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Perilous Beautiful World
Not yet published
Expected 12 Jan 27“A compelling, deeply felt, and expertly researched story about the nature of evil and the very human price of fighting back against impossible odds. Fans of historical fictions will love this novel.”—Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author of The Women
An exquisite historical odyssey about three ordinary people ensnared in World War I’s chaotic aftermath. Though strangers at first, their fates will entwine indelibly in their life-or-death quests for refuge, family, and meaning.
Mathilde is a recently married young woman in a Russian shtetl south of Kyiv. Despite the ongoing hardships and violence, she is filled with hope for the life she is building with her new husband and prays the civil war roiling their country will soon end. But one afternoon a horrific event forces her from the only home she has ever known, and an epic journey begins.
In frigid northern Russia, Michael is an American soldier working as an interpreter and translator. Dismayed that the troops there, who should have gone home after the armistice, are now caught up in Russia’s civil war, he angers his superior officer and is sent to the front lines. He soon finds himself in a firefight that will propel him into dangers of a very different kind.
And on the embattled streets of Lvov, Poland, parentless children struggle to survive. Sunny, a young boy, is one of them. With no memory of his early life, he imagines that he is a prince separated from his royal parents. When he becomes untethered from the gang of kids who have been both his family and his protection for longer than he can remember, he must risk trusting someone new if he is to make it through what lies ahead.
Based on true events and the author’s family history, Perilous Beautiful World is a powerful, sweeping tale of courage, perseverance, and connection in a time when hope becomes the most perilous—yet necessary—act of all.
An exquisite historical odyssey about three ordinary people ensnared in World War I’s chaotic aftermath. Though strangers at first, their fates will entwine indelibly in their life-or-death quests for refuge, family, and meaning.
Mathilde is a recently married young woman in a Russian shtetl south of Kyiv. Despite the ongoing hardships and violence, she is filled with hope for the life she is building with her new husband and prays the civil war roiling their country will soon end. But one afternoon a horrific event forces her from the only home she has ever known, and an epic journey begins.
In frigid northern Russia, Michael is an American soldier working as an interpreter and translator. Dismayed that the troops there, who should have gone home after the armistice, are now caught up in Russia’s civil war, he angers his superior officer and is sent to the front lines. He soon finds himself in a firefight that will propel him into dangers of a very different kind.
And on the embattled streets of Lvov, Poland, parentless children struggle to survive. Sunny, a young boy, is one of them. With no memory of his early life, he imagines that he is a prince separated from his royal parents. When he becomes untethered from the gang of kids who have been both his family and his protection for longer than he can remember, he must risk trusting someone new if he is to make it through what lies ahead.
Based on true events and the author’s family history, Perilous Beautiful World is a powerful, sweeping tale of courage, perseverance, and connection in a time when hope becomes the most perilous—yet necessary—act of all.
448 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication January 12, 2027
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The impact of the Russian Revolution, brutal and heartbreaking and its aftermath is told through the stories of three captivating characters, all Jews, all enduring losses. Each of them had my heart from the minute I met them . Three alternating narratives until their fates converge in this extraordinary novel of history, heartbreak, resilience and hope . Mathilde loses everything in a few minutes of brutality changing her life forever. Nine year old and orphaned, Sunny had already lost everything when we meet him living on the street trying to survive. Michael an American soldier born in the same Polish town as the two, injured in a war he doesn’t belong in, does not yet know of all of his losses at the start. Once he does, he vows to help as many refugees as he can.
Therese Anne Fowler brilliantly weaves their stories together with a plot that unfolds keeping me on the edge of my seat at times . The inspiration was the author’s family, although the story is imagined. Historical fiction at its finest informing of the revolution, of the plight of those hoping to escape and the courage and kindness of those who helped them escape. It’s well researched and on my list of favorites for the year .
I received a copy of this book from Crown Publishing through NetGalley.
Therese Anne Fowler brilliantly weaves their stories together with a plot that unfolds keeping me on the edge of my seat at times . The inspiration was the author’s family, although the story is imagined. Historical fiction at its finest informing of the revolution, of the plight of those hoping to escape and the courage and kindness of those who helped them escape. It’s well researched and on my list of favorites for the year .
I received a copy of this book from Crown Publishing through NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The end of World War I did not bring peace to everyone. In western Russia, a brutal civil war, economic collapse, shifting borders, and relentless anti-Jewish pogroms created a world where survival was a daily struggle. Against this turbulent backdrop, Fowler tells the story of three embattled, desperate people who learn to survive and thrive: Michael, a Russian-American soldier left for dead; Sunny, a street orphan; and Mathilde, a Jewish woman repeatedly trapped in desperate circumstances.
This bleak, unsettling period of history shows the cruelty, injustice, and resilience of those caught in the chaos. It also shows hope and the kindness of others in times of need.
This bleak, unsettling period of history shows the cruelty, injustice, and resilience of those caught in the chaos. It also shows hope and the kindness of others in times of need.
September 16, 2026
Historical fiction lovers, add this to your TBR!
Perilous Beautiful World starts in Russia in the 1920s, with the memory of WWI still fresh and WWII on the horizon. Mathilde is newly married, living in a small, rural village with her husband, parents, and twin sister. After a horrific murder, she is forced to flee, doing her best to survive the civil war ravaging her country. Sunny is an orphan, living on the streets, until the kindness of a stranger changes his life in unimaginable ways. Michael is an American soldier, forced to the front lines of Russia's civil war, and forced to make decisions that could cost him his life. These three lives, seemingly unrelated, cross paths and take them on a journey across oceans, searching for a better life.
I really loved this book. The writing was great - it moved at a nice pace, giving the reader so much information about the dangers of the Bolsheviks, Russian history, and the plight of immigrants. Because the novel is told from all three viewpoints, I became so invested in the characters. All of them are forced to make decisions that would be unthinkable had war not been ravaging their country. The author balances the devastation and grief that the three main characters face, while also showing some beautiful moments of love, friendship, faith, parenting, and family ties.
My only complaint about the book was that there were places it dragged a little bit, especially in Mathilde's sections. There were a lot of secondary characters that the reader will need to remember as they are referenced later in the novel; it was hard for me to remember who was who, but I would say that's more a products of my age than any fault of the author (HA!)
Overall, 4.5 ⭐s rounded down. A really well done novel that will appeal to fans of Kristin Hannah, Kate Quinn, Pam Jenoff, and Kelly Rimmer.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for an advanced copy of this novel. It's scheduled to be published on January 12, 2027.
Perilous Beautiful World starts in Russia in the 1920s, with the memory of WWI still fresh and WWII on the horizon. Mathilde is newly married, living in a small, rural village with her husband, parents, and twin sister. After a horrific murder, she is forced to flee, doing her best to survive the civil war ravaging her country. Sunny is an orphan, living on the streets, until the kindness of a stranger changes his life in unimaginable ways. Michael is an American soldier, forced to the front lines of Russia's civil war, and forced to make decisions that could cost him his life. These three lives, seemingly unrelated, cross paths and take them on a journey across oceans, searching for a better life.
I really loved this book. The writing was great - it moved at a nice pace, giving the reader so much information about the dangers of the Bolsheviks, Russian history, and the plight of immigrants. Because the novel is told from all three viewpoints, I became so invested in the characters. All of them are forced to make decisions that would be unthinkable had war not been ravaging their country. The author balances the devastation and grief that the three main characters face, while also showing some beautiful moments of love, friendship, faith, parenting, and family ties.
My only complaint about the book was that there were places it dragged a little bit, especially in Mathilde's sections. There were a lot of secondary characters that the reader will need to remember as they are referenced later in the novel; it was hard for me to remember who was who, but I would say that's more a products of my age than any fault of the author (HA!)
Overall, 4.5 ⭐s rounded down. A really well done novel that will appeal to fans of Kristin Hannah, Kate Quinn, Pam Jenoff, and Kelly Rimmer.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for an advanced copy of this novel. It's scheduled to be published on January 12, 2027.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is quite the story that the author has pulled together from her own family history, research, and some imagination. It's not a short read and at times I wondered if it could be more concise. I felt impatient waiting for what was bound to happen with each character and how their paths would cross. There's a lot of interesting detail and all in all I enjoyed it quite a bit, and in fact could not put it down until I finished it.
If, like me, you have grandparents who most likely experienced the kinds of events that happened to Jews in Europe during this time period, you will no doubt find it of interest.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. A story that needed to be told!
If, like me, you have grandparents who most likely experienced the kinds of events that happened to Jews in Europe during this time period, you will no doubt find it of interest.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. A story that needed to be told!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Perilous Beautiful World is an incredible work of historical fiction that is set between WWI and WWII in Russia and the surrounding areas. The story is told in three viewpoints: Mathilde, a young married woman that has just discovered she is pregnant; Michael, a United States soldier that has not been recalled; and Sunny, an orphan that is living on the streets. Each story is beautifully told including the heartbreak, hard decisions, and untold strength each character displays until the story is woven into one. Readers will cry and rejoice with the characters and their struggles.
I knew going in that this would be a heavy book and it is; however, it is worth the read. Knowing that this is based off of past events and very well researched makes the story even more poingant. If you like books similar to The Nightingale, give this one a try.
I knew going in that this would be a heavy book and it is; however, it is worth the read. Knowing that this is based off of past events and very well researched makes the story even more poingant. If you like books similar to The Nightingale, give this one a try.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Actually 3.5...Having greatly enjoyed two of Therese Anne Fowler’s previous novels, A Good Neighborhood and A Well-Behaved Woman, I approached Perilous Beautiful Journey with considerable anticipation. And while I found myself immersed in much of this ambitious novel, I was also frustrated by it. The book is rich in historical detail and emotional resonance, yet it would have benefited enormously from more rigorous editing. Certain sections linger far longer than necessary, while others contribute little to the narrative’s momentum. At times, I found myself restless and impatient, eager for the story to move forward.
Fowler constructs the novel around three initially separate narratives whose connections emerge only gradually. The first takes us to the Russian shtetls of the 1920s, where Mathilde, a young and newly pregnant bride, is forced to flee her home after a horrific event and embark upon a journey marked by danger, loss, and extraordinary hardship. The second follows Sunny, an orphaned boy surviving among street gangs who, after becoming separated from the only community he knows, must learn to navigate a brutal world entirely on his own. The third centers on Michael, an American soldier serving as a translator and interpreter during the Russian Civil War, whose position ultimately brings him to the front lines and into intimate contact with the devastation and senselessness of war.
Although Fowler eventually draws these disparate threads together skillfully—if somewhat improbably—the greater strength of the novel lies not in the mechanics of its plot but in what these individual stories collectively reveal about war and survival. War here is not confined to armies, battlefields, or political causes. Its consequences radiate outward, destroying homes, separating families, displacing communities, and forcing ordinary people into circumstances they could never have imagined. Fowler is particularly effective in depicting the ways people fight back against forces far larger than themselves. Mathilde, Sunny, and Michael are each engaged in a different kind of battle: against violence, poverty, displacement, loneliness, fear, and the arbitrary cruelty of history.
In that sense, Perilous Beautiful Journey becomes less a conventional war story than a meditation on human endurance. Its characters are repeatedly confronted by seemingly insurmountable obstacles, yet they continue to improvise, adapt, and move forward. For the immigrant especially, freedom is never presented as something easily bestowed; it must be pursued through an almost unimaginable succession of losses, risks, bureaucratic hurdles, and acts of courage. The “beautiful” in this perilous journey is therefore hard-earned—the possibility of finding safety, belonging, and a future after experiencing a world determined to deny all three.
There is much here to admire, and I suspect many readers will be deeply moved by the novel, particularly when they discover that Fowler drew inspiration from a kernel of truth within her own family history. I only wish the book had been more disciplined and succinct. A tighter narrative would have allowed its most powerful themes—the devastation of war, the resilience of those caught in its path, and the extraordinary determination required to fight one’s way toward freedom—to emerge with even greater force.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.
Fowler constructs the novel around three initially separate narratives whose connections emerge only gradually. The first takes us to the Russian shtetls of the 1920s, where Mathilde, a young and newly pregnant bride, is forced to flee her home after a horrific event and embark upon a journey marked by danger, loss, and extraordinary hardship. The second follows Sunny, an orphaned boy surviving among street gangs who, after becoming separated from the only community he knows, must learn to navigate a brutal world entirely on his own. The third centers on Michael, an American soldier serving as a translator and interpreter during the Russian Civil War, whose position ultimately brings him to the front lines and into intimate contact with the devastation and senselessness of war.
Although Fowler eventually draws these disparate threads together skillfully—if somewhat improbably—the greater strength of the novel lies not in the mechanics of its plot but in what these individual stories collectively reveal about war and survival. War here is not confined to armies, battlefields, or political causes. Its consequences radiate outward, destroying homes, separating families, displacing communities, and forcing ordinary people into circumstances they could never have imagined. Fowler is particularly effective in depicting the ways people fight back against forces far larger than themselves. Mathilde, Sunny, and Michael are each engaged in a different kind of battle: against violence, poverty, displacement, loneliness, fear, and the arbitrary cruelty of history.
In that sense, Perilous Beautiful Journey becomes less a conventional war story than a meditation on human endurance. Its characters are repeatedly confronted by seemingly insurmountable obstacles, yet they continue to improvise, adapt, and move forward. For the immigrant especially, freedom is never presented as something easily bestowed; it must be pursued through an almost unimaginable succession of losses, risks, bureaucratic hurdles, and acts of courage. The “beautiful” in this perilous journey is therefore hard-earned—the possibility of finding safety, belonging, and a future after experiencing a world determined to deny all three.
There is much here to admire, and I suspect many readers will be deeply moved by the novel, particularly when they discover that Fowler drew inspiration from a kernel of truth within her own family history. I only wish the book had been more disciplined and succinct. A tighter narrative would have allowed its most powerful themes—the devastation of war, the resilience of those caught in its path, and the extraordinary determination required to fight one’s way toward freedom—to emerge with even greater force.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A sweeping, emotionally layered story about family, loss, identity, and resilience. The novel shows how history can take away your home, your family, your security, and your sense of identity, but it cannot take away the possibility of building a new life. Survival isn’t the end of the journey; it’s only the beginning. The characters must do more than survive violence and upheaval. They must figure out what comes next while rebuilding their identities, relationships, and sense of belonging.
Set in the turbulent years following World War I, the story follows three very different people whose lives begin in separate places and circumstances but eventually become connected. I really enjoyed how Fowler gives each character a distinct perspective on a world marked by violence, political upheaval, displacement, and uncertainty. Stories of losing everything familiar and trying to find safety is heartbreaking, an experiences as an American soldier caught in the Russian Civil War add another perspective on the complicated aftermath of war, and a parentless child surviving on the streets, his imagination and belief that he is a lost prince give him a sense of identity and hope when he has so little else.
What worked especially well for me was the way the novel explores the idea of home. I liked that the story doesn’t treat home as simply a physical place, but as something tied to identity, family, memory, and the complicated feelings we have toward where we come from.
The historical aspects are another standout for me. Fowler doesn’t treat the end of World War I as the end of the conflict; instead, she explores the instability, violence, and uncertainty that continued long afterward, particularly across Eastern Europe and Russia. The Russian Civil War, widespread displacement, immigration to America, and the poverty and homelessness left in the aftermath of war are all woven into the story, giving the novel a rich and compelling historical backdrop.
At it’s heart, Perilous Beautiful World is a story about ordinary people trying to make a life in extraordinary circumstances. It's heartbreaking at times, but there is also a persistent sense of hope running through the story. Despite everything they endure, the characters continue searching for connection, safety, and somewhere they can finally belong.
Overall, Perilous Beautiful World is a moving, immersive historical novel with memorable characters and a powerful message about resilience, family, and finding hope in even the most perilous of times. Beautiful, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful.
Set in the turbulent years following World War I, the story follows three very different people whose lives begin in separate places and circumstances but eventually become connected. I really enjoyed how Fowler gives each character a distinct perspective on a world marked by violence, political upheaval, displacement, and uncertainty. Stories of losing everything familiar and trying to find safety is heartbreaking, an experiences as an American soldier caught in the Russian Civil War add another perspective on the complicated aftermath of war, and a parentless child surviving on the streets, his imagination and belief that he is a lost prince give him a sense of identity and hope when he has so little else.
What worked especially well for me was the way the novel explores the idea of home. I liked that the story doesn’t treat home as simply a physical place, but as something tied to identity, family, memory, and the complicated feelings we have toward where we come from.
The historical aspects are another standout for me. Fowler doesn’t treat the end of World War I as the end of the conflict; instead, she explores the instability, violence, and uncertainty that continued long afterward, particularly across Eastern Europe and Russia. The Russian Civil War, widespread displacement, immigration to America, and the poverty and homelessness left in the aftermath of war are all woven into the story, giving the novel a rich and compelling historical backdrop.
At it’s heart, Perilous Beautiful World is a story about ordinary people trying to make a life in extraordinary circumstances. It's heartbreaking at times, but there is also a persistent sense of hope running through the story. Despite everything they endure, the characters continue searching for connection, safety, and somewhere they can finally belong.
Overall, Perilous Beautiful World is a moving, immersive historical novel with memorable characters and a powerful message about resilience, family, and finding hope in even the most perilous of times. Beautiful, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A heartbreakingly beautiful story of survival, resilience, and hope in the aftermath of war. Perilous Beautiful World takes us to Russia in the turbulent years following World War I, where violence, political upheaval, and anti-Jewish persecution leave countless lives shattered. Through the alternating perspectives of Mathilde, Michael, and Sunny, Therese Anne Fowler weaves together three compelling stories of loss, displacement, and the search for somewhere to belong. The historical detail was well-researched, and the reminder that the end of a war doesn't necessarily mean the end of suffering made this story all the more poignant.
This is definitely a heavy read, with moments of brutality and heartbreak balanced by unexpected kindness, love, and the resilience of the human spirit. I had to put this book down at times to sit with the story before returning to it. I especially appreciated the exploration of what it means to call somewhere home and how people rebuild their lives when everything familiar has been taken from them. It was a moving and thought-provoking historical novel that shines a light on a turbulent period of history that deserves to be remembered. Heartbreaking yet hopeful, this is a wonderful choice for fans of sweeping historical fiction who don't mind an emotional journey. Readers of Kristin Hannah and Diana Gabaldon should reach for this one. Find it on shelves January 12!
Thank you to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!
This is definitely a heavy read, with moments of brutality and heartbreak balanced by unexpected kindness, love, and the resilience of the human spirit. I had to put this book down at times to sit with the story before returning to it. I especially appreciated the exploration of what it means to call somewhere home and how people rebuild their lives when everything familiar has been taken from them. It was a moving and thought-provoking historical novel that shines a light on a turbulent period of history that deserves to be remembered. Heartbreaking yet hopeful, this is a wonderful choice for fans of sweeping historical fiction who don't mind an emotional journey. Readers of Kristin Hannah and Diana Gabaldon should reach for this one. Find it on shelves January 12!
Thank you to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I was captivated from the beginning of the book. It was like a beautiful, simple melody playing that suddenly turns into a dramatic melody, leaving you shook. As I read on, I could not help but fall in love with the three main characters built into the story. It moves smoothly from each one to the next throughout the story.The timeline is the aftermath of WWI. It was a time of violence, grief, hope, despair, faith, and survival. It was an unpredictable time and, even through all that they went through, they still found courage, hope, love, compassion, and strength to do what they had to do to survive.Five stars.Thank you, NetGalley and Crown Publishing, for the opportunity to read the early release ARC of Perilous Beautiful World in exchange for my honest review.
September 27, 2026
★★★☆☆ (3/5) — Perilous Beautiful World by Therese Anne Fowler
Set in the turbulent aftermath of World War I, Perilous Beautiful World follows three individuals whose lives are forever changed by war, violence, and displacement. Mathilde is a young newlywed forced to flee her home after a devastating tragedy, Michael is an American soldier caught in the chaos of the Russian Civil War, and Sunny is an orphaned boy struggling to survive on the streets of Poland. Their seemingly separate journeys eventually intertwine in a story about survival, resilience, and the search for a place to belong.
I have mixed feelings about this one. There’s no denying that Fowler has done her research, and the historical backdrop is both fascinating and heartbreaking. I appreciated the different perspectives and the way she explored a period of history that doesn’t always get as much attention in historical fiction.
That said, I struggled with the pacing. At times, the story felt unnecessarily drawn out, and I found myself more invested in certain characters than others. With three separate narratives, there were stretches where I was eager to get back to one storyline while having to work my way through another. For a book dealing with such devastating circumstances, I also expected to feel a stronger emotional connection to the characters than I ultimately did.
Overall, this was a worthwhile read with an interesting historical foundation, but it never quite became the unforgettable story I was hoping for. I can absolutely see historical fiction lovers enjoying it more than I did. For me, though, it was good, just not great.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Set in the turbulent aftermath of World War I, Perilous Beautiful World follows three individuals whose lives are forever changed by war, violence, and displacement. Mathilde is a young newlywed forced to flee her home after a devastating tragedy, Michael is an American soldier caught in the chaos of the Russian Civil War, and Sunny is an orphaned boy struggling to survive on the streets of Poland. Their seemingly separate journeys eventually intertwine in a story about survival, resilience, and the search for a place to belong.
I have mixed feelings about this one. There’s no denying that Fowler has done her research, and the historical backdrop is both fascinating and heartbreaking. I appreciated the different perspectives and the way she explored a period of history that doesn’t always get as much attention in historical fiction.
That said, I struggled with the pacing. At times, the story felt unnecessarily drawn out, and I found myself more invested in certain characters than others. With three separate narratives, there were stretches where I was eager to get back to one storyline while having to work my way through another. For a book dealing with such devastating circumstances, I also expected to feel a stronger emotional connection to the characters than I ultimately did.
Overall, this was a worthwhile read with an interesting historical foundation, but it never quite became the unforgettable story I was hoping for. I can absolutely see historical fiction lovers enjoying it more than I did. For me, though, it was good, just not great.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I’m tired out after reading this book, it was quite a journey, but means I was invested in the story and the characters! I enjoyed the historical aspects ans the author’s note at the end as well. The author was writing a personal story in a way about her own family history, which makes it special. I do think similar books have been written by other authors as well. 6.75/10.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you very much to NetGalley and Crown Publishing for the advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Therese Anne Fowler has truly outdone herself with Perilous Beautiful World. It the immersive, unforgettable story of Mathilde, Micheal and Sunny, three remarkable individuals whose hardships, sacrifices and resilience lead them to find one another. It is rare to find a novel of historical fiction set in WWI, but even rarer to find one that so beautifully balances devastating loss with intense joy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I'm giving this four stars because it's engaging and is well researched historical fiction. Strong character development as well. The ending just felt too tied up on a neat bow. I kinda wish there hadn't been a romance involved and she landed in Key West and made it on her own.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A gripping, heartbreaking yet hopeful story of human survival in the aftermath of WW1 in Europe.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Outstanding!! One of the best books that I've read in a while. I'll be searching for her other books to read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews