters were not likable, it was still a very interesting story, and the unexpected plot twists kept me reading. I do think this book would make a good movie though (minus the rabbit butchering, of course!)
I received a free hard cover copy of this book from Library Thing; even though it was not as good as I had expected it to be, I still appreciate being given the chance to review it.
When their upcoming cherry harvest is threatened, strong-willed Charlotte helps persuade the county authorities to allow them to use German prisoners of war from a nearby camp to help pick the fruit.
But when Thomas befriends one of the POWs, a former teacher named Karl, and invites him to tutor Kate, it sets into motion a chain of events that will forever change all of their lives.
I have mixed feelings about this book; I liked the premise; it was an intriguing storyline, but at the same time, I just could not "warm up" to any of the main characters. Charlotte especially came across as cold and aloof, it was hard for me to feel any sympathy for her. I also did not care for a graphic description of a rabbit being butchered in the opening of the story (since it happens in the first 2 pages of the book, I don't consider this to be a "spoiler"); I understand the reasons for it, even though it's not something I approve of; I know many people were desperate and hungry at that time, but I think the graphic description of it was unnecessary.
Even though most of the characters were not likable, it was still a very interesting story, and the unexpected plot twists kept me reading. I do think this book would make a good movie though (minus the rabbit butchering, of course!)
I received a free hard cover copy of this book from Library Thing; even though it was not as good as I had expected it to be, I still appreciate being given the chance to review it.
August 9, 2016
This could have--should have been so good. With the rich culture, history, geography, and traditions of Door County, the last years of World War II, and the famous cherry growing industry all part of the setting, this should have been literary gold. Instead we get all of this richness used as thin and barely there set dressing for a B movie/soap opera story with a predictable plot worthy mostly of a badly executed teen drama. A few mentions of Allied victories...a song on the radio by Bing Crosby or Frank Sinatra...some reference to sons of neighbors still in danger...that was pretty much it for the historical references. There was little detail about the cherry growing industry. There WAS the real and fascinating use of German POW's to help the orchard owners in working and harvesting the cherry harvest, but that was just used as more story fodder with those boys reduced to stereotypes with stereotypical story lines. Of course there was fear, terror, heartbreak, and suffering among the American families who worried and went without during this terrible time. I just don't think this particular group of characters (with just a couple of notable exceptions) were worthy or even interesting representatives of them.
December 16, 2019
I had a hard time rating this one. I liked the writing, it was well done. But I absolutely hated where it went 😭🙈. The idea of what I had in my head was not what played out on the pages. For the most part I liked Kate's character, it was a little cheesy here and there and a little instalovey... But overall I liked her and her father.
Charlotte's character is who really rubbed me the wrong way. The whole storyline just felt very forced and awkward. And then it just kept getting darker and darker. But I just wasn't feeling it.
SPOILERS AHEAD!
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I hated the cheating, and I hate the trope where everything could be solved if you just opened your mouth. I never felt bad for Charlotte, I was just angry with her for being stupid 🙈. Her character change was just so sudden and without reason and I couldn't stand the whole "woman is madly in love with her man because he's the only man she's known and then a stranger appears and now she feels an incessant burning desire to drop her panties". Gross. I really wished the story had taken a different turn.
Charlotte's character is who really rubbed me the wrong way. The whole storyline just felt very forced and awkward. And then it just kept getting darker and darker. But I just wasn't feeling it.
SPOILERS AHEAD!
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I hated the cheating, and I hate the trope where everything could be solved if you just opened your mouth. I never felt bad for Charlotte, I was just angry with her for being stupid 🙈. Her character change was just so sudden and without reason and I couldn't stand the whole "woman is madly in love with her man because he's the only man she's known and then a stranger appears and now she feels an incessant burning desire to drop her panties". Gross. I really wished the story had taken a different turn.
September 9, 2015
Rural Wisconsin: 1944. Town meeting. German POWs will be arriving in camps set up by the Army. Charlotte Christiansen suggests that the farmers in her county petition the Army for workers and these prisoners be set to work on the farmers' land to harvest their cherry and apple orchards. This novel sets out the effect these POWs have on the lives of the Christiansen family. Also, with the return of their son, Ben, badly injured in the war and full of bitterness and hatred, we see war's devastating psychological toll and its consequences.
The author has written a powerful novel about a close-knit family. Mother Charlotte and daughter Kate hold secrets that if revealed, would destroy the family.
Recommended.
The author has written a powerful novel about a close-knit family. Mother Charlotte and daughter Kate hold secrets that if revealed, would destroy the family.
Recommended.
September 17, 2017
What to even say on this one.
The actual prose were well written and the author does a fantastic job of building the world this story is set in. You can really get engulfed in the setting and see exactly what the characters see. That is what really kept me in this novel. The actual narrative on the other hand is a mess. There are several competing story lines that just don't mesh. And the relationships that build in this story are absolutely ridiculous, improbable, and their progressions are insanely fast. One character goes from absolutely despising a character to thinking about leaving her family for him. It just doesn't make sense and overall the entire plot was sloppy, trope, and predictable. The writing and world building saved this one from being a one star or DNF for me.
The actual prose were well written and the author does a fantastic job of building the world this story is set in. You can really get engulfed in the setting and see exactly what the characters see. That is what really kept me in this novel. The actual narrative on the other hand is a mess. There are several competing story lines that just don't mesh. And the relationships that build in this story are absolutely ridiculous, improbable, and their progressions are insanely fast. One character goes from absolutely despising a character to thinking about leaving her family for him. It just doesn't make sense and overall the entire plot was sloppy, trope, and predictable. The writing and world building saved this one from being a one star or DNF for me.
March 31, 2016
It was interesting to me and something I didn't know, that there were POW camps in Wisconsin during WWII, including Door County, my home. And really that was the only interesting thing about this novel. Too many sex details, violent/gory details and not enough 'getting to know the character' details. There was so much potential with a story like this, but I'm afraid it fell flat. I was disappointed.
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