Escape

by Ethel Vance (Pseudonym), Grace Zaring Stone

Emily Ritter's son journeys to Nazi Germany to free her from the concentration camp where she has been condemned to death

Genres: Fiction

428 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1939

About the author

Pseudonym of Grace Zaring Stone.

Reviews

[Maggie M · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate cowardly endings.

[Christine Sinclair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story! It was written in 1939, during Hitler's rise to power, and it is chilling. Watch what you say and do and think because the walls have ears and you must agree with the Party or else. The plot is a real page-turner and even though the writing is sometimes a bit too philosophical for me, I was very interested in the characters and their dire predicament. Will Mark save his mother? Will the General foil their plan? Will the Countess be able to help them? Now I have to see the movie to find out what Hollywood did with this great material. A GOOD read!

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay read and did become quite gripping as it went on. What makes it interesting is that it was written not with hindsight but in 1939.

[Annette Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the sense of menace and the growing tension, a real page turner.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a story. Very ingenuous plot.

[William · Rating 2 out of 5]

A long read that brags of suspense, but leaves a dissatisfied reader feeling robbed of promised excitement. Really the only point in investing the time to read such a lengthy novel ought to be for those appreciative of the historical context of its publication; perhaps what’s scary is not the actual content of the novel, but rather the “fiction” that was ironically relevant to European events in 1939. There is no mention of Nazis or Hitler but the author uses the descriptions and context to make it clear exactly who the man in the big picture next to the banner was or who the men with skulls on the caps are. Yet, you know the identity (with a little historical context). Readers of 1939 knew the identity. Thinking about what they thought of it upon publication is the closest excitement to be had. I’m still glad that I did read it, I just wouldn’t consider it to be very successful as a suspense novel.

[L.C.]

Helen Thompson's favorite book.