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The Escape
A compelling wartime drama for fans of Lucinda Riley, Rachel Hore and Katherine Webb
Detta works as a translator for a Nazi-run labour camp for French workers. One winter morning in early 1945, Detta passes a group of exhausted British prisoners of war who are being force-marched westwards. The following day she receives an urgent message to contact the local priest. He is harbouring a group of escaped British prisoners of war in the can she help?
London, 1989. Miranda is a 19-year old photography student in London, in thrall to her older boyfriend, a journalist called Quill. In November the fall of the Berlin Wall is all over the news. Quill asks Miranda to come with him to before they leave, Miranda's grandmother gives her an old postcard of the village she was born in. Miranda hopes that working together in Berlin will help cement the cracks in her relationship with Quill, but one night his behaviour spills over into violence, and Miranda ends up fleeing through the rubble of the Berlin wall and into the East. As she travels further, she begins to suspect she’s being followed by the Stasi. If she goes on, she worries that she’ll be taken into custody and be accused of spying; if she turns back, it means returning to Quill.
At last her grandmother’s photograph offers the solution. She tells people that she is going to find her family in the East. The Catholic church, and the manse, opposite where her grandmother once lived, are still standing. And the secrets of the past begin to be revealed.
Detta works as a translator for a Nazi-run labour camp for French workers. One winter morning in early 1945, Detta passes a group of exhausted British prisoners of war who are being force-marched westwards. The following day she receives an urgent message to contact the local priest. He is harbouring a group of escaped British prisoners of war in the can she help?
London, 1989. Miranda is a 19-year old photography student in London, in thrall to her older boyfriend, a journalist called Quill. In November the fall of the Berlin Wall is all over the news. Quill asks Miranda to come with him to before they leave, Miranda's grandmother gives her an old postcard of the village she was born in. Miranda hopes that working together in Berlin will help cement the cracks in her relationship with Quill, but one night his behaviour spills over into violence, and Miranda ends up fleeing through the rubble of the Berlin wall and into the East. As she travels further, she begins to suspect she’s being followed by the Stasi. If she goes on, she worries that she’ll be taken into custody and be accused of spying; if she turns back, it means returning to Quill.
At last her grandmother’s photograph offers the solution. She tells people that she is going to find her family in the East. The Catholic church, and the manse, opposite where her grandmother once lived, are still standing. And the secrets of the past begin to be revealed.
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First published January 24, 2019
26 people are currently reading
382 people want to read
About the author
Clare Harvey
5 books83 followersI was born in Devon but grew up in Mauritius and Surrey. As the trailing spouse of a serving soldier I spent a large part of married life shuttling between postings. I've worked variously as a freelance journalist, radio reporter, English teacher and PR consultant in Northern Ireland, Germany, Nepal and England. I'm now settled with my family in Nottingham.
I wrote my debut, The Gunner Girl, whilst my husband was on operations with the British Army in Afghanistan. The Gunner Girl won both the Exeter Novel Prize and the Joan Hessayon Award for new fiction. Since then I've written The English Agent, The Night Raid, and The Escape.
All my books are available in paperback, e-book, large print, and audio.
You can contact me here, but also via my author page on Facebook, on Twitter @ClareHarveyauth or via my website http://clareharvey.net.
Would love to hear from you!
Cx
I wrote my debut, The Gunner Girl, whilst my husband was on operations with the British Army in Afghanistan. The Gunner Girl won both the Exeter Novel Prize and the Joan Hessayon Award for new fiction. Since then I've written The English Agent, The Night Raid, and The Escape.
All my books are available in paperback, e-book, large print, and audio.
You can contact me here, but also via my author page on Facebook, on Twitter @ClareHarveyauth or via my website http://clareharvey.net.
Would love to hear from you!
Cx
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 3, 2019
I am a sucker for romantic war themes and books that entwine with other eras. So yes I really enjoyed this book.
January 31, 2019
Wow, what a gripping and thought- provoking book. From the very first page when Detta spot’s the Russian planes flying over her office, I was hooked. I wanted to know what would happen to her and what came of Tom. I was turning the pages lightening quick, becoming more and more engrossed in a story that spans from 1945 to 1989. This is a truly thrilling and moving book, set during two unsettled and dangerous times, and centres around two women in particular.
This is the first book I have read by Clare Harvey, I didn’t know what to expect from her writing. Yes, I have read a lot of great things about her work, but I like to make my own opinions, and my opinion is that Ms Harvey has a true skill. She has a rare gift, time slip stories at times don’t always work and some can fall a little flat or become confusing the further into the story the reader gets. But not this one. Ms Harvey easily takes the reader from Detta in 1945 and jumps cleanly to Miranda in 1989, the transitions from one woman and one era to the next and then back again is perfectly timed and written.
As I said above the story is split between two era’s; in 1945, Detta lives in a little village in Germany working as a translator – which gives a real insight into what was going on at this stage in the war. The Russian are moving in, there is a quiet hostility that just jumps out at you read. The part with the mother and baby trying to get on the train and facing an onslaught of hostility was particularly moving. When she receives word from the local priest for help, she at first is uncertain as whether to assist as he is harbouring escaped British prisoners of war. Dare she help him and these poor men, while putting her own life at risk if she was ever caught?
The second part of the story set during 1989 the Berlin wall has fallen and trainee photographer is right in the thick of it. She is only in Berlin as her older boyfriend; Quill asked her to go with him, but one thing leads to another and the night ends in violence. As she flees the feeling of threats and danger is ever present, it leaped of the pages and your heart is in your mouth as your follow Miranda as she makes her way through some pretty harrowing moments, believing she is being followed she ends up using the old postcard her grandmother gave her, and says she is going to find her family in East Germany.
The threads that start to appear which link the two women makes for compelling and intriguing reading. The way Ms Harvey has entwined raw history throughout the story is beautifully done. There is a real sense of not knowing what’s to come, at not letting anything slip through your fingers as you never know if you will ever get the chance or see the person again. There are moments which had shivers running down my back and tears in my eyes; such as the march of the concentration camp workers, wearing nothing but rags and skeletal thin as they lumbered past Tom’s prisoner of war camp is harrowing.
This is an absolute stunning piece of writing, it’s sensitive, poignant, engaging, compelling, beautifully written, rich in historic detail, a thrilling story which will grab you and not let you go. Really this is a perfect book for all those who love historic fiction, if you love the likes of Pam Jenoff, Alison Richman or Kate Mosse then read this book.
It is in one word; Perfection! – Honestly, I can’t say any more it is really is.
This is the first book I have read by Clare Harvey, I didn’t know what to expect from her writing. Yes, I have read a lot of great things about her work, but I like to make my own opinions, and my opinion is that Ms Harvey has a true skill. She has a rare gift, time slip stories at times don’t always work and some can fall a little flat or become confusing the further into the story the reader gets. But not this one. Ms Harvey easily takes the reader from Detta in 1945 and jumps cleanly to Miranda in 1989, the transitions from one woman and one era to the next and then back again is perfectly timed and written.
As I said above the story is split between two era’s; in 1945, Detta lives in a little village in Germany working as a translator – which gives a real insight into what was going on at this stage in the war. The Russian are moving in, there is a quiet hostility that just jumps out at you read. The part with the mother and baby trying to get on the train and facing an onslaught of hostility was particularly moving. When she receives word from the local priest for help, she at first is uncertain as whether to assist as he is harbouring escaped British prisoners of war. Dare she help him and these poor men, while putting her own life at risk if she was ever caught?
The second part of the story set during 1989 the Berlin wall has fallen and trainee photographer is right in the thick of it. She is only in Berlin as her older boyfriend; Quill asked her to go with him, but one thing leads to another and the night ends in violence. As she flees the feeling of threats and danger is ever present, it leaped of the pages and your heart is in your mouth as your follow Miranda as she makes her way through some pretty harrowing moments, believing she is being followed she ends up using the old postcard her grandmother gave her, and says she is going to find her family in East Germany.
The threads that start to appear which link the two women makes for compelling and intriguing reading. The way Ms Harvey has entwined raw history throughout the story is beautifully done. There is a real sense of not knowing what’s to come, at not letting anything slip through your fingers as you never know if you will ever get the chance or see the person again. There are moments which had shivers running down my back and tears in my eyes; such as the march of the concentration camp workers, wearing nothing but rags and skeletal thin as they lumbered past Tom’s prisoner of war camp is harrowing.
This is an absolute stunning piece of writing, it’s sensitive, poignant, engaging, compelling, beautifully written, rich in historic detail, a thrilling story which will grab you and not let you go. Really this is a perfect book for all those who love historic fiction, if you love the likes of Pam Jenoff, Alison Richman or Kate Mosse then read this book.
It is in one word; Perfection! – Honestly, I can’t say any more it is really is.
February 7, 2019
Clare Harvey has done it again weaving historical fact with fiction into a tale of humanity.
From the Russian invasion of Nazi Germany during WWII to the fall of the Berlin Wall, an intricate tale is told in two halves, the escape of Detta from the advancing Russians and the return of her granddaughter Miranda to witness the fall of the Wall. It’s a story of darkness, violence but also love and hope.
A must read for lovers of modern historical fiction.
From the Russian invasion of Nazi Germany during WWII to the fall of the Berlin Wall, an intricate tale is told in two halves, the escape of Detta from the advancing Russians and the return of her granddaughter Miranda to witness the fall of the Wall. It’s a story of darkness, violence but also love and hope.
A must read for lovers of modern historical fiction.
January 27, 2019
Visit the locations in the novel
A very well written and thought provoking read.
Whilst centered in and around Berlin during the darkest and most dangerous periods in history, this book manages to be uplifting and fascinating all at once. Clare Harvey is an author who blends research into her work seamlessly so you learn about and experience a time without it feeling like a school lesson in any way.
We first meet Detta who lives in a small village in Germany. The war is coming to an end and the Russians are on their way to liberate the people. This is a very dangerous time however as the Russians are rumoured to be causing problems of their own. Tales of mistreatment abound. The battle for survival is far from over. Detta works as a translator and this gives her an unique insight into the workings of a labour camp, the people’s suffering and the horror of such a place. Interesting to read about all of this from her viewpoint. Heartbreaking at times and the sense of dread and uncertainty are clearly evoked. Detta has one major dilemma to think about – helping a prisoner of war could end in tragedy for both of them.
People do very different things in war-time. That’s a major theme of this novel. What would you do? It begs the question of how our moral compass is affected during periods of extreme stress. War and peacetime are two very different worlds. Clare handles them both with care and attention to human detail.
The themes are taken even further with Miranda’s story. Now, the war is over, but the uncertainty is not. She is there to document the fall of the Berlin wall. Many personal issues force her to escape that role, and concentrate on exploring her family’s past. Of course, the two narratives combine but it’s the threads of history and secrets tying them together that is a real treat to unravel.
The detail in this story are marvellous – a train journey which opens the book reveals so much in a few pages about the war than an entire history book. Fear amongst people trying to make their way around the city. What happens if you miss this train? Where is this train taking them in terms of destiny?
Thought-provoking as well as a gripping story.
A very well written and thought provoking read.
Whilst centered in and around Berlin during the darkest and most dangerous periods in history, this book manages to be uplifting and fascinating all at once. Clare Harvey is an author who blends research into her work seamlessly so you learn about and experience a time without it feeling like a school lesson in any way.
We first meet Detta who lives in a small village in Germany. The war is coming to an end and the Russians are on their way to liberate the people. This is a very dangerous time however as the Russians are rumoured to be causing problems of their own. Tales of mistreatment abound. The battle for survival is far from over. Detta works as a translator and this gives her an unique insight into the workings of a labour camp, the people’s suffering and the horror of such a place. Interesting to read about all of this from her viewpoint. Heartbreaking at times and the sense of dread and uncertainty are clearly evoked. Detta has one major dilemma to think about – helping a prisoner of war could end in tragedy for both of them.
People do very different things in war-time. That’s a major theme of this novel. What would you do? It begs the question of how our moral compass is affected during periods of extreme stress. War and peacetime are two very different worlds. Clare handles them both with care and attention to human detail.
The themes are taken even further with Miranda’s story. Now, the war is over, but the uncertainty is not. She is there to document the fall of the Berlin wall. Many personal issues force her to escape that role, and concentrate on exploring her family’s past. Of course, the two narratives combine but it’s the threads of history and secrets tying them together that is a real treat to unravel.
The detail in this story are marvellous – a train journey which opens the book reveals so much in a few pages about the war than an entire history book. Fear amongst people trying to make their way around the city. What happens if you miss this train? Where is this train taking them in terms of destiny?
Thought-provoking as well as a gripping story.
June 19, 2021
Outstanding
If there were more than 5 stars this book would get them all. All round the author has produced the goods. Well written, great characterisation, immersive plot, an excellent balance between past and present, and a story driven by people who are flawed and imperfect.
As a research historian, I am ever mindful of just how much the past impacts the present; so much more than most people know or realise. Here we see the impact of past events filtering down through generations; the secrets and shame slowly coming to the fore.
Written with clarity, scenes of death at the end of the war are written in an uncompromising manner, but they are not gratuitously graphic.
The stories of Detta, Tom, and Miranda drive the plot, with each standing out as clearly recognisable people, and with their own relatable individuality. They are each able to find and pull upon an inner strength that drives them to go forward, to escape the bounds and prisons they find themselves in; both past and present.
I could wax lyrical about this book and it’s people, the situations they struggle through, and the peace that they find BUT you must read for yourselves. It is a gripping, at times intense, but ultimately rewarding novel.
READ IT.
If there were more than 5 stars this book would get them all. All round the author has produced the goods. Well written, great characterisation, immersive plot, an excellent balance between past and present, and a story driven by people who are flawed and imperfect.
As a research historian, I am ever mindful of just how much the past impacts the present; so much more than most people know or realise. Here we see the impact of past events filtering down through generations; the secrets and shame slowly coming to the fore.
Written with clarity, scenes of death at the end of the war are written in an uncompromising manner, but they are not gratuitously graphic.
The stories of Detta, Tom, and Miranda drive the plot, with each standing out as clearly recognisable people, and with their own relatable individuality. They are each able to find and pull upon an inner strength that drives them to go forward, to escape the bounds and prisons they find themselves in; both past and present.
I could wax lyrical about this book and it’s people, the situations they struggle through, and the peace that they find BUT you must read for yourselves. It is a gripping, at times intense, but ultimately rewarding novel.
READ IT.
March 19, 2020
This novel offers a dual timeline with two interesting female characters. At the tail end of the Second World War, a German girl named Odette encounters a British POW and they instantly fall in love. Forty-five years later, Odette's granddaughter Miranda returns to Germany and witnesses the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989. Since my husband grew up just a few hundred metres away from the Berlin Wall, on the western side, I find this period fascinating. And because of my own Canadian family's involvement in the Second World War, plus my wartime novel Bird's Eye View, I also have a strong interest in this dramatic chapter of history. The book is well-written with lots of very powerful imagery. Toward the ending, I even found myself on the verge of tears -- which is rare for me!
February 10, 2019
The Escape is the first book I have read by Clare Harvey and its title certain lives up to the themes of the story. Dual strands run alongside each other following two characters, all of whom will eventually become intertwined and interlinked. The common thread apart from the connections we see emerging between these two characters is that both of them are trying to escape from something. They may be separated by time, place and circumstance but it soon becomes evident that both women are going through monumental changes in the most turbulent of times and it's the decisions and sacrifices they make which will impact on the rest of their lives either for the better or worse.
Clare Harvey clearly had undertaken extensive research before she began writing The Escape for it is rich in detail and very atmospheric. I could feel the tension, anger, danger and menace oozing from the pages be it in the chapters set during the last days of World War Two and the fall of the Reich or in late 1980's West Berlin as the tensions simmer and run high as the wall is about to come crashing down ending years of separation and discord.
Two timelines run alongside each other and although it became clear to me fairly early on what the connections and secrets were it didn't majorly detract from my overall enjoyment of the story. I don't think there was any huge reveal that the reader wouldn't have seen coming, the clues were there in plain sight for all to piece together. Yes there was a sense of uncovering the past to rectify and solve things in the present but it was more to do with helping Miranda in Berlin to see through her clouded judgement about the situation she found herself in. In attempting to bring closure to the past for her grandmother she was also helping herself and trying to bring about unity and forgiveness where there had been separation and anger for quite some time.
The Escape is very character driven and I felt things happened at a slow pace for almost half of the novel. That events were very much stretched out despite the threats looming just around the corner in particular for Detta in 1945 in Nazi Germany. The sense of urgency and getting on with things needed to occur earlier in my opinion. Saying this, the slow pace does allow you to get to know the characters and their inner workings and to see how they feel about the historical changes they are witnessing and are part of. How their lives will be irreparable changed and the decisions they will have to make on the spur of the moment. With regard to Miranda she did begin to search for answers and an element of mystery was there but more especially for her not for the reader as I knew myself what had happened it was more about Miranda uncovering her own family history and how she came to be shaped to the person she was today.
I found Detta's story to be of more interest to me rather than that of Miranda's. It may sound strange to say but I think preferred Detta's story because it was set so far back in the past. We were reading of Detta trying to flee her village after the Germans left and the Russians rolled into town it was just simply fascinating. It was a part of World War Two that I hadn't read much about in historical fiction. Usually books just end with the war being won and soldiers arriving home so it was very interesting to read of the people in German towns and villages and how they were forced to cope with even more change as the people who had held power over them during the war were eradicated and the Russians stepped up. Whereas with Miranda it seems like only yesterday the fall of the Berlin wall occurred even though it was thirty years ago now but it is so fresh in people's minds that I find myself more taken with going deeper back into the past and to Detta's story.
Detta's life, as with many during the war years, was a struggle and there is little left in her village now. The boarding house she helps her mother to run sees very few visitors except for German officials and soldiers. But as the war draws to a close even more carnage, destruction, loss and devastation will ensue. The sound of the Russians grows ever closer as they march through Germany. With gunfire and aeroplanes to be heard inching ever closer to the village Detta knows decisions need to be made but as she dithers over what to do matters are taken out of her hands. Will love rule over sense?
Detta was loyal, steadfast, courageous and a young girl who could see the bigger picture and deep down she knew what the future held. She was given a chance to grab happiness and yes the way love occurred so quickly here was bit implausible but you just go with it because you are so caught up in the tension and the fact that things have to be decided quickly. There will be no second chances it is now or never. Decisions have to be made and even though the consequences will be far reaching for many years to come, Detta was wise and was aware of what could happen if she choose the wrong path. Detta knew she was playing a very dangerous game with secrets and betrayal at its very centre. One wrong manoeuvre, one step out of place and all could be thrown up in the air with the most horrific and devastating of consequences. I felt her indecision and how she was racked with guilt but she had to be brave and follow her heart and shed the load and life she knew. But was she brave enough to take this momentous step or will divided loyalties play a major role in the path that is destined for her and if she does make the decision to flee and to follow her heart would she be able to live with the consequences of her actions?
In West Berlin in 1989, Miranda, a photography student, is with her partner Quill as history is in the making. The fall of the Berlin Wall seems imminent as she photographs epic changes following on from numerous years of separation and unease. Yet there is plenty of worry and suspicion being experienced by Miranda which only grows as things take on a more sinister and menacing tone. She finds herself in a predicament and in danger and at a loss as to what to do. Amidst such change and sensing she is being followed, all alone she rings her grandmother for solace and advice. A chance meeting as organised by her grandmother sets Miranda on a road of discovery of connecting the past to the present, of seeking the answers in order to find closure, peace and comfort for several characters.
Honestly, I didn't like Miranda as much as Detta. I found Miranda when we first met her to be weak and easily led by others. She knew the situation she was in yet she remained there and this only led to getting herself into deeper trouble and escape becomes a necessity rather than one channel of many options. Miranda soon becomes aware that she is but one small cog in a much bigger wheel and I was glad when she finally got her act together and set off to do something right, to seek reconciliation and reunification. Only then could she move forward in her personal life. She comes to understand that when people are under pressure or in danger they do things they would never do under normal circumstances and this is most definitely true of people during war time. What she discovers helps to bring some sense of normality, peace and acceptance back into her life but will she put these qualities to good use or will time run out before she can do anything about it?
The Escape was an interesting and different read from a lot of the World War Two historical fiction I have previously read. It highlights the importance of not letting opportunities or moments slip through our fingers for we never know where these will take us. Detta was an inspirational character who faced many challenges through the circumstances and times she found herself living in. Miranda was in a similar situation although separated by many years from Detta yet her aspect of the overall story line did not hold my attention as much and if the book had solely focused on Detta I would have been just as happy with that. For my first book by Clare Harvey I am impressed, it was a good read but a little bit more mystery would have elevated this book even further than the heights it reached.
Clare Harvey clearly had undertaken extensive research before she began writing The Escape for it is rich in detail and very atmospheric. I could feel the tension, anger, danger and menace oozing from the pages be it in the chapters set during the last days of World War Two and the fall of the Reich or in late 1980's West Berlin as the tensions simmer and run high as the wall is about to come crashing down ending years of separation and discord.
Two timelines run alongside each other and although it became clear to me fairly early on what the connections and secrets were it didn't majorly detract from my overall enjoyment of the story. I don't think there was any huge reveal that the reader wouldn't have seen coming, the clues were there in plain sight for all to piece together. Yes there was a sense of uncovering the past to rectify and solve things in the present but it was more to do with helping Miranda in Berlin to see through her clouded judgement about the situation she found herself in. In attempting to bring closure to the past for her grandmother she was also helping herself and trying to bring about unity and forgiveness where there had been separation and anger for quite some time.
The Escape is very character driven and I felt things happened at a slow pace for almost half of the novel. That events were very much stretched out despite the threats looming just around the corner in particular for Detta in 1945 in Nazi Germany. The sense of urgency and getting on with things needed to occur earlier in my opinion. Saying this, the slow pace does allow you to get to know the characters and their inner workings and to see how they feel about the historical changes they are witnessing and are part of. How their lives will be irreparable changed and the decisions they will have to make on the spur of the moment. With regard to Miranda she did begin to search for answers and an element of mystery was there but more especially for her not for the reader as I knew myself what had happened it was more about Miranda uncovering her own family history and how she came to be shaped to the person she was today.
I found Detta's story to be of more interest to me rather than that of Miranda's. It may sound strange to say but I think preferred Detta's story because it was set so far back in the past. We were reading of Detta trying to flee her village after the Germans left and the Russians rolled into town it was just simply fascinating. It was a part of World War Two that I hadn't read much about in historical fiction. Usually books just end with the war being won and soldiers arriving home so it was very interesting to read of the people in German towns and villages and how they were forced to cope with even more change as the people who had held power over them during the war were eradicated and the Russians stepped up. Whereas with Miranda it seems like only yesterday the fall of the Berlin wall occurred even though it was thirty years ago now but it is so fresh in people's minds that I find myself more taken with going deeper back into the past and to Detta's story.
Detta's life, as with many during the war years, was a struggle and there is little left in her village now. The boarding house she helps her mother to run sees very few visitors except for German officials and soldiers. But as the war draws to a close even more carnage, destruction, loss and devastation will ensue. The sound of the Russians grows ever closer as they march through Germany. With gunfire and aeroplanes to be heard inching ever closer to the village Detta knows decisions need to be made but as she dithers over what to do matters are taken out of her hands. Will love rule over sense?
Detta was loyal, steadfast, courageous and a young girl who could see the bigger picture and deep down she knew what the future held. She was given a chance to grab happiness and yes the way love occurred so quickly here was bit implausible but you just go with it because you are so caught up in the tension and the fact that things have to be decided quickly. There will be no second chances it is now or never. Decisions have to be made and even though the consequences will be far reaching for many years to come, Detta was wise and was aware of what could happen if she choose the wrong path. Detta knew she was playing a very dangerous game with secrets and betrayal at its very centre. One wrong manoeuvre, one step out of place and all could be thrown up in the air with the most horrific and devastating of consequences. I felt her indecision and how she was racked with guilt but she had to be brave and follow her heart and shed the load and life she knew. But was she brave enough to take this momentous step or will divided loyalties play a major role in the path that is destined for her and if she does make the decision to flee and to follow her heart would she be able to live with the consequences of her actions?
In West Berlin in 1989, Miranda, a photography student, is with her partner Quill as history is in the making. The fall of the Berlin Wall seems imminent as she photographs epic changes following on from numerous years of separation and unease. Yet there is plenty of worry and suspicion being experienced by Miranda which only grows as things take on a more sinister and menacing tone. She finds herself in a predicament and in danger and at a loss as to what to do. Amidst such change and sensing she is being followed, all alone she rings her grandmother for solace and advice. A chance meeting as organised by her grandmother sets Miranda on a road of discovery of connecting the past to the present, of seeking the answers in order to find closure, peace and comfort for several characters.
Honestly, I didn't like Miranda as much as Detta. I found Miranda when we first met her to be weak and easily led by others. She knew the situation she was in yet she remained there and this only led to getting herself into deeper trouble and escape becomes a necessity rather than one channel of many options. Miranda soon becomes aware that she is but one small cog in a much bigger wheel and I was glad when she finally got her act together and set off to do something right, to seek reconciliation and reunification. Only then could she move forward in her personal life. She comes to understand that when people are under pressure or in danger they do things they would never do under normal circumstances and this is most definitely true of people during war time. What she discovers helps to bring some sense of normality, peace and acceptance back into her life but will she put these qualities to good use or will time run out before she can do anything about it?
The Escape was an interesting and different read from a lot of the World War Two historical fiction I have previously read. It highlights the importance of not letting opportunities or moments slip through our fingers for we never know where these will take us. Detta was an inspirational character who faced many challenges through the circumstances and times she found herself living in. Miranda was in a similar situation although separated by many years from Detta yet her aspect of the overall story line did not hold my attention as much and if the book had solely focused on Detta I would have been just as happy with that. For my first book by Clare Harvey I am impressed, it was a good read but a little bit more mystery would have elevated this book even further than the heights it reached.
January 24, 2019
An Engrossing Story of Forbidden Love and its' Repercussions Set Amidst the Horror of World War 2
As a lover of both history and books, I do enjoy a good historical novel. I generally don't mind how heavy or long they are, because for me there is something special about dwelling in the past for a little while. However, having said that, it is a joy when a book comes along like The Escape that is set in the past but is also easy and pleasurable to read.
I have to admit that I wasn't sure from the cover exactly what type of novel it would be. Would it be more love story than historical novel? Would it be light on the details that make you feel and understand what it was like to be there?
I soon discovered that I shouldn't have been worried, of course, we are warned never to judge a book by its cover – but in practise that can be tough to do.
The Escape was a nice mix of the more human element and beautifully researched historical detail. There was also enough danger to make it exciting too.
The novel is really two intertwined stories set primarily in Germany during different periods of the 20th century.
The first thread focuses on Detta's life in a small village as the Russians approach from the east towards the end of World War 2.
The second centres on that of her granddaughter Miranda who is in Berlin in 1989 as the communist regime begins to crumble and the wall falls.
There is a backdrop of considerable chaos and crisis to both stories. For Detta, who has kept her head down during the war, there is fear of what the future holds as rumours circulate about the way the Russians are treating the Germans and German women in particular. The sense of impending doom and the almost constant sounds of battle add urgency to everyday life.
Throughout the novel, Harvey creates a feeling of not letting opportunities, moments or even people slip through our fingers. It is a theme that I find endlessly fascinating, how in times of war people are lifted out of themselves and do things they would never consider doing during peacetime. It’s a theme I think is explored well by Harvey throughout the novel.
Miranda, although not initially in the same danger as her grandmother, faces a different type of crisis in the form of an abusive boyfriend.
He is a richer, successful older man and she describes their relationship as 'a multi-coloured surge of panic-love.'
She needs to escape in a different way and so she embarks on a quest into East Germany, but it is not as easy as she hopes to outrun her past.
It has actually been a while since I have read a book that totally sucked me in after the first few pages and kept me reading much later into the night than I usually do. However, I was hooked by Clare Harvey's prose from the first chapter, when Detta boards the crowded last train to Breslau. The Russians are edging closer and people are panicking. Clare Harvey writes 'There was an indecency in the intimacy of it'. Beautiful.
I think The Escape would definitely appeal to readers who enjoy easy to read historical dramas and romances set during the turbulence of war. For my part, I am now looking forward to exploring Clare Harvey's other books.
Reviewed by Alison Walker for The Glass House Book Club
As a lover of both history and books, I do enjoy a good historical novel. I generally don't mind how heavy or long they are, because for me there is something special about dwelling in the past for a little while. However, having said that, it is a joy when a book comes along like The Escape that is set in the past but is also easy and pleasurable to read.
I have to admit that I wasn't sure from the cover exactly what type of novel it would be. Would it be more love story than historical novel? Would it be light on the details that make you feel and understand what it was like to be there?
I soon discovered that I shouldn't have been worried, of course, we are warned never to judge a book by its cover – but in practise that can be tough to do.
The Escape was a nice mix of the more human element and beautifully researched historical detail. There was also enough danger to make it exciting too.
The novel is really two intertwined stories set primarily in Germany during different periods of the 20th century.
The first thread focuses on Detta's life in a small village as the Russians approach from the east towards the end of World War 2.
The second centres on that of her granddaughter Miranda who is in Berlin in 1989 as the communist regime begins to crumble and the wall falls.
There is a backdrop of considerable chaos and crisis to both stories. For Detta, who has kept her head down during the war, there is fear of what the future holds as rumours circulate about the way the Russians are treating the Germans and German women in particular. The sense of impending doom and the almost constant sounds of battle add urgency to everyday life.
Throughout the novel, Harvey creates a feeling of not letting opportunities, moments or even people slip through our fingers. It is a theme that I find endlessly fascinating, how in times of war people are lifted out of themselves and do things they would never consider doing during peacetime. It’s a theme I think is explored well by Harvey throughout the novel.
Miranda, although not initially in the same danger as her grandmother, faces a different type of crisis in the form of an abusive boyfriend.
He is a richer, successful older man and she describes their relationship as 'a multi-coloured surge of panic-love.'
She needs to escape in a different way and so she embarks on a quest into East Germany, but it is not as easy as she hopes to outrun her past.
It has actually been a while since I have read a book that totally sucked me in after the first few pages and kept me reading much later into the night than I usually do. However, I was hooked by Clare Harvey's prose from the first chapter, when Detta boards the crowded last train to Breslau. The Russians are edging closer and people are panicking. Clare Harvey writes 'There was an indecency in the intimacy of it'. Beautiful.
I think The Escape would definitely appeal to readers who enjoy easy to read historical dramas and romances set during the turbulence of war. For my part, I am now looking forward to exploring Clare Harvey's other books.
Reviewed by Alison Walker for The Glass House Book Club
January 29, 2020
A wartime adventure story set in two timelines, in 1945 Nazi Germany we have a group of pow men being marched, they know not where, to escape the Russians. Also we have a young German woman Detta, her and her mother are terrified and awaiting the arrival of the Russians in their small village and are doing everything they can to hide valuable items from them.
In 1989 we have the fall of the Berlin wall and Miranda is a British photographer, she is trapped in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend and after he burns her passport to stop her running from him she has to get as far away from him as possible. The story is linked but is very easy to distinguish between the two timelines, as each chapter defines the person and date. I found this book to be totally absorbing in the storylines and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys WW2 or post cold war books.
In 1989 we have the fall of the Berlin wall and Miranda is a British photographer, she is trapped in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend and after he burns her passport to stop her running from him she has to get as far away from him as possible. The story is linked but is very easy to distinguish between the two timelines, as each chapter defines the person and date. I found this book to be totally absorbing in the storylines and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys WW2 or post cold war books.
December 18, 2022
Loved this book!
The liberation at the end of the second world War sees a 'love story' play out between an English POW and a German working woman who goes to their aid. Fast forward to the end of the Berlin wall, fascinating personal stories at 2 of the world's milestone events. A Great read.
The liberation at the end of the second world War sees a 'love story' play out between an English POW and a German working woman who goes to their aid. Fast forward to the end of the Berlin wall, fascinating personal stories at 2 of the world's milestone events. A Great read.
February 3, 2019
“The Escape” by Clare Harvey follows two different timelines and two women, sharing a history. Detta lives in a small village in Germany. The war is coming to an end and the Russian Army is on their way – to free people, but also it is rumoured they’re cruel and nothing and nobody is safe from them. One day, Detta passes a group of force – marched British prisoners. The following day, her help is needed – a day that is going to change her life for ever.
Miranda is a photography student and finds herself in Berlin in 1989 at the Wall fall. A granddaughter of Detta, she finds an old postcard of the village where her grandmother was born. Detta sends her on a mission there but Miranda is in danger – as she flees from an abusive relationship into the east, she starts to suspect she’s being followed by the Stasi. Why? Is she going to be able to help her grandmother?
This novel was brilliantly written and researched. The author can so incredibly well capture all the feelings and emotions, especially in those parts that take place during the war – fear, uncertainty, not knowing what’s going to happen and what the future brings, they’re all so very well written. While the times of the Berlin Wall fall are not so much in my area of interest, I’m always happy to read books set during the World War II, and even more gladly when there is Poland as setting involved. “The Escape” is mostly set in Germany, in and around Berlin, a little town in Poland also plays crucial role in it. It focuses on very dark and sad period of time in our history, and truly, the descriptions were heart – wrenching and tugging at the heart – strings, but this book is also full of hope and not at all depressing. It is moving, yes, but the author has managed, despite the topic being a serious and difficult one, to make it light and also uplifting.
This book was a slow burner. A very slow burner, and I’ve already found myself really irritated a few times, waiting for it to eventually kick off, for the story to finally start rolling. I’ll be honest with you – if I weren’t reading this novel for a blog tour, I’d most certainly put it away. It was only around the middle, after Miranda started searching and Detta’s story began to unravel, that I found myself glued to the pages, racing through them, desperate to see what has happened. I’d much more liked Detta’s plot to this of Miranda – I understand, after reading the author’s guest post on research, why Miranda was needed, she was like a significant tool to Detta, but I somehow couldn’t warm to her and to her story. I just felt there is no connection between us and also, she could be more fleshed out for my liking. Detta, however, was another story. There was a depth to her and she had really something to tell, and her tale was heart – breaking, full of loss but also hope. Sure, Miranda’s story was also interesting – the war is over but is there peace at all? As the two narratives interweave, the plot slowly starts to unravel, and there is a real sense of uncertainty, tension, of not knowing what’s going to happen and what has happened in Detta’s past.
Altogether, “The Escape” was a thought – provoking tale, full of questions what if and what would you do, how would you behave. It’s full of moral lessons without being patronising and the authors handles all the topics with care and gentleness. It was sensitive and compelling, and beautifully written and, as it was my first book by Clare Harvey, I’m already looking forward to read her previous novels, because “The Escape” was a great enough piece of historical fiction. Recommended.
August 17, 2019
I have just finished this book and I admit I liked it. It was not a page-turner for me, but the story kept me interested in reading. From the acknowledgements it looks, it was based on a real story described in Into Enemy Arms by Michael Hingston. Also mentioned is The Last Escape by John Nichol. I didn't read any of these but intend to as The Escape provides a view into the ordinary lives of Germans during the WW2. Not all were Nazis, not all believed in Hitler's vision of New Germany. And I loved this part of the story. But I was a little bit disappointed with the second story: of Detta's granddaughter Miranda who witnessed The Great Wall in Berlin fall in 1989 and Germany reunification on 3rd October. While being a press photographer during that time seems to be credible, the part how she was moving between divided countries and to Poland without passport seems to be outstretched. Not to say to get a completely new passport in two days? This part of Poland changed incredibly since the WW2. Was it really possible to find something hidden in a tree trunk after so many years? 1989 story has some gaps, it feels like in some places the author didn't know what to add. I wanted to read more about Detta's years after the war in England.
But generally, the book was interesting and worth reading.
But generally, the book was interesting and worth reading.
March 12, 2019
I enjoyed this book though I have read many similar books before where there is a more modern story running through it and an older more historic one. This was the case with this one and although both were interesting I prefered the older story line.
I did think that it went on a bit in the last few chapters and felt it could have ended a couple of chapters earlier but I look forward to reading more from this author
I did think that it went on a bit in the last few chapters and felt it could have ended a couple of chapters earlier but I look forward to reading more from this author
February 22, 2021
I almost gave this book four stars as I largely found it well written.The characterisation was very good,the descriptive passages so good at setting the scene.It was at times moving and thrilling.Where I thought the book disappointed was in the end which in comparison to the rest of the book felt hurried and sketchy.
July 10, 2022
This story follows two timelines that are connected by a family. I really enjoyed it and it was quite different from my usual reads. It was my first ever Clare Harvey book and I wasn't disappointed. :)
February 26, 2019
Only Two
I didn't really enjoy this book Apart from the genre nothing really happened ages bland characters and no storyline Suffice to say I wouldn't recommend
I didn't really enjoy this book Apart from the genre nothing really happened ages bland characters and no storyline Suffice to say I wouldn't recommend
March 5, 2020
Better than The Raid, the story held together well and was interesting
February 26, 2023
I would give 2:5 *
It was a very slow start a bit mediocre
I felt the plot of the story was poor
I personally will not be reading anything else by this author
It was a very slow start a bit mediocre
I felt the plot of the story was poor
I personally will not be reading anything else by this author
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