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The Voyage
On May 13th 1939, five strangers boarded the MS St. Louis, Promised a future of safety away from Nazi Germany and Hitler’s third Reich unbeknownst to them they were about to embark upon a voyage built on secrets, lies, and treachery. Sacrifice, love, life, and death hung in the balance as each fought against fate but the voyage was just the beginning.
492 pages, Paperback
First published March 6, 2014
580 people are currently reading
1488 people want to read
About the author
Roberta Kagan
70 books636 followersI’m an American writer of Jewish and Romany decent. I write Historical Fiction and Historical Romance, most of which is set during the holocaust. Although I never discount the horrors of the time period, the main focus of my work is on ordinary people who prove to be strong heroic characters in unfathomable circumstances.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
November 19, 2015
HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL
This book is a microcosm of the people, events, and countries affected by the Holocaust. Yet, the author removed the victims' physical presence from the concentration camps but not from their memories, and not from their tales.
The overriding theme is hope--hope for jobs, warmth, food, water, and a new life. The twists and turns that occur are masterfully maneuvered, and the reader feels him/herself in the grip of gut-wrenching fear and heart-warming love. Expect the unexpected, since that is ever-present and manifested in many forms from many people.
Once again, the author must have done extensive research to come up with such detailed events of that infamous time in history.
It is difficult to put this book down!
Phyllis Eisenstadt
This book is a microcosm of the people, events, and countries affected by the Holocaust. Yet, the author removed the victims' physical presence from the concentration camps but not from their memories, and not from their tales.
The overriding theme is hope--hope for jobs, warmth, food, water, and a new life. The twists and turns that occur are masterfully maneuvered, and the reader feels him/herself in the grip of gut-wrenching fear and heart-warming love. Expect the unexpected, since that is ever-present and manifested in many forms from many people.
Once again, the author must have done extensive research to come up with such detailed events of that infamous time in history.
It is difficult to put this book down!
Phyllis Eisenstadt
October 29, 2015
I really wanted to love this novel set in World War 2, but there were several things that held me back. The story begins in 1939 as five strangers have boarded the MS St. Louis, a German ship leaving Hamburg on its way to Cuba.One of the five was a young man who had been released from Dachau and carried with him a load of survivor guilt. As he boarded, the author had him thinking about the Germans reputed to be using Zyklon B to murder the Jews. This immediately made me stop reading and do some googling. I was pretty sure that it was not in use for such purposes that early in the war and my findings on google backed that up. It really wasn't in use until 1942. This was a pretty glaring error which could be easily checked, and coming so close to the beginning of the book, it left me not totally trusting the contents of the story which was loosely based on a real expedition on board the M.S. St. Louis. The author also had a German soldier (one of the five main characters) giving mouth to mouth resuscitation to a drowning child. That got me googling too.Although there are descriptions of mouth to mouth going back to the Bible, it wasn't commonly taught or used until the 1950's.
The book itself really has three parts. The first part is set on the boat which travels to Cuba only to have most of the travellors refused entry. In this part we meet the five main characters, four of whom are Jewish and one German. The second part of the book details what happens to two of these people after they manage to leave the ship in China. Once their story is being told it is as if the other characters simply disappeared until the third part of the story where we get to hear what happens to The German sailor and the Jewish girl he fell in love with. WE never really find out what happens to the last character.
Within these sections there were some editing mistakes. The biggest was one char acter who was sometimes called Lieb and on the next page or two called Libe.
Over all I did enjoy the story, but I felt it needed more work to be truly polished. It did speak to me very much of the similar situations we face today as people leave Syria in boats trying to reach somewhere that will accept them and make them welcome. There is a lesson to be learned from that.
The book itself really has three parts. The first part is set on the boat which travels to Cuba only to have most of the travellors refused entry. In this part we meet the five main characters, four of whom are Jewish and one German. The second part of the book details what happens to two of these people after they manage to leave the ship in China. Once their story is being told it is as if the other characters simply disappeared until the third part of the story where we get to hear what happens to The German sailor and the Jewish girl he fell in love with. WE never really find out what happens to the last character.
Within these sections there were some editing mistakes. The biggest was one char acter who was sometimes called Lieb and on the next page or two called Libe.
Over all I did enjoy the story, but I felt it needed more work to be truly polished. It did speak to me very much of the similar situations we face today as people leave Syria in boats trying to reach somewhere that will accept them and make them welcome. There is a lesson to be learned from that.
November 18, 2014
I received a copy of this book, from the author, in exchange for an honest review.
I was very eager to read this book considering I've read two others by this author and really enjoyed them!
I have read many, many books about World War 2 and Hitler's quest to eliminate the entire Jewish population. THE VOYAGE did not disappoint. The characters featured were from various walks of life which kept them interesting. I'm ashamed to say I had never read anything about this attempt to transport Jews to Cuba... The events of this story kept me on the edge of my seat....nervous and wondering what was going to happen next! The author did an excellent job of keeping me captivated!
I was very thankful that we were included on the outcomes of the remaining featured passengers after the ship was docked.
A well-written, interesting and suspenseful story loaded with pertinent historical information. A must read for historical fiction lovers!
I was very eager to read this book considering I've read two others by this author and really enjoyed them!
I have read many, many books about World War 2 and Hitler's quest to eliminate the entire Jewish population. THE VOYAGE did not disappoint. The characters featured were from various walks of life which kept them interesting. I'm ashamed to say I had never read anything about this attempt to transport Jews to Cuba... The events of this story kept me on the edge of my seat....nervous and wondering what was going to happen next! The author did an excellent job of keeping me captivated!
I was very thankful that we were included on the outcomes of the remaining featured passengers after the ship was docked.
A well-written, interesting and suspenseful story loaded with pertinent historical information. A must read for historical fiction lovers!
November 6, 2015
Aside from the lack of editing, which can be remedied in future work, the novel was a disappointment. When I read the synopsis I was very excited as reading historical fiction of that time period is what interests me most.
This book was simply not written well. The entire novel was "this happened, then this happened. This happened next, then this happened."
There was no subtlety and very little character development.
I did read the entire novel and do not regret doing so. However, I'm sure there are better ones set in a similar time and place out there.
This book was simply not written well. The entire novel was "this happened, then this happened. This happened next, then this happened."
There was no subtlety and very little character development.
I did read the entire novel and do not regret doing so. However, I'm sure there are better ones set in a similar time and place out there.
August 2, 2015
This book really disappointed me. It's not a historical novel, which is why it validity my interest. Historical facts should be correct in my opinion, don't you agree? For instance, a person who joined the ARMY in 1941 would not have been stationed in Camp Pendleton, CA, which is a Marine Corps base and always has been. I dislike romance sagas, which is what this book is. This book also reads like a first or second draft and should not have been submitted for print. Missing words, words with duplicate first letters, half thoughts changed mid-sentence, misspellings and so on. Too bad.
This book really disappointed me. It's not a historical novel, which is why it validity my interest. Historical facts should be correct in my opinion, don't you agree? For instance, a person who joined the ARMY in 1941 would not have been stationed in Camp Pendleton, CA, which is a Marine Corps base and always has been. I dislike romance sagas, which is what this book is. This book also reads like a first or second draft and should not have been submitted for publication. Missing words, words with duplicate first letters, half thoughts changed mid-sentence, misspellings and so on. Too bad.
This book really disappointed me. It's not a historical novel, which is why it validity my interest. Historical facts should be correct in my opinion, don't you agree? For instance, a person who joined the ARMY in 1941 would not have been stationed in Camp Pendleton, CA, which is a Marine Corps base and always has been. I dislike romance sagas, which is what this book is. This book also reads like a first or second draft and should not have been submitted for publication. Missing words, words with duplicate first letters, half thoughts changed mid-sentence, misspellings and so on. Too bad.
November 30, 2015
I began this book expecting it to be another horrifying account of the concentration camps in WWII. Instead, I discovered a story about faith, family, love, forgiveness, and courage. This book left an imprint on my soul. The characters became real people, but in reality, they are all fictional, though the premise of this book and the tragedy of the MS St. Louis and her Jewish passengers fleeing wartorn Europe is very real. And the turning away of refugees, men, women, and children, by the United States government has been and is still a timely, horrible stain on our country's history pages. One I hope we do not continue to deal with. One I hope we have learned from. And one we desperately need to remember, this tragic lesson, so that we do not make the same mistake today. Right now there are human beings that need our kindness.
November 12, 2015
Ugh!
I find it hard to believe that this book has over 150 4.5-star reviews on Amazon. Really?
I usually love historical fiction, but not this one. Could this book be any worse? Could the prose be cheesier? I forced myself to finish the novel, but it really is terrible--one of the worst I've read, and I read a lot of books (60+ every year). There is literally at least one typo on every page (eBook version). Didn't the author edit, proofread, and rewrite? Didn't she have someone else look at it before publishing? The characters are shallow, selfish, and unsympathetic, and I experienced zero emotional investment in the outcome of the story. I could go on for days about all the things I disliked about this book. Suffice it to say I won't bother with anything else this author writes. Summary: don't waste your time or money.
I find it hard to believe that this book has over 150 4.5-star reviews on Amazon. Really?
I usually love historical fiction, but not this one. Could this book be any worse? Could the prose be cheesier? I forced myself to finish the novel, but it really is terrible--one of the worst I've read, and I read a lot of books (60+ every year). There is literally at least one typo on every page (eBook version). Didn't the author edit, proofread, and rewrite? Didn't she have someone else look at it before publishing? The characters are shallow, selfish, and unsympathetic, and I experienced zero emotional investment in the outcome of the story. I could go on for days about all the things I disliked about this book. Suffice it to say I won't bother with anything else this author writes. Summary: don't waste your time or money.
December 11, 2019
I enjoyed the way this book was written even though the POV style wasn't smooth or clear at times. The author made you feel a connection with the characters and did not shy away from difficult subjects. It reminded me in some ways of Sophie's Choice in the way that it was a tragically beautiful novel. I have not finished very many books in the past few years so the fact that I finished this one is a compliment to the author. I have always found the story of the German passenger ship full of Jews that the United States refused to help during the height of Nazi persecution quite fascinating and tragic. The author did a great job making me care about the passengers and identifying with their struggles.
November 12, 2017
I always enjoy reading about WWII! This one is a bit different from the ones I've read, since as it's not in the concentration camps or in Germany, still, I loved it. It was very well written and I loved the story, specially because it was based on true events. I highly recommend it to all❤️
May 26, 2015
Pretty engaging story, but what happened to the editing?
I enjoyed this book. I especially liked the way the author went back and told us the rest of the story about Viktor and Elkke. To me that was the most suspenseful part of the book. It was very interesting and it was well written. The story centered on mainly five different people,Jews, placed on a ship that was supposed to carry them to Cuba during Hitler's reign of terror. The ship, the US St. Luis was full of Russian soldiers but the Captain was American and cared very deeply for the Jewish people who were aboard his boat. The Jews were taken right to the Cuban shore but Hitler's propaganda caused The Cubans to not trust the Jewish people, so they were turned away. The Jewish people were terrified that they would be sent back to Germany. The story revolves around these five main characters and how Hitler and World War Two effected their lives. It makes you wonder how humanity can become so inhumane. This kind of story also makes you want to make certain that nothing like the Holocaust ever happens again. I do recommend this book to everyone. The grammar really should have been cleaned up though. I hope the author is aware of this and is conscientious enough to not allow the same mistake to be made when she publishes her next book.
I enjoyed this book. I especially liked the way the author went back and told us the rest of the story about Viktor and Elkke. To me that was the most suspenseful part of the book. It was very interesting and it was well written. The story centered on mainly five different people,Jews, placed on a ship that was supposed to carry them to Cuba during Hitler's reign of terror. The ship, the US St. Luis was full of Russian soldiers but the Captain was American and cared very deeply for the Jewish people who were aboard his boat. The Jews were taken right to the Cuban shore but Hitler's propaganda caused The Cubans to not trust the Jewish people, so they were turned away. The Jewish people were terrified that they would be sent back to Germany. The story revolves around these five main characters and how Hitler and World War Two effected their lives. It makes you wonder how humanity can become so inhumane. This kind of story also makes you want to make certain that nothing like the Holocaust ever happens again. I do recommend this book to everyone. The grammar really should have been cleaned up though. I hope the author is aware of this and is conscientious enough to not allow the same mistake to be made when she publishes her next book.
October 19, 2016
Interesting facts related to this book:
The MS St. Louis was a German ocean liner, sailing from Hamburg, most notable for a single voyage in 1939, in which its captain, Gustav Schröder, tried to find homes for 908 Jewish refugees from Germany. After they were denied entry to Cuba, Canada, and the United States, the refugees were finally accepted in various European countries, and historians have estimated that approximately a quarter of them died in death camps during World War II. The event was the subject of a 1974 book, Voyage of the Damned, by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan-Witts. It was adapted for a 1976 US film of the same title and a 1994 opera titled "St. Louis Blues" by Chiel Meijering.
After the war, Captain Gustav Schröder was awarded the Order of Merit by the Federal Republic of Germany. In 1993, Schröder was posthumously named as one of the Righteous among the Nations at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Israel.
The MS St. Louis was a German ocean liner, sailing from Hamburg, most notable for a single voyage in 1939, in which its captain, Gustav Schröder, tried to find homes for 908 Jewish refugees from Germany. After they were denied entry to Cuba, Canada, and the United States, the refugees were finally accepted in various European countries, and historians have estimated that approximately a quarter of them died in death camps during World War II. The event was the subject of a 1974 book, Voyage of the Damned, by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan-Witts. It was adapted for a 1976 US film of the same title and a 1994 opera titled "St. Louis Blues" by Chiel Meijering.
After the war, Captain Gustav Schröder was awarded the Order of Merit by the Federal Republic of Germany. In 1993, Schröder was posthumously named as one of the Righteous among the Nations at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Israel.
June 10, 2016
I cannot even believe that this book was written by the same author that wrote the All My Love, Detrick series. Those book were fabulous and all 5 star books, this one was horrible. The synopsis made it sound like an exciting historical novel about Jewish people fleeing Nazi Germany on a ship that turns out to be a disaster. It's basically a sappy romance book with a little bit of WWII thrown in. It's also quite distracting to wade through all the misspelling and grammatical errors. On the same page one character is first called Libe then Lieb then a few pages later she was back to being called Libe. I don't recommend this one, however I highly recommend All My Love, Detrick and the rest of that series because they were great.
November 28, 2015
I liked this book and recommend it to historical fiction readers. The book opens in 1939 on the cusp of WWII. The persecution of the Jews is told once again but from a slightly different angle. After arriving in Cuba as exiles from Europe, the main female character learns that they are to be killed in Cuba. She, and others who saw the handwriting on the wall, did make it to America and safety. The story is fascinating and cruel, and I find myself asking again how this could have happened. Your time will not be wasted reading this book. I did not like the first hundred pages, but thereafter the. book soared.
Thank you, Ms. Kagan, for a good read.
Thank you, Ms. Kagan, for a good read.
December 14, 2015
Jewish people paid to leave Nazi Germany, on a voyage of the MS St Louis, bound for Cuba to resettle. But Cuba would not let them come in. Captain Schroeder of the MS Saint Louis kept trying to find a place for the ship to dock. This is a story of Alex, Anna, Benny, Manny, Elke, and Viktor, a German.
October 24, 2016
I have always been interested in the hist.......
I especially enjoy reading about the Jewish people and their struggles for their identity in the world . They are very hard working and dedicated people. This is a very well written book and keeps you wondering what will happen next. Even with all the sadness, I am glad I read this book. Highly recommended.
I especially enjoy reading about the Jewish people and their struggles for their identity in the world . They are very hard working and dedicated people. This is a very well written book and keeps you wondering what will happen next. Even with all the sadness, I am glad I read this book. Highly recommended.
February 23, 2017
This is mainly a romance made up primarily of dialogue. I quit after about 100 pages. There just wasn't much happening. I find that when I can skip sometimes whole pages and not miss anything, there isn't much going on.
October 22, 2015
Poorly edited, which is unfortunate, because this was really a decent read.
May 9, 2016
Not Good!
I tried, but could not finish. Torturously slow moving with a poor plot. Turned into something not really holocaust related.
I tried, but could not finish. Torturously slow moving with a poor plot. Turned into something not really holocaust related.
November 11, 2016
Interesting story but I really did not care for her writing.
December 22, 2016
5/13/1939, under Captain Gustav Schroder (Nazi) the MS St. Louis (German ship) left Hamburg, Germany heading for Havana, Cuba.
The passengers aboard are: Alex Mittelman (22, Jewish, former Dachau concentration camp), Manny Silverman (26, Jewish), Anna Goldman, Samuel Siedlman (husband), Etta Siedlman (wife), George Dresden (husband), Ruth Dresden (wife), Abraham Rifkin (10, son), Michael Rifkin (husband/father), & Gloria Rifkin (wife/mother).
They all got to know one another & share their horror stories of the Holocaust.
Manny & Anna really hit it off.
Manny later introduced Anna to Alex (bunkmate).
Anna introduced Elke to Manny.
Viktor Hahn (Nazi officer) was trying his best to win Elke’s heart.
American Jewish Joint Distribution committee has contacted Cuba.
Anna had some bad news for Manny.
But what did he do about it?
Alex & Anna’s new life begins in Havana, Cuba.
Alex went to work for Raul Perez (cigar shop).
Anna Mittelman (Nee Goldman) went to work for Claudia (salon owner) as a manicurist.
Alex & Anna’s life would change again Anna had bought some Visa’s from Benita Garcia.
Aboard the St. Louis the 2 were headed to NYC (USA).
The Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island looked very appealing.
Manhattan, NY. Uncle Max Goldman, & Aunt Edith Goldman took them in.
Anna later lost the baby at the hospital.
Abe gave Alex a job as the building mgr. in Queens, NY.
1941, Anna found out the apartment building the 4 of them lived in had burned to the ground.
Alex enlisted in the USMC. He was headed for Camp Pendleton, CA.
Anna was going to school.
Grace Parker was interviewing Anna Mittelman for a job.
She was hired at Gimbel’s department store in lady’s apparel.
Anna later meets Benjamin “Benny” Lewis Berman (attorney at law, (union rep).
Anna received a letter from the US Army (45th. Infantry).
Benjamin had been murdered his body dumped in a alley.
Wera let Anna move in with her at the tenement.
Anna now worked at Sarah’s Gently-Used Fashions.
2/4/2009, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Café Europa, Rebecca Morgenstern (Jewish services director) introduced Anna as a guest speaker. Sepp Hahn was next.
A fabulous story, but I just can’t imagine a bunch of Krauts transporting some Heeb’s. Seems like they would have fed them to the sharks.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written historical fiction book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great WWII era historical fiction movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free daily free books; Amazon Digital Services LLC; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
The passengers aboard are: Alex Mittelman (22, Jewish, former Dachau concentration camp), Manny Silverman (26, Jewish), Anna Goldman, Samuel Siedlman (husband), Etta Siedlman (wife), George Dresden (husband), Ruth Dresden (wife), Abraham Rifkin (10, son), Michael Rifkin (husband/father), & Gloria Rifkin (wife/mother).
They all got to know one another & share their horror stories of the Holocaust.
Manny & Anna really hit it off.
Manny later introduced Anna to Alex (bunkmate).
Anna introduced Elke to Manny.
Viktor Hahn (Nazi officer) was trying his best to win Elke’s heart.
American Jewish Joint Distribution committee has contacted Cuba.
Anna had some bad news for Manny.
But what did he do about it?
Alex & Anna’s new life begins in Havana, Cuba.
Alex went to work for Raul Perez (cigar shop).
Anna Mittelman (Nee Goldman) went to work for Claudia (salon owner) as a manicurist.
Alex & Anna’s life would change again Anna had bought some Visa’s from Benita Garcia.
Aboard the St. Louis the 2 were headed to NYC (USA).
The Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island looked very appealing.
Manhattan, NY. Uncle Max Goldman, & Aunt Edith Goldman took them in.
Anna later lost the baby at the hospital.
Abe gave Alex a job as the building mgr. in Queens, NY.
1941, Anna found out the apartment building the 4 of them lived in had burned to the ground.
Alex enlisted in the USMC. He was headed for Camp Pendleton, CA.
Anna was going to school.
Grace Parker was interviewing Anna Mittelman for a job.
She was hired at Gimbel’s department store in lady’s apparel.
Anna later meets Benjamin “Benny” Lewis Berman (attorney at law, (union rep).
Anna received a letter from the US Army (45th. Infantry).
Benjamin had been murdered his body dumped in a alley.
Wera let Anna move in with her at the tenement.
Anna now worked at Sarah’s Gently-Used Fashions.
2/4/2009, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Café Europa, Rebecca Morgenstern (Jewish services director) introduced Anna as a guest speaker. Sepp Hahn was next.
A fabulous story, but I just can’t imagine a bunch of Krauts transporting some Heeb’s. Seems like they would have fed them to the sharks.
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written historical fiction book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great WWII era historical fiction movie, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free daily free books; Amazon Digital Services LLC; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
December 29, 2018
I consider myself to be fairly well read, but I keep coming across Holocaust survivor’s stories that I knew nothing about. This is not a story about someone surviving the concentration camps, but of Jews (at least 4 of them) getting out of Germany on the MS St. Louis. We are never told WHY the Germans let over 900 Jews buy their freedom, but in June 1939, they sailed to Cuba thinking that they would escape the horrors that they had only just begun to see. Alex, Anna, Manny, and Elke were among those Jews who were looking for a better life even if it meant starting completely over again and leaving family, friends, language and culture behind. They would be starting again with nothing, or at least next to nothing, they thought until they were denied entry from the Cuban government. Gustav Schroeder, the captain, made a promise to treat the Jews like he did any other passengers and he did so to the best of his ability. He wired the US hoping that they would have pity on these people, but it wasn’t to be and the same turned out to be true with Canada. A few Jews were able to go ashore in Cuba, while the majority had to go back to Great Britain, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium.
This story tells of how Anna and Alex made their way to Havana and then to New York and everything that they had to endure by starting over. I can’t imagine going through this even though their story is fictional. I know that many people have left everything to start lives over and it is beyond my comprehension how one would go about doing that.
Manny had his own secrets and demons to deal with, while Elke had met Viktor who fell in love with her, but they were headed toward dangerous territory in forbidden love.
I also wondered if any other survivors had shared their stories about being on this ship, and I want to find out more about this on known event in history, at least unknown to me.
This story tells of how Anna and Alex made their way to Havana and then to New York and everything that they had to endure by starting over. I can’t imagine going through this even though their story is fictional. I know that many people have left everything to start lives over and it is beyond my comprehension how one would go about doing that.
Manny had his own secrets and demons to deal with, while Elke had met Viktor who fell in love with her, but they were headed toward dangerous territory in forbidden love.
I also wondered if any other survivors had shared their stories about being on this ship, and I want to find out more about this on known event in history, at least unknown to me.
April 10, 2018
I read this on a Kindle as that's all I brought on an eight-day Rhine River cruise, so my reading choices were somewhat limited. The Voyage seemed an appropriate selection, after leaving Amsterdam and re-reading The Diary of Anne Frank, since the remainder of our trip would be in Germany until we reached Basel, Switzerland. However, while the premise and story of the MS St. Louis is interesting, the writing, characters and dialog showed little depth or development. Their motivations were never fully examined and some characters and plot threads were left dangling. I wanted to learn more about the "doomed voyage:" the reason Germany allowed over 900 Jews to leave, its captain, Gustav Schroeder, the reactions of the various countries they applied to, etc., but Kagan concentrates more on the fictional, bland romances between the passengers. This is not the book for readers interested in more in-depth explication about the MS St. Louis, although it provides some of the necessary background. I was especially troubled by the inclusion of a supposed conversation between Eleanor and Franklin Roosevelt on whether to allow the Jewish refugees asylum in the US. It was too short and random to have much significance, plus it was historically inaccurate. Pretty sure Eleanor sided with the refugees, not electoral political contingencies. That was definitely not her MO! This book was disappointing because it had the potential to be a much better historical novel than it was.
September 11, 2018
In all the books I have on Goodreads, I have three books shelved on my "could-not-finish" shelf. I tried and tried to get through this book, and the dispassionate understanding of what survivor's guilt really is, granted, because of the Holocaust, Survivor's Guilt really came to the forefront of understanding and study, bothered me so greatly. The three separate parts are really novellas more than parts of one book, with regrettably the omission of one character's story altogether, at least through Part 3, mid-way.
There are errors of historical fact, that are not easily forgiven even though this an historical fiction novel. There are poor editing errors--grammar and spellings. There is poor plot development, because characters are utterly omitted from one part or another, though they we are introduced to them together in Part One, the best and most interesting of the three.
I know that this text has four stars, but after 363 days, I just cannot go forward. I am almost finished with this text, but I just can't make myself continue. In addition, I won't be reading any more Kagan novels, regardless the number of people who recommend them to me; she's just not a strong writer.
There are errors of historical fact, that are not easily forgiven even though this an historical fiction novel. There are poor editing errors--grammar and spellings. There is poor plot development, because characters are utterly omitted from one part or another, though they we are introduced to them together in Part One, the best and most interesting of the three.
I know that this text has four stars, but after 363 days, I just cannot go forward. I am almost finished with this text, but I just can't make myself continue. In addition, I won't be reading any more Kagan novels, regardless the number of people who recommend them to me; she's just not a strong writer.
February 1, 2019
Comprei este ebook no Kindle há algum tempo, adoro ficção histórica, mas demorei a ler porque sempre me sinto desconfortável lendo textos ligados ao Holocausto. Mas nesta madrugada, esperando a energia voltar, minha única opção de leitura para passar o tempo era justamente o kindle, que estava com carga de 100% e não precisa de luz externa. Assim, resolvi ler este livro, e aprendi sobre um fato do qual eu nunca tinha ouvido falar: você sabia que um navio com centenas de judeus deixou a Alemanha em 1939, em direção à Cuba, e que, ao chegar lá, os passageiros não puderam desembarcar, e tiveram de voltar para a Europa? Eu tomei conhecimento deste fato lendo este livro, e recomendo muito sua leitura, pois a história não deve ser esquecida.
May 25, 2023
This was an amazing book and is based on a true event, the voyage of the MS St. Louis, a German ship that carried Jewish passengers from Germany to Cuba in 1932. The passengers has purchased visas and were supposed to be disembarking in Cuba to begin a new life there. However, once they arrived at the harbor in Cuba, they were refused entry. The United States also turned the ship away.
The book focuses on fictional characters who were on this voyage, Anna, Alex, Elke, Manny and Victor, who was a German sailor working on the ship. It tells their stories.
As with so many books which deal with the holocaust, the reader is reminded again of the horrors the Jewish people faced under Hitler.
The book focuses on fictional characters who were on this voyage, Anna, Alex, Elke, Manny and Victor, who was a German sailor working on the ship. It tells their stories.
As with so many books which deal with the holocaust, the reader is reminded again of the horrors the Jewish people faced under Hitler.
October 5, 2017
This is a fictional story of the voyage of the MS St. Louis that left Germany bound for Cuba in 1939 with Jews fleeing the Nazis. Denied landing, they traveled the coast of the United States until they were finally permitted to disembark in Belgium, Amsterdam, and England.
The Voyage describes the journey and the aftermath for four young people on that fateful trip.
At times, the language is awkward, as though spoken by non-English speakers, but it works. Told in many very short chapters (some less than one page long) it is filled with horror, love, and many other gripping emotions.
The Voyage describes the journey and the aftermath for four young people on that fateful trip.
At times, the language is awkward, as though spoken by non-English speakers, but it works. Told in many very short chapters (some less than one page long) it is filled with horror, love, and many other gripping emotions.
February 14, 2018
Emotion provoking!
This book most definitely provoked many emotions as I read it, even thought I could not put it down. I encourage to to read it as it is a testament to courage, strength and selfless spirt of human beings.To think that in spite of all the things these people suffered, how many perished, the evidence that exists and the survivors that still live. There are people that in this world that claim that this never happened. Uncanny how blind we can be when we are only focused on our selfishness.
This book most definitely provoked many emotions as I read it, even thought I could not put it down. I encourage to to read it as it is a testament to courage, strength and selfless spirt of human beings.To think that in spite of all the things these people suffered, how many perished, the evidence that exists and the survivors that still live. There are people that in this world that claim that this never happened. Uncanny how blind we can be when we are only focused on our selfishness.
April 16, 2018
This was a disappointing read, because the subject/premise held considerable potential. I read it on my Kindle since I was on a Rhine River cruise & that's all I brought with me for reading material. I also thought The Voyage would be a good follow-up to the Diary of Anne Frank, which I read earlier on the trip when we visited Amsterdam. While the history of the ship's doomed voyage and the actions of the captain were mostly accurate, the characters and dialogue were very one-dimensional. Kagan was more interested in their fictional romances than the political implications of the rejection of the MS St. Louis refugees by many countries, including the US. Especially ludicrous was the insertion of a supposed discussion of the topic between FDR & Eleanor, in which she counseled him to refuse them entry, to ameliorate the possible political repercussions. I'm fairly certain that was not Eleanor's MO at all; she often went out on a limb for the cause of human and civil rights regardless of politics. If you're looking for an explication of the journey and the consequences of the MS St. Louis and its refugees, this is not the book for you.
July 26, 2018
Great fiction
As you read this book you get the feeling that it is all true. Some of the experiences on the ship St Louis could very well have happened.
The part about the United States refusing let the ship dock is real.
The St Louis was full of Jewish people and antisemitic feelings ran deep at that time in the United States.
Life happens even if the time isn't right.
This book is a romance, a bit of history, the struggles of the Jewish people trying to live free from fear of being discriminated against.
As you read this book you get the feeling that it is all true. Some of the experiences on the ship St Louis could very well have happened.
The part about the United States refusing let the ship dock is real.
The St Louis was full of Jewish people and antisemitic feelings ran deep at that time in the United States.
Life happens even if the time isn't right.
This book is a romance, a bit of history, the struggles of the Jewish people trying to live free from fear of being discriminated against.
May 18, 2020
Often sad but heartwarming tale of the struggle of a young Jewish couple escaping Nazi Germany. They meet on a ship bound for freedom in Cuba - but can the Nazi's be trusted? Is this a voyage to death or a return to the horrors back in Germany?
The characters fight to keep hope but events frequently interfere. They make it to Cuba but know no one there and have no money. How will they survive? Free from the Nazis? Maybe but even in Cuba there is hatred for the Jews.
The novel follows the couple over several years that show their determination and courage to survive.
The characters fight to keep hope but events frequently interfere. They make it to Cuba but know no one there and have no money. How will they survive? Free from the Nazis? Maybe but even in Cuba there is hatred for the Jews.
The novel follows the couple over several years that show their determination and courage to survive.
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