La luz después de la guerra

by Anita Abriel, Isabel Murillo Fort (Translator)

Inspirada por la increíble y cautivadora historia real de dos amigas judías que sobrevivieron al Holocausto y encontraron el coraje para perseguir sus sueños.

En 1946 Vera Frankel y su amiga Edith Ban llegan a Nápoles. Son refugiadas húngaras que consiguieron escapar de un tren con dirección a Auschwitz y pasaron el resto de la guerra escondidas en una granja austriaca. Ahora, las dos jóvenes confían en hallar un hogar y un poco de paz en Italia. Armada únicamente con la carta de recomendación de un amable oficial, Vera logra encontrar trabajo en la embajada estadounidense, donde se enamora del capitán Anton Wight.

Sin embargo, al igual que Vera y Edith, Anton también lucha por superar las consecuencias personales de la guerra. Cuando desaparece repentinamente, Vera se verá obligada a volver a empezar de cero y a reconstruir su vida en América, dejando de nuevo atrás sus terribles pérdidas...

Emocionante y evocadora, esta historia de auténtica amistad, amor y supervivencia se quedará contigo mucho tiempo después de pasar la última página.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, World War II, Historical, Holocaust, Romance, War

432 pages, Hardcover

First published February 4, 2020

About the author

Anita Abriel was born in Sydney, Australia. She received a BA in English Literature with a minor in Creative Writing from Bard College. She lives in California with her family and is the author of The Light After the War which was inspired by her mother’s story of survival during WWII.

Reviews

[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having escaped from a train headed to Auschwitz, best friends Vera Frankel and Edith Ban spent the rest of the war working (while hiding) on a farm in Austria. When they arrive in Naples, Vera accepts a job at the United States Embassy and falls in love with her boss, Captain Anton Wight. When Anton suddenly disappears from her life, Vera and Edith get on board a ship headed for the United States and from there their lives change forever. They women arrive in Ellis Island and soon move on to Caracas with aspirations of having careers, rebuilding their lives and starting over. But will that be the fresh start they are looking for? Read to find out!

The focus of this book is on the two women - their lifelong friendship, and their love lives after the war. There is a strong emphasis on romance, but this book also touches on survivors’ guilt, regret, hope, longing, friendship, and hard work. Both women have plans for their lives and approach their plans in different manners. Their pasts are shared in flashbacks told throughout the book. Once in Naples, Vera throws herself into work, while Edith would rather go out, have fun and fall in love.

For a book about life after the war and for those having lost family in the Holocaust, this book feels a little light, mainly in part due to the romance. The young women seem to have gotten off to a good start. The go from hiding on a farm to living in Naples. that transition seemed fast and I would have liked to have learned more about their struggles. Things seem to come very easy for them.

For a book that is in the historical fiction genre, I would have appreciated more historical aspects. Don't get me wrong they are given, such as dates, and events, I also appreciated small facts such as a married woman in the 40's should not be seen eating in public without her husband. What some might find interesting is how the book shows how many survivors migrated to various areas and countries after the Holocaust.

I found this book to be an enjoyable read which moved at a nice pace. The themes of enduring love, lifelong friendships and starting over were nicely done. As the women moved, they easily fit into their new communities and made a life for themselves, showing how both could be brave, resilient and strong.

-This book was inspired by the Author's Mother's story of survival during the Holocaust.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Paige · Rating 2 out of 5]

The synopsis is misleading. I did expect a romance based on it's description, but I also expected other elements too due to the narrative about the two main characters, Vera and Edith, fleeing Budapest during WW2. (Really Vera is the main character and Edith is her best friend that supports her throughout the story...in some chapters, Edith is barely seen.)
Vera's time during the war is expressed in flashbacks, and is limited throughout the novel. They are very short flashbacks. Most of the story revolves around Vera and Edith's hunt to find love and make a home.
In the second half, I started counting Vera's flashbacks; she has three flashbacks after 50% of the novel. And these flashbacks sometimes have little significance; for example one is her shortly recounting the time she saw a ballet.

I am not sure what exactly the plot was supposed to be, but the story is set during 1946-1950 and centers around Vera who is a 19 year-old that has escaped Nazi-Germany with her friend Edith. It bounced around starting with one path but then would abandon the path it was on and begin another: from romance to grieving back to romance to culture/society back to romance to family back to romance, so the direction and where it was headed was obscure for me.
I kept reading hoping the story would evolve, but there were no huge climatic plot elements. The characters were underdeveloped for me, and much of what happens to the girls is filled with happy coincidences.

If you like romances set during WW2 with romanticized dialogue then you will enjoy this novel very much. The romance is very much stylized like an old fashioned romance.
I received an advanced copy from the publisher through Edelweiss. Opinions are my own.

More about this:
There is a rich history for Budapest, especially during WW2. (Though it wasn't strongly presented in this novel.)
Below is a picture of "Shoes on the Danube", a memorial to the Holocaust victims who were brought to the edge of the Danube river, told to remove their shoes, and then shot.
Read about Holocaust victims murdered at the Danube.

Read about the Death March from Budapest and the Budapest Ghetto.

[Holly B · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 STARS

Two young Hungarian women- Vera and Edith, escape from Auschwitz by jumping of a moving train.

Fast forward to Post War and they are both living in America. They decided to leave Budapest and make a new start.

The author writes that the book is inspired by her mother's life.

Loved reading about Vera and Edith and could feel their bond and friendship. I really enjoyed the book and the characters. This is more of a romance story with surprises along their world travels.

Recommend to fans of Historical Fiction who love reading about friendship, life long bonds, surviving memories of the Holocaust.

Thanks to Atria for my copy! Out February 2020

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contemporary author, Anita Hughes, has penned her first historical fiction novel based on her mother’s experiences during and after the Holocaust.

Vera and Edith are best friends who narrowly escape the train to Auschwitz, hide on an Austrian farm, and arrive in Naples together. They are starting over. Eventually, the pair travel to Ellis Island and later to Caracas. Inside the pages of this book is the most beautiful story of lifelong friendship. It’s a tribute to survival, too. The Light After the War is a heartwarming read.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Many of my reviews can also be found on instagram: www.instagram.com and my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com

[Fran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired by true events experienced by author Anita Abriel's mother, a Holocaust survivor, "The Light After the War" is the story of a fight for survival, hope and happiness. We travel with best friends Vera and Edith viewing their lives both before and after World War II. In 1944, Hitler ordered German troops to invade Hungary. Vera Frankel, Edith Ban and their mothers were herded onto a train bound for Auschwitz. Mothers Alice Frankel and Lily Ban had a plan. When the train made a stop, a German guard came on board. Edith asked him to share a bottle of "birthday schnapps" with her. The super strong schnapps was bound to put the guard to sleep. Failing to do so, Alice Frankel blocked Vera and Edith from view, then pushed them off the train. Alice and Lily were unable to quickly disembark and were forced to continue on to Auschwitz. Devastated to be left without their mothers, teenagers Vera and Edith now needed to find shelter or "freeze to death" in a field.

Imagine the inner strength required for Edith to take a leap of faith and flag down a passing truck! Informing the driver that they were at a party and got lost, he agreed to transport them to a nearby farmhouse. He issued the following warning. "Next time, make up a better story...Be careful." Vera and Edith were able to hide in the barn of the Dunkel farm in Austria for over one year by assisting Ottie Dunkel with the daily chores on the farm. "While we were eating Ottie's food and sleeping under her blankets, our mothers were hungry and shivering in iron cots...after the war, when we were alive and healthy and breathing in the mountain air...they were bones heaped in an open grave...[We] may as well have escorted [them] to [their] death."

Edith was the wild one. She was fashion conscious, had dreams of being a dress designer. Dispirited when her childhood sweetheart, Stefan did not return from a labor camp, she "...believed falling in love was the answer to everything, even escaping the war." Bookish Vera, fluent in five languages dreamed about being a playwright. She was able to secure an secretarial job. She now had hope. "Everyone's war has to end sometime."

"The Light After the War" by Anita Abriel, a work of historical fiction, describes "...how during a time of unfathomable evil,the strength of the human spirit prevailed." Although the many coincidences portrayed in this tome seemed unlikely, the enduring friendship of two Hungarian refugees, friends since childhood, kept hope alive.

Thank you Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars (rounded to 3 stars)

The Light After the War is Ms. Abriel’s debut novel. I love that it was inspired by her mother’s experiences during and after surviving the Holocaust with her best friend after both jumped from a train headed for Auschwitz.

The story is mainly about the postwar lives of Vera and her best friend Edith. The time frame is 1946-1950 when the young women were 19-23 years old with several flashbacks taking place during the war years. The tale takes us from Budapest to Austria, to Naples, Ellis Island, Caracas, and Sydney. I thought the author did a fine job describing the various settings. I am not very familiar with the cities in which the novel takes place so enjoyed learning more about these lands and their cultures. The main characters are likable though I’m not sure they will be especially memorable. I particularly liked the moms Allesandra and Alice even though their roles are limited—they are very wise women.

Much of the novel centers around postwar romance. I wish more of the book concentrated on the wartime scenes with less focus on romance. I wanted to learn more about how these young teenagers survived the atrocities of the war. And though I did gain a bit of new knowledge about the war itself, I was hoping for more.

I did appreciate the many excellent themes, including deep and loyal female friendship, the endurance of love, the power of hope, and the rewards of resilience. There are touching scenes of heartbreak and great sorrow, as well as kindness and joy.

A number of reviewers deem the story too predictable. I think there is definitely some of that, but there are also some scenes I didn’t see coming.

I loved the epilogue.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, an easy read, but I’m not sure how long it will linger in my mind. I award it 3.5 stars as it’s better than a 3 and very good for a debut, but not as good as a 4. Having said that, I will settle on 3 stars. I recommend The Light After the War for those interested in more of a postwar romance story bundled with a trip around the world rather than a more gritty wartime tale.

Many thanks to Net Galley, Atria Books (Isabel DaSilva), and Ms. Anita Abriel for an ARC of this novel. Opinions are mine alone and not biased in any way.

[megs_bookrack]

I am sorry to say I am calling it quits on this one. I made it to page 92, not a bad effort, and am not enjoying it at all.

I did set the year I read it at 1990 so it won't count towards this year's reading challenge.



I was hoping this would be historical fiction along the lines of The Lost Girls of Paris or Moloka'i, but it's just not.

To the point where I called it quits, the two main characters are focused on one thing and one thing only, men.

The entire storyline so far revolves around that; how to attract one, keep one, who will marry me, should I kiss somebody.



In my mind, I feel these girls would have had bigger concerns.

They just fled for their lives, jumped from a train, escaped the Nazis. Not to mention, their entire families were surely dead and their biggest concern is the guy making eyes at them on the street?



That's all I am going to say on that. I'm just not invested enough to continue when there are so many other books better suited to my tastes.

I am sure many readers will enjoy this, I am just not one of them.

I received an ARC from the publisher, Atria Books, and I truly appreciate the opportunity. I am going to donate this copy so it can find a home where it will be read, loved and hopefully passed on.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vera Frankel and best friend Edith Ban had escaped the train taking them and their mothers to Auschwitz and had hidden on an Austrian farm for a year before they found their way to Naples after the war. They were Hungarian refugees; their lives had been in peril – Naples meant they could slowly recover, regain their health and find jobs to see them through. Vera began work at the United States embassy while Edith, with her needlework skills, found sewing jobs to keep her going.

The two girls, only nineteen years of age, had had to grow up quickly. Now Vera found herself with feelings for Captain Anton Wight and it seemed he felt the same. But when he disappeared, Vera and Edith once again came to a crossroad. As the Queen Elizabeth took them to America, where they were stranded on Ellis Island, then another ship took them to Caracas in Venezuela, they found their courage and stamina once again, settling in Caracas where they both obtained work, finding comfort and happiness at last. More was to happen though...

The Light After the War is a moving debut, inspired by Australian author Anita Abriel’s own mother’s survival of the Holocaust with her best friend. The Author’s Notes at the end of the book are interesting, the facts horrific but fascinating. It is set pretty much after the war, and it showed how hard the post war years were for people who had been caught up in the horrors that were WWII. A compelling novel, The Light After the War is one I highly recommend to fans of historical fiction.

With thanks to Simon & Schuster AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here is yet another perfectly serviceable WWII historical romance that was lost on me. Based on the editorial, I was anticipating a story of female friendship during and after WWII. What I received was some (not all) schmaltzy writing and a love story. I think it’s time to step away from the WWII hist-fic.

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Post-WWII historical fiction, based on the real-life adventures of two Hungarian Jewish girls, with a side of romance, not bad, not great.

Review to come. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a true story of two friends growing up together in Budapest before WWII, surviving the war and after the war emigrating to Italy, then Americas – this novel shows what a true friendship means. A friendship tested through the hardest of possible times.

Naples, 1946. Nazis were defeated and the war was over. Now, the life is beaming with “the outdoor cafes overflowed with customers,” neighbors stop and talk to each other without any fear. “Neapolitans treat every day like a celebration.”

Vera Frankel and her best friend Edith Ban arrive in a vibrant city of Naples. Refugees from Hungary, who escaped a train heading for Auschwitz and survived the war on an Austrian farm. Now, they start their new lives abroad. They’ve been close friends since childhood. But Edith’s spirit is broken and Vera is the one who propels them forward. Edith’s way of dealing with her pain is to just fall in love and have fun. The more sober and responsible Vera gets a secretary position at American embassy.

At the end, they both find loves, but those loves have unexpected twists.

Edith wants to be a fashion designer and Vera aspires to be a playwright. And all that may come true in the land of opportunity. They receive a chance of sailing to New York. But at Ellis Island, they are forced to detour. They sail farther to Caracas, Venezuela.

The story moves quickly with simple prose.

It has some atmospheric descriptions giving the time period engaging dimensions. The description of vibrant Naples and welcoming Caracas are very distinctive.

The story brings flashes of the past when girls were growing up in Budapest, giving the characters dimensions to better understand them what made them who they are and what drives them forward.

It was also interesting to read about Caribia “ship that left Vienna in 1939 as the borders of Austria were closing. It set sail for Trinidad,” but the Jews were not welcomed there or at any British colony, and finally Venezuela welcomed them. It’s uplifting to read about such places, which make a difference in humanity.

It is an easy read, but what is striking about the story is how after their escape, their lives seem to fall onto the right path very easily. If it weren’t based on a true story, I’d have a bit difficult time believing the events. Despite this and the very simple prose, the story is engaging and kept me engrossed as I wanted to find out how and where they settled and how their friendship endured.

There are also some unnecessary repetitions. Vera not telling Edith this or that was obvious from the story and didn’t need repetition.

Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Britany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two best friends - Vera & Edith stick together through the war and afterwards as Hungarian Jewish refugees trying to figure out their lives at the ripe age of 19. I loved the idea of this novel and appreciated the nuance of these countries and their response at refugees surviving WWII in Europe. I struggled with the connection and the plot holes. I really had a hard time buying some of the incredulous events that took place - not sure if some of it was used for shock factor, but it was a lovely book without those devices to try to hook the reader.

Edith falls in love fast and wants to design dresses, while Vera takes life a bit more seriously and does whatever she can to ensure that they will survive another day. The characters were a little flat and while I was invested in Vera's story, I got some of the characters confused (Capt. Bingham & Anton) and had a hard time accepting the neatly tied up ending. I am curious to research the author's real life story that inspired this one, so will be looking into author interviews on this one. Looking forward to see this author publish more in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Kerrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read and review The Light After The War by Anita Abriel. This book will be published on February 4, 2020.

This novel is based upon the true story of the author's mother (Vera) and her best friend (Edith) who both manage to jump off the train carrying them and their Jewish mothers from Budapest to Auschwitz during World War II. While distraught about leaving their mothers on the train, the teenagers are able to survive by living in a barn in Austria in exchange for doing farm work for the owners. Believing that their families and loved ones were all killed in the war, they decide not to return to Budapest. Instead, these two beautiful 19-year-old women next travel to Naples where they set out to rebuild their lives. Vera finds meaningful work and falls in love, but that has a disappointing end. Edith befriends an aspiring photographer, whose photo of the two women is published in Life Magazine. A wealthy American who sees the photograph decides to sponsor the two women in America. However, once they land at Ellis Island, things go astray. Next, they head to Caracas where Vera once again finds meaningful work and love. Edith starts a business as a fashion designer. Vera eventually ends up in Australia and Edith in California.

I classify this novel as more romance than a work of historical fiction. Other than some flashbacks about World War II, the book focuses on the two women's personal lives. The themes of the novel are friendship, love, mother-daughter relationships, what makes a good marriage, independent women, trust, jealousy, and survival during and after a war. I liked the book but did not love it. 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

If you like recipes that go with the theme of your book, check out my ad-free site www.booksandrecipes.com

[Laura • lauralovestoread · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite things about Historical Fiction are the true stories that influence them. I loved author Anita Abriel’s true story of her mother, who survived the Holocaust.

I also enjoyed the friendship that wound this story together as friends Vera and Edith navigate through life after the war, as war refugees from Hungary. There’s also romance, as the young women search for love, and just another reason why this genre is one of my faves.

*Thank you Atria for the gifted copy for review. All opinions are my own

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Australia and Anita Abriel for my copy of her book: The Light After The War.
Vera Frankel and Edith Ban are best friends they grew up happily together in Hungary, WW II started and the girls lives are forever changed. Before they know it, the two girls and their mothers Alice and Lily are traveling on a train on it's way to Auschwitz. The girls mothers have a plan, they decide to trick the guard by getting him drunk, steal his keys and get the girls off the train. They push the girls off the moving train, the girls make their way to Dunkel's farm in Hallstatt and spend a year hiding in the barn. After the war ends they try to find their families with no leads, they assume their mothers didn't survive Auschwitz and Vera's father died at the work camp he was sent to? Vera gets a reference from the nice Captain Allan Bingham, the girls move to Naples to find work and stay with Signora Rosa and she's like a second mother to the young women.

Edith is flighty she seems more interested in having fun, flirting and getting out of bed in the morning is an effort. Edith is really trying to numb the pain of not hearing from her fiance Stefan and in her heart she knows she is never going to see him again. Vera gets a job working at the American Embassy, her boss is the handsome Captain Anton Wright, they fall in love and get engaged.

Both girls have lost so much, their parents, friends, relatives and only have each other. When Anton suddenly leaves her Vera experiences yet another loss and how much can she take? The girls get a chance to travel to America, of course nothing goes as planned, they end up stranded on Ellis Island and the only place they can go is Venezuela.

Here Vera meets Ricardo Albee, he's a car sales man, he's smitten with Vera, they get married and I found his character rather creepy. Edith starts her own fashion design business, she has issues with money and almost goes bankrupt.

I'm sorry but this is when the story gets a bit far fetched for me, I thought the story would be about how the mothers and daughters found themselves traveling on a cattle train bound for Auschwitz and how Vera and Edith survived the war? Yes they stayed on a farm for a year, but that's it, no real details of their stay are included in the story, the rest of the story is about the young ladies going from country to country and their romantic interests. Not what I expected at all, I did enjoy reading about the girls friendship, yes they were very close and looked out for each other. I gave the book three stars and all opinions expressed in the review are my own. I have shared my review on Goodreads, NetGalley, Twitter, Barnes & Noble, Australian Amazon, Kobo and my blog. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a giveaway, given by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Goodreads helps with this arrangement, so that a book can get some early press and buzz. For that reason, I am always a little afraid and quite responsible. Authors put everything into a work, hoping it will soar - and I like to help them get their stories out. Especially if they are worthy. Strong reviews are important to get the word out about a book coming to market.

I needn't have worried! I actually loved everything about the The Light After the War by Anita Abriel, and it is a privilege to read and review it. And pass it on. One interesting thing about this read, is that there is plenty of powerful WWII fiction out there, and I am a huge reader of this genre. There are indeed flashbacks to parts of the gruesome violent holocaust and war. But this one is different, in that its really about two Hungarian young women survivors, and the question of the novel, is how does one remake themselves after the war? How does one find love and allow themselves to experience love, after loss, and trauma, and scars, and guilt? How does one learn to live and love again? To trust, to become, to believe?

The mark of a good book is good writing, likable characters, the willingness to believe, and the tears you know are coming. Depicting settings from five corners of the world, is an unforgettable story of Vera Frankel - one I am sure I will never forget, and one that I shed tears for this morning. The Light Before the War is a Winner! Congratulations and good luck to the author, Anita Abriel. And thank you.

[Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two friends who couldn’t be separated even by the war.

Vera and Edith had been friends since childhood.

They escaped a train bound for Auschwitz, spent the remainder of the war working on a farm, moved to Naples, tried to settle in New York, then went to Caracas, Venezuela, and then went their separate ways.

In Naples they both found love and both lost love.

We follow both girls in their adventures and heartbreaks and find they never were separated from each other.

THE LIGHT AFTER THE WAR is actually based on the author's mother's life.

Ms. Abriel did a marvelous job of easily taking us from one time period to the next and making the story line very interesting. It is a story line that easily pulls you in and has you caring deeply about Vera and Edith.

Vera was sweet and Edith was fearless and ambitious.

If you need an uplifting book, THE LIGHT AFTER THE WAR will fit the bill.

A heartbreaking but truly lovely journey shared with Vera and Edith that will require tissues at times, but also a lot of happy times. 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Light After the War is by Anita Abriel, better known as Anita Hughes. This book was inspired by the true story of her mother Vera during World War II, but really it is more about Vera and her friend Edith's stories after the war is already over. I still really enjoyed it and overall found it to be a pretty light read given the subject matter.

There was a lot more romance than I was expecting, and overall the book was a lot different than I had expected it to be. The Light After the War is definitely a tear-jerker but for a lot more reasons than World War II and the treatment of the Jews. I ended up starting out on the audio and am glad I did. It helped a lot with pronunciation for names and places since it is almost entirely set in different countries, and I really liked the narrator's (Jess Vilinsky) accents for Vera and Edith. I did think she slipped with them sometimes and had odd inflections on words, but overall she was a good narrator for the book.

I thought it was a very quick read and it is a heartwarming one as well. I couldn't believe some of the things that happened with Edith and Vera and if it weren't inspired by a true story I'd find it hard to believe, especially a lot of the romance aspects. I do wish Abriel would have specified what was real and what was fictional in the author's note and some things were a little unresolved for me, but it was a pretty emotional read for me and very enlightening.

Song/s the book brought to mind: One Sweet Love by Sara Bareilles

Final Thought: Although I do wish The Light After the War would have gone a little deeper into Vera's story in relation to during the war, it really just scratched the surface there for me, I was still fascinated by Vera and Edith's stories. There is a lot of loss, but also love, friendship, and romance. If you like lighter historical fiction I would definitely recommend checking out The Light After the War.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book, all opinions and thoughts are my own.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review via Simon & Schuster Canada.

I honestly thought that I would like this book a lot better! But it just fell a little flat for me...maybe it was the plot holes throughout the book that I picked up? The main characters, Vera and Edith, are strong #herstory characters that I think everyone will enjoy getting to know. I just think that some things happened in a sequence that didn't exactly make sense, or weren't explained at all...sometimes, they just kind of randomly happened.

However, I believe that for anyone who is more into historical fiction, set during World War II and more with a romantic element, then this is the novel for you!

[Sarah Swann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great! I loved the story and how it unfolded. I got to a point where I was wanting something different to happen, but then BAM! Got hit with something crazy so I was pulled right back in. I ended up really enjoying it!

[Pam Jenoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspired by a true story, this is the very moving story of Vera and Edith, two friends who escape a train to Auschwitz and survive through Italy,South America and the United States. An inspiring tale of friendship and survival.

[Mel (Epic Reading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read one of Anita Abriel's other WWII books where most everyone/everything is fictional I had hoped that The Light After the War would have what Lana's War was missing; emotional depth. The Light After the War is Abriel's mother's story. Almost everything that happens in it happened in real life. And while it's a wild story of survival against all odds I still felt like it lacked the real emotional depth I've come to see in other historical novels.

Between the characters not being very well developed (which is weird as Abriel knew aa few of them personally, like her Mother) and the descriptions missing something; I just didn't come away from this novel with any sort of great emotional response; be it sad, happy, or otherwise. Everything in it is just fine. There's nothing inherently wrong with the novel; but it just lacks some sort of authenticity for me. Which is ironic given it's almost entirely based on a true story. At the end of the day I just wished for more. If you want to read a WWII book with a relatively happy ending then this is for you. The details of the war are mostly left out. The large plot points (who lives, who dies and how they die) are all said; but not described in any sort of detail that (at least for me) evicts a strong emotional response. So if you want a "light" WWII historical novelization this might be for you. However if you are hoping for the intensity of The Tattoo of Auschwitz then I recommend passing on this one and reading one of the thousands of WWII novels out there today.

Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.

[Tami · Rating 3 out of 5]

Using her mother’s life as inspiration, Anita Abriel writes an uplifting story about two Hungarian women who managed to escape from a train headed for Auschwitz. In the years that follow, the women manage to survive and follow their dreams in spite of their hardships.

Vera wants to become a writer and is the most level-headed of the two. Edith is interested in fashion and romance. The two grew up as neighbors and are as close as sisters. They have a healthy balancing relationship throughout the story.

Even though the story follows the lives of both women, Vera is the main focus throughout. From a farm in Austria, the women travel to Naples in search of employment. While there, Vera falls in love and becomes engaged, but events occur that prevent the marriage from happening.

Vera and Edith end up in Caracas, where both their careers take off. Edith makes a name for herself with her women’s fashions and Vera becomes a copywriter. Their lives seem to come full circle while they are in Caracas. Loved ones from the past reappear. At times, things didn’t seem very uplifting, especially for Vera. Luckily things have a way of working out and in the end, this story has a happy ending.

The story does make references to the concentration camps, but not in any great detail. The main focus is moving past the sorrow and making a life for themselves.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

Inspired by a family story, author Anita Abriel tells the story of two Jewish-Hungarian women ( Vera Frankel and Edith Ban)that were saved from the horrors of Auschwitz by their mothers and are now grappling to rebuild their lives after the war. As the women journey from Naples to Ellis Island to Caracas, they will face trials in life and in love, but above all will solidify a friendship based on being there for each other.


Overall, I liked it but, I didn't fall in love with The Light After the War. I felt the transitions between the present and the past weren't always clear. It's another "historical lite" in that it leans heavily on the romances that Vera and Edith find themselves constantly juggling. That being said, I don't want to diminish the struggles these women faced and the personal connections of the author. Although I wasn't a lover, there is no doubt that other readers will appreciate and enjoy it.

Publication Date 04/02/20
Goodreads review published 15/02/20

[Sherry Chiger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe if you have a much greater tolerance for coincidences and del ex machina than I do, along with a higher tolerance for lackluster prose, you will enjoy this. I found it simply unbelievable from beginning to end. The cardboard characters fall in love at first sight, get over survivors' guilt with just a few games of chess with a rabbi, and find characters presumed dead thanks to the unlikeliest of circumstances. Eyes "sparkle" and characters "skip" just about every chapter. We're supposed to believe that two young Jewish middle-class women born and bred in Budapest were able to wait out World War II by helping an old woman maintain her farm after her Nazi-sympathizing husband broke his back following a propitious fall off a ladder. Those are just a few of the reasons I finished this book feeling not only disappointed but also angry that it was deemed fit for publication.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[RoseMary Achey · Rating 1 out of 5]

There was absolutely no light in The Light After The War
Some of the many elements of this novel that fell short include:
1. The characters lacked depth and would be better suited YA novel. They were indeed one dimensional, stereotypical and unbelievable.
2. The coincidences that happened throughout the novel were highly unlikely and there were so many of them-OMG.
3. The writing and editing-If the narrator Vera “skipped” down another road I thought I would loose my mind. The writing was extremely simplistic and felt like I was reading a young girl’s diary.
There are a plethora of excellent historical fiction novels available but unfortunately The Light After the War does not fall into this category.

[Karen R · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspired by her mother’s life, Abriel has written a beautiful story and has a fresh perspective of the human spirit, covering the lives of two refugee women who meet during WWII and their relationship continuing post-war. A compelling story of romance, adventure and courage with plenty of struggles along the way.

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed this historical fiction novel. The Light After the War is inspired by an incredible true story of two Jewish friends who survived the Holocaust.

[Jade · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really, really wanted to like this book. I kept reading with the hope that I would enjoy it more as I got into it, and I was so disappointed in the end when I didn’t. Disappointed because I feel that the story had so much potential, but just didn’t live up to it.

Vera and Edith are two Hungarian Jewish women from Budapest who survived the war after Vera’s mother pushes them to safety from cattle cars bound for Auschwitz. The best friends survive by hiding on an Austrian farm, and end up in Naples after the war, and then Caracas, searching to find ways to keep living their lives despite everything they have lost.

My main issue with this book is that I felt like I was reading a light romance novel, where all the characters are flat and undeveloped, with simple, and completely predictable plot lines. Vera is too serious, Edith too frivolous (so much so that she is completely unbelievable, especially after all she has been through), one character too jealous, another too stubborn, etc etc. From what I have read the author was inspired by her own mother’s experiences during and after the war, and this is why I wanted to read the story in the first place. But there is so much depth lacking from the narrative that I couldn’t invest myself in any of the characters or the plot. Even the predictability would have been OK if there had just been more depth and feeling.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Rebecca]

No matter how many WWII books I read, there is always more to learn. Looking forward to this story based on the author's mother's experience.