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Rosa's Gold
Nicole Sutton’s world has been turned upside down. Sixteen and suffering the fallout of a devastating family tragedy, she is forced to move away from her London home to the quiet town of Henley—and a new life she never wanted nor expected.
In the dusty cellar of her strange new house, Nicole stumbles upon a worn old journal left behind by a previous occupant. Inside, through the eyes of a soldier named Mac, she finds herself drawn into a brutally honest memoir of the horrors of war and Auschwitz—and of the life and love Mac had to leave behind.
The more Nicole reads, the more she is able to make sense of her own troubles. Because Mac’s story is so much more than a it is the story of a family fighting for survival in the darkest days of humanity, of hope in the face of persecution. And then there’s the buried gold…
Revised This edition of Rosa's Gold includes editorial revisions.
In the dusty cellar of her strange new house, Nicole stumbles upon a worn old journal left behind by a previous occupant. Inside, through the eyes of a soldier named Mac, she finds herself drawn into a brutally honest memoir of the horrors of war and Auschwitz—and of the life and love Mac had to leave behind.
The more Nicole reads, the more she is able to make sense of her own troubles. Because Mac’s story is so much more than a it is the story of a family fighting for survival in the darkest days of humanity, of hope in the face of persecution. And then there’s the buried gold…
Revised This edition of Rosa's Gold includes editorial revisions.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 6, 2014
771 people are currently reading
1161 people want to read
About the author
Ray Kingfisher
11 books165 followersI've written stories in a few different genres, but my historical novels are the most successful to date.
My latest release is Three Tales from Vienna , an epic story spanning a century and three generations of an ordinary Viennese family as seen through the eyes of three sisters.
The three 'Holocaust Echoes' novels: The Sugar Men , Rosa's Gold and Beyond the Shadow of Night depict the long lasting effects of the Holocaust.
Then came a sideways step in the shape of Under Darkening Skies . Set in Norway during the German occupation, this is a story of how the Lebensborn program left an equally serious legacy for many ordinary people.
An Ocean Between Us is a Historical Romance set in the Republic of Ireland during WWII, and was released under the pen name Rachel Quinn.
Matchbox Memories is a gentle comic drama, and Tales of Loss and Guilt is a diverse collection of early works short stories, which is a pretty representative mix of what I like to write.
I have also written a few gritty thrillers: The Salamanca Sheiks , The Ice Line , Never Be Safe , Slow Burning Lies (all novels), and Bad and Badder (5 short stories) under the pen name Ray Backley , and also a few silly (and, I guess, very British) comedies as Ray Fripp , most notably I, Smith (co-written with Harry Dewulf) and Easy Money .
I live in Hampshire in the UK, and I love to hear from readers. If you want to know more about me, please take a look at www.raykingfisher.com, or email me at raykingfisher@gmail.com, or even just send a Goodreads message.
My latest release is Three Tales from Vienna , an epic story spanning a century and three generations of an ordinary Viennese family as seen through the eyes of three sisters.
The three 'Holocaust Echoes' novels: The Sugar Men , Rosa's Gold and Beyond the Shadow of Night depict the long lasting effects of the Holocaust.
Then came a sideways step in the shape of Under Darkening Skies . Set in Norway during the German occupation, this is a story of how the Lebensborn program left an equally serious legacy for many ordinary people.
An Ocean Between Us is a Historical Romance set in the Republic of Ireland during WWII, and was released under the pen name Rachel Quinn.
Matchbox Memories is a gentle comic drama, and Tales of Loss and Guilt is a diverse collection of early works short stories, which is a pretty representative mix of what I like to write.
I have also written a few gritty thrillers: The Salamanca Sheiks , The Ice Line , Never Be Safe , Slow Burning Lies (all novels), and Bad and Badder (5 short stories) under the pen name Ray Backley , and also a few silly (and, I guess, very British) comedies as Ray Fripp , most notably I, Smith (co-written with Harry Dewulf) and Easy Money .
I live in Hampshire in the UK, and I love to hear from readers. If you want to know more about me, please take a look at www.raykingfisher.com, or email me at raykingfisher@gmail.com, or even just send a Goodreads message.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
October 25, 2015
RESCUED MEMORIES
“Rosa’s Gold” was so well-written that although the reader learns about the cruel, inhuman, sadistic events of the Holocaust, moments of tenderness and love emerge in many ways. Every other chapter is narrated either by Nicole or by Mac, and this technique is crafted so seamlessly that the reader can follow it easily.
Due to the dysfunction of her mother and father‘s marriage, Nicole and her mother separated themselves from the father and lived in an old farmhouse. In the basement, Nicole had discovered a journal written by Mac, who was unfortunately caught up as an innocent victim of the Holocaust. Although the mother was not interested in learning about Mac’s life, Nicole, on the other hand, was obsessed with it.
Past and present merge so masterfully and cohesively that the reader is smoothly guided through both time periods without ever losing track of events, characters, time, or place.
Having read and written reviews of numerous Holocaust novels, I can state with certainty that this is one of the finest of its kind. It is the kind of book you recommend to friends and family.
Five stars for sure!
Phyllis Eisenstadt
“Rosa’s Gold” was so well-written that although the reader learns about the cruel, inhuman, sadistic events of the Holocaust, moments of tenderness and love emerge in many ways. Every other chapter is narrated either by Nicole or by Mac, and this technique is crafted so seamlessly that the reader can follow it easily.
Due to the dysfunction of her mother and father‘s marriage, Nicole and her mother separated themselves from the father and lived in an old farmhouse. In the basement, Nicole had discovered a journal written by Mac, who was unfortunately caught up as an innocent victim of the Holocaust. Although the mother was not interested in learning about Mac’s life, Nicole, on the other hand, was obsessed with it.
Past and present merge so masterfully and cohesively that the reader is smoothly guided through both time periods without ever losing track of events, characters, time, or place.
Having read and written reviews of numerous Holocaust novels, I can state with certainty that this is one of the finest of its kind. It is the kind of book you recommend to friends and family.
Five stars for sure!
Phyllis Eisenstadt
February 7, 2017
LOSS, ACCEPTANCE, CLOSURE,
A young girl finds a notebook in the cellar of the new home she shares with her mother, a home she'd prefer not to live in. At seventeen, she feels like her life is falling apart. When she discovers the notebook of a British WWII soldier named Mac, Nicole begins to see her life with different perspective.
The story takes place in past and present. While I never have a problem with this concept, I had a difficult time caring for and connecting with the present-day storyline. Compared to Mac's daily fight to survive as a prisoner of war in Auschwitz, the problems of the present-day protagonist seemed insignificant. Besides finding the notebook, the correlation between the two stories appeared to be a weak link. When the storyline culminates into one it was too convenient and entirely too neat. The ah-ha moment that ties everything together is just ok. Of course, it's difficult to compare the life of a WWII POW to that of a seventeen year old girl who's parents are separated. And, I don't even want to get started on the girl's mother. Very shallow.
Now, here's what I did like about this book. Mac's story was heartbreaking and riveting. Kingfisher writes an excellent tale for Mac. As Mac writes his memoir, he recounts his time spent with Rosa in Italy and the harrowing days of life in Auschwitz. I would've liked for Kingfisher to spend a bit more time in Italy with Rosa and her parents. There was so much more there! Overall, I liked this book. If you're a fan of Holocaust stories this may be well received. I'm just not certain I would recommend this to others. A+ for Mac's version of things. I'm on the fence about the girl's (Nicole) involvement.
*Received two different copies of this book, one a signed copy from Ray Kingfisher. I won the second copy, a digital review copy, through a Goodreads giveaway. Both copies are appreciated. I've given an unbiased review based on my own thoughts.
A young girl finds a notebook in the cellar of the new home she shares with her mother, a home she'd prefer not to live in. At seventeen, she feels like her life is falling apart. When she discovers the notebook of a British WWII soldier named Mac, Nicole begins to see her life with different perspective.
The story takes place in past and present. While I never have a problem with this concept, I had a difficult time caring for and connecting with the present-day storyline. Compared to Mac's daily fight to survive as a prisoner of war in Auschwitz, the problems of the present-day protagonist seemed insignificant. Besides finding the notebook, the correlation between the two stories appeared to be a weak link. When the storyline culminates into one it was too convenient and entirely too neat. The ah-ha moment that ties everything together is just ok. Of course, it's difficult to compare the life of a WWII POW to that of a seventeen year old girl who's parents are separated. And, I don't even want to get started on the girl's mother. Very shallow.
Now, here's what I did like about this book. Mac's story was heartbreaking and riveting. Kingfisher writes an excellent tale for Mac. As Mac writes his memoir, he recounts his time spent with Rosa in Italy and the harrowing days of life in Auschwitz. I would've liked for Kingfisher to spend a bit more time in Italy with Rosa and her parents. There was so much more there! Overall, I liked this book. If you're a fan of Holocaust stories this may be well received. I'm just not certain I would recommend this to others. A+ for Mac's version of things. I'm on the fence about the girl's (Nicole) involvement.
*Received two different copies of this book, one a signed copy from Ray Kingfisher. I won the second copy, a digital review copy, through a Goodreads giveaway. Both copies are appreciated. I've given an unbiased review based on my own thoughts.
March 27, 2019
What a great writer! This historical fiction has two stories going on at the same time. The two have different decades, different characters, different places, and different problems, but the author organizes the texts by having the stories continue every other chapter so the reader does not get lost. A sad tale of concentration camps during WWII and a sad tale of a family separated and headed for divorce in modern times melts into a heartwarming ending for both. A good read.
September 27, 2025
Very interesting read, well written. Loved the history.
March 7, 2016
First off, I like books that have dual stories with two or more storytellers that somewhere in the book come together in a complimentary way. I'm not sure why it was necessary to write this book as two stories because the story of Nicole wasn't necessary to tell the story of Max. I've read many books on the Holocaust, both factual and fictional. The author wrote a moving story about Max and his experiences before, during, and after Auschwitz. I was bored with the story of Nicole whose only purpose to me was to find Max's notebook about Auschwitz. After Nicole's first chapter or so the story of her family just felt flat. I completely forgot she had a brother who was killed. The dialogue between her and her mom was the same in each of her chapters, "are you going rowing?" "Yes I'll go rowing or go to college." There wasn't any dimension to the characters and their part in the book wasn't necessary to tell Max's story. I give it three stars only because of the story of Max.
February 15, 2020
This is a difficult book for me to rate. I found several inconsistencies in the storyline and had some issues with said storyline. I thought Nicole’s character was weak. Maybe I would have been happier if she had been older and dealing with more serious issues. Yes, she lost a brother but that seemed minor in the dialogue of her present life. It was hard for me to go back and forth between Mac’s past and her present problems.
I would brace myself to hear more of the details of Mac’s fight to survive the horror his life held only to be suddenly jerked back to a teen dealing with her parents separation, her mother’s dating and her rowing. I’m not sure if Nicole’s experience was supposed to lighten the horrors of Auschwitz but if so, it just didn’t work for me.
I would brace myself to hear more of the details of Mac’s fight to survive the horror his life held only to be suddenly jerked back to a teen dealing with her parents separation, her mother’s dating and her rowing. I’m not sure if Nicole’s experience was supposed to lighten the horrors of Auschwitz but if so, it just didn’t work for me.
December 20, 2016
An Amazon prime library book. Poor writing and story telling. Very predictable.
October 16, 2017
With only a few exceptions, Ray Kingfisher is the only author I can think of who makes me cry. And I'm a big, grown, somewhat elderly man who enjoys sports, shooting and disgusting horror films. But his books touch me in a way very few can. Hats off to you, Mr. Kingfisher.
I read The Sugar Men, Kingfisher's other book in his Holocaust Echos series, not long ago. Perhaps devoured is a better word. I think historical fiction is probably my favorite genre, and I am drawn to accurate, carefully researched historical fiction even more strongly. I've decided, however he does it, Kingfisher plans and researches his books on a par with Jesper Bugge Kold. (If you don't know that name, look him up and read his books immediately!) I've written a separate review of The Sugar Men elsewhere on Goodreads so I won't belabor it here. Suffice it to say that I "enjoyed" (hard word to use considering the subject matter) that book so thoroughly, I knew it wouldn't be long before I picked up Rosa's Gold. I have my daughter to thank for the recommendations.
In terms of style, Rosa's Gold has many similarities with the slightly earlier book. (They were published only a year apart I believe.) Kingfisher alternates chapters from the past to the present as he draws us into the lives of his characters. He also alternates between first-person and third-person, but it will be clear to you why immediately. However, unlike The Sugar Men, this book focuses on the lives of two distinct and vastly different people. I'll admit it took me a while to figure out why he was doing this, since the story set in the past was so much more intriguing, vivid and heartwretching. Trust me, it all eventually comes together, but you may wonder for a bit the purpose of the contemporary tale other than as a plot device or literary mechanism to present the narrative sent during World War II.
If you share my horror and fascination with the events in Europe from the mid-1930s through 1945, you will find yourself unable to put this book down. The story is so well crafted that you will find yourself enthralled, shocked and empathetic. Although the title of the book is a slight spoiler and forces some speculation early on, ultimately there are enough twists and turns in the plot to fully engage you throughout.
I recently learned that Kingfisher is working on a third entry in his Holocaust Echos series titled, at this point, Cell of Secrets. From what I know of the setting so far, I already wish it was available. I'm going to have a hard time waiting until its release. I just may check out some of his other works in the meantime because I have found a gifted author who knows precisely how to touch me deeply with his words.
I read The Sugar Men, Kingfisher's other book in his Holocaust Echos series, not long ago. Perhaps devoured is a better word. I think historical fiction is probably my favorite genre, and I am drawn to accurate, carefully researched historical fiction even more strongly. I've decided, however he does it, Kingfisher plans and researches his books on a par with Jesper Bugge Kold. (If you don't know that name, look him up and read his books immediately!) I've written a separate review of The Sugar Men elsewhere on Goodreads so I won't belabor it here. Suffice it to say that I "enjoyed" (hard word to use considering the subject matter) that book so thoroughly, I knew it wouldn't be long before I picked up Rosa's Gold. I have my daughter to thank for the recommendations.
In terms of style, Rosa's Gold has many similarities with the slightly earlier book. (They were published only a year apart I believe.) Kingfisher alternates chapters from the past to the present as he draws us into the lives of his characters. He also alternates between first-person and third-person, but it will be clear to you why immediately. However, unlike The Sugar Men, this book focuses on the lives of two distinct and vastly different people. I'll admit it took me a while to figure out why he was doing this, since the story set in the past was so much more intriguing, vivid and heartwretching. Trust me, it all eventually comes together, but you may wonder for a bit the purpose of the contemporary tale other than as a plot device or literary mechanism to present the narrative sent during World War II.
If you share my horror and fascination with the events in Europe from the mid-1930s through 1945, you will find yourself unable to put this book down. The story is so well crafted that you will find yourself enthralled, shocked and empathetic. Although the title of the book is a slight spoiler and forces some speculation early on, ultimately there are enough twists and turns in the plot to fully engage you throughout.
I recently learned that Kingfisher is working on a third entry in his Holocaust Echos series titled, at this point, Cell of Secrets. From what I know of the setting so far, I already wish it was available. I'm going to have a hard time waiting until its release. I just may check out some of his other works in the meantime because I have found a gifted author who knows precisely how to touch me deeply with his words.
February 22, 2019
Quotes . . .
“What sort of world do we live in if we can’t forgive a moment’s wrongdoing regretted?”
“Whether I get such a letter or, more likely now, die with the story, I know I’ve led something of a charmed life. Many would disagree, but it’s the way I feel. And it’s the way I want to feel. Sometimes you just have to put your losses to one side, see that the sun still shines, and force yourself to smile up to it. Because to me –even now, with my failing health –every day is still a sunny day.”
“What sort of world do we live in if we can’t forgive a moment’s wrongdoing regretted?”
“Whether I get such a letter or, more likely now, die with the story, I know I’ve led something of a charmed life. Many would disagree, but it’s the way I feel. And it’s the way I want to feel. Sometimes you just have to put your losses to one side, see that the sun still shines, and force yourself to smile up to it. Because to me –even now, with my failing health –every day is still a sunny day.”
February 6, 2017
17 year old Nicole's parents separate, her and her mom move into a run down house. Their are family troubles from an accident and she is not only dealing with the separation but also the death of her little brother and living in a new town with no friends.
The guy, Mac, who lived there before them had a cellar where he started a book. She finds all of this and starts reading of Mac's life in the WWII. She learns about concentration camps and the atrocity of that war. Will this help her through her troubles, her parents and help them all with their loss?
The guy, Mac, who lived there before them had a cellar where he started a book. She finds all of this and starts reading of Mac's life in the WWII. She learns about concentration camps and the atrocity of that war. Will this help her through her troubles, her parents and help them all with their loss?
November 28, 2018
new to Ray's writing ...well written, a book that goes from present to past, if you are cool with that and can follow along u r good to go. I loved the cover. great read, although a tough subject, a time in our history we will never forget ... a tough (not even sure of the words?) era ... i did appreciate his read.
May 8, 2019
Glad this Author DId Not Give Up Writing!
This book brought to life the heartache of World War II and the horrendous acts committed. It was hard to get into the story at first but once I figured out how the story was going, I couldn’t put it down. You will be glad you read it. I am.
This book brought to life the heartache of World War II and the horrendous acts committed. It was hard to get into the story at first but once I figured out how the story was going, I couldn’t put it down. You will be glad you read it. I am.
February 24, 2016
Rosa's Gold by Ray Kingfisher is a powerful story of love, loss and the horrors of war. It is set over two time periods - present day and the war years 1943-1945.
Nicole and her Mum move into a house in Henley following the death of her brother Darren and her parent's marriage breakdown. Teenager Nicole stumbles upon an old briefcase in the cellar with papers inside it detailing an old man's life. She begins reading it.
Mac was the old man. In 1990 he retired and decided to write down the story of his war years as a soldier. He was finally ready to face both his memories and his fears.
Nicole and Mac are bound together by his words. The more she reads, the closer Nicole feels to Mac, a man she has never met. Both are dealing with loss. Life has ceased to be purposeful and the future is unknown. "It's all about working out a future without people you've lost, imagining... what they would want for you." Death seems so final. The face you long to see, the arms you long to hold are no longer there. The future seems bleak.
The novel is about searching. Searching for a new meaning in life. Searching for past memories that are hidden somewhere inside. Searching for the truth. Mac has been searching for happiness all his life. The war years shaped and changed him. Nicole too is searching for a lost happiness. Her relatively happy and stable life is a thing of the past, she is struggling in her new life.
The novel is written in two styles - every other chapter is in the third person from the point of view of Nicole. The alternating chapters are in the first person of Mac. I got totally engrossed in both of their lives and was able to empathise with both of them.
Present day action was set in Henley. The war years moved from Mac as an eighteen year in 1943 as a soldier in Italy to the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Bergen Belsen. The details did not make for comfortable reading but it is important that everyone knows the truth about what happened in the camps. We owe it to the survivors and we owe it to the six million innocent men, women and children who perished.
Rosa's Gold also has the theme of friendship. Mac formed bonds of friendship during the war. Nicole is searching for new friends.
I found Rosa's Gold a compulsive read. It could have been a gloomy book due to its subject content but I actually found it a very positive and hopeful read. "Sometimes you just have to put your losses to one side, see the sun still shines, and force yourself to smile up to it." It is a work of fiction but contains factual details of life in the camps.
I stumbled across Rosa's Gold by accident as a free Amazon kindle download. It is a brilliant work of fiction. I now intend to seek out more by Ray Kingfisher. He is definitely my 'find' of 2016 and I can highly recommend Rosa's Gold to you.
Nicole and her Mum move into a house in Henley following the death of her brother Darren and her parent's marriage breakdown. Teenager Nicole stumbles upon an old briefcase in the cellar with papers inside it detailing an old man's life. She begins reading it.
Mac was the old man. In 1990 he retired and decided to write down the story of his war years as a soldier. He was finally ready to face both his memories and his fears.
Nicole and Mac are bound together by his words. The more she reads, the closer Nicole feels to Mac, a man she has never met. Both are dealing with loss. Life has ceased to be purposeful and the future is unknown. "It's all about working out a future without people you've lost, imagining... what they would want for you." Death seems so final. The face you long to see, the arms you long to hold are no longer there. The future seems bleak.
The novel is about searching. Searching for a new meaning in life. Searching for past memories that are hidden somewhere inside. Searching for the truth. Mac has been searching for happiness all his life. The war years shaped and changed him. Nicole too is searching for a lost happiness. Her relatively happy and stable life is a thing of the past, she is struggling in her new life.
The novel is written in two styles - every other chapter is in the third person from the point of view of Nicole. The alternating chapters are in the first person of Mac. I got totally engrossed in both of their lives and was able to empathise with both of them.
Present day action was set in Henley. The war years moved from Mac as an eighteen year in 1943 as a soldier in Italy to the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Bergen Belsen. The details did not make for comfortable reading but it is important that everyone knows the truth about what happened in the camps. We owe it to the survivors and we owe it to the six million innocent men, women and children who perished.
Rosa's Gold also has the theme of friendship. Mac formed bonds of friendship during the war. Nicole is searching for new friends.
I found Rosa's Gold a compulsive read. It could have been a gloomy book due to its subject content but I actually found it a very positive and hopeful read. "Sometimes you just have to put your losses to one side, see the sun still shines, and force yourself to smile up to it." It is a work of fiction but contains factual details of life in the camps.
I stumbled across Rosa's Gold by accident as a free Amazon kindle download. It is a brilliant work of fiction. I now intend to seek out more by Ray Kingfisher. He is definitely my 'find' of 2016 and I can highly recommend Rosa's Gold to you.
August 18, 2016
This story alternates between two points of view, two eras of time, and two types of tragedies. Timeline era: Now Nicole is a 17 year old girl who has recently lost her younger brother in a car accident that left her concusses and needing convalescents. Her parents have not weathered the accident and death well and separate, with Nicole and her mother moving to a small cottage in a new town.
Timeline era: 1943 John (Mac) MacDonald is an 18 year old man who joins the British Army to fight for God and Country. He is sent to Tunisia and then to battle in Italy, where he is captured, escapes, and saved by an Italian Jewish family, before being recaptured and sent to Auschwitz.
Nicole believes her life is in the pits and wants to run away from this new home, but while looking for items during unpacking, she finds an old briefcase left by the previous owner. Inside is a journal/memoir of his war years where he was mistaken for a Jew and sent to one of the worst Concentration Camps. As Nicole reads Mac's story, she is touched by the tragedy. Can two people born 60 years apart connect and find they can help each other?
And just what is "Rosa's gold?"
Timeline era: 1943 John (Mac) MacDonald is an 18 year old man who joins the British Army to fight for God and Country. He is sent to Tunisia and then to battle in Italy, where he is captured, escapes, and saved by an Italian Jewish family, before being recaptured and sent to Auschwitz.
Nicole believes her life is in the pits and wants to run away from this new home, but while looking for items during unpacking, she finds an old briefcase left by the previous owner. Inside is a journal/memoir of his war years where he was mistaken for a Jew and sent to one of the worst Concentration Camps. As Nicole reads Mac's story, she is touched by the tragedy. Can two people born 60 years apart connect and find they can help each other?
And just what is "Rosa's gold?"
December 8, 2014
This is the dual story of seventeen year old Nicole finding Mac's old journal in the cellar of the new house her and her mother have just moved into. Mac's journal is his recollections of being in the wrong place at the wrong time in the second world war and ending up at Auschwitz.
Sometimes with a dual time story I might not like one side of the story or the other or sometimes the transition between the two times can jar, but this story was extremely well put together. The two parts seem as though it's just one person reading another's story, but as the story unfolds we see where the two lives overlap.
Nicole seems like a lovely girl, I felt her parents' story was the only bit that slightly let the book down. However Mac's story was heartbreaking at times. Even though the descriptions of Mac's experiences in the concentration camp are hard to read it was sensitively done.
This author can turn his hand to numerous genres and is fast becoming my favourite author.
Sometimes with a dual time story I might not like one side of the story or the other or sometimes the transition between the two times can jar, but this story was extremely well put together. The two parts seem as though it's just one person reading another's story, but as the story unfolds we see where the two lives overlap.
Nicole seems like a lovely girl, I felt her parents' story was the only bit that slightly let the book down. However Mac's story was heartbreaking at times. Even though the descriptions of Mac's experiences in the concentration camp are hard to read it was sensitively done.
This author can turn his hand to numerous genres and is fast becoming my favourite author.
August 15, 2016
Wow! What a book. I did not really know what I was getting into when I started to read this book. I did not even read the description of the book before picking it. However, I was touched by the story. It gave me such a different perspective of WWII and what it was like during that time in one of the concentration camps. I liked the mix of present day and the memoir. It helped me digest what I had just read. This is a very heavy book and deals with a lot of death and how people react in situations they are forced into. I felt such a connection with Mac and Nichole from the very beginning and wanted to see where the story went and how it ended. I think that this story ended right where it needed to and on a happy note after all the sadness and death through out the rest of the book. This is a book I will read again and recommend. Though I won't be reading it again any time soon. I still have to digest the book. However I really did enjoy this book
November 16, 2016
*Won in a Goodreads Giveaway*
I liked the book. Yet it took me so long to read because there was nothing compelling me to finish it. I didn't particularly like the characters, though they weren't unlikable either. Plus it was a pretty depressing subject matter. The title gave away a big plot point at the end which was frustrating. I wish there had been more of an effect from reading Mac's story on Nicole during the reading, the effect seemed only to come at the end. With what she was reading about, she seemed to just not be bothered by it. Mac's story was so much stronger than Nicole's. I liked the ending, the last 10-15% of the book was the best part. I liked it, but I am sad to say I don't know if I would recommend it to others.
I liked the book. Yet it took me so long to read because there was nothing compelling me to finish it. I didn't particularly like the characters, though they weren't unlikable either. Plus it was a pretty depressing subject matter. The title gave away a big plot point at the end which was frustrating. I wish there had been more of an effect from reading Mac's story on Nicole during the reading, the effect seemed only to come at the end. With what she was reading about, she seemed to just not be bothered by it. Mac's story was so much stronger than Nicole's. I liked the ending, the last 10-15% of the book was the best part. I liked it, but I am sad to say I don't know if I would recommend it to others.
June 5, 2019
Audible- second audible that I completed by Ray Kingfisher- if reading this would be considered an easy read just like an easy listening audible. I enjoyed the story, some of the characters are a bit underdeveloped, but will continue with the next standalone. Memories of a survivor from one of the worst concentration camps-the immaturity of a young soldier, love, survival, hollowness and closer after many years and final healing.
January 2, 2020
While I thought this book was ok, Ray Kingfsher, ha written better books. In addition, there are. Ether books about the Holocaust like Night by Elie Wiesel, Schindler’s List and The Diary of Anne Frank.
April 19, 2018
Ray Kingfisher has yet to disappoint me in any of his books that I've read. This book is no exception to that. He uses the method of going back and forth both in time and with characters, which all wraps up nicely together into one narrative by the end. The past is during WWII and the present is...well...present.
The characters of the past are well done. They're human, and they have both flaws and great qualities to them. I definitely found myself getting misty eyed several times in the book. Some of the passages describing Mac's time spent in the concentration camps are hard to take, especially since we all know that most of what's described is something that actually happened. People actually had to experience that. It's not to be taken lightly, but as always, Kingfisher does this with tact and grace.
One of the only criticisms I have is the characterization of the parents. I think I can chalk most of that up to the British-isms. I had a hard time understanding why everybody was talking around things, instead of just saying what they meant. That seems like the type of quiet politeness that British people are stereotyped to have. Aside from that, they both came off as quite selfish and underestimated their daughter quite a bit. It was like they were conflicted whether to treat Nicole as a delicate child, or as someone who is her own age. After taking some time to think about this, it's actually quite a clever thing to have done. They experienced tragedy and since they don't enjoy to directly talk about things, this downfall of life is the result and they're behaving as many would in that same situation.
Overall, this is an amazing book in Kingfisher's WWII historical fiction series. He's a fantastic author and I cannot wait to see what else he writes in the future! :)
The characters of the past are well done. They're human, and they have both flaws and great qualities to them. I definitely found myself getting misty eyed several times in the book. Some of the passages describing Mac's time spent in the concentration camps are hard to take, especially since we all know that most of what's described is something that actually happened. People actually had to experience that. It's not to be taken lightly, but as always, Kingfisher does this with tact and grace.
One of the only criticisms I have is the characterization of the parents. I think I can chalk most of that up to the British-isms. I had a hard time understanding why everybody was talking around things, instead of just saying what they meant. That seems like the type of quiet politeness that British people are stereotyped to have. Aside from that, they both came off as quite selfish and underestimated their daughter quite a bit. It was like they were conflicted whether to treat Nicole as a delicate child, or as someone who is her own age. After taking some time to think about this, it's actually quite a clever thing to have done. They experienced tragedy and since they don't enjoy to directly talk about things, this downfall of life is the result and they're behaving as many would in that same situation.
Overall, this is an amazing book in Kingfisher's WWII historical fiction series. He's a fantastic author and I cannot wait to see what else he writes in the future! :)
July 27, 2020
I liked this story. The history of the Holocaust needs to be told again and again and never forgotten, especially as we live in times where once again world leaders push racist agendas. Historical fiction is a great educational vehicle for readers who either don’t have the interest in history to slog through a text book like non-fictional read or who find the grim realities of a survivor’s memoir just a bit too “real”. For those reasons I applaud this book. However, I found the characters and the writing flat. I realize that the back story is ostensibly a memoir written by the main character, Mac, who is admittedly not the scholarly type but still, we have to read it. The front story was just not at all interesting to me. The angst ridden teenager who is more mature than her parents and the whole sculling portion seemed to have no purpose other than a tenuous link to Mac. The very end got interesting when the timeline converged but getting there with the front line was tedious and none of the characters, including Mac, were very likeable. It is certainly easy to understand how Mac’s entire life was affected by his wartime experiences so his behaviour in later relationships is understandable but not forgivable. I also did not find the final quarter recollection of extremely important conversations plausible. So, from an historic viewpoint this book is definitely worth reading, the author holds little back in portraying certain aspects of the horrors of Auschwitz, but as I said, the writing and the characters just didn’t do it for me.
April 14, 2020
Older story line AMAZING contemporary story line boring
As much as I wanted to give this book 5 stars, unfortunately it wouldn’t be true. The book is split into 2 main story lines - a contemporary one about a girl who moved to a small village and an older journal about a man’s time in the war.
The older story line was written so perfectly. The story was so touching and really highlighted all of the horrors faced by people in Auschwitz. It also included a fantastic description of the liberation, which not many books do. I truly loved Mac’s story.
However, and this is a big however, I couldn’t for the life of me enjoy the contemporary story line. I just found it boring. The idea originally was good - brother died and somewhat father’s fault but it just derailed and went down such a weird track. The mother and father acted younger than their child and Nicole was so unnecessarily rude. Her rowing just didn’t appeal to me and I just felt like it was such an unexciting storyline. Even the blossoming romance with Austin didn’t end up going anywhere. Although it was a nice break from the absolute atrocities of Auschwitz, it just wasn’t a storyline that was needed. I’m so gutted too as I absolutely loved reading Mac’s story.
As much as I wanted to give this book 5 stars, unfortunately it wouldn’t be true. The book is split into 2 main story lines - a contemporary one about a girl who moved to a small village and an older journal about a man’s time in the war.
The older story line was written so perfectly. The story was so touching and really highlighted all of the horrors faced by people in Auschwitz. It also included a fantastic description of the liberation, which not many books do. I truly loved Mac’s story.
However, and this is a big however, I couldn’t for the life of me enjoy the contemporary story line. I just found it boring. The idea originally was good - brother died and somewhat father’s fault but it just derailed and went down such a weird track. The mother and father acted younger than their child and Nicole was so unnecessarily rude. Her rowing just didn’t appeal to me and I just felt like it was such an unexciting storyline. Even the blossoming romance with Austin didn’t end up going anywhere. Although it was a nice break from the absolute atrocities of Auschwitz, it just wasn’t a storyline that was needed. I’m so gutted too as I absolutely loved reading Mac’s story.
June 21, 2017
** Won in a Goodreads Giveaway **
A young woman named Nicole, trying to deal with the loss of her young brother, her parent's separation, and moving to a new town, finds an old journal in the cellar of her new home. It was written by the previous homeowner, a man named Mac, and it details his joining the war effort during WWII, his capture and escape from the German's, how he stumbled upon a young Italian woman named Rosa, and how she and her family took him in and hid him until a neighbor turned them in. He was recaptured and sent to a Nazi concentration camp, where he met and worked with Rosa's brother, and eventually found Rosa for a brief few moments. Rosa tells him a family secret before he loses her, and he carries that secret with him for the rest of his life.
Nicole finishes the journal and finds out that Mac is still alive and living in a home, so she goes to him and tells him that she read his journal and found his secret. She wants to help him find Rosa's niece and nephew, and with her parents help, succeeds.
For being a young adult book, I think the subject matter was handled very well. Overall, this was a good read.
A young woman named Nicole, trying to deal with the loss of her young brother, her parent's separation, and moving to a new town, finds an old journal in the cellar of her new home. It was written by the previous homeowner, a man named Mac, and it details his joining the war effort during WWII, his capture and escape from the German's, how he stumbled upon a young Italian woman named Rosa, and how she and her family took him in and hid him until a neighbor turned them in. He was recaptured and sent to a Nazi concentration camp, where he met and worked with Rosa's brother, and eventually found Rosa for a brief few moments. Rosa tells him a family secret before he loses her, and he carries that secret with him for the rest of his life.
Nicole finishes the journal and finds out that Mac is still alive and living in a home, so she goes to him and tells him that she read his journal and found his secret. She wants to help him find Rosa's niece and nephew, and with her parents help, succeeds.
For being a young adult book, I think the subject matter was handled very well. Overall, this was a good read.
March 6, 2019
The story of 16 year old MC Nicole Sutton's discovery of a British soldier's journal inside the cellar of her new home is exactly the type of discovery I'd love to make. There is, of course, another side to that discovery though: the atrocities of war and the utter devastation and genocide of people at the concentration camp, Auschwitz. The soldier, Mac, takes her on a journey with him that she'd never expected.
I think the beauty of Nicole's story is how it served to teach her so much about the war, families lost connections, survival, and finally that there is hope in a world of suffering. Mac's sufferings and anecdotes about his fight for survival in the worst of prison camps teaches her how insignificant her own life's problems are in comparison.
Note: I have a huge interest in WWII and the Holocaust specifically. Why, I'm not sure. But I enjoyed this story very much and I love the written word so to find a gem and a piece of history like Nicole did would be a dream come true for me.
I think the beauty of Nicole's story is how it served to teach her so much about the war, families lost connections, survival, and finally that there is hope in a world of suffering. Mac's sufferings and anecdotes about his fight for survival in the worst of prison camps teaches her how insignificant her own life's problems are in comparison.
Note: I have a huge interest in WWII and the Holocaust specifically. Why, I'm not sure. But I enjoyed this story very much and I love the written word so to find a gem and a piece of history like Nicole did would be a dream come true for me.
May 16, 2020
It's been done before - a young girl in present day England finds a diary in the basement as she's helping her mother unpack in the house they just moved into, and we simultaneously learn about her and the author of the diary through her reading. This particular diary tells the story of Mac, a British soldier during WWII who was captured, escaped, then captured again and sent to Auschwitz for the balance of the war. The young girl is mesmerized by Mac's story and enlists the help of her parents to locate two people from Mac's past and help him to fulfill a promise he made during the war to a dying friend.
A found this to be a very well-written, interesting read, but it's not for the faint of heart. The accounts of Auschwitz are particularly descriptive and gruesome, probably some of the most gruesome that I've read in WWII fiction. And while the excerpts from Mac's diary are interesting nonetheless and keep one turning the pages, the story set during the present day is less compelling.
I'd definitely recommend it, though!
A found this to be a very well-written, interesting read, but it's not for the faint of heart. The accounts of Auschwitz are particularly descriptive and gruesome, probably some of the most gruesome that I've read in WWII fiction. And while the excerpts from Mac's diary are interesting nonetheless and keep one turning the pages, the story set during the present day is less compelling.
I'd definitely recommend it, though!
March 5, 2017
Wonderful and Horrific! FABULOUS!!
This is a story that will move you in unexpected ways...a journey no one wants to travel but you will find yourself unable to turn away from it! I learned much I wasn't familiar with about this time in history and got a heart wrenching look into what life was like for so many and the burdens carried by those who survived. It's wonderfully written, a story within a story, with fabulously flawed and realistic characters that carry the story with a strong and distinctive voice. This one will etch wisdom onto your heart and soul...Every day is a sunny day!! You won't regret your time spent with this novel and these perfectly imperfect people who feel so real and come to mean so much to you! What more could you ask for from a novel?! This book has it all!! Mystery, intrigue, romance, history and finally a very satisfying ending!
This is a story that will move you in unexpected ways...a journey no one wants to travel but you will find yourself unable to turn away from it! I learned much I wasn't familiar with about this time in history and got a heart wrenching look into what life was like for so many and the burdens carried by those who survived. It's wonderfully written, a story within a story, with fabulously flawed and realistic characters that carry the story with a strong and distinctive voice. This one will etch wisdom onto your heart and soul...Every day is a sunny day!! You won't regret your time spent with this novel and these perfectly imperfect people who feel so real and come to mean so much to you! What more could you ask for from a novel?! This book has it all!! Mystery, intrigue, romance, history and finally a very satisfying ending!
May 2, 2019
I enjoyed this novel a great deal more than I expected to. I generally enjoy stories dealing with WWII, and the dual narrators kept the wartime portions, particularly those that occurred at Auchwitz, from being too emotionally overwhelming. Just when I’d think “I cannot bear this any more” the story would switch from Mac’s voice to Nicole’s and my heart would get a much-needed break. I listened to the majority of the book on Audible and finished up the end on my Kindle. The Audible narration was fantastic. (This isn’t always the case, so I feel it’s worth mentioning).
I don’t want to spoil too much- but I found the book to be well written and the narrators endearing. There is very difficult subject matter, but I thought it was handled with exceptional care. The ending was really beautiful, too. Full of closure, forgiveness, and hope.
I don’t want to spoil too much- but I found the book to be well written and the narrators endearing. There is very difficult subject matter, but I thought it was handled with exceptional care. The ending was really beautiful, too. Full of closure, forgiveness, and hope.
August 24, 2020
Nicole Sutton’s world has been turned upside down. Sixteen and suffering the fallout of a devastating family tragedy, she is forced to move away from her London home to the quiet town of Henley—and a new life she never wanted nor expected. In the dusty cellar of her strange new house, Nicole stumbles upon a worn old journal left behind by a previous occupant. Inside, through the eyes of a soldier named Mac, she finds herself drawn into a brutally honest memoir of the horrors of war and Auschwitz—and of the life and love Mac had to leave behind. The more Nicole reads, the more she is able to make sense of her own troubles. Because Mac’s story is so much more than a journal: it is the story of a family fighting for survival in the darkest days of humanity, of hope in the face of persecution. And then there’s the buried gold…
The integration of the two stories going back and forth was a strange way to read for me. It was like reading a book of someone reading a book. I did not get pulled into the story the author was trying to create and didn’t enjoy who the characters were.
The integration of the two stories going back and forth was a strange way to read for me. It was like reading a book of someone reading a book. I did not get pulled into the story the author was trying to create and didn’t enjoy who the characters were.
January 22, 2021
Teenaged girl moves into a small cottage with her mother after a separation from her dad. While moving in, she finds the journal of the previous occupant that tells of his time during WWII. He tells of the time spent in hiding with a Jewish family until they are sent to a concentration camp. He is also captured & sent there and tells of its horrors. He finds the woman who hid him while there and she tells she is dying and where to find her family's hidden gold that he is to send to niece & nephew in America.
Concurrently in the story, the young girl is trying to fit in to a new town with new friends while trying to find her way between her two estranged parents. Reading the journal gives her insights on her situation, even though it takes place two generations before.
Concurrently in the story, the young girl is trying to fit in to a new town with new friends while trying to find her way between her two estranged parents. Reading the journal gives her insights on her situation, even though it takes place two generations before.
September 10, 2023
I liked the way the story went back and forth between yesterday 1940`s and today. Enjoyed the development of characters. While a 17 girl was trying to figure out the next chapter of her life in a new town and old house with her mother she finds herself engrossed in a notebook she discovered in a dusty old briefcase in their cellar.
This is the story of a British soldier who was hidden by a family in Italy during the war. He falls in love with the daughter of the family who hid him. The main story about what happened to the soldier, his girlfriend and her family are found in a diary written by the soldier. It was found by a young woman who moved into the house that the soldier had lived in after the war.
This is the story of a British soldier who was hidden by a family in Italy during the war. He falls in love with the daughter of the family who hid him. The main story about what happened to the soldier, his girlfriend and her family are found in a diary written by the soldier. It was found by a young woman who moved into the house that the soldier had lived in after the war.
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