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The Tulip Tree
Henryk reached out to embrace him, formally, awkwardly. How rarely they’d touched since childhood, thought Adi, as he sank against his brother. How clumsy their love.
Brothers Henryk and Adam Radecki’s relationship is one of fraught love and jealously. Henryk, unhappily married, becomes a rich and successful industrialist, while Adi, a devoted vet, finds and loses love. Their bond is tested throughout their lives, from the 1920s, against the background of Poland’s tragic and tumultuous relationship with Russia, through war, revolution and invasion, until 1954 in the Snowy Mountains of Australia.
Adi’s wife and son are at the heart of this riveting tale, in which family secrets threaten to tear lives apart. Caught up in momentous events, each character reminds us of our power to survive extraordinary times, of the moral choices we make and the dramatic turns our lives can take.
Beautifully written, full of the detail of everyday life, its joys and suffering, The Tulip Tree is engrossing historical fiction at its best, a profoundly moving story of love, sacrifice and loyalty.
Brothers Henryk and Adam Radecki’s relationship is one of fraught love and jealously. Henryk, unhappily married, becomes a rich and successful industrialist, while Adi, a devoted vet, finds and loses love. Their bond is tested throughout their lives, from the 1920s, against the background of Poland’s tragic and tumultuous relationship with Russia, through war, revolution and invasion, until 1954 in the Snowy Mountains of Australia.
Adi’s wife and son are at the heart of this riveting tale, in which family secrets threaten to tear lives apart. Caught up in momentous events, each character reminds us of our power to survive extraordinary times, of the moral choices we make and the dramatic turns our lives can take.
Beautifully written, full of the detail of everyday life, its joys and suffering, The Tulip Tree is engrossing historical fiction at its best, a profoundly moving story of love, sacrifice and loyalty.
368 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2021
13 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 24, 2021
Henryk and Adam Radecki’s are Polish brothers, eldest Henryk is rather serious and younger Adi is much more sensitive. The story follows the brother’s lives and experiences from the early 1920’s and ends in 1954. This time frame covers: The Polish Soviet war with the Russians, the Germans invading the country during WW II and finishes in the Australian Snowy Mountains.
The brothers are extremely jealous of each other and it’s a constant issue between them. Henryk is married, a rich and a successful industrialist and sadly he and wife Lucia didn't have the large family they both wanted. Adi is a vet, he marries twice and his second wife Elzbieta is younger than him. Henryk thinks his brother rushed into his second marriage, Ela looks very similar to his first wife Kasia, this causes tension and it gets worse when the couple have their second child Stefan.
Over the years, the brothers are caught up in difficult situations, have to live with the choices they made, the consequences and kept secrets. The conflict and war in Poland is horrific, both brothers suffer terribly, and so do their families.
The Tulip Tree is a story about love, loss, sacrifice, family, loyalty, suffering, secrets and war. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and four stars from me. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
The brothers are extremely jealous of each other and it’s a constant issue between them. Henryk is married, a rich and a successful industrialist and sadly he and wife Lucia didn't have the large family they both wanted. Adi is a vet, he marries twice and his second wife Elzbieta is younger than him. Henryk thinks his brother rushed into his second marriage, Ela looks very similar to his first wife Kasia, this causes tension and it gets worse when the couple have their second child Stefan.
Over the years, the brothers are caught up in difficult situations, have to live with the choices they made, the consequences and kept secrets. The conflict and war in Poland is horrific, both brothers suffer terribly, and so do their families.
The Tulip Tree is a story about love, loss, sacrifice, family, loyalty, suffering, secrets and war. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and four stars from me. https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
November 30, 2021
A family saga about two Polish brothers, Henryk and Adi, with their families, loves, jealousies and secrets against the backdrop of the history of Poland in the first half of the twentieth century. Switching between the two brothers narratives, the story is powerful and emotional.
June 10, 2021
3.5★s
The Tulip Tree is the second novel by prize-winning Australian author, Suzanne McCourt. Henryk Radecki may not admit it, but since their youth, he has always resented his naïve younger brother, and had disdain for this clearly inferior man. In early 20th Century Russian-ruled Poland, Henryk trains as an engineer, with an overriding ambition to build bridges that is frustrated in the ironworks he helps manage; Adam becomes a veterinarian.
Adam’s focus is always the animals, no matter whose, a potential source of grief; Henryk is resourceful, charismatic and influential, and is surprised to find himself coveting what Adam has. The consequences of his impulsive actions are ever present during their lives, the deaths and births, the wars and imprisonment, the subjugation under different occupying forces, the times of plenty and times of extreme hardship.
Ultimately, Henryk’s betrayal puts them at the mercy of Poland’s post-war secret police.
McCourt’s story spans over fifty years of this extended family and what they endure as their country is ravaged by war and occupation. If her characters are not necessarily wholly endearing, who can say how they would behave the same shoes? In her acknowledgements, McCourt reveals that parts of her novel are inspired by the factual accounts related by her husband’s family.
The map and family tree will be appreciated by readers with such a large cast of characters with (multiple) Polish names and their travels. The blurb might be a little misleading, as only the last few pages are devoted to the Australian setting.
In a literary environment saturated with twentieth Century historical novels, and with the millions of different perspectives of this time that could be written from, an author needs to overcome the exposure fatigue readers may be suffering, and deliver something original. McCourt gives the reader a beautifully written story about ordinary people in extraordinary times, meeting unanticipated challenges.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Text Publishing.
The Tulip Tree is the second novel by prize-winning Australian author, Suzanne McCourt. Henryk Radecki may not admit it, but since their youth, he has always resented his naïve younger brother, and had disdain for this clearly inferior man. In early 20th Century Russian-ruled Poland, Henryk trains as an engineer, with an overriding ambition to build bridges that is frustrated in the ironworks he helps manage; Adam becomes a veterinarian.
Adam’s focus is always the animals, no matter whose, a potential source of grief; Henryk is resourceful, charismatic and influential, and is surprised to find himself coveting what Adam has. The consequences of his impulsive actions are ever present during their lives, the deaths and births, the wars and imprisonment, the subjugation under different occupying forces, the times of plenty and times of extreme hardship.
Ultimately, Henryk’s betrayal puts them at the mercy of Poland’s post-war secret police.
McCourt’s story spans over fifty years of this extended family and what they endure as their country is ravaged by war and occupation. If her characters are not necessarily wholly endearing, who can say how they would behave the same shoes? In her acknowledgements, McCourt reveals that parts of her novel are inspired by the factual accounts related by her husband’s family.
The map and family tree will be appreciated by readers with such a large cast of characters with (multiple) Polish names and their travels. The blurb might be a little misleading, as only the last few pages are devoted to the Australian setting.
In a literary environment saturated with twentieth Century historical novels, and with the millions of different perspectives of this time that could be written from, an author needs to overcome the exposure fatigue readers may be suffering, and deliver something original. McCourt gives the reader a beautifully written story about ordinary people in extraordinary times, meeting unanticipated challenges.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Text Publishing.
May 25, 2021
‘Perhaps we only ever have one true chance at anything and the rest, if offered, is always second best.’
Henryk and Adam (Adi) Radecki are brothers. Their relationship is complex and competitive and is set against the tumultuous background of Poland’s relationship with Russia and the impact of World War II. Their story unfolds over thirty years: starting in the 1920s and ending in Australia’s Snowy Mountains in 1954.
Henryk, unhappily married, becomes a rich and successful industrialist. Adi, a devoted veterinarian, marries, is widowed, and then remarries. His second wife, Elzbieta, reminds many of his first wife Kasia. Elzbieta (Ela) and her son, Stefan, are at the centre of this story full of tragedy and family secrets. Each of the main characters will have cause to reflect on choices made and their consequences. Adi, shaped by time spent in Kazakhstan and the death of Kasia, can be difficult. Henryk is competitive, and this has far-reaching consequences.
We follow the characters through heartbreak, loss and tragedy, experiencing both aspects of World War II and the communist rule of Poland with them. It is an emotional ride, full of frailty and triumph. I was drawn into the novel by Adi, held there by Kasia and Ela, and reminded of Poland’s turbulent history. Ms McCourt imbues her characters with life, rendering them human against a backdrop of change and suffering.
I enjoyed this novel and am still thinking about some of the characters and their choices.
‘He closed his eyes and saw his tulip tree in that Tajik village all those years ago, its gaunt reaching arms.’
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Text Publishing for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Henryk and Adam (Adi) Radecki are brothers. Their relationship is complex and competitive and is set against the tumultuous background of Poland’s relationship with Russia and the impact of World War II. Their story unfolds over thirty years: starting in the 1920s and ending in Australia’s Snowy Mountains in 1954.
Henryk, unhappily married, becomes a rich and successful industrialist. Adi, a devoted veterinarian, marries, is widowed, and then remarries. His second wife, Elzbieta, reminds many of his first wife Kasia. Elzbieta (Ela) and her son, Stefan, are at the centre of this story full of tragedy and family secrets. Each of the main characters will have cause to reflect on choices made and their consequences. Adi, shaped by time spent in Kazakhstan and the death of Kasia, can be difficult. Henryk is competitive, and this has far-reaching consequences.
We follow the characters through heartbreak, loss and tragedy, experiencing both aspects of World War II and the communist rule of Poland with them. It is an emotional ride, full of frailty and triumph. I was drawn into the novel by Adi, held there by Kasia and Ela, and reminded of Poland’s turbulent history. Ms McCourt imbues her characters with life, rendering them human against a backdrop of change and suffering.
I enjoyed this novel and am still thinking about some of the characters and their choices.
‘He closed his eyes and saw his tulip tree in that Tajik village all those years ago, its gaunt reaching arms.’
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Text Publishing for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
August 16, 2023
'The Tulip Tree' by Suzanne McCourt is the story of Polish brothers Henryk and Adam Radecki's relationship told against a backdrop of the twentieth century. Written in four parts, the novel covers 1920-1954. 'The Tulip Tree' is inspired by the author's husband's family and their experiences during times of war and turmoil. On one of her many visits to Poland, the author's Polish sister-in-law, shared her experiences of incarceration in Ravensbruck. In the novel, Ela, the wife of Adam forged a functioning life in the camp that showed the hope as well as the despair of that evil place. 'The Tulip Tree' is about people who lived ordinary lives during extraordinary times. It shows that in difficult times people become, not who we think they are, but who they really are.
May 8, 2021
When I picked up this book I thought that I would read about the relationship of two brothers in Poland. What I got instead is a historical fiction centered mainly around the wife (wives?) of the younger brother. Not a disappointment at all!
The novel gives a great description of the era between 1920s to post-WW2 times in Poland and Russia-controlled territories. A book of second chances and second choices, forgiveness and family.
This book is to be published in June 2021. I am grateful for NetGalley and Text Publishing for an Advance Reading Copy.
The novel gives a great description of the era between 1920s to post-WW2 times in Poland and Russia-controlled territories. A book of second chances and second choices, forgiveness and family.
This book is to be published in June 2021. I am grateful for NetGalley and Text Publishing for an Advance Reading Copy.
June 7, 2021
3.5 stars.
The Tulip Tree by Suzanne McCourt is a family-centric novel that spans 1920-1950s.
Henryk and Adam “Adi” Radecki are brothers whose relationship is complicated. Henryk is a businessman who is married with one daughter. Adi is a widower with a son and after remarrying, he and his second wife have two more children. He is a veterinarian who is haunted by the death of his first wife. Henryk is competitive and regrets letting his first love get away. Adi is quiet and keeps his feelings bottled up. As war comes once again to Poland, Henryk and Adi view Hitler’s antipathy towards Jews quite differently. In the aftermath of the war, suspicions run high and informants often give up information about others to protect themselves or loved ones.
The various characters are well developed although not all of them are likable. The storyline is rife with factual information about the Polish-Soviet War, World War II and Ravensbrück concentration camp. The pacing is uneven and sometimes very slow.
The Tulip Tree by Suzanne McCourt is a poignant novel that is quite educational. The various settings are vividly brought to life. The war years are realistically portrayed and offer a haunting glimpse World War II. After the end of the war, the Radecki families’ lives are difficult and the revelation of a secret drives a wedge between those who are affected by the devastating truth.
The Tulip Tree by Suzanne McCourt is a family-centric novel that spans 1920-1950s.
Henryk and Adam “Adi” Radecki are brothers whose relationship is complicated. Henryk is a businessman who is married with one daughter. Adi is a widower with a son and after remarrying, he and his second wife have two more children. He is a veterinarian who is haunted by the death of his first wife. Henryk is competitive and regrets letting his first love get away. Adi is quiet and keeps his feelings bottled up. As war comes once again to Poland, Henryk and Adi view Hitler’s antipathy towards Jews quite differently. In the aftermath of the war, suspicions run high and informants often give up information about others to protect themselves or loved ones.
The various characters are well developed although not all of them are likable. The storyline is rife with factual information about the Polish-Soviet War, World War II and Ravensbrück concentration camp. The pacing is uneven and sometimes very slow.
The Tulip Tree by Suzanne McCourt is a poignant novel that is quite educational. The various settings are vividly brought to life. The war years are realistically portrayed and offer a haunting glimpse World War II. After the end of the war, the Radecki families’ lives are difficult and the revelation of a secret drives a wedge between those who are affected by the devastating truth.
June 1, 2021
The Tulip Tree is an epic family saga, a story that follows Polish brothers Henryk and Adam through the 1920s right up to the early 1950s.
It captures an interesting and much explored period of history, but from a perspective I’ve not read before. Recently, I’ve read a lot of WWII historical fiction that’s been set in France and the western front, so it was really interesting to read about the war experience, & the decades leading up to it, in parts of Eastern Europe, which I’ll admit I don’t know a lot about.
It’s a story about the brothers, their relationship and their wider family unit. Through devastating tragedy, second chances, betrayal, secrets and the horrors and hardships of wartime. The tale of the family was sad but enthralling.
This is a book that historical fiction lovers will really enjoy. My interest in this period of time, each of the characters and their life stories kept my interest throughout and the story was beautifully told.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.
It captures an interesting and much explored period of history, but from a perspective I’ve not read before. Recently, I’ve read a lot of WWII historical fiction that’s been set in France and the western front, so it was really interesting to read about the war experience, & the decades leading up to it, in parts of Eastern Europe, which I’ll admit I don’t know a lot about.
It’s a story about the brothers, their relationship and their wider family unit. Through devastating tragedy, second chances, betrayal, secrets and the horrors and hardships of wartime. The tale of the family was sad but enthralling.
This is a book that historical fiction lovers will really enjoy. My interest in this period of time, each of the characters and their life stories kept my interest throughout and the story was beautifully told.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review.
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August 9, 2021The following reviews have been shared by Text Publishing - publisher of The Tulip Tree
'A breathtaking family saga, set in the darkest of times, about the struggle to love and the courage to go on.’
Tim Costello AO
'A beautifully written novel about betrayal and forgiveness (especially of ourselves), about suffering and survival, about the baggage we take with us, and what we leave behind.’
Cynthia Banham, author of A Certain Light
'A moving story of how one family survives a horrendous period in history, and of the secrets they carry with them into the future.’
Joan London, author of The Golden Age
'Fresh with the cadences of everyday life and history, The Tulip Tree is a tender and moving exploration of one family’s fault lines and its enduring connections across time.'
Dominic Smith, author of The Last Painting of Sara de Vos
‘A tale of love, loss, and resilience. Told with compassion and wisdom, The Tulip Tree reminds us how, even after the most crushing defeat, hope can survive and renewal is possible.’
Eva Stachniak, author of The Chosen Maiden.
‘I commend this book, with its superbly drawn characters, to any reader who still believes that the novel can take us on an unparalleled journey.’
Robert Hillman, author of The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted
‘The Tulip Tree is a vivid, challenging and utterly absorbing feat of storytelling. It tells of decades-long conflict, both on the operatic scale of revolution, world war and a totalitarian state, and also on the intimate scale of an extended Polish family. It asks what moral compass can guide souls united by love but riven by doubt, secrets, betrayals and terror, and its questions reverberate through our own times.’
Jane Sullivan, author of Storytime
'What a magnificent book! A tale of family that weaves through so many of the tragedies of the twentieth century and yet remains personal and intimate. So richly imagined the reader hears the tapping of footsteps in the streets, smells the tomatoes growing in the garden, and feels the longings, the losses, and the courage of these unforgettable characters.'
Karen Joy Fowler, author of The Jane Austen Bookclub and We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves
‘McCourt skilfully navigates the history of Poland in the early 20th century with particular reference to Russia and Germany. The state of middle Europe during this period leaves the Radecki brothers and their families in constant uncertainty and danger, and McCourt deftly demonstrates how a family saga might be shaped not only by individual character but also by the forces of history.’
Age/SMH
‘McCourt has written a splendid work of fiction...as a homage to the love and bravery of her extended Polish family.’
Good Reading
'The Tulip Tree is vivid storytelling at its best, atmospheric, and engrossing: a powerful and compelling read from beginning to end, and one readers will not soon forget.’
Historical Novel Society
'A breathtaking family saga, set in the darkest of times, about the struggle to love and the courage to go on.’
Tim Costello AO
'A beautifully written novel about betrayal and forgiveness (especially of ourselves), about suffering and survival, about the baggage we take with us, and what we leave behind.’
Cynthia Banham, author of A Certain Light
'A moving story of how one family survives a horrendous period in history, and of the secrets they carry with them into the future.’
Joan London, author of The Golden Age
'Fresh with the cadences of everyday life and history, The Tulip Tree is a tender and moving exploration of one family’s fault lines and its enduring connections across time.'
Dominic Smith, author of The Last Painting of Sara de Vos
‘A tale of love, loss, and resilience. Told with compassion and wisdom, The Tulip Tree reminds us how, even after the most crushing defeat, hope can survive and renewal is possible.’
Eva Stachniak, author of The Chosen Maiden.
‘I commend this book, with its superbly drawn characters, to any reader who still believes that the novel can take us on an unparalleled journey.’
Robert Hillman, author of The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted
‘The Tulip Tree is a vivid, challenging and utterly absorbing feat of storytelling. It tells of decades-long conflict, both on the operatic scale of revolution, world war and a totalitarian state, and also on the intimate scale of an extended Polish family. It asks what moral compass can guide souls united by love but riven by doubt, secrets, betrayals and terror, and its questions reverberate through our own times.’
Jane Sullivan, author of Storytime
'What a magnificent book! A tale of family that weaves through so many of the tragedies of the twentieth century and yet remains personal and intimate. So richly imagined the reader hears the tapping of footsteps in the streets, smells the tomatoes growing in the garden, and feels the longings, the losses, and the courage of these unforgettable characters.'
Karen Joy Fowler, author of The Jane Austen Bookclub and We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves
‘McCourt skilfully navigates the history of Poland in the early 20th century with particular reference to Russia and Germany. The state of middle Europe during this period leaves the Radecki brothers and their families in constant uncertainty and danger, and McCourt deftly demonstrates how a family saga might be shaped not only by individual character but also by the forces of history.’
Age/SMH
‘McCourt has written a splendid work of fiction...as a homage to the love and bravery of her extended Polish family.’
Good Reading
'The Tulip Tree is vivid storytelling at its best, atmospheric, and engrossing: a powerful and compelling read from beginning to end, and one readers will not soon forget.’
Historical Novel Society
April 16, 2025
Is "bad" born or formed?
I think it's really hard to study a family dynamic through the hardships of war and colonization. Through almost the entirety of their childhood, the brothers were raised in political instability, it played a huge role in forming their characters and, in time, their differences.
While I found Adam's character and personality a bit vague or unclear in the beginning, I think the author was deliberate in writing Henryk's pov so vividly from start to finish to show how he always started the chain of events, and how Adam is almost always left to deal with the consequences.
From the very first scene, Henryk was cross with his brother. The imagery of Henryk aiming at Adam's back when they were hunting in their teens is a great foreshadowing.
It baffles me a little though that, as someone who read a lot of family sagas, this is the first time I felt tainted or heavy-hearted by a characters actions. I genuinely hated Henryk with passion. Hated his selfishness, entitlement, and his inferiority complex, which really was the root cause of everything he had done.
I'm not saying Adam was great, but the more I think about at, he was more like a sponge. He just absorbed everything happening around him and adapted. He took questionable decisions and had some awful opinions some time, but overall he was... normal?
The author really did a great job at writing different timelines while still maintaining the two brothers as the driving force of the book.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
I think it's really hard to study a family dynamic through the hardships of war and colonization. Through almost the entirety of their childhood, the brothers were raised in political instability, it played a huge role in forming their characters and, in time, their differences.
While I found Adam's character and personality a bit vague or unclear in the beginning, I think the author was deliberate in writing Henryk's pov so vividly from start to finish to show how he always started the chain of events, and how Adam is almost always left to deal with the consequences.
From the very first scene, Henryk was cross with his brother. The imagery of Henryk aiming at Adam's back when they were hunting in their teens is a great foreshadowing.
It baffles me a little though that, as someone who read a lot of family sagas, this is the first time I felt tainted or heavy-hearted by a characters actions. I genuinely hated Henryk with passion. Hated his selfishness, entitlement, and his inferiority complex, which really was the root cause of everything he had done.
I'm not saying Adam was great, but the more I think about at, he was more like a sponge. He just absorbed everything happening around him and adapted. He took questionable decisions and had some awful opinions some time, but overall he was... normal?
The author really did a great job at writing different timelines while still maintaining the two brothers as the driving force of the book.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*
May 3, 2021
Heartbreaking and heartwarming, this poignant story is mostly set in 1920s Poland, controlled by Germany and then Russia, through 1954 in Australia What struck me most is the hauntingly evocative writing which captured me from the very beginning. The horrendous concentration camp descriptions are vivid and detailed, the emotions raw and full of despair, laid out bare without sheltering. In stark contrast there are also times of joy, love and perseverance.
From childhood, two brothers Henryk and Adam Radecki were dramatically different and that difference widened the chasm of jealousy and competition between them which spilled over into adulthood. It meant awkward social situations for them and their wives, Lucia and Ela, as they navigated daily life. Henryk became a wealthy industrialist, Adam a vet. During the war we see how people were treated like intolerable vermin. The two mighty forces Germany and Russia crushed people physically and mentally, especially Polish Jews. Readers are taken through the stories of these men and their wives as well as children Roza and Marek. It is amazing to watch personalities unfold and change under various sets of circumstances and choices made.
Historical Fiction and Women's Fiction readers shouldn't miss this. It is not a fluffy gentle book but one so full of depth and emotions it hurts. Unmissable.
My sincere thank you to Text Publishing and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this achingly beautiful book.
From childhood, two brothers Henryk and Adam Radecki were dramatically different and that difference widened the chasm of jealousy and competition between them which spilled over into adulthood. It meant awkward social situations for them and their wives, Lucia and Ela, as they navigated daily life. Henryk became a wealthy industrialist, Adam a vet. During the war we see how people were treated like intolerable vermin. The two mighty forces Germany and Russia crushed people physically and mentally, especially Polish Jews. Readers are taken through the stories of these men and their wives as well as children Roza and Marek. It is amazing to watch personalities unfold and change under various sets of circumstances and choices made.
Historical Fiction and Women's Fiction readers shouldn't miss this. It is not a fluffy gentle book but one so full of depth and emotions it hurts. Unmissable.
My sincere thank you to Text Publishing and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this achingly beautiful book.
July 24, 2021
The Tulip Tree by Suzanne McCourt.
This novel, the second from Suzanne McCourt, is set in Poland from 1920, when it was controlled by Russia, through the German invasion of the second world war to 1954 when it again came under Russian rule, this time by the Communists. Within this setting, we see how world events impact on ordinary people trying to live their lives – their ordinary, wistful, anxious lives, through bewildering changes in events and fortunes which very nearly ruin their happiness..
A complex relationship develops between two brothers, Adam (Adi) and Henryk; both love the same woman, Elzbieta, who marries Adi. Although Henryk marries Lucia, tension remains between the brothers as they raise their families, and secrets are hidden and later revealed. These events are played out against a backdrop of fear and intimidation from the governing authorities. Elzbieta spends two years in Ravensbruck, an expereince she is unable to share with her husband because of its intense nature.
The story is clearly based on a great deal of research which, rather than flooding the story, underpins it, so that the characters and events are seamlessly integrated with historical events. It is quite a feat of imagination by the writer, to inhabit characters from an earlier time, and to bring them so fully to life in a way which makes us care deeply about them.
This novel, the second from Suzanne McCourt, is set in Poland from 1920, when it was controlled by Russia, through the German invasion of the second world war to 1954 when it again came under Russian rule, this time by the Communists. Within this setting, we see how world events impact on ordinary people trying to live their lives – their ordinary, wistful, anxious lives, through bewildering changes in events and fortunes which very nearly ruin their happiness..
A complex relationship develops between two brothers, Adam (Adi) and Henryk; both love the same woman, Elzbieta, who marries Adi. Although Henryk marries Lucia, tension remains between the brothers as they raise their families, and secrets are hidden and later revealed. These events are played out against a backdrop of fear and intimidation from the governing authorities. Elzbieta spends two years in Ravensbruck, an expereince she is unable to share with her husband because of its intense nature.
The story is clearly based on a great deal of research which, rather than flooding the story, underpins it, so that the characters and events are seamlessly integrated with historical events. It is quite a feat of imagination by the writer, to inhabit characters from an earlier time, and to bring them so fully to life in a way which makes us care deeply about them.
October 7, 2021
Initially, I found the fictionalised story of Poland compelling from the 1920s, BEFORE WW1, to AFTER WW2, as my focus has been primarily on how the Holocaust had played out in Poland with the annihilation of its Jewish citizens. In contrast, the novel deals primarily with how ordinary Poles were affected by the wars and occupations that plagued Poland and destroyed its independence.
McCourt pays homage to her extended Polish family for the basis of this moving story about the fight for an independent Poland after its occupation by Germany, the Soviet Union and Communism. However, the many side stories and the conflicts between members of the family, particularly between the brothers (Adi and Henryk), often confused me. My reading was also stalled as I struggled with the Polish names and wished that the author had included some guide as to their pronunciation.
Everyday life was portrayed vividly throughout the novel, which interested me more than the ties and the betrayals within this family. The latter built up a melodrama that may have eclipsed the strength of the historical journey behind it. I did not build up a connection with any of the characters, which I regretted. I finished the novel wondering about the appropriateness of its title and at odds with the higher ratings given by other readers.
McCourt pays homage to her extended Polish family for the basis of this moving story about the fight for an independent Poland after its occupation by Germany, the Soviet Union and Communism. However, the many side stories and the conflicts between members of the family, particularly between the brothers (Adi and Henryk), often confused me. My reading was also stalled as I struggled with the Polish names and wished that the author had included some guide as to their pronunciation.
Everyday life was portrayed vividly throughout the novel, which interested me more than the ties and the betrayals within this family. The latter built up a melodrama that may have eclipsed the strength of the historical journey behind it. I did not build up a connection with any of the characters, which I regretted. I finished the novel wondering about the appropriateness of its title and at odds with the higher ratings given by other readers.
May 18, 2021
Details:
The Tulip Tree
By Suzanne McCourt
364 Pages
Available June 1, 2021
“Perhaps we only ever have one true chance at anything and the rest, if offered, is always second best.."
The Tulip Tree by Suzanne McCourt is a historical fiction novel set in the 1920’s about Poland and their relationship with Russia during the war, through revolution and invasion. Eventually leading to the year of 1954 in the snowy mountains in Australia.
The story follows the Radecki boys: Henryk & Adam, and captures the love and jealousy between them and the trials and tribulations that they and their families must face.
This book is so rich and intimate, but it moves quite quickly at the beginning, so it was hard for me to visualize and create an atmosphere/surrounding for the context. But a few chapters in I realized that maybe the rush and lack of imagery was trying to add for a more chaotic feel – which makes complete sense considering this is based around the war. It was around Chapter 8 that I really started to get hooked, my imagination went wild, and I could not stop reading.
The love and sacrifice throughout this book was so beautiful. Truly impressed with Suzanne’s work here!
https://www.instagram.com/p/COLM1u-Ai...
The Tulip Tree
By Suzanne McCourt
364 Pages
Available June 1, 2021
“Perhaps we only ever have one true chance at anything and the rest, if offered, is always second best.."
The Tulip Tree by Suzanne McCourt is a historical fiction novel set in the 1920’s about Poland and their relationship with Russia during the war, through revolution and invasion. Eventually leading to the year of 1954 in the snowy mountains in Australia.
The story follows the Radecki boys: Henryk & Adam, and captures the love and jealousy between them and the trials and tribulations that they and their families must face.
This book is so rich and intimate, but it moves quite quickly at the beginning, so it was hard for me to visualize and create an atmosphere/surrounding for the context. But a few chapters in I realized that maybe the rush and lack of imagery was trying to add for a more chaotic feel – which makes complete sense considering this is based around the war. It was around Chapter 8 that I really started to get hooked, my imagination went wild, and I could not stop reading.
The love and sacrifice throughout this book was so beautiful. Truly impressed with Suzanne’s work here!
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June 9, 2021
"Perhaps we only ever have one true chance at anything and the rest, if offered, is always second best .."
Is this always true? Do you not believe in second chances? Or even third?
This question encompasses much of the story of the book. Second chance in love, second chance in life, second chance in a different place, a second chance after living under the tyranny of the Russians, the Germans and the Russians again,, and even a second chance after going thru the horrors of a concentration camp.
Beautifully written with relatable.characters and situations, this book will take you in a journey thru the lives of Polish brothers Henry and Adam Radecki. From the 1920s Poland through the 1950s Australia you'll love, live, cry and laugh with them and their families and the moral choices taken that threaten the very bond that forms a family.
Is this always true? Do you not believe in second chances? Or even third?
This question encompasses much of the story of the book. Second chance in love, second chance in life, second chance in a different place, a second chance after living under the tyranny of the Russians, the Germans and the Russians again,, and even a second chance after going thru the horrors of a concentration camp.
Beautifully written with relatable.characters and situations, this book will take you in a journey thru the lives of Polish brothers Henry and Adam Radecki. From the 1920s Poland through the 1950s Australia you'll love, live, cry and laugh with them and their families and the moral choices taken that threaten the very bond that forms a family.
January 3, 2022
An epic family saga that follows Polish brothers Henryk and Adi who share a loving relationship but also a complex rivalry. Their stories span a tragic and turbulent period in history from the 1920’s when Poland is under Soviet domination, through to the nation gaining independence, only to then suffer the Nazi invasion of WWII, followed by Russian Communist occupation until the 1950s when Poles emigrated to Australia to work on building the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme. Much has been written about the plight of Jewish Poles during WWII but this gives a thorough and different perspective of what life was like for non-Jewish Poles trying to eke out an existence through these decades of constant change and incredible hardship. The characters were all very well developed, each of them believable and I was sympathetic to all. An engrossing and interesting read.
January 22, 2024
3.5✨
Pretty sure whoever wrote the back cover for this book hadn't read it. When 7 pages of a 350 page book is about Australia it really shouldn't say "Poland's tumultuous twentieth century, until 1953 in the Snowy Mountains of Australia."
So I was disappointed because I was expecting to read at least half a book talking about the immigrants who delivered the Snowy Mountains Scheme.
Having said that, I did learn some stuff & no matter whether a book is fiction or NF that's part of the joy of reading for me & the extra stars.
Pretty sure whoever wrote the back cover for this book hadn't read it. When 7 pages of a 350 page book is about Australia it really shouldn't say "Poland's tumultuous twentieth century, until 1953 in the Snowy Mountains of Australia."
So I was disappointed because I was expecting to read at least half a book talking about the immigrants who delivered the Snowy Mountains Scheme.
Having said that, I did learn some stuff & no matter whether a book is fiction or NF that's part of the joy of reading for me & the extra stars.
July 2, 2021
Suzanne McCourt has given us a beautifully woven story of love, loss, and the triumph of the independent human spirit. Set over a historically difficult time for the Polish nation, the settings are so well drawn that at all times, the reader feels the sensory experience of being in those places and, of being a first-hand observer of the dramatic events taking place around, and impacting on this family as they navigate their lives.
January 29, 2022
Found the occasional lapses in narrative a bit disconcerting (thinking I'd missed something and going back a few pages to re-read, only to find I hadn't missed anything). Enjoyed the storyline though and especially interested in the historical setting of Poland during both WWs (as some of my ancestry is there). Love reading books that teach me something new as well as being a good read.
September 1, 2021
with a half.
Polish brothers who have a strained and complex relationship is the premise for this most engaging book.
The book unfolds commencing in the 1920's ending up in the Snowy Mountains in 1954.
Heart rendering story revealing the cruelties endured by the Poles.
Polish brothers who have a strained and complex relationship is the premise for this most engaging book.
The book unfolds commencing in the 1920's ending up in the Snowy Mountains in 1954.
Heart rendering story revealing the cruelties endured by the Poles.
March 25, 2023
poor transitions…
Often let me wondering if I had skipped a chapter. I finished the book because (1) I purchased it (2) the characters are well developed and I wanted to know what happened to them.
Often let me wondering if I had skipped a chapter. I finished the book because (1) I purchased it (2) the characters are well developed and I wanted to know what happened to them.
July 24, 2021
A powerful, beautifully written book. It has given me a greater understanding of my Polish heritage, history and struggles, past and present. Well done Suzanne!
January 28, 2024
Enjoyed this overall but at times it felt a bit disjointed, almost like maybe 200 pages had been edited out. I probably would have liked it longer!
July 9, 2021
Suzanne McCourt The Tulip Tree The Text Publishing Company 2021
Thank you NetGalley for this uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review.
I was drawn to this novel because of the connection between Poland and the Snowy Mountains of south-eastern Australia. That the story also includes a period with which I was familiar through the Polish film Cold War was enticing. I was rewarded: the resilience, love, small facets of humour that glimmered through that film, along with the fear and cruelty, are abundant in this novel. The strength of the people, and complexity of the events was brought home to me when reference is made to the Royal Palace in Warsaw being opened to the community by the communists – a venue where during my visit to Poland I saw two of the most remarkable Rembrandts (recently authenticated). The public opening did not take place in a vacuum, or apart from suffering. It is the way in which McCourt takes the characters through so many multifaceted situations, complete with ironies, personal conflicts and world events that makes this novel a thoroughly rewarding and valuable read.
Two brothers, Henryk and Adam, open the story, a short deer hunting episode illustrating their differences and relationship. Kasia, who was betrothed initially to Henryk and after he dishonours the betrothal, marries Adam, is a character whose presence is felt throughout the brothers’ lives. Adam becomes a veterinarian, and Henryk is successful in business. Both professions lead them into conflict throughout the political periods covered by the novel – the aftermath of World War 1, the pre-war period leading to World War 11 and the war, the immediate aftermath and into the 1950s. The novel is divided into four parts, Part One covering 1920 – 1922, when Adam returns home to Kasia and their son Marek after having been forced into the White Army; Part Two 1923 – 1939 where on the personal level Kasia hovers over Henryk’s life, and possibly less consciously over Adam’s, the brothers are professionally content but the portents as well as vicissitudes leading to war are felt by them, their families and the community; Part Three the 1939 – 1944 war years, including life in Ravensbruk, based on experiences shared with the author; and Part Four 1945 – 1954, where the characters suffer their personal complications as well as those associated with Poland under Russian ‘liberation’; and life in Australia, valued and almost loved, while longing for family and Poland.
This is an immense novel, with its personal stories woven throughout the political narrative. Personal political differences are subsumed, but never eradicated, with the complexities of living during the two wars and their aftermaths poignantly written. When a German visits one flat to see the vet about his dog, and in the flat below a Jewish family is being hidden, the proximity of fear, courage, and professional endeavour work together to give this novel a depth that would not be possible without the subtleties with which the characters are depicted. The tulip tree of the title with its image of a bare tree being covered in tulip blooms provides Adam with a sense of awe, courage, and hope. At the same time as thinking this, he imagines his son and he eating pierogi for supper: imagery of hope and domesticity woven yet again into story that resonates with human needs, tragedies and joy.
Thank you NetGalley for this uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review.
I was drawn to this novel because of the connection between Poland and the Snowy Mountains of south-eastern Australia. That the story also includes a period with which I was familiar through the Polish film Cold War was enticing. I was rewarded: the resilience, love, small facets of humour that glimmered through that film, along with the fear and cruelty, are abundant in this novel. The strength of the people, and complexity of the events was brought home to me when reference is made to the Royal Palace in Warsaw being opened to the community by the communists – a venue where during my visit to Poland I saw two of the most remarkable Rembrandts (recently authenticated). The public opening did not take place in a vacuum, or apart from suffering. It is the way in which McCourt takes the characters through so many multifaceted situations, complete with ironies, personal conflicts and world events that makes this novel a thoroughly rewarding and valuable read.
Two brothers, Henryk and Adam, open the story, a short deer hunting episode illustrating their differences and relationship. Kasia, who was betrothed initially to Henryk and after he dishonours the betrothal, marries Adam, is a character whose presence is felt throughout the brothers’ lives. Adam becomes a veterinarian, and Henryk is successful in business. Both professions lead them into conflict throughout the political periods covered by the novel – the aftermath of World War 1, the pre-war period leading to World War 11 and the war, the immediate aftermath and into the 1950s. The novel is divided into four parts, Part One covering 1920 – 1922, when Adam returns home to Kasia and their son Marek after having been forced into the White Army; Part Two 1923 – 1939 where on the personal level Kasia hovers over Henryk’s life, and possibly less consciously over Adam’s, the brothers are professionally content but the portents as well as vicissitudes leading to war are felt by them, their families and the community; Part Three the 1939 – 1944 war years, including life in Ravensbruk, based on experiences shared with the author; and Part Four 1945 – 1954, where the characters suffer their personal complications as well as those associated with Poland under Russian ‘liberation’; and life in Australia, valued and almost loved, while longing for family and Poland.
This is an immense novel, with its personal stories woven throughout the political narrative. Personal political differences are subsumed, but never eradicated, with the complexities of living during the two wars and their aftermaths poignantly written. When a German visits one flat to see the vet about his dog, and in the flat below a Jewish family is being hidden, the proximity of fear, courage, and professional endeavour work together to give this novel a depth that would not be possible without the subtleties with which the characters are depicted. The tulip tree of the title with its image of a bare tree being covered in tulip blooms provides Adam with a sense of awe, courage, and hope. At the same time as thinking this, he imagines his son and he eating pierogi for supper: imagery of hope and domesticity woven yet again into story that resonates with human needs, tragedies and joy.
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