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Beneath the Edelweiss
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100 copies available
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From a poetic new voice in historical fiction comes a story of resistance, community, and survival set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Austrian Alps and the heartbreaking onset of World War II.
Growing up on a farm, high among the flowering slopes of Carinthia, Mitzi Hauser has never fit in—not even with her own family. At thirteen, she’s no taller than a six-year-old, and her peers’ taunts of “Witchy Mitzi” follow her everywhere. Thankfully, she has her loyal pup for comfort. And Oma, the grandmother who raised her.
But Oma, a gifted herbalist, won’t be around forever. She vows to pass on her knowledge before it’s too late, sharing her mysterious alpine remedies with Mitzi. With no marriage prospects, herbs may be her only path forward. Indeed, when resources grow tight, her resentful older sister sends Mitzi away to Talend to care for a grieving widower and his sickly young child.
In the town, against all odds, Mitzi’s life gradually blooms into something unexpected and she discovers she belongs. But when political violence and Nazi eugenics policies come to town, she’s forced to make a life-altering choice.
Growing up on a farm, high among the flowering slopes of Carinthia, Mitzi Hauser has never fit in—not even with her own family. At thirteen, she’s no taller than a six-year-old, and her peers’ taunts of “Witchy Mitzi” follow her everywhere. Thankfully, she has her loyal pup for comfort. And Oma, the grandmother who raised her.
But Oma, a gifted herbalist, won’t be around forever. She vows to pass on her knowledge before it’s too late, sharing her mysterious alpine remedies with Mitzi. With no marriage prospects, herbs may be her only path forward. Indeed, when resources grow tight, her resentful older sister sends Mitzi away to Talend to care for a grieving widower and his sickly young child.
In the town, against all odds, Mitzi’s life gradually blooms into something unexpected and she discovers she belongs. But when political violence and Nazi eugenics policies come to town, she’s forced to make a life-altering choice.
331 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication October 20, 2026
About the author
Elizabeth Noel
1 book9 followersElizabeth Noel has called many places home, including the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. She holds an MEd from the University of Exeter and an MLitt from the University of Saint Andrews and has taught at various universities in the UAE. Long-listed for both the Katherine Mansfield Sparkling Prose Competition and the Anthology Short Story Competition[EE1.1][en1.2], Elizabeth has published various short works. She lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and two daughters, on the land of the Gayemagal people within the Eora Nation.
As a child, Elizabeth made regular visits to see her Austrian grandmother, or Omi, who encouraged her to chew on fennel seeds, sip herbal teas, and rub strange-smelling creams onto her skin. The city of Vienna, Melk Abbey, and the mountains and glass-topped lakes of Carinthia captured her heart. Her debut, Beneath the Edelweiss and it's companion novel, Edelweiss Rising, forthcoming October 2027, is the result of years of questioning what happened to her grandparents and great-grandparents, piecing together a narrative of Carinthia’s complex and tragic past.
As a child, Elizabeth made regular visits to see her Austrian grandmother, or Omi, who encouraged her to chew on fennel seeds, sip herbal teas, and rub strange-smelling creams onto her skin. The city of Vienna, Melk Abbey, and the mountains and glass-topped lakes of Carinthia captured her heart. Her debut, Beneath the Edelweiss and it's companion novel, Edelweiss Rising, forthcoming October 2027, is the result of years of questioning what happened to her grandparents and great-grandparents, piecing together a narrative of Carinthia’s complex and tragic past.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 28, 2026
Beneath the Edelweiss does something genuinely rare with WWII historical fiction: it finds an angle that still feels fresh. Elizabeth Noel sets her story in Carinthia, a small district in pre-war Austria, and traces the slow, insidious creep of Nazism into the lives of ordinary farming people before the horrors of the war had fully revealed themselves. That vantage point, watching characters hope, dream, and misread what's coming because they simply don't yet know what it will become, gives the book an emotional charge that more familiar WWII narratives can't always reach.
The heart of the novel is Mitzi, introduced at thirteen but the size of a six-year-old, raised by her herbalist grandmother Omi on a farm and desperate, above all, to be loved and accepted by her sister Maud. When she's sent away to care for a widower's young daughter, Cvetka, the book finds its most tender material: Mitzi putting down new roots, discovering self-worth for the first time, and Cvetka herself blossoming across the novel in a way that makes her impossible not to root for. Watching that relationship develop is the book's quiet triumph.
Noel handles the historical material with real skill, never letting the politics overwhelm the human story. The details are what make it sing: the poverty and simplicity of rural Austrian life, the total absence of industrialization before the German occupation (no cars, no modern conveniences), and the specific, little-known role Carinthia played in the rise of Austrian fascism. It's the kind of history that surprises even well-read fans of the genre. The novel also engages thoughtfully with disability and difference, dwarfism and illness among them, and the constant struggle of characters to prove they can contribute to society on equal footing, a struggle made even harder by the era.
The prose is lyrical without being overwrought, and the immersion into these characters' daily lives, their hopes, their misconceptions, their small joys, is total. If there's a criticism, it's that the ending is loose, almost abrupt, clearly setting up a sequel rather than closing the story on its own terms. It left me wanting to know what becomes of Anton, Mitzi, and Cvetka. But that's a minor complaint for a debut this assured.
A beautifully crafted, deeply human novel, and a genuinely smashing debut. I'm already looking forward to the sequel.
The heart of the novel is Mitzi, introduced at thirteen but the size of a six-year-old, raised by her herbalist grandmother Omi on a farm and desperate, above all, to be loved and accepted by her sister Maud. When she's sent away to care for a widower's young daughter, Cvetka, the book finds its most tender material: Mitzi putting down new roots, discovering self-worth for the first time, and Cvetka herself blossoming across the novel in a way that makes her impossible not to root for. Watching that relationship develop is the book's quiet triumph.
Noel handles the historical material with real skill, never letting the politics overwhelm the human story. The details are what make it sing: the poverty and simplicity of rural Austrian life, the total absence of industrialization before the German occupation (no cars, no modern conveniences), and the specific, little-known role Carinthia played in the rise of Austrian fascism. It's the kind of history that surprises even well-read fans of the genre. The novel also engages thoughtfully with disability and difference, dwarfism and illness among them, and the constant struggle of characters to prove they can contribute to society on equal footing, a struggle made even harder by the era.
The prose is lyrical without being overwrought, and the immersion into these characters' daily lives, their hopes, their misconceptions, their small joys, is total. If there's a criticism, it's that the ending is loose, almost abrupt, clearly setting up a sequel rather than closing the story on its own terms. It left me wanting to know what becomes of Anton, Mitzi, and Cvetka. But that's a minor complaint for a debut this assured.
A beautifully crafted, deeply human novel, and a genuinely smashing debut. I'm already looking forward to the sequel.
Read
September 17, 2026Maybe a 3.5 actually.
I found the book a bit slow and hard to get into.
I did appreciate the author's goal of showing us ordinary people in Nazi era Austria and how the Nazi's gradually came in and convinced people they were a good thing. I also like that she based this story on her own family history.
The ending was a bit abrupt leaving us kind of hanging with the outcome of the main characters.
Thank you to Net Galley and Little A for my ARC.
I found the book a bit slow and hard to get into.
I did appreciate the author's goal of showing us ordinary people in Nazi era Austria and how the Nazi's gradually came in and convinced people they were a good thing. I also like that she based this story on her own family history.
The ending was a bit abrupt leaving us kind of hanging with the outcome of the main characters.
Thank you to Net Galley and Little A for my ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I cannot wait to read the second book in 12 months!! I loved this book. The depth of characters, the history of Austria in the lead up to WWII. The build-up to the outstanding end is intense. I don’t want to give anything away on the plot line, but I read it in one day, I just couldn’t wait to get to the next page.
Definitely read this book!! It also really makes me want to visit the mountains of Carinthia.
Definitely read this book!! It also really makes me want to visit the mountains of Carinthia.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Stories of World War 2 never grow stale. There’s always a new aspect that’s thrown up, despite it being so far in the past and that very few survivors remain.
This is why Elizabeth Noel’s story of the slow influence of Nazism on a small district of Austria, Carinthia, catches our imagination. Set against a pre-war backdrop, we are immersed in the lives of the characters and how Nazism made inroads into their lives. What really holds this beautifully crafted, lyrical historical fiction is the character of Mitzi. Mitzi is small, and we are introduced to her as a 13-year-old who is as tall as a six-year-old, brought up by her grandmother, Omi, a herbalist, who passes on her knowledge to Mitzi.
Mitzi’s main conflict is to be loved and accepted, especially by her sister Maud. Although her early life on the farm is far from perfect, she is torn away from all that is familiar as she’s sent to look after a widower’s six-year-old daughter, Cvetka. Here Mitzi finds she not only grows new roots but also feels accepted and develops a new self-worth.
But what happens when the tentacles of Nazism reach into their lives? You have to read this beautifully written book to find out. The historical background is never overwhelming, and we see how and why Austria became a part of the German federation. There are many interesting factors that are touched upon — the poverty, the hard and simple lives of the people, the lack of industrialization (no one had seen any cars until the German occupation), all this set against the beautiful backdrop of the Alps.
Although the story has a rather loose ending, ( I think this will be continued in Part 2), it still holds together as a wonderful glimpse into how things can change. And it also, more importantly, indirectly tells us that despite our physical differences, or our race or religion or even political outlook, we are all inherently the same, with the same human needs and desires.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.
This is a smashing debut from Elizabeth Noel. I can’t wait to read the sequel too.
This is why Elizabeth Noel’s story of the slow influence of Nazism on a small district of Austria, Carinthia, catches our imagination. Set against a pre-war backdrop, we are immersed in the lives of the characters and how Nazism made inroads into their lives. What really holds this beautifully crafted, lyrical historical fiction is the character of Mitzi. Mitzi is small, and we are introduced to her as a 13-year-old who is as tall as a six-year-old, brought up by her grandmother, Omi, a herbalist, who passes on her knowledge to Mitzi.
Mitzi’s main conflict is to be loved and accepted, especially by her sister Maud. Although her early life on the farm is far from perfect, she is torn away from all that is familiar as she’s sent to look after a widower’s six-year-old daughter, Cvetka. Here Mitzi finds she not only grows new roots but also feels accepted and develops a new self-worth.
But what happens when the tentacles of Nazism reach into their lives? You have to read this beautifully written book to find out. The historical background is never overwhelming, and we see how and why Austria became a part of the German federation. There are many interesting factors that are touched upon — the poverty, the hard and simple lives of the people, the lack of industrialization (no one had seen any cars until the German occupation), all this set against the beautiful backdrop of the Alps.
Although the story has a rather loose ending, ( I think this will be continued in Part 2), it still holds together as a wonderful glimpse into how things can change. And it also, more importantly, indirectly tells us that despite our physical differences, or our race or religion or even political outlook, we are all inherently the same, with the same human needs and desires.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.
This is a smashing debut from Elizabeth Noel. I can’t wait to read the sequel too.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Have you ever longed to feel the smell of alpine flowers, run through a forest field, or live on a farm in the mountains?
Beneath the Edelweiss is a story about family, looking for a sense of belonging, healing, love and loss, and the cruelty of the Nazi regime.
Mitzi is such a well-written character, I was very pleasantly surprised. It is rare to encounter such character development while still having preserved the complexity and vulnerability.
Her inner conflicts growing up as the youngest sibling of five, her early loss of family members, and longing for connection and love, feel so special and are masterfully conveyed. She encounters cruelty and judgement from a very young age because of her unusual appearance and secretly dreams to change but finds meaning in life through herbs, as her Oma teaches her herbalism.
Due to the difficult situation in Carinthia, Mitzi is sent away to care for Cvetka, Anton Plassnik’s sick child. Against all odds, Mitzi makes a difference and starts to feel as if she belongs.
The Nazi influence is getting stronger, causing the people to divide into opposing groups, the tension heightens. There’s no escape from Hitler’s power and Austria becomes a German state. People are taken away, disappearing into nothingness. Through Mitzi’s perspective, the propaganda and control isn’t presented as something inherently bad but later proves to be the cause of widespread tragedies.
The relationship dynamics between Anton and Mitzi left me wanting more. I might have fooled myself into believing it was a slow burn. Maybe it was?
A very strong debut from Elizabeth Noel.
[I acquired this copy through NetGalley and willingly wrote an honest review.]
Beneath the Edelweiss is a story about family, looking for a sense of belonging, healing, love and loss, and the cruelty of the Nazi regime.
Mitzi is such a well-written character, I was very pleasantly surprised. It is rare to encounter such character development while still having preserved the complexity and vulnerability.
Her inner conflicts growing up as the youngest sibling of five, her early loss of family members, and longing for connection and love, feel so special and are masterfully conveyed. She encounters cruelty and judgement from a very young age because of her unusual appearance and secretly dreams to change but finds meaning in life through herbs, as her Oma teaches her herbalism.
Due to the difficult situation in Carinthia, Mitzi is sent away to care for Cvetka, Anton Plassnik’s sick child. Against all odds, Mitzi makes a difference and starts to feel as if she belongs.
The Nazi influence is getting stronger, causing the people to divide into opposing groups, the tension heightens. There’s no escape from Hitler’s power and Austria becomes a German state. People are taken away, disappearing into nothingness. Through Mitzi’s perspective, the propaganda and control isn’t presented as something inherently bad but later proves to be the cause of widespread tragedies.
The relationship dynamics between Anton and Mitzi left me wanting more. I might have fooled myself into believing it was a slow burn. Maybe it was?
A very strong debut from Elizabeth Noel.
[I acquired this copy through NetGalley and willingly wrote an honest review.]
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A nuanced, moving treasure of a WWII-era story
Having read quite a lot of literature set around World War II, I didn't expect to be so completely surprised by Beneath The Edelweiss. By grounding the story in rural Austria prior to the war, Elizabeth Noel offers a location and political climate so specific and fresh that it brings an entirely new perspective to a familiar historical period.
The writing is beautiful, vivid, and evocative - the kind of treasure that slowly unfurls until it has you completely ensnared. Its poetic rhythm creates an atmosphere that draws you deeper into the setting and closer to the characters, while the historical elements are always humming just below the surface.
At its heart, this is a story driven by fully realized, three-dimensional characters contending with personal tragedies alongside an intensifying political climate. The narrative grows and matures alongside the protagonist, Mitzi, balancing rich character development with a plot that kept me constantly curious about what would happen next.
I read the book during an especially busy time, which normally has me distracted as a reader, but every time I picked it up I was instantly enveloped by the story. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for nuanced, character-driven historical fiction to get lost in.
It’s an impressive debut novel, and I’m looking forward to diving back into this world again with the next book mentioned in the author’s afterword.
Recommended for fans of All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.
(I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review)
Having read quite a lot of literature set around World War II, I didn't expect to be so completely surprised by Beneath The Edelweiss. By grounding the story in rural Austria prior to the war, Elizabeth Noel offers a location and political climate so specific and fresh that it brings an entirely new perspective to a familiar historical period.
The writing is beautiful, vivid, and evocative - the kind of treasure that slowly unfurls until it has you completely ensnared. Its poetic rhythm creates an atmosphere that draws you deeper into the setting and closer to the characters, while the historical elements are always humming just below the surface.
At its heart, this is a story driven by fully realized, three-dimensional characters contending with personal tragedies alongside an intensifying political climate. The narrative grows and matures alongside the protagonist, Mitzi, balancing rich character development with a plot that kept me constantly curious about what would happen next.
I read the book during an especially busy time, which normally has me distracted as a reader, but every time I picked it up I was instantly enveloped by the story. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for nuanced, character-driven historical fiction to get lost in.
It’s an impressive debut novel, and I’m looking forward to diving back into this world again with the next book mentioned in the author’s afterword.
Recommended for fans of All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.
(I received an advanced copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review)
July 17, 2026
Review of advanced copy received from NetGalley.
I absolutely loved this book.
The writing was gorgeous and so immersive that I could practically see the Austrian Alps the entire time I was reading. I love when a setting feels like a character in its own right, and that's exactly what happened here.
Mitzi was such a wonderful main character. Watching her grow and wrestle with everything happening around her made it impossible not to root for her. One of my favorite parts of the book was how it portrayed Austria in the early days of Hitler's rise to power. Instead of feeling one dimensional, you get to see the divide within these small mountain towns between the people who believed Hitler's promises, people who fiercely wanted Austria to remain independent, and those caught somewhere in between. Seeing Mitzi try to make sense of it all gave the story so much depth. This is one of those books that quietly pulls you in until you realize you don't want to leave its world.
My only complaint? I wanted more. The ending felt a little abrupt. I wasn't ready for the story to be over. I was immediately wondering what happened next, which is always a sign that I've become attached to the characters.
Overall, this was a beautiful historical fiction novel with rich characters, an unforgettable setting, and writing that really captures the reader. I'll definitely be buying a physical copy for my shelves when it's released.
I absolutely loved this book.
The writing was gorgeous and so immersive that I could practically see the Austrian Alps the entire time I was reading. I love when a setting feels like a character in its own right, and that's exactly what happened here.
Mitzi was such a wonderful main character. Watching her grow and wrestle with everything happening around her made it impossible not to root for her. One of my favorite parts of the book was how it portrayed Austria in the early days of Hitler's rise to power. Instead of feeling one dimensional, you get to see the divide within these small mountain towns between the people who believed Hitler's promises, people who fiercely wanted Austria to remain independent, and those caught somewhere in between. Seeing Mitzi try to make sense of it all gave the story so much depth. This is one of those books that quietly pulls you in until you realize you don't want to leave its world.
My only complaint? I wanted more. The ending felt a little abrupt. I wasn't ready for the story to be over. I was immediately wondering what happened next, which is always a sign that I've become attached to the characters.
Overall, this was a beautiful historical fiction novel with rich characters, an unforgettable setting, and writing that really captures the reader. I'll definitely be buying a physical copy for my shelves when it's released.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Beneath the Edelweiss gave me a WWII story I had not read before. Mitzi is a small, often-mocked girl growing up in Carinthia who learns alpine remedies from the grandmother who raised her, then carries that knowledge into a town where Nazi eugenic policies begin threatening people like her. The combination of herbal medicine, disability, and resistance gave the novel a perspective that felt genuinely different from the more familiar wartime stories.
I read a lot of historical fiction, so I always appreciate finding a setting or piece of history that sends me down a side rabbit hole afterward. The Carinthian Alps, Oma’s remedies, and Mitzi’s place in a society increasingly obsessed with deciding whose lives have value all gave me plenty to think about. Her move to Talend, where she cares for a widower and his sick child, also lets the book become about belonging as much as survival.
Mitzi is easy to care about because she starts from such an isolated place and gradually builds a life that feels like her own. Knowing that Elizabeth Noel drew on questions about her own Austrian family history also added another layer for me.
My sincere thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free advance review copy.
I read a lot of historical fiction, so I always appreciate finding a setting or piece of history that sends me down a side rabbit hole afterward. The Carinthian Alps, Oma’s remedies, and Mitzi’s place in a society increasingly obsessed with deciding whose lives have value all gave me plenty to think about. Her move to Talend, where she cares for a widower and his sick child, also lets the book become about belonging as much as survival.
Mitzi is easy to care about because she starts from such an isolated place and gradually builds a life that feels like her own. Knowing that Elizabeth Noel drew on questions about her own Austrian family history also added another layer for me.
My sincere thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free advance review copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A very good novel ! I was fully immersed in the characters' lives and was astonished by some historical events I knew nothing about! Starting between the two World Wars to end when WWII began, the storyline clearly shows life as a farmer, the influence of Germany and the rising of Nazism which gave hope to many Austrians. The reader witnesses what really happened in Carinthia, in the Austrian Alps which had a very specific role and place in the rising of the Fascists at the time in Austria: a few fascinating facts I had not known! The novel also shows what it meant to be different (nanism, illnesses such as diabetes) and the struggle to show that this should not be seen as a hindrance to live and work as anybody else. One can still contribute to society. Obviously, a very difficult concept in those days.
I could relate to the characters: their wishes, dreams, hope and their misconceptions about what actually Nazism involved. How could they?You did not know about the horrors yet. Reality had not set in, yet.
I highly recommend this well written and clever novel.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
I could relate to the characters: their wishes, dreams, hope and their misconceptions about what actually Nazism involved. How could they?You did not know about the horrors yet. Reality had not set in, yet.
I highly recommend this well written and clever novel.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Beneath the Edelweiss by Elizabeth Noel is a delightful read. I thoroughly enjoy reading historical fiction, especially from the time period surrounding the World Wars. I don't know that I've read a novel from this perspective in regard to World War II. The Austrian backdrop before Hitler's rise created a unique read. Cvetka was my favorite character. I loved seeing her character develop, like how a flower blooms, which I think is very appropriate for this book! As much as I enjoyed the book, it left me wanting more. The ending was abrupt, and I find myself wanting to know what became of Anton, Mitzi, and Cvetka.
Review of advance copy
What a stunning debut from Elizabeth Noel. Beneath the Edelweiss is a beautifully woven tale set in the Carinthian mountains following the journey of Mitzi, a lovable protagonist, and Austria pre-WWII. Though grounded in history, the novel flows smoothly, with each page pulling you deeper into Mitzi's life in Carinthia. Historical fiction can easily feel distant, but each scene is so vividly painted that the novel feels interactive, which is difficult to accomplish. I felt myself beside the characters as they lived, and grew very fond of them. I can't wait to read the second installment!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 27, 2026This was an engaging read and for another WWII historical fiction, presented events from a unique viewpoint. The main character, Mitzi, has dwarfism and this fact colors her worldview, how others view her, and the life paths open to her. Religion, economics, superstition and politics all flavor the motivations of each character and, at least, partially explain how Austria voted itself into a union with Germany. Very enjoyable, and also heartbreaking at times. Worth a read!
Read
August 31, 2026Excellent historical novel of the rise of Nazism in the Carinthia region of Austria. A engaging tale about complex people with complex motives.
My full review will be posted once it is published in the November 2026 Historical Novel review.
My full review will be posted once it is published in the November 2026 Historical Novel review.
September 22, 2026
I didn’t want it to end! The writing style makes it feel like you are treading along the forest floor carpeted in pink flowers along with the characters. Heavy subjects are intertwined with a story of love, family, curiosity and perseverance. I cannot wait for the 2nd book!
September 15, 2026
"An absolutely captivating page-turner that blends the grit of nonfiction with a complex, addictive plot. That cliffhanger has left me desperate for the sequel-I need to know what happens next!"
September 6, 2026
Early Review Copy
Every page was filled with suspense for me.
I need and want more of this
Most of the books and TV shows I’ve read or watched about Nazi Germany have focused on the perspective of Jewish people or those who risked their lives to help them. Mitsy’s story felt different to me. She’s an outsider to almost every “community,” trying to navigate a world that is rapidly changing as Hitler takes power.
It gave me a different perspective on what life was like during such a horrific time in history, and I found that really addictive.
Every page was filled with suspense for me.
I need and want more of this
Most of the books and TV shows I’ve read or watched about Nazi Germany have focused on the perspective of Jewish people or those who risked their lives to help them. Mitsy’s story felt different to me. She’s an outsider to almost every “community,” trying to navigate a world that is rapidly changing as Hitler takes power.
It gave me a different perspective on what life was like during such a horrific time in history, and I found that really addictive.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews