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The Girl from the Mountains
“Absolutely heartbreaking… Gripped me from the first page and I read it in one sitting!… Will stay with me for a long time.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
1942, Czechoslovakia: Gently, she lowered the sleeping infant, swaddled in blankets, down into the tiny, dark space and carefully replaced the wooden floorboards. As she stepped back, she heard the slamming of doors, voices shouting in German, then the dogs barking…
When the Gestapo arrive to arrest Magda’s kind, Jewish employers—clever Dr Tauber and his talented wife—she has only moments to save their tiny newborn son Samuel by placing him in a makeshift hiding place beneath the floor in her room.
With the Taubers gone, their alpine villa is taken over by a brutal Nazi commander, who is determined to hunt down Resistance fighters in the mountains. Trapped in the house, Magda manages to get Samuel into hiding with her friends in the Resistance. Magda supports the cause, passing coded messages about the commander and smuggling much-needed supplies to their secret network.
Magda is playing a dangerous game and it isn’t only her life on the line. And she will need to risk more than she ever thought possible to keep Samuel safe...
A heart-breaking wartime epic of love, bravery, survival and one young woman’s exceptional courage, set against the backdrop of wild and beautiful forests and mountains. Perfect for fans of My Name is Eva, The Alice Network and The German Midwife, this novel will stay with you long after you have turned the final page.
Previously published as Magda’s Mark, this edition has substantial editorial changes.
Praise for The Girl from the Mountains:
“Fantastic!!! There wasn’t a moment when I wasn’t gripped!... My heart really ached… Incredibly gripping!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Kept me up all night and I finished this book with tears in my eyes after I read the ending!... Powerful, gripping… Unputdownable… Five stars!” Tropical Girl Reads Books, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“A gripping story that will stay with you long after you have put it down… I highly recommend.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I could barely put down the book. I smiled, cried… I recommend it to all history lovers!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“What a story!... I loved the ending!” NetGalley reviewer
“Grab a few tissues… Such a powerful story you must read.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I loved Magda… A unique and gripping novel. It was hard to put it down.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Gripping read… Magda is a compelling heroine … The authenticity of time and place was captured so well.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Wonderful intense read… So vivid you will feel you are there. I could not put this story down. I loved the book.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Riveting, intense… From the very beginning you feel like you're amidst the chaos, the heartbreak, the despair but also the incredible bravery and spirit of the people in WWII.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
1942, Czechoslovakia: Gently, she lowered the sleeping infant, swaddled in blankets, down into the tiny, dark space and carefully replaced the wooden floorboards. As she stepped back, she heard the slamming of doors, voices shouting in German, then the dogs barking…
When the Gestapo arrive to arrest Magda’s kind, Jewish employers—clever Dr Tauber and his talented wife—she has only moments to save their tiny newborn son Samuel by placing him in a makeshift hiding place beneath the floor in her room.
With the Taubers gone, their alpine villa is taken over by a brutal Nazi commander, who is determined to hunt down Resistance fighters in the mountains. Trapped in the house, Magda manages to get Samuel into hiding with her friends in the Resistance. Magda supports the cause, passing coded messages about the commander and smuggling much-needed supplies to their secret network.
Magda is playing a dangerous game and it isn’t only her life on the line. And she will need to risk more than she ever thought possible to keep Samuel safe...
A heart-breaking wartime epic of love, bravery, survival and one young woman’s exceptional courage, set against the backdrop of wild and beautiful forests and mountains. Perfect for fans of My Name is Eva, The Alice Network and The German Midwife, this novel will stay with you long after you have turned the final page.
Previously published as Magda’s Mark, this edition has substantial editorial changes.
Praise for The Girl from the Mountains:
“Fantastic!!! There wasn’t a moment when I wasn’t gripped!... My heart really ached… Incredibly gripping!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Kept me up all night and I finished this book with tears in my eyes after I read the ending!... Powerful, gripping… Unputdownable… Five stars!” Tropical Girl Reads Books, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“A gripping story that will stay with you long after you have put it down… I highly recommend.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I could barely put down the book. I smiled, cried… I recommend it to all history lovers!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“What a story!... I loved the ending!” NetGalley reviewer
“Grab a few tissues… Such a powerful story you must read.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I loved Magda… A unique and gripping novel. It was hard to put it down.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Gripping read… Magda is a compelling heroine … The authenticity of time and place was captured so well.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Wonderful intense read… So vivid you will feel you are there. I could not put this story down. I loved the book.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Riveting, intense… From the very beginning you feel like you're amidst the chaos, the heartbreak, the despair but also the incredible bravery and spirit of the people in WWII.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
327 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 8, 2020
829 people are currently reading
1402 people want to read
About the author
Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger
17 books250 followersAward-winning historical fiction!
Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger is a Ukrainian-American who transplanted to Austria.
Born in 1969, she grew up in the culture-rich neighborhood of "Nordeast" Minneapolis and started her writing career with short stories, travel narratives, and worked as a journalist and managing magazine editor, before jumping the desk and pursuing her own writing and traveling.
Her books tackle David-vs.-Goliath themes with strong women battling for the Underdogs against a system, be it political, geographical, or industrial. Sometimes all three. "I enjoy discovering the good, the bad, and the ugly in my characters when they come into conflict," she says. "And all of my stories have been inspired by injustices I've discovered along my travels."
The RESCHEN VALLEY series is based on the South Tyrolean-Italian conflict during the interwar period and was inspired by her travels to the Reschen Lake reservoir.
Her collection of short stories, which "reads like a novel", SOUVENIRS FROM KYIV won the silver medal in the IPPY Book Awards 2020 and features six stories inspired by true accounts from WW2 Ukraine. THE WOMAN AT THE GATES is what she identifies as her magnum opus and is based on her family in WW2 Ukraine.
THE GIRL FROM THE MOUNTAINS was inspired by an anecdote about a Nazi family from Austria.
The DIPLOMAT'S WIFE trilogy (released in 2023) follows Kitty Larsson, a U.S. senator's daughter who marries an Austrian diplomat before the Anschluss, only to discover that his family is not what she thought they were. Part spy-thriller, part political-thriller, the series promises a wild romp as Kitty navigates the events of WW2 with her moral compass in hand.
And in 2024, Chrystyna's first middle-grade historical fiction novel will be published by Scholastic USA. Set in 2014 Sevastopol, SWIMMING WITH SPIES is about 12-year-old Sofiya who is forced to wrestle with her Ukrainian identity as Russians swarm her peninsula and annex it. When they threaten to seize the dolphins in her father's care, she races against time to save them from a brutal fate.
Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger is a Ukrainian-American who transplanted to Austria.
Born in 1969, she grew up in the culture-rich neighborhood of "Nordeast" Minneapolis and started her writing career with short stories, travel narratives, and worked as a journalist and managing magazine editor, before jumping the desk and pursuing her own writing and traveling.
Her books tackle David-vs.-Goliath themes with strong women battling for the Underdogs against a system, be it political, geographical, or industrial. Sometimes all three. "I enjoy discovering the good, the bad, and the ugly in my characters when they come into conflict," she says. "And all of my stories have been inspired by injustices I've discovered along my travels."
The RESCHEN VALLEY series is based on the South Tyrolean-Italian conflict during the interwar period and was inspired by her travels to the Reschen Lake reservoir.
Her collection of short stories, which "reads like a novel", SOUVENIRS FROM KYIV won the silver medal in the IPPY Book Awards 2020 and features six stories inspired by true accounts from WW2 Ukraine. THE WOMAN AT THE GATES is what she identifies as her magnum opus and is based on her family in WW2 Ukraine.
THE GIRL FROM THE MOUNTAINS was inspired by an anecdote about a Nazi family from Austria.
The DIPLOMAT'S WIFE trilogy (released in 2023) follows Kitty Larsson, a U.S. senator's daughter who marries an Austrian diplomat before the Anschluss, only to discover that his family is not what she thought they were. Part spy-thriller, part political-thriller, the series promises a wild romp as Kitty navigates the events of WW2 with her moral compass in hand.
And in 2024, Chrystyna's first middle-grade historical fiction novel will be published by Scholastic USA. Set in 2014 Sevastopol, SWIMMING WITH SPIES is about 12-year-old Sofiya who is forced to wrestle with her Ukrainian identity as Russians swarm her peninsula and annex it. When they threaten to seize the dolphins in her father's care, she races against time to save them from a brutal fate.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
January 23, 2021
In 1938, when Magda found a position with Dr Tauber and his wife Ruth, as governess to their daughter, her thoughts strayed often to her family who’d been ousted from their home by the Nazis, as they invaded Czechoslovakia. She hoped her brothers, who’d been forced to join the Wehrmacht, would stay alive; that her parents, the rest of her family, would survive. Magda was happy with the Taubers, but they were Jewish and gradually things changed. The day the Gestapo arrived to remove them from their home, Magda was entrusted with Samuel, the Tauber’s newborn son.
Magda found help and solace with the Resistance and as she continued to work in the Tauber’s home, now with the Nazi family, she risked herself over and over. Again, circumstances changed when she was caught, and her life on the run from the Gestapo began. Joining the locals who were with the underground, Magda’s life in the next few years was unfathomable. She was determined to survive – but would she? Could she? She felt the war would never end…
The Girl From the Mountains by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger was an intriguing and fascinating read. Told from Magda’s point of view, she went from being a naïve young woman who had never been away from her family, to a strong, determined and influential woman. The Resistance and the part they played in the war was the same everywhere – French Resistance is who I’ve mostly read about in the past; set in the mountains and forests of Czechoslovakia, The Girl From the Mountains kept me captivated from beginning to end. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Magda found help and solace with the Resistance and as she continued to work in the Tauber’s home, now with the Nazi family, she risked herself over and over. Again, circumstances changed when she was caught, and her life on the run from the Gestapo began. Joining the locals who were with the underground, Magda’s life in the next few years was unfathomable. She was determined to survive – but would she? Could she? She felt the war would never end…
The Girl From the Mountains by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger was an intriguing and fascinating read. Told from Magda’s point of view, she went from being a naïve young woman who had never been away from her family, to a strong, determined and influential woman. The Resistance and the part they played in the war was the same everywhere – French Resistance is who I’ve mostly read about in the past; set in the mountains and forests of Czechoslovakia, The Girl From the Mountains kept me captivated from beginning to end. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
June 23, 2021
1938, Czechoslovakia.
Magda Novak lives peacefully on her family’s farm in Czechoslovakia, until the German army arrives, the Novak’s are ordered to leave and the farm is given to a German family. Her family’s fractured, scattered in all different directions and what will happen to them all now? Magda’s offered a place to stay with Dr Tauber, his wife Ruth and their daughter Eliska at their beautiful alpine villa.
The Tauber’s are Jewish, they have been given protection and it’s only a matter of time until it ends. Magda enjoys living with the Tauber’s they treat her well, like one of the family, unfortunately the Germans arrest the Tauber’s and she manages to help save their newborn son Samuel. Magda is badly beaten by the Germans; she’s forced to work for the hated German officer Koenig and his nasty wife who now reside in the Tauber’s villa. She determined to help the resistance, she passes on messages, medical supplies and when she’s caught she flees into the mountains.
Magda becomes more involved in the fight to free Czechoslovakia; wearing a disguise, she works as an army nurse and eventually trains to be a freedom fighter with the partisans. Magda was born with a birthmark on one side of her face; add a badly broken nose, she stands out and she ends up with a bounty on her head. Magda loved her country, her family, the Tauber’s, baby Samuel, her boyfriend Karol and she never gave up trying to find them! The Girl From The Mountains is a story about Magda’s incredible bravery, courage, dedication and her personal fight against the Germans during WW II. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, the story at times was too over the top for me and I gave the book three stars. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
Magda Novak lives peacefully on her family’s farm in Czechoslovakia, until the German army arrives, the Novak’s are ordered to leave and the farm is given to a German family. Her family’s fractured, scattered in all different directions and what will happen to them all now? Magda’s offered a place to stay with Dr Tauber, his wife Ruth and their daughter Eliska at their beautiful alpine villa.
The Tauber’s are Jewish, they have been given protection and it’s only a matter of time until it ends. Magda enjoys living with the Tauber’s they treat her well, like one of the family, unfortunately the Germans arrest the Tauber’s and she manages to help save their newborn son Samuel. Magda is badly beaten by the Germans; she’s forced to work for the hated German officer Koenig and his nasty wife who now reside in the Tauber’s villa. She determined to help the resistance, she passes on messages, medical supplies and when she’s caught she flees into the mountains.
Magda becomes more involved in the fight to free Czechoslovakia; wearing a disguise, she works as an army nurse and eventually trains to be a freedom fighter with the partisans. Magda was born with a birthmark on one side of her face; add a badly broken nose, she stands out and she ends up with a bounty on her head. Magda loved her country, her family, the Tauber’s, baby Samuel, her boyfriend Karol and she never gave up trying to find them! The Girl From The Mountains is a story about Magda’s incredible bravery, courage, dedication and her personal fight against the Germans during WW II. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, the story at times was too over the top for me and I gave the book three stars. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
February 3, 2021
As an avid fan of fiction set in World War 2, I was delighted to be able to read an advance reader’s copy of this novel. Many of the books that I have read recently have a strong focus on the Holocaust (which I believe is very important as time goes by and there are fewer survivors to tell the stories). This book had a slightly different focus though as the main character was a young woman who lived with her family in what was called the Sudetenland part of Czechoslovakia. I was thrilled to see that the author had included maps in the book as it helps me as a reader have a better understanding of where the story is set. I’m lucky enough to have visited the area several years ago and have seen some of the locations referred to in the book so that helped make it even more interesting for me.
Once the Germans arrived in her locale, it did not take long for them to come and evict Magda and her family from their home. Her brothers were sent to fight for the Germans and the rest of the family with nowhere else to go descended upon a relative in another town. Having so many new family members arrive and with food being so scarce, Magda had to go out and find a way to support herself. Magda had grown up being very self conscious about a large birthmark on one side of her face which had caused her much grief through the years. It had truly affected her confidence and how she carried herself when around others. As she left to find work, her mother advised her to “Survive, That’s all – just survive. Do what they want, and at some point this will be over. But live, Daughter.”
I can only imagine how overwhelming it must have been to suddenly find herself on her own not even knowing where she would be spending the night. Magda chose to head to Litoměřice, an area familiar to her, and through what we in modern day might call “networking” she found herself at the Villa Liška which was owned by the Tauber family. Over time her connection to the family grows deep but the fact that the Tauber’s are Jewish means that there is always a cloud of fear hanging over the Villa as all wonder when the German hatred of the Jews will catch up to them. When it finally tragically happens right after the completion of a bris for the Tauber’s newborn son it brings back memories of when Magda’s own family was evicted. It also brings a strong sense of betrayal as someone close to the family and to Magda plays a part in their expulsion.
The Villa is taken over by a German officer and his wife and young son. Most of the staff are able to stay on and continue working, but the atmosphere is not the same and as I read, I felt myself almost holding my breath in fear for what would happen next. It is in times like this that people either step up or step out and each one in their own small ways took action to help slow down the progress of the Germans. Ultimately, they were forced to eave the Villa and began to work as part of the local resistance. It was not an easy life and Magda’s lack of confidence and easy to recognize appearance put her at additional risk.
The author focused quite a bit on the role of the partisans in the local area. This isn’t something that is covered in many novels, but I have read a non-fiction book or two about what it was like and it felt real in this story. It is remarkable how people came to the partisans with the goal of defeating the Germans, but each group had their own agenda and reason for being there. It often led to conflict along the way.
Magda’s character really grew as the story continued. It had to, or she would have had no chance of survival. Partisans were not interested in carrying a person who would be a dead weight. She came to know herself and recognize her own strength, and this is just as important for young men and women of today. When Magda was young, her mother told her, “Everything about showing love requires an act of courage. Absolutely everything. But loving yourself is perhaps the most heroic act a person can perform.”
At the war's end, the author chose to include how the local people and partisans treated those that they viewed as collaborators. This was a painful scene to read, and clearly a painful scene for Magda to experience. I think it would make a great topic of discussion for any book club reading this novel.
The author includes a section of historical notes at the end of the book that help fill in some of the background behind the story and the research that has gone into it. I really appreciated that. This is the kind of book that makes me want to learn more. I would highly recommend it to others who have an interest in this time period.
Many thanks to #NetGalley, #Bookouture and author Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.. The opinions expressed are my own unbiased ones.
Once the Germans arrived in her locale, it did not take long for them to come and evict Magda and her family from their home. Her brothers were sent to fight for the Germans and the rest of the family with nowhere else to go descended upon a relative in another town. Having so many new family members arrive and with food being so scarce, Magda had to go out and find a way to support herself. Magda had grown up being very self conscious about a large birthmark on one side of her face which had caused her much grief through the years. It had truly affected her confidence and how she carried herself when around others. As she left to find work, her mother advised her to “Survive, That’s all – just survive. Do what they want, and at some point this will be over. But live, Daughter.”
I can only imagine how overwhelming it must have been to suddenly find herself on her own not even knowing where she would be spending the night. Magda chose to head to Litoměřice, an area familiar to her, and through what we in modern day might call “networking” she found herself at the Villa Liška which was owned by the Tauber family. Over time her connection to the family grows deep but the fact that the Tauber’s are Jewish means that there is always a cloud of fear hanging over the Villa as all wonder when the German hatred of the Jews will catch up to them. When it finally tragically happens right after the completion of a bris for the Tauber’s newborn son it brings back memories of when Magda’s own family was evicted. It also brings a strong sense of betrayal as someone close to the family and to Magda plays a part in their expulsion.
The Villa is taken over by a German officer and his wife and young son. Most of the staff are able to stay on and continue working, but the atmosphere is not the same and as I read, I felt myself almost holding my breath in fear for what would happen next. It is in times like this that people either step up or step out and each one in their own small ways took action to help slow down the progress of the Germans. Ultimately, they were forced to eave the Villa and began to work as part of the local resistance. It was not an easy life and Magda’s lack of confidence and easy to recognize appearance put her at additional risk.
The author focused quite a bit on the role of the partisans in the local area. This isn’t something that is covered in many novels, but I have read a non-fiction book or two about what it was like and it felt real in this story. It is remarkable how people came to the partisans with the goal of defeating the Germans, but each group had their own agenda and reason for being there. It often led to conflict along the way.
Magda’s character really grew as the story continued. It had to, or she would have had no chance of survival. Partisans were not interested in carrying a person who would be a dead weight. She came to know herself and recognize her own strength, and this is just as important for young men and women of today. When Magda was young, her mother told her, “Everything about showing love requires an act of courage. Absolutely everything. But loving yourself is perhaps the most heroic act a person can perform.”
At the war's end, the author chose to include how the local people and partisans treated those that they viewed as collaborators. This was a painful scene to read, and clearly a painful scene for Magda to experience. I think it would make a great topic of discussion for any book club reading this novel.
The author includes a section of historical notes at the end of the book that help fill in some of the background behind the story and the research that has gone into it. I really appreciated that. This is the kind of book that makes me want to learn more. I would highly recommend it to others who have an interest in this time period.
Many thanks to #NetGalley, #Bookouture and author Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.. The opinions expressed are my own unbiased ones.
January 2, 2021
THE GIRL FROM THE MOUNTAINS
BY CHRYSTYNA LUCYK-BERGER
World War II with Hitler's regime of hate taking place in Czechoslovakia was certainly a uniquely different setting with this atmospheric and gripping novel that I devoured. It starts off with suspense from the first page and does not let up. This was hard to read at times because of the severe cruelty that mankind can perpetrate on innocent people but in this novel it was particularly vivid.
Magda is forced to leave her own loving family and move in with the Tauber's who are a well off family and given more protection because he is treating the mayor. Mrs. Tauber has a son named Samuel and asks Magna to be his Godmother which she accepts. In the middle of a celebration for Samuel's circumcision the Nazi's break up the party. The Tauber's are driven from their home and Magna hides baby Samuel beneath the floorboards where he is smuggled out by the midwife and hidden.
Magda becomes part of the resistance in the Czech countryside with two of the hired help of the Tauber's. Magda's only desire is to be reconnected with Samuel. Magda has a price on her head and with the help of the former gardener and his girlfriend they hide out and she learns how to take action with the Czech resistance fighters. This was meticulously researched and is a sad but powerful story. I highly recommend it to most fans who love historical fiction and with a slightly less known about part of the disruption brought on to disrupt the Nazi's in Czechoslovakia.
Publication Date: February 3, 2021
Thank you to Net Galley, Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger and Bookouture for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
#TheGirlFromtheMountains #NetGalley
BY CHRYSTYNA LUCYK-BERGER
World War II with Hitler's regime of hate taking place in Czechoslovakia was certainly a uniquely different setting with this atmospheric and gripping novel that I devoured. It starts off with suspense from the first page and does not let up. This was hard to read at times because of the severe cruelty that mankind can perpetrate on innocent people but in this novel it was particularly vivid.
Magda is forced to leave her own loving family and move in with the Tauber's who are a well off family and given more protection because he is treating the mayor. Mrs. Tauber has a son named Samuel and asks Magna to be his Godmother which she accepts. In the middle of a celebration for Samuel's circumcision the Nazi's break up the party. The Tauber's are driven from their home and Magna hides baby Samuel beneath the floorboards where he is smuggled out by the midwife and hidden.
Magda becomes part of the resistance in the Czech countryside with two of the hired help of the Tauber's. Magda's only desire is to be reconnected with Samuel. Magda has a price on her head and with the help of the former gardener and his girlfriend they hide out and she learns how to take action with the Czech resistance fighters. This was meticulously researched and is a sad but powerful story. I highly recommend it to most fans who love historical fiction and with a slightly less known about part of the disruption brought on to disrupt the Nazi's in Czechoslovakia.
Publication Date: February 3, 2021
Thank you to Net Galley, Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger and Bookouture for providing me with my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
#TheGirlFromtheMountains #NetGalley
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September 19, 2021Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger, in her absolutely heartbreaking and gripping historical fiction, ‘The Girl From The Mountains,’ examines how far a person must be pushed to find the courage and strength to defy the enemy. To be published February 3, 2021, this gives readers enough time to check out her Facebook page and blog to become familiar with the historical background, enriching the reading experience.
Magdalena Novák, a Christian Czechoslovakian girl whose family’s farm has been seized by the Nazis for new German settlers, goes to look for a job in Litoměřice, a neighbouring town. In obvious dire straits, she is taken in by the Taubers, a Sudeten German family living on borrowed time, and serves as a governess for their 6 year old daughter, Eliška When the Gestapo comes to arrest the Jewish family, Magda discovers her own strength and resilience and makes it her mission to save their lives. Asked to safeguard their new son, Samuel, Magda whisks him away for protection by the Resistance and remains in the requisitioned home as a servant to the Nazi commander and his pregnant wife. Risking her life, she shares information with the secret network until one day she is caught and flees to the mountains with a price on her head. It’s here that she joins a group of partisan fighters and earns her nickname, Warrior Queen. With nothing left to lose, she’s willing to lay down her life to save the Taubers and reunite them with Samuel. Will she outrun Obersturmbannführer Koenig or will her trademark betray her?
This story gripped me from the first page and I read it in one sitting! Lucyk-Berger’s masterpiece is spectacular; the first thing readers will notice is the easy reading and descriptive writing. It pulls you in because you can paint a picture in your mind as you read. Don't be fooled, though, this is not junk food fiction nor cookie-cutter retelling. This is a meat and potatoes read; one that nurtures and informs. Next, you’ll notice her well-crafted and multilayered characters. I’ve read many World War Two historical fiction novels recently, but I think Magdalena will stay with me for a long time. I think the reason for this is how adeptly the author gets her readers invested in the characters. Knowing how the protagonist thinks and why she has those thoughts, helps to understand her better. Seeing the duress Magda is put under and how she transforms is exciting as a reader. Setting this story in the Sudetenland makes it unique as it’s not well known to lovers of historical fiction. Reading becomes purposeful as readers are looking to learn more about the circumstances in which the characters find themselves. Many stories set in this time period feature a female protagonist joining the resistance and finding herself pregnant and alone. This was a refreshing story about a young girl forced to dig deep and find the strength and courage to defy the enemy. The tagline reads “not all battles are fought by soldiers,” and Lucyk-Berger successfully enlightens us.
“I believe the soul can die a thousand times before the body does. That’s a good thing, because it means you have the chance to recover. So today, right now, we must choose to live.”
Thank you to Chrystyne Lucyk-Berger, Bookouture and NetGalley for this 5-star advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
Magdalena Novák, a Christian Czechoslovakian girl whose family’s farm has been seized by the Nazis for new German settlers, goes to look for a job in Litoměřice, a neighbouring town. In obvious dire straits, she is taken in by the Taubers, a Sudeten German family living on borrowed time, and serves as a governess for their 6 year old daughter, Eliška When the Gestapo comes to arrest the Jewish family, Magda discovers her own strength and resilience and makes it her mission to save their lives. Asked to safeguard their new son, Samuel, Magda whisks him away for protection by the Resistance and remains in the requisitioned home as a servant to the Nazi commander and his pregnant wife. Risking her life, she shares information with the secret network until one day she is caught and flees to the mountains with a price on her head. It’s here that she joins a group of partisan fighters and earns her nickname, Warrior Queen. With nothing left to lose, she’s willing to lay down her life to save the Taubers and reunite them with Samuel. Will she outrun Obersturmbannführer Koenig or will her trademark betray her?
This story gripped me from the first page and I read it in one sitting! Lucyk-Berger’s masterpiece is spectacular; the first thing readers will notice is the easy reading and descriptive writing. It pulls you in because you can paint a picture in your mind as you read. Don't be fooled, though, this is not junk food fiction nor cookie-cutter retelling. This is a meat and potatoes read; one that nurtures and informs. Next, you’ll notice her well-crafted and multilayered characters. I’ve read many World War Two historical fiction novels recently, but I think Magdalena will stay with me for a long time. I think the reason for this is how adeptly the author gets her readers invested in the characters. Knowing how the protagonist thinks and why she has those thoughts, helps to understand her better. Seeing the duress Magda is put under and how she transforms is exciting as a reader. Setting this story in the Sudetenland makes it unique as it’s not well known to lovers of historical fiction. Reading becomes purposeful as readers are looking to learn more about the circumstances in which the characters find themselves. Many stories set in this time period feature a female protagonist joining the resistance and finding herself pregnant and alone. This was a refreshing story about a young girl forced to dig deep and find the strength and courage to defy the enemy. The tagline reads “not all battles are fought by soldiers,” and Lucyk-Berger successfully enlightens us.
“I believe the soul can die a thousand times before the body does. That’s a good thing, because it means you have the chance to recover. So today, right now, we must choose to live.”
Thank you to Chrystyne Lucyk-Berger, Bookouture and NetGalley for this 5-star advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
February 3, 2021
“The Girl from the Mountains” impressed me in more ways than one. From the choice of the protagonist to the meticulously researched setting and to the plotline itself, this story stands out amongst the others in the same genre. I absolutely loved Magda. She’s one of those strong, level-headed characters who never lose their cool even in the direst of circumstances, and indeed, as the story moved forward and her employers, the Taubers, found themselves in grave danger, Magda proved herself to be just the material of which heroes are made. From a simple maid to a fearless and selfless partisan - Magda is certainly a great collective image of real female partisans and a wonderful tribute to their brave actions. But besides Magda, there are plenty of other characters in the story that simply come alive with every new page turned. I can guarantee that you will love the Taubers just as much as Magda’s fellow partisans and will root for them till the end. Atmospheric, riveting, and incredibly inspiring, “The Girl from the Mountains” is a perfect choice for all fans of the genre.
December 4, 2020
I received I free review copy of this book. It is not normally the kind of book I would read but I found I couldn’t put it down. The pain, the triumph, the humanity and lack there of all came together to make this a wonderful story of people’s capacity to survive against all odds. Wonderfully written.
February 3, 2021
“We are shaped by our circumstances, and marked by our choices.”
This is a gritty, powerful, heart-breaking war novel set in what was once known as Bohemia, the German Sudetenland, and Czechoslovakia. I was enthralled to discover a new area of history that I knew very little about, brought to life with believable characters and hooking me right in with the first menacing, ominous pages.
It’s a story about war that spares no punches – shows us the cruelty and prejudices of Nazi Germany against the courage and determination of the resistance, but not in swashbuckling, derring-do style. Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger paints us a war where “it’s dog eat dog.” It is passionate without being slushy, introducing us to a cast of characters that are flawed but strong, showing us how the human spirit and desire to do right can conquer. The heroine, Magda, has a distinctive birthmark on her face and she is told: “…birthmark is not an excuse for avoiding risks. It should not be the thing that prevents you from performing acts of courage.” I love that she proceeds with bravery but is fearful (and therefore so identifiable) at the same time. She is truly human even though her lover calls her a “warrior queen”.
I have read other books by this talented author but this is her best so far, in my opinion. The writing flows, the descriptions are original, the world these characters live in was so vivid to me. There are beautiful, clever lines like when the Nazis begin to roll in: “… witness the Germans chalking off the Sudetenland demarcation with their exhaust fumes”. I love the author’s voice: “A crow cawed and grazed the winter sky…”; the menacing lines where Magda is interrogated: “Koenig strode to her, reaching over and crushed the cigar out, leaving a dark bruise in the ashtray…”; “Danger left a funny metallic taste on Magda’s tongue. It stuck to the roof of her mouth, thick and syrupy. Sometimes it made her feel sick…”. Towards the end of the story, when the hunted become the hunters and Magda returns to her birthplace for the first time since the outbreak: “This was what it must have felt like to be dead and to return as a ghost, to be looking in on a life that had gone on without her.”. These are just a few lines that I highlighted and went back to savour again.
My thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read an early copy of this amazing book in return for an unbiased review. I highly recommend this book and give it 5 full fat stars.
This is a gritty, powerful, heart-breaking war novel set in what was once known as Bohemia, the German Sudetenland, and Czechoslovakia. I was enthralled to discover a new area of history that I knew very little about, brought to life with believable characters and hooking me right in with the first menacing, ominous pages.
It’s a story about war that spares no punches – shows us the cruelty and prejudices of Nazi Germany against the courage and determination of the resistance, but not in swashbuckling, derring-do style. Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger paints us a war where “it’s dog eat dog.” It is passionate without being slushy, introducing us to a cast of characters that are flawed but strong, showing us how the human spirit and desire to do right can conquer. The heroine, Magda, has a distinctive birthmark on her face and she is told: “…birthmark is not an excuse for avoiding risks. It should not be the thing that prevents you from performing acts of courage.” I love that she proceeds with bravery but is fearful (and therefore so identifiable) at the same time. She is truly human even though her lover calls her a “warrior queen”.
I have read other books by this talented author but this is her best so far, in my opinion. The writing flows, the descriptions are original, the world these characters live in was so vivid to me. There are beautiful, clever lines like when the Nazis begin to roll in: “… witness the Germans chalking off the Sudetenland demarcation with their exhaust fumes”. I love the author’s voice: “A crow cawed and grazed the winter sky…”; the menacing lines where Magda is interrogated: “Koenig strode to her, reaching over and crushed the cigar out, leaving a dark bruise in the ashtray…”; “Danger left a funny metallic taste on Magda’s tongue. It stuck to the roof of her mouth, thick and syrupy. Sometimes it made her feel sick…”. Towards the end of the story, when the hunted become the hunters and Magda returns to her birthplace for the first time since the outbreak: “This was what it must have felt like to be dead and to return as a ghost, to be looking in on a life that had gone on without her.”. These are just a few lines that I highlighted and went back to savour again.
My thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read an early copy of this amazing book in return for an unbiased review. I highly recommend this book and give it 5 full fat stars.
February 5, 2021
I don’t know about you but now and then I like to read a book outside my comfort range. For me I forgo the blood and gore of crime thrillers and turn to historical fiction. The Girl From The Mountains immediately caught my eye, as it’s set in the mountains of Czechoslovakia during the Second World War. The novel follows the journey of Magda Novak, who is forced to leave her family following the German invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1938. Readers will be fascinated by Magda’s story and her remarkable courage in the bleakest of times. The author transports you to war torn Czechoslovakia amid despair, courage, and heartbreak, it’s a wonderfully told “human” story that will consume your every waking moment.
When we first meet Marta she’s led a sheltered life, she’s innocent, and gentle but like millions of people the war changes her, faced with adversity she develops as a person. As the war progresses, Magda firstly becomes involved with local Resistance, and later she joins partisan fighters. Her new found circumstances mean she has to grow up fast, at times she appears cold and uncaring, but it’s understandable considering she is fighting for her survival. Magda is also brave, courageous and dedicated to her personal fight against the Germans. My heart was in my mouth as Magda put herself at risk helping the resistance and later the Partisans, knowing that her punishment would be torture and certain death if she got caught by the Nazi’s or gestapo.
What made this story unique from other historical WW2 fiction, is the fact I can’t think of one book that is set in Sudetenland. The author paints a vivid image of Magda’s life, a life that’s lived in fear, despair, and conflict, where loved ones are but a distant memory, where even a glimmer of happiness can be snatched away in a blink of an eye. The author has clearly researched her subject, The Girl From The Mountains is rich in detail and authentic, Magda’s story feels all to true in its telling. It has all the elements needed for an enjoyable read, deeply rich characters, engaging dialogue and a compelling story line. A poignant, heart-rending story about bravery, love, and survival in the worst times. Highly recommend to those who love historical fiction.
When we first meet Marta she’s led a sheltered life, she’s innocent, and gentle but like millions of people the war changes her, faced with adversity she develops as a person. As the war progresses, Magda firstly becomes involved with local Resistance, and later she joins partisan fighters. Her new found circumstances mean she has to grow up fast, at times she appears cold and uncaring, but it’s understandable considering she is fighting for her survival. Magda is also brave, courageous and dedicated to her personal fight against the Germans. My heart was in my mouth as Magda put herself at risk helping the resistance and later the Partisans, knowing that her punishment would be torture and certain death if she got caught by the Nazi’s or gestapo.
What made this story unique from other historical WW2 fiction, is the fact I can’t think of one book that is set in Sudetenland. The author paints a vivid image of Magda’s life, a life that’s lived in fear, despair, and conflict, where loved ones are but a distant memory, where even a glimmer of happiness can be snatched away in a blink of an eye. The author has clearly researched her subject, The Girl From The Mountains is rich in detail and authentic, Magda’s story feels all to true in its telling. It has all the elements needed for an enjoyable read, deeply rich characters, engaging dialogue and a compelling story line. A poignant, heart-rending story about bravery, love, and survival in the worst times. Highly recommend to those who love historical fiction.
April 14, 2021
This is a World War II story about a young girl with no confidence in herself who becomes strong and learns to love herself and others during the tumultuous years of the war.
Magda lives on her family farm with her parents and brothers. She was born with a large birth mark on her cheek and had been made fun of for her entire life so she was shy and reclusive. In 1938, the family's main concern was on the work involved in the farm. As the German army moved closer to Czechoslovakia, the mood darkens for the family. The Germans take their farm and send the two boys to the German Army and Magda is forced from the family home She is hired as a nanny by the Tauber family. Dr Tauber and his family are Jewish but believe that he is an asset to the community and that they will be safe from the Nazis. When the Gestapo arrests them, Magda is able to hide their new born baby who is rescued by the local resistance. After working with the German family who took over the house and being treated poorly, she makes a major mistake and manages to escape before she is arrested. She has a price on her head and spends time moving to new safe houses. With nothing left in her life, she begins to go on missions with the resistance and puts her life on the line. The longer the war goes on, the more reckless she becomes and is totally changed from the shy young woman she was.
This is an excellent book about how important strong women were during the war and what they accomplished. The author did a lot of work on her research and it shows and helps make the story more believable. This is an excellent read for people who enjoy historical fiction about strong women.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
Magda lives on her family farm with her parents and brothers. She was born with a large birth mark on her cheek and had been made fun of for her entire life so she was shy and reclusive. In 1938, the family's main concern was on the work involved in the farm. As the German army moved closer to Czechoslovakia, the mood darkens for the family. The Germans take their farm and send the two boys to the German Army and Magda is forced from the family home She is hired as a nanny by the Tauber family. Dr Tauber and his family are Jewish but believe that he is an asset to the community and that they will be safe from the Nazis. When the Gestapo arrests them, Magda is able to hide their new born baby who is rescued by the local resistance. After working with the German family who took over the house and being treated poorly, she makes a major mistake and manages to escape before she is arrested. She has a price on her head and spends time moving to new safe houses. With nothing left in her life, she begins to go on missions with the resistance and puts her life on the line. The longer the war goes on, the more reckless she becomes and is totally changed from the shy young woman she was.
This is an excellent book about how important strong women were during the war and what they accomplished. The author did a lot of work on her research and it shows and helps make the story more believable. This is an excellent read for people who enjoy historical fiction about strong women.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
December 29, 2020
A great story of daring to resist
Grounded in scrupulous research, this extraordinary war story transports the reader into Czechoslovakia in the first years of German occupation and throughout WWII.
To avoid spoilers, I’ll refrain from recounting the events unfolding in the story. However, I can’t help but mention that in the core of it is a young Czech woman, Magda, who commits a surprising act of revenge. Who would expect such courage and later self-sacrifice in the fight against the German oppressors from a naïve girl the reader meets in the first pages of this captivating story?
I’m in awe of the author’s writing style. Each phrase and nuance adds to the depth of the plot and characters. Conflict and tension await the reader on every page.
This is an exceptional read you won’t be able to erase from your mind. Anyone who enjoys WWII historical fiction will love this book. Highly recommended.
Grounded in scrupulous research, this extraordinary war story transports the reader into Czechoslovakia in the first years of German occupation and throughout WWII.
To avoid spoilers, I’ll refrain from recounting the events unfolding in the story. However, I can’t help but mention that in the core of it is a young Czech woman, Magda, who commits a surprising act of revenge. Who would expect such courage and later self-sacrifice in the fight against the German oppressors from a naïve girl the reader meets in the first pages of this captivating story?
I’m in awe of the author’s writing style. Each phrase and nuance adds to the depth of the plot and characters. Conflict and tension await the reader on every page.
This is an exceptional read you won’t be able to erase from your mind. Anyone who enjoys WWII historical fiction will love this book. Highly recommended.
January 8, 2021
First off want to say a big thank to the publisher
Bookouture, the author Chrystyna Lucky-Berger as well as NetGalley for the invite to join the blog tour as well as letting me read and review . Because I'm a big fan of reading historical fiction and books on WW 2 and when its both of them in one story then you have no more to say , but there are somethings that need to be checked off and i've found out in the past that it hard to do .So here is what i like for when it comes to historical fiction WW 2:
List
Author has done his or her research of the time period and is able to make their characters and places come to life.
Make you feel everything that their characters do,
You can see the places their talking about .
So with that said I would definitely say this author has checked off everything in in my list , so if your looking for a book that does that plus so much more then look no further.
Bookouture, the author Chrystyna Lucky-Berger as well as NetGalley for the invite to join the blog tour as well as letting me read and review . Because I'm a big fan of reading historical fiction and books on WW 2 and when its both of them in one story then you have no more to say , but there are somethings that need to be checked off and i've found out in the past that it hard to do .So here is what i like for when it comes to historical fiction WW 2:
List
Author has done his or her research of the time period and is able to make their characters and places come to life.
Make you feel everything that their characters do,
You can see the places their talking about .
So with that said I would definitely say this author has checked off everything in in my list , so if your looking for a book that does that plus so much more then look no further.
September 1, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The upheaval of change that war brings to families and friends, especially Magda, is realistically and poignantly portrayed. The descriptions and setting of the Czech towns really come alive, as do the descriptions of the transit camp of Theresienstadt. Well recommended.
January 31, 2021
**a huge thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC!**
At the dawn of the Second World War, Magda must find a way to survive as the horrors of Nazi Germany make their way through her beloved Czechoslovakia. This book tells the story of loss, and the story of learning how to fight back.
This book was absolutely beautiful. I’ve read several books in this genre—World War II fiction with strong heroines—and while I usually enjoy them, it’s difficult to make one stand out. The Girl from the Mountains stands out. From the very first page, I was drawn in; Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger has an absolutely beautiful writing style that makes her characters come to life.
If there is anything I am an absolute sucker for, it is how the author set up the prologue, It is set a few years into the war, and thus a few years into the story; this is one of my absolute favorite tropes, when properly executed. This book properly executed it, and then some. I was kept on the edge, anxious to see how the story unfolded to get to where the prologue introduced you. When characters mentioned appeared in the book, I was excited and engaged. With such a strong start, there was no way this book wouldn’t be amazing.
More than anything else, I adored how Magda changed throughout this book. Trauma shaped her, and her changes throughout the book were not always for the better. There were times when she was scared or cold or cruel, even as she grew into her role as a resistance fighter. Something about seeing the worst parts of Magda amplified against the backdrop of her circumstances made her feel so achingly human. Early on, she endures some very traumatic events that seemed a bit too glossed over at the time, but as the book progressed, this decision made more sense. The poignancy of this book blew me away and is sure to stick with me. And, of course, the ending made me cry—but I’ll leave it at that, because this isn’t something that should be spoiled.
I keep trying and trying to come up with some meaningful criticism, but I can’t. If you’re interested in historical fiction at all, please read this.
At the dawn of the Second World War, Magda must find a way to survive as the horrors of Nazi Germany make their way through her beloved Czechoslovakia. This book tells the story of loss, and the story of learning how to fight back.
This book was absolutely beautiful. I’ve read several books in this genre—World War II fiction with strong heroines—and while I usually enjoy them, it’s difficult to make one stand out. The Girl from the Mountains stands out. From the very first page, I was drawn in; Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger has an absolutely beautiful writing style that makes her characters come to life.
If there is anything I am an absolute sucker for, it is how the author set up the prologue, It is set a few years into the war, and thus a few years into the story; this is one of my absolute favorite tropes, when properly executed. This book properly executed it, and then some. I was kept on the edge, anxious to see how the story unfolded to get to where the prologue introduced you. When characters mentioned appeared in the book, I was excited and engaged. With such a strong start, there was no way this book wouldn’t be amazing.
More than anything else, I adored how Magda changed throughout this book. Trauma shaped her, and her changes throughout the book were not always for the better. There were times when she was scared or cold or cruel, even as she grew into her role as a resistance fighter. Something about seeing the worst parts of Magda amplified against the backdrop of her circumstances made her feel so achingly human. Early on, she endures some very traumatic events that seemed a bit too glossed over at the time, but as the book progressed, this decision made more sense. The poignancy of this book blew me away and is sure to stick with me. And, of course, the ending made me cry—but I’ll leave it at that, because this isn’t something that should be spoiled.
I keep trying and trying to come up with some meaningful criticism, but I can’t. If you’re interested in historical fiction at all, please read this.
March 22, 2021
This Book is like a Bonfire
The Girl from the Mountains by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger is a haunting reminder how things can progress from idyllic to horrific in the blink of an eye. First off, the first few chapters flowed slowly but methodically, setting the stage for Magda’s transformation of enjoying her serene family life with her parents and brothers to the captivating rush of the last chapters and her full-on resistance against the Nazis. The beauty of any story is to recognize the author’s desire to demonstrate contrast. Christina does this with skill. I liken this story to the movie “A Hidden Life” contrasting love against hatred, morality against immorality, and innocence against guilt. To put this into visual terms, this book is a visual fire, a flame sparked in the beginning, slowly burning in the initial chapters as more and more fuel is added until, finally, the story bursts into a bonfire. Magda never believes she is a warrior, a hero, but she is; a woman who is relatable to women today as well as true to the time period in which Chrystyna writes. My favourite lines from the book:
“....where Swastika stamped flags snapped salutes to the wind.” (Great alliteration and visual)
“Everything about love requires an act of courage. Absolutely everything. But loving yourself perhaps the most heroic act a person can perform.” (Great line!)
“We all understand the difference between right and wrong. But what if wrong is the law?” (Hmmm, makes you think, huh? Especially in our modern day!)
“I believe a soul can die a thousand times before the body does. That’s a good thing because it means you have the chance to recover. So, today, right now, we must choose to live.” (I have lived this so many times, after losing my kids in death, so this profound statement will stay with me a long time.)
“We are shaped by our circumstances, and marked by our choices.” (Simply put, yes!)
I give this book five stars and highly recommend. Well done, Chrystyna!!
The Girl from the Mountains by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger is a haunting reminder how things can progress from idyllic to horrific in the blink of an eye. First off, the first few chapters flowed slowly but methodically, setting the stage for Magda’s transformation of enjoying her serene family life with her parents and brothers to the captivating rush of the last chapters and her full-on resistance against the Nazis. The beauty of any story is to recognize the author’s desire to demonstrate contrast. Christina does this with skill. I liken this story to the movie “A Hidden Life” contrasting love against hatred, morality against immorality, and innocence against guilt. To put this into visual terms, this book is a visual fire, a flame sparked in the beginning, slowly burning in the initial chapters as more and more fuel is added until, finally, the story bursts into a bonfire. Magda never believes she is a warrior, a hero, but she is; a woman who is relatable to women today as well as true to the time period in which Chrystyna writes. My favourite lines from the book:
“....where Swastika stamped flags snapped salutes to the wind.” (Great alliteration and visual)
“Everything about love requires an act of courage. Absolutely everything. But loving yourself perhaps the most heroic act a person can perform.” (Great line!)
“We all understand the difference between right and wrong. But what if wrong is the law?” (Hmmm, makes you think, huh? Especially in our modern day!)
“I believe a soul can die a thousand times before the body does. That’s a good thing because it means you have the chance to recover. So, today, right now, we must choose to live.” (I have lived this so many times, after losing my kids in death, so this profound statement will stay with me a long time.)
“We are shaped by our circumstances, and marked by our choices.” (Simply put, yes!)
I give this book five stars and highly recommend. Well done, Chrystyna!!
May 3, 2020
Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger is one of my favorite authors to read. She doesn’t just tell you the story, she wraps it around you from the first page, until you as the reader are immersed in the midst of the world where she leads you.
Magda’s Mark is no different. I was entranced with this story from the very first paragraph. Chrystyna paints the landscape of the war years with a delicate, masterful brush and I feel as if I’m walking the streets alongside Magda. But more than that, she’s created a character that I would love to meet in real life. As I read this story, Magda was just as real to me as any person, although she only exists on the written page.
I highly recommend Magda’s Mark. It’s always a pleasure to read such masterful storytelling.
Disclaimer – I received an Advance Reader Copy of this story in exchange for my honest review.
Magda’s Mark is no different. I was entranced with this story from the very first paragraph. Chrystyna paints the landscape of the war years with a delicate, masterful brush and I feel as if I’m walking the streets alongside Magda. But more than that, she’s created a character that I would love to meet in real life. As I read this story, Magda was just as real to me as any person, although she only exists on the written page.
I highly recommend Magda’s Mark. It’s always a pleasure to read such masterful storytelling.
Disclaimer – I received an Advance Reader Copy of this story in exchange for my honest review.
February 4, 2021
This is one of the stories in the "Road To Liberation" in which is written by "Chrystyna Berger". Given to me to give my honest opinion which is not hard to do at all! Chrystyna did a fantastic job in her research on this of many historical stories in this book by different authors. You have action,adventures,family,war and so many different emotions of a time in history when WWII was going on. Travel with this girl's adventures she has as she tries to survive like anyone else in this terrible war to hold on to be reunited with her family and the family she adopts who are Jewish. Grab a few tissues,you will need them and he prepare to see the horrors of what war brings and that what Hitler's Army can do to try and destroy a family! Such a powerful story you must read and never take for granted "Your Freedom"
December 26, 2020
In The Girl from the Mountains, author Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger delivers a beautifully written story of self-discovery, courage, sacrifice, and an indomitable will to survive. Exhaustively researched, this WWII historical novel leaps off the page, detailing the journey of the protagonist, Magda, from a frightened Czechoslovakian farm girl to a dedicated resistance fighter. Populated with well-drawn, believable characters, and filled with edge-of-your-seat moments, The Girl from the Mountains is a gripping story that will stay for you long after you finished reading it. Slated for publication February 3, 2021, I highly recommend it as an addition to your TBR list.
Thanks to author Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to author Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
May 3, 2021
I liked how the setting of this was Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia. It was a good reminder of how far their power actually reached. Magda was a sympathetic, yet sometimes frustrating, character. She often let her birthmark define her – which I guess is not really her fault, but certainly caused her to react poorly (and erroneously) to some situations. I did like how the home of “misfits” was portrayed; it also illustrated how wide the Nazi hatred stretched. The fates of some characters were muddled and deserved better wrap-ups, and I’m not sure the ending was entirely plausible. But it was still a good read. For a detailed review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a digital ARC of the book.
April 30, 2020
Magda's Mark by Chyrstyna Lycyk-Berger. Magda has a birthmark that through her life she was told that it was the shape of Russia. It was located on her left cheek, which she hid from people. She deals with the treatment of Jewish families, even though she is not. This is a story shows the hardships and how people deal with the war. A read that I could not put down as I wanted to see how the story would end. Great work
February 17, 2021
This is a lovely story about a young woman who finds herself involved in the resistance movement in Second World War Czechoslovakia. A spin off from the excellent Magda's Mark, this story goes deeper into what it means to fight "evil" and the sacrifices you must make for the ones you love. As, Chrystyna Lucuk-Berger thrills with her deep knowledge of the Second World War era in the mountainous region of Central Europe and her believable characters.
May 15, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookoutoure for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.
World War II historical fiction set in Czechoslovakia with a youthful protagonist, named Magda who becomes involved in resistance work.
It's a beautiful story, the plot moves at a fairly good pace but I felt it was too similar to a few novels that I had already read on the subject. 🤷♀️
Publication Date 03/02/21
Goodreads review published 15/05/21
World War II historical fiction set in Czechoslovakia with a youthful protagonist, named Magda who becomes involved in resistance work.
It's a beautiful story, the plot moves at a fairly good pace but I felt it was too similar to a few novels that I had already read on the subject. 🤷♀️
Publication Date 03/02/21
Goodreads review published 15/05/21
June 15, 2021
Historical Fiction
This is a great story, sad, filled with anger, hatred and love. The growth of Magda is amazing. I found myself angry at her when she risked other people's lives and wondered why she did thus. As the story progresses,her reasoning becomes more clear. I hope this author continues to write historical fiction.
This is a great story, sad, filled with anger, hatred and love. The growth of Magda is amazing. I found myself angry at her when she risked other people's lives and wondered why she did thus. As the story progresses,her reasoning becomes more clear. I hope this author continues to write historical fiction.
June 26, 2022
It was an interesting piece of history but i found the heroine to be whiny and not terribly likable. she made a lot of decisions which I’m sure drove the plot forward but i found unbelievable.
September 9, 2023
Panebože, jak tomu někdo u nás mohl dát 5*?
Takže ... Magdino znamení je přesnější název. Dívka z hor je absolutní blábol... jednoduše... Magda byla z okolí Litoměřic... mno ty jsou v Polepské rovině... A i když to vezmu kousek dál a vezmu v potaz sopečné kopečky ... do hor daleko.
Je fajn, že si autorka vzala poradce ohledně Terezína a navštívila archiv v Litoměřicích... super....ale to je asi tak všechno, protože tam byly takové nelogismy...
Jako...Jste v Sudetech, Němci vás vyženou ze statku... ok... a vy dceru pošlete do bezpečí a ona jde do bezpečí k židovskému doktorovi? Kde bude pracovat? A pracovat tam bude i v roce 1942? Co nějaké zákazy zaměstnávání nežidů, věci ohledně majetku.. nebo argument, že doktor se stará o nějaké osobnosti... v době, kdy nesměli ošetřovat nežidy?
A jedeme dál... rodina ...po záboru statku šla do Lidic... moc okaté...
A i přesto...co tedy jí náckové udělali.. tak si tam něco začne s Walterem ...
A ten prostě nenaráží a nevadí mu, že je u židů
až náhle v roce 1942 kde se vzal a najednou hrál to, co měl
ale divný... jen tak a kvůli miminu?
to, co dělají kvůli miminu je absurdní
Navíc mohli mít bambilion mimin.. nemuselo by být židovské
židovské jim nevadilo?
A když .. tam tak řádili...za normálních okolností už by je vystříleli..
a sebrali by i jiné
a dál... pokud někoho v 1942 dostanou tam, kam jakože je odvezli.. už by se ven nikdo nedostal
a pokračovat můžeme dál... absurdní zapletení, kdy málem vypadalo, že Lidice jsou dříve než atentát... bylo to tam zajímavé
nebo partyzáni..vzhledem k tomu, že Gabčík byl z vedlejší vesnice, kde žila moje babička a ta vesnice byla ta nejvíce partyzánská ...mno vím toho docela dost..
nemluvě o tom, že druhá babička se kvůli odboji a bratrovi partyzánovi dostala do Dachau.. a on u SNP padl...
jenže oni byli z té oblasti.. přijde mi absurdní, proč by se rozhodloi jít na Slovensko do odboje
vždyť odboj byl i tady.
Vyhazovaly se železnice ... ha ano po Snp.. to tam autorka navlékla ... ona Magda totiř zvládla vše nakonec .. i být v Červeném kříži...
jooo a nezapomeňme.. že v roce 1938 měla 14 a byla to prostá dívka z vesnice, ze statku, čili měla tak maximálně základní vzdělání a ještě neúplné a bylo to v té době...
takže... my link text asi takhle ta děvčata vypadala .. a v té knize ji popisuje jako moderní vystudované děvče, které dělá zázraky.
Jako doopravdy chápu, že v Americe se ta kniha chytla, protože nemají ani šajnu.
Kniha je čtivá... a ano, jde o fikci a je vidět, jak si to pěkně autorka vymyslela. Je vidět i jak se snažila vymyslet postavy. Ano... jenže to přehnala a i když se snažila o dobrý historický základ, ta kniha jí uplavala na základních logických věcech. Na reálných věcech.
Taky mne to přivedlo k zamyšlení, proč autoři mají tendenci psát o něčem, čemu nerozumí. I Čech, který nikdy v Americe nebyl, nikdy tam nežil, nikdy ji neviděl, když tam zasadí román, je to divné.. a je to poznat... je to i kritizováno. Proč to dělají Američané?
Nemají šanci pochopit naši mentalitu, kulturu, krajinu, chod věcí a podobné detaily. Ty vždy vystihne nejlépe ten z dané oblasti. Nebo aspoň ten, kdo má rodinu, žil tu nebo prostě aspoň tu je. ...
Jako tohle navíc bylo hrozně jako i se snahou zapojit tu romantiku a nakonec dát i happy end.
A ne .. není to o vkusu...jde o faktické chyby...to není o vkusu.
A tímto druhým pokusem, který byl ale podobný, jako předešlý, bych tuhle mou příhodu s autorkou uzavřela. Ono to jako pěkná obálka fakt nezachrání.
Takže ... Magdino znamení je přesnější název. Dívka z hor je absolutní blábol... jednoduše... Magda byla z okolí Litoměřic... mno ty jsou v Polepské rovině... A i když to vezmu kousek dál a vezmu v potaz sopečné kopečky ... do hor daleko.
Je fajn, že si autorka vzala poradce ohledně Terezína a navštívila archiv v Litoměřicích... super....ale to je asi tak všechno, protože tam byly takové nelogismy...
Jako...Jste v Sudetech, Němci vás vyženou ze statku... ok... a vy dceru pošlete do bezpečí a ona jde do bezpečí k židovskému doktorovi? Kde bude pracovat? A pracovat tam bude i v roce 1942? Co nějaké zákazy zaměstnávání nežidů, věci ohledně majetku.. nebo argument, že doktor se stará o nějaké osobnosti... v době, kdy nesměli ošetřovat nežidy?
A jedeme dál... rodina ...po záboru statku šla do Lidic... moc okaté...
A i přesto...co tedy jí náckové udělali.. tak si tam něco začne s Walterem ...
A ten prostě nenaráží a nevadí mu, že je u židů
až náhle v roce 1942 kde se vzal a najednou hrál to, co měl
ale divný... jen tak a kvůli miminu?
to, co dělají kvůli miminu je absurdní
Navíc mohli mít bambilion mimin.. nemuselo by být židovské
židovské jim nevadilo?
A když .. tam tak řádili...za normálních okolností už by je vystříleli..
a sebrali by i jiné
a dál... pokud někoho v 1942 dostanou tam, kam jakože je odvezli.. už by se ven nikdo nedostal
a pokračovat můžeme dál... absurdní zapletení, kdy málem vypadalo, že Lidice jsou dříve než atentát... bylo to tam zajímavé
nebo partyzáni..vzhledem k tomu, že Gabčík byl z vedlejší vesnice, kde žila moje babička a ta vesnice byla ta nejvíce partyzánská ...mno vím toho docela dost..
nemluvě o tom, že druhá babička se kvůli odboji a bratrovi partyzánovi dostala do Dachau.. a on u SNP padl...
jenže oni byli z té oblasti.. přijde mi absurdní, proč by se rozhodloi jít na Slovensko do odboje
vždyť odboj byl i tady.
Vyhazovaly se železnice ... ha ano po Snp.. to tam autorka navlékla ... ona Magda totiř zvládla vše nakonec .. i být v Červeném kříži...
jooo a nezapomeňme.. že v roce 1938 měla 14 a byla to prostá dívka z vesnice, ze statku, čili měla tak maximálně základní vzdělání a ještě neúplné a bylo to v té době...
takže... my link text asi takhle ta děvčata vypadala .. a v té knize ji popisuje jako moderní vystudované děvče, které dělá zázraky.
Jako doopravdy chápu, že v Americe se ta kniha chytla, protože nemají ani šajnu.
Kniha je čtivá... a ano, jde o fikci a je vidět, jak si to pěkně autorka vymyslela. Je vidět i jak se snažila vymyslet postavy. Ano... jenže to přehnala a i když se snažila o dobrý historický základ, ta kniha jí uplavala na základních logických věcech. Na reálných věcech.
Taky mne to přivedlo k zamyšlení, proč autoři mají tendenci psát o něčem, čemu nerozumí. I Čech, který nikdy v Americe nebyl, nikdy tam nežil, nikdy ji neviděl, když tam zasadí román, je to divné.. a je to poznat... je to i kritizováno. Proč to dělají Američané?
Nemají šanci pochopit naši mentalitu, kulturu, krajinu, chod věcí a podobné detaily. Ty vždy vystihne nejlépe ten z dané oblasti. Nebo aspoň ten, kdo má rodinu, žil tu nebo prostě aspoň tu je. ...
Jako tohle navíc bylo hrozně jako i se snahou zapojit tu romantiku a nakonec dát i happy end.
A ne .. není to o vkusu...jde o faktické chyby...to není o vkusu.
A tímto druhým pokusem, který byl ale podobný, jako předešlý, bych tuhle mou příhodu s autorkou uzavřela. Ono to jako pěkná obálka fakt nezachrání.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2023
I know practically nothing about how Czechosolvakia was impacted by Hitler's reign of terror during WWII. That made this an exceptionally fascinating book. I am grateful to have had the opportunity this story gave me to learn more about this part of the world. I also really appreciated the narration because I would never have known how to pronounce some of the words, especially names and titles. I will definitely be reading more from this author.
February 10, 2021
This is a World War II story about a young girl, Magda, who lives on a farm with her parents and brothers. Born with a large birth mark on her cheek, she’s been teased mercilessly her entire life, eroding her self confidence. During World War II, a German family takes over the farm. The sons are forced into the German Army, and Magda is suddenly homeless. Eventually she is hired as a nanny by a Jewish family, the Taubers, who continue to live in the area under special dispensation. When the Gestapo arrests them, Magda hides their new baby until the local resistance rescues him. Magda continues to work with the villa under the thumb of a German family and passing information to the resistance. After she makes a critical error, she escapes but has a price on her head.
Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger gives the reader the story of a remarkable young woman. Magda has a wonderful character arc moving from a simple village maiden who lacks self-confidence; as her role in the resistance increases, she realizes her own strength and becomes brave and accomplished at her various positions within the resistance. Lucyk-Berger also provides an in-depth look of the roles women played during the war and what they accomplished. Similar books I’ve read show the French resistance at work, but this one looks at the Czechoslovakian resistance, something I’ve never read about before. The horrors of war, neither glossed over nor sensationalized, have enough depth to allow the reader to see them yet not be grossed out.
Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger gives the reader the story of a remarkable young woman. Magda has a wonderful character arc moving from a simple village maiden who lacks self-confidence; as her role in the resistance increases, she realizes her own strength and becomes brave and accomplished at her various positions within the resistance. Lucyk-Berger also provides an in-depth look of the roles women played during the war and what they accomplished. Similar books I’ve read show the French resistance at work, but this one looks at the Czechoslovakian resistance, something I’ve never read about before. The horrors of war, neither glossed over nor sensationalized, have enough depth to allow the reader to see them yet not be grossed out.
January 22, 2021
This story is based on during WWII but instead, it talks about the courageous and brave partisans who fought against the Nazis. Based in Czechoslovakia between 1938 to 1945, Magdalene who is known as Magda goes to work as a sort of governess to a rich Jewish family, the Taubers. However with the Nazis taking over Europe, Taubers due to their Jewish background were sent off to the ghettos. But not before Frau Tauber entrusts their baby son, Samuel into Magda's care. Magda then soon becomes a part of partisans group, rebelling against the Nazis while at the same time her heart aching for Samuel.
This is actually really a powerful and emotional story. What makes this story more special to me was, we know these events did take part in real life--the Nazi brutality, the treatment towards Jews and Partisans and the members of the Partisans willingly sacrifice their own lives to fight against the Nazis. To me, Magda is such a truly inspirational, courageous and brave girl, who is willing to risk her own life to protect her loved ones. This book actually kept me all night and I finished this book with tears in my eyes after I read the ending! It was really good and emotional as well!
This book is a powerful, gripping story and unputdownable that will make you cry and support all those brave and courageous men and women who fought against the Nazis and defeated them. Worth five stars!
This is actually really a powerful and emotional story. What makes this story more special to me was, we know these events did take part in real life--the Nazi brutality, the treatment towards Jews and Partisans and the members of the Partisans willingly sacrifice their own lives to fight against the Nazis. To me, Magda is such a truly inspirational, courageous and brave girl, who is willing to risk her own life to protect her loved ones. This book actually kept me all night and I finished this book with tears in my eyes after I read the ending! It was really good and emotional as well!
This book is a powerful, gripping story and unputdownable that will make you cry and support all those brave and courageous men and women who fought against the Nazis and defeated them. Worth five stars!
September 9, 2021
This novel is so intense and suspenseful. I couldn't put it down as I was taken back to WWII and into the historical events with Magda, the main character. Ms. Lucyk-Burger articulately and completely submerged me into the pages of this heart wrenching story. One that, even though it's fiction, is based on the facts of historical events that are important to remember. Magda is a character I will never forget. The fear, anxiety, insecurity, and losses she endured at the inhumane treatment from the Nazi's was so realistic that I felt for what the Jews suffered by their cruelty. I struggled, ran, cried and finally pulled with Magda ...as much as it was frightening and difficult, to do whatever it took to survive. This story is written by an author who has a gift. One that the words become life and the reader is living in the pages. I truly recommend this historical fiction book for the indepth and meticulous attention to creating a story that will swallow you in and bring you along as if you were living through the events. I love historical fiction and this is a book that reinforces why.
I want to thank Chrystyna Lycyk-Burger for sharing her amazing talent in writing this novel. I can't wait to read more by her. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my heartfelt own.
I want to thank Chrystyna Lycyk-Burger for sharing her amazing talent in writing this novel. I can't wait to read more by her. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my heartfelt own.
January 26, 2021
This is the first time that I have read a book by Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger. On the strength of this powerful and disturbing historical novel, it won't be the last.
Right from the start I was drawn into, what becomes an informative fiction which is based on real locations and a frighteningly real period of world history.
I have given this book five stars because I really like the quality of the narrative and the way in which the characters are developed as the story unfolds.
The novel follows the experiences of Magda Novak, who is forced to leave her family in order to survive, following the German invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1938. Her story is one of needing to adapt to stay ahead of those hunting for her, as the full reality of the Holocaust unfolds.
I won't go into detail about the plot out of fear of spoiling the story. Suffice to say that I found the book opened my eyes aspects of life in an occupied country, during this catastrophic conflict.
There are some touching scenes within a story which resoundingly extremely sad.
I will look forward to reading future and past books by This author.
I give my thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book in exchange for this review.
Right from the start I was drawn into, what becomes an informative fiction which is based on real locations and a frighteningly real period of world history.
I have given this book five stars because I really like the quality of the narrative and the way in which the characters are developed as the story unfolds.
The novel follows the experiences of Magda Novak, who is forced to leave her family in order to survive, following the German invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1938. Her story is one of needing to adapt to stay ahead of those hunting for her, as the full reality of the Holocaust unfolds.
I won't go into detail about the plot out of fear of spoiling the story. Suffice to say that I found the book opened my eyes aspects of life in an occupied country, during this catastrophic conflict.
There are some touching scenes within a story which resoundingly extremely sad.
I will look forward to reading future and past books by This author.
I give my thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for a copy of this book in exchange for this review.
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