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The Sturmtaucher Trilogy #1
The Gathering Storm
Book 1 in the Sturmtaucher Trilogy: a powerful and compelling story of two families torn apart by evil.
‘Kiel, Northern Germany, 1933. A naval city, the base for the German Baltic fleet, and the centre for German sailing, the venue for the upcoming Olympic regatta in 1936.
The Kästners, a prominent Military family, are part of the fabric of the city, and its social, naval and yachting circles. The Nussbaums are the second generation of their family to be in service with the Kästners as domestic staff, but the two households have a closer bond than most.
As Adolf Hitler and his National Socialist Party claw their way to power in 1933, life has never looked better for families like the Kästners. There is only one problem.
The Nussbaums are Jews.
The Sturmtaucher Trilogy documents the devastating effect on both families of the Nazis’ hateful ideology and the insidious erosion of the rights of Germany's Jews.
When Germany descends ever deeper into dictatorship, General Erich Kästner tries desperately to protect his employees, and to spirit them to safety.
As the country tears itself apart, the darkness which envelops a nation threatens not only to destroy two families, but to plunge an entire continent into war.’
‘Kiel, Northern Germany, 1933. A naval city, the base for the German Baltic fleet, and the centre for German sailing, the venue for the upcoming Olympic regatta in 1936.
The Kästners, a prominent Military family, are part of the fabric of the city, and its social, naval and yachting circles. The Nussbaums are the second generation of their family to be in service with the Kästners as domestic staff, but the two households have a closer bond than most.
As Adolf Hitler and his National Socialist Party claw their way to power in 1933, life has never looked better for families like the Kästners. There is only one problem.
The Nussbaums are Jews.
The Sturmtaucher Trilogy documents the devastating effect on both families of the Nazis’ hateful ideology and the insidious erosion of the rights of Germany's Jews.
When Germany descends ever deeper into dictatorship, General Erich Kästner tries desperately to protect his employees, and to spirit them to safety.
As the country tears itself apart, the darkness which envelops a nation threatens not only to destroy two families, but to plunge an entire continent into war.’
- GenresHistorical Fiction
800 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 19, 2021
15 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
July 14, 2021
Firstly, I have to congratulate the author on the sheer time, work and research that has gone into this book, it is no exaggeration to say it is truly outstanding, the detail is amazing and the referencing superb
And all that is because this is a historical fiction drama that simply put follows a German family and their Jewish staff ( who have worked for the family for decades ) as Hitler rises to and gains power
It charts the beginning rumblings of discontent from the German people on how their lives are after WW1 and how Hitler craftily yet unswervingly unapologetically takes them into the terrible spiral that led to the persecution of anyone non Aryan
There is a LOT of things to learn, names, places and dates but once you are settled to this you are drawn to the characters, and there really are some characters, some good, some horrific and some of the ‘gentrified’ woman who are almost on par with the evil SS, these people were made real for the reader and you felt yourself travelling through the timeline with them
As the book progressed via bulletins from Hitlers team and events happening to the people in the book it became more and more chilling and by the end it was disturbing, this however was reality, shocking but in context
Once again I have to say the authors level of detail and research and obvious efforts to write this book are to be applauded and so of course it can only be a
10/10
5 Stars
And all that is because this is a historical fiction drama that simply put follows a German family and their Jewish staff ( who have worked for the family for decades ) as Hitler rises to and gains power
It charts the beginning rumblings of discontent from the German people on how their lives are after WW1 and how Hitler craftily yet unswervingly unapologetically takes them into the terrible spiral that led to the persecution of anyone non Aryan
There is a LOT of things to learn, names, places and dates but once you are settled to this you are drawn to the characters, and there really are some characters, some good, some horrific and some of the ‘gentrified’ woman who are almost on par with the evil SS, these people were made real for the reader and you felt yourself travelling through the timeline with them
As the book progressed via bulletins from Hitlers team and events happening to the people in the book it became more and more chilling and by the end it was disturbing, this however was reality, shocking but in context
Once again I have to say the authors level of detail and research and obvious efforts to write this book are to be applauded and so of course it can only be a
10/10
5 Stars
September 17, 2021
“A powerful and compelling story of two families torn apart by evil”
First off! Can I only reiterate what so many other readers have already said – Please, please, please, don’t be put off by the number of pages in this book!
I am definitely one of the world’s worst for reading ‘chunkster’ books, but this one is worth it, 100% guaranteed. Although you do need to ‘clear the decks’ and make plenty of time to read it at a leisurely pace, in order to fully appreciate the amazing range and depth of the storyline, narrative and writing style.
Every once in a while, you come across a book which is truly exceptional and any review I can possibly write, even one which honestly comes from the heart, can’t possibly hope to even scratch the surface in doing true justice to The Gathering Storm, which is undoubtedly a real tour de force.
Being of a certain age demographic, this pre WWII period in Hitler’s Germany, was a staple part of my World History curriculum at school, where the events and data were learned rote and almost devoid of any real context, so long as you could remember them for exam time. Oh! how I wish this book had been available as part of the required reading schedule, as the entire period would have been brought to life so wonderfully and cohesively, that I might have gone on to further studies. I had forgotten just how relatively slowly and deliberately each individual decree was issued, which each time further eroded the rights of anyone not deemed fit to continue living as part of this superior Aryan race. Seven long and torturous years seemed an age when condensed into a mere 800 pages, but it must have seemed like a lifetime to all those living daily on the marginalised edges of an ever increasingly single minded society, never knowing where the axe would fall next.
This fantastic blend of fact and fiction is almost perfectly seamless, so that it is difficult to tell where one stops and the other begins, as history is inspirationally brought to life within its pages. The meticulous research and attention to detail is phenomenal and must have taken so many painstaking hours to complete and compile into a chronologically correct timeline of events, which is then knitted into the very fabric of a family saga of monumental proportions. It brings together a dark, troubling and shameful period of our modern history and gives it life, as seen through the eyes of the extremists, the moderates and the persecuted, who will all have their own personal perspectives about the unfolding atrocities and tides of change, inexorably heaped upon a nation by a cold, methodically calculating, dictator. Whilst the story throws the spotlight not only on the almost complete and total annihilation of all minority races within Germany, it also shows how events not only divided a country, but how they also had the potential to fracture and damage friendships and even tear family relationships apart, as individuals are forced to choose their sides in this terrible internal conflict, which spreads like a poison and holds almost everyone within its grip, as the country hurtles headlong towards war with the rest of Europe.
This tragic, multi-faceted storyline is a beautifully structured, powerfully presented, piece of cultural, social and historic writing, which is highly textured, desperately intense, rich in atmosphere and ever evolving. The chapters are kept short and every word is made to count. The narrative is focussed yet highly detailed, sharp and punchy. The dialogue is expressive and packed full of raw emotion. Perceptive and compelling this immersive, almost claustrophobic story is definitely very three dimensional, as it is plot and character driven in equal measure, whilst attaining the added awareness of a genuine sense of time and place. The story is almost exclusively told in ‘real time’ 1930s, however there are a handful of ‘fast forward’ moments to 2001, when snippets of conversations with the character of Ruth Nussbaum, now living in England, are interspersed, as her own reminiscences of the times are also deftly woven into the narrative of the story. I would urge you to check out the real-life Ruth Nussbaum, whose own life in some ways mirrored that of her fictional counterpart, she was definitely an inspirational individual.
Alan has created a cast of characters who have been allowed a loud voice to drive and completely own this storyline, with just the lightest of occasional guiding touches. They were all so well defined and developed, that although often complex, vulnerable and emotionally raw; they were always authentic, genuinely believable, and easy to relate to and invest in.
Author, Alan Jones, ‘cut his writing teeth’ on some very gritty and disturbing stand alone thrillers and whilst part of me is willing him not to give up on that genre completely, I can see how invested he has become in this full bodied saga storyline, which must have taken him over heart and soul during the writing … Either way, he is always going to be on my ‘go to’ author list.
What makes reading such a wonderful experience for me, are the books which can take me on a unique and individual journey. So I recommend that you read The gathering Storm for yourself and see where it leads you. You won’t be disappointed!!
Meet the author and share some memorable extracts from the book, here...
https://www.fiction-books.biz/reviews...
First off! Can I only reiterate what so many other readers have already said – Please, please, please, don’t be put off by the number of pages in this book!
I am definitely one of the world’s worst for reading ‘chunkster’ books, but this one is worth it, 100% guaranteed. Although you do need to ‘clear the decks’ and make plenty of time to read it at a leisurely pace, in order to fully appreciate the amazing range and depth of the storyline, narrative and writing style.
Every once in a while, you come across a book which is truly exceptional and any review I can possibly write, even one which honestly comes from the heart, can’t possibly hope to even scratch the surface in doing true justice to The Gathering Storm, which is undoubtedly a real tour de force.
Being of a certain age demographic, this pre WWII period in Hitler’s Germany, was a staple part of my World History curriculum at school, where the events and data were learned rote and almost devoid of any real context, so long as you could remember them for exam time. Oh! how I wish this book had been available as part of the required reading schedule, as the entire period would have been brought to life so wonderfully and cohesively, that I might have gone on to further studies. I had forgotten just how relatively slowly and deliberately each individual decree was issued, which each time further eroded the rights of anyone not deemed fit to continue living as part of this superior Aryan race. Seven long and torturous years seemed an age when condensed into a mere 800 pages, but it must have seemed like a lifetime to all those living daily on the marginalised edges of an ever increasingly single minded society, never knowing where the axe would fall next.
This fantastic blend of fact and fiction is almost perfectly seamless, so that it is difficult to tell where one stops and the other begins, as history is inspirationally brought to life within its pages. The meticulous research and attention to detail is phenomenal and must have taken so many painstaking hours to complete and compile into a chronologically correct timeline of events, which is then knitted into the very fabric of a family saga of monumental proportions. It brings together a dark, troubling and shameful period of our modern history and gives it life, as seen through the eyes of the extremists, the moderates and the persecuted, who will all have their own personal perspectives about the unfolding atrocities and tides of change, inexorably heaped upon a nation by a cold, methodically calculating, dictator. Whilst the story throws the spotlight not only on the almost complete and total annihilation of all minority races within Germany, it also shows how events not only divided a country, but how they also had the potential to fracture and damage friendships and even tear family relationships apart, as individuals are forced to choose their sides in this terrible internal conflict, which spreads like a poison and holds almost everyone within its grip, as the country hurtles headlong towards war with the rest of Europe.
This tragic, multi-faceted storyline is a beautifully structured, powerfully presented, piece of cultural, social and historic writing, which is highly textured, desperately intense, rich in atmosphere and ever evolving. The chapters are kept short and every word is made to count. The narrative is focussed yet highly detailed, sharp and punchy. The dialogue is expressive and packed full of raw emotion. Perceptive and compelling this immersive, almost claustrophobic story is definitely very three dimensional, as it is plot and character driven in equal measure, whilst attaining the added awareness of a genuine sense of time and place. The story is almost exclusively told in ‘real time’ 1930s, however there are a handful of ‘fast forward’ moments to 2001, when snippets of conversations with the character of Ruth Nussbaum, now living in England, are interspersed, as her own reminiscences of the times are also deftly woven into the narrative of the story. I would urge you to check out the real-life Ruth Nussbaum, whose own life in some ways mirrored that of her fictional counterpart, she was definitely an inspirational individual.
Alan has created a cast of characters who have been allowed a loud voice to drive and completely own this storyline, with just the lightest of occasional guiding touches. They were all so well defined and developed, that although often complex, vulnerable and emotionally raw; they were always authentic, genuinely believable, and easy to relate to and invest in.
Author, Alan Jones, ‘cut his writing teeth’ on some very gritty and disturbing stand alone thrillers and whilst part of me is willing him not to give up on that genre completely, I can see how invested he has become in this full bodied saga storyline, which must have taken him over heart and soul during the writing … Either way, he is always going to be on my ‘go to’ author list.
What makes reading such a wonderful experience for me, are the books which can take me on a unique and individual journey. So I recommend that you read The gathering Storm for yourself and see where it leads you. You won’t be disappointed!!
Meet the author and share some memorable extracts from the book, here...
https://www.fiction-books.biz/reviews...
August 8, 2021
The Gathering Storm is just over 800 pages long, but don’t let that put you off, it’s historical fiction at its best. It’s such an incredible piece of writing, with such a powerful plot you just fly through the pages. This is the first book in the Sturmtaucher Trilogy, which follows two families living in Germany. The Kästners, a prominent Military family, and their domestic Jewish staff the Nussbaums.
The Gathering Storm explores the years leading up to WW2, a time of uncertainty as Hitler and his party rise to power. As the persecution of Jews grows, the storm gathers momentum and the two families lives will change for ever. The Nussbaums, like millions of Jews face uncertainty, fear, and hatred of the worse kind. The Kästners once a close family are divided by their opposing views on the policies and laws implemented by Nazi Germany and the extermination of those seen to be Untermenschen (“sub-humans”)
The attention to detail in this book is incredible it’s obvious the author has thoroughly researched his subject, leaving no stone unturned, rich in detail Alan Jones brings one of the darkest periods of history to life. The characters are exceptional well developed, complex, fully rounded, and lifelike, you become invested in their story as you follow their harrowing journey. This isn’t a light read by any means and nor should it be as it’s based on historical facts that at times seem incomprehensible. It’s a story that’s tragic, desperately sad in parts, but there are bittersweet moments filled with hope and joy.
It was interesting to read The Gathering Storm from both families perspective, as they both faced very different challenges, hardships and heartache. I liked the fact that story begins in the lead up to the Second World War, so the reader feels part of both families journey from the very beginning. It was horrifying to read about the gradual erosion of the Jews rights, and the propaganda the Nazi’s spread like poison. This book was such an incredible, outstanding read, the character’s, the attention to detail, a powerful storyline, it’s definitely a book that will stay with me for a long time to come. The Gathering Storm has to be one of my top reads this year, and I can’t wait to read the next two books in the series. Highly recommended.
The Gathering Storm explores the years leading up to WW2, a time of uncertainty as Hitler and his party rise to power. As the persecution of Jews grows, the storm gathers momentum and the two families lives will change for ever. The Nussbaums, like millions of Jews face uncertainty, fear, and hatred of the worse kind. The Kästners once a close family are divided by their opposing views on the policies and laws implemented by Nazi Germany and the extermination of those seen to be Untermenschen (“sub-humans”)
The attention to detail in this book is incredible it’s obvious the author has thoroughly researched his subject, leaving no stone unturned, rich in detail Alan Jones brings one of the darkest periods of history to life. The characters are exceptional well developed, complex, fully rounded, and lifelike, you become invested in their story as you follow their harrowing journey. This isn’t a light read by any means and nor should it be as it’s based on historical facts that at times seem incomprehensible. It’s a story that’s tragic, desperately sad in parts, but there are bittersweet moments filled with hope and joy.
It was interesting to read The Gathering Storm from both families perspective, as they both faced very different challenges, hardships and heartache. I liked the fact that story begins in the lead up to the Second World War, so the reader feels part of both families journey from the very beginning. It was horrifying to read about the gradual erosion of the Jews rights, and the propaganda the Nazi’s spread like poison. This book was such an incredible, outstanding read, the character’s, the attention to detail, a powerful storyline, it’s definitely a book that will stay with me for a long time to come. The Gathering Storm has to be one of my top reads this year, and I can’t wait to read the next two books in the series. Highly recommended.
July 14, 2021
Once in a while you read a book that is truly exceptional.
I had the privilege of being chosen as a ARC reader for book 1 on this trilogy. From the 1st chapter I was captivated by the story and the characters. Alan has the ability that few writers have in being able to bring the book to life as if your taking this perilous journey with them. It reminds very much of the winds of war but from a German perspective.
It centres around a German general in 1930's on the night of his retirement from the army at age 45. His best friend Admiral Canaris talks him into working for the Abwehr and that's when the intrigue begins.
His oldest friend is Jewish and he and his wife wor for the general and live on their property with the general's family. He is desperately trying to keep them safe while the hatred and indifference for the Jewish people and their plight is escalating all around him. 10/10.
I had the privilege of being chosen as a ARC reader for book 1 on this trilogy. From the 1st chapter I was captivated by the story and the characters. Alan has the ability that few writers have in being able to bring the book to life as if your taking this perilous journey with them. It reminds very much of the winds of war but from a German perspective.
It centres around a German general in 1930's on the night of his retirement from the army at age 45. His best friend Admiral Canaris talks him into working for the Abwehr and that's when the intrigue begins.
His oldest friend is Jewish and he and his wife wor for the general and live on their property with the general's family. He is desperately trying to keep them safe while the hatred and indifference for the Jewish people and their plight is escalating all around him. 10/10.
July 16, 2021
The Gathering Storm is the first book in the Der Sturmtaucher, The Shearwater Trilogy. My one bit of advice would be to not let the length of the book put you off. It can feel a bit daunting when you see a big page count but the author skillfully draws his reader straight in and takes them back in time in the run up to World War 2 starting.
The story focuses on two families, the Kastners and the Nussbaums. The Kastners are a German family who are quite well to do due to General Kastners standing within the community and his work. The Nussbaums are a Jewish family of which Miriam and Yosef work for the Kastners with Miriam being cook and housekeeper and Yosef being a driver as well as general handyman around the property. They have two children, Manny and Ruth.
These are two families who have got on well over the years and their children have played together as well as celebrated birthdays together and at times the families felt like good friends rather than an employer and employee. So many historical books to do with the Holocaust and World War 2, tend to focus on the time during the war rather than the build up to it. This author has meticulously taken time so the reader can feel the uncertainty and strain that the time before puts on the Jewish community. It was awful to read of how businesses and schools would turn on anyone that was not just Jewish, but even married to a Jew or anyone helping them. The pressure that was put on people to have nothing to do with them and the contempt that so many started to show. It really can be quite a heartbreaking read at times. It also had me change my mind on some characters.
Maria, the General’s wife, was one such character who went steadily down in my estimation. With the threat of war getting closer, in some ways I could understand her fears for herself and her own family but the way she changes towards the Nussbaums, I found it hard to accept. The General on the other hand is a man with compassion, who goes above and beyond.
The story flicks mainly between the General and Yosef and his wife. It was interesting to see how the two families deal with the upcoming issues and I began to feel the fears and feelings that they were experiencing. There are also memos that make the presence of the upcoming war felt and it also added to the realisticness of this story. You can certainly see that the author must have spent a great deal of time researching as it felt all too real.
The Gathering Storm couldn’t have been a more perfect title for this book. You can feel the war brewing and it is a story that will have a deep impact on it’s reader. My emotions are already in overdrive in the time leading up to the war, so I can only imagine how much heartache and horrors that are awaiting me in the second book in the trilogy. The author has created characters that I felt really invested in and their story had me hooked throughout. The pacing was spot on and I was fully engaged. I couldn’t wait to pick this book back up and devoured it with every given opportunity. It is highly informative and historically correct as well being an utterly brilliant read. Very different from the author’s previous novels but an absolute must read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction set during and around World War 2.
The story focuses on two families, the Kastners and the Nussbaums. The Kastners are a German family who are quite well to do due to General Kastners standing within the community and his work. The Nussbaums are a Jewish family of which Miriam and Yosef work for the Kastners with Miriam being cook and housekeeper and Yosef being a driver as well as general handyman around the property. They have two children, Manny and Ruth.
These are two families who have got on well over the years and their children have played together as well as celebrated birthdays together and at times the families felt like good friends rather than an employer and employee. So many historical books to do with the Holocaust and World War 2, tend to focus on the time during the war rather than the build up to it. This author has meticulously taken time so the reader can feel the uncertainty and strain that the time before puts on the Jewish community. It was awful to read of how businesses and schools would turn on anyone that was not just Jewish, but even married to a Jew or anyone helping them. The pressure that was put on people to have nothing to do with them and the contempt that so many started to show. It really can be quite a heartbreaking read at times. It also had me change my mind on some characters.
Maria, the General’s wife, was one such character who went steadily down in my estimation. With the threat of war getting closer, in some ways I could understand her fears for herself and her own family but the way she changes towards the Nussbaums, I found it hard to accept. The General on the other hand is a man with compassion, who goes above and beyond.
The story flicks mainly between the General and Yosef and his wife. It was interesting to see how the two families deal with the upcoming issues and I began to feel the fears and feelings that they were experiencing. There are also memos that make the presence of the upcoming war felt and it also added to the realisticness of this story. You can certainly see that the author must have spent a great deal of time researching as it felt all too real.
The Gathering Storm couldn’t have been a more perfect title for this book. You can feel the war brewing and it is a story that will have a deep impact on it’s reader. My emotions are already in overdrive in the time leading up to the war, so I can only imagine how much heartache and horrors that are awaiting me in the second book in the trilogy. The author has created characters that I felt really invested in and their story had me hooked throughout. The pacing was spot on and I was fully engaged. I couldn’t wait to pick this book back up and devoured it with every given opportunity. It is highly informative and historically correct as well being an utterly brilliant read. Very different from the author’s previous novels but an absolute must read for anyone who enjoys historical fiction set during and around World War 2.
August 12, 2021
Since finishing this book two days ago, I am only now ready to pick up another book. The Gathering Storm is an amazing read, it has left me desperate to continue the other two books in this trilogy.
I have read books from different perspectives of World War II, but I think this is the first time I have come across a book that explores various different perspectives and that has so much excellent research.
The story begins in the years prior to the start of the war. Hitler is only just coming back into the public eye. He is making some speeches that are catching peoples attention. At this point, he is focusing on Germany's lost power and how the Treaty of Versailles has made life for those living in Germany harder than it should be. Obviously being based on history, we know where the story is heading.
The Kastner's are a German family, they have a good social standing. Erich is a respected General and his wife moves in favourable social circles. Their three children have good educations and have promising futures. They employ a German family to help with the house, children and domestics. The Nussbaum's have been with the Kastner's for two generations, they are German Jews.
As Hitler's National Social Party garner more support the story and the perspectives really come into their own. Not all German's are with Hitler and his subtle indoctrinated messages, others eye the changes with a critical and sceptical eye. No one at this point really understands what will happen in the coming years.
This is such an amazing book to read, I have read it over several days as I wanted to be able to absorb it properly rather than just race through it. This has meant the books has nagged at me and got under my skin. There are obvious emotions that I felt with the book, the obvious disbelief that people will blindly follow and completely change because someone has the ability to talk them into it. The obvious horror as living conditions and lives change. The profiteering from the pain and suffering of others and also the dictatorial direction the country was going in.
I realise that I have not spoken too much about the story, but I sincerely believe that this is a book that the synopsis that does a great job of doing what it is supposed to do. It worked so well for me, the synopsis lured me in and the author took up the reins and led me into the lives of the two main families. A story that shows different perspectives, treatments, living conditions, and how one man could bring so much destruction, distrust and abhorrent behaviours out.
This is a stunning book that I cannot recommend highly enough. If you have an interest in history, WWII, The Holocaust, and persecution then you really need to pick this one up. It is a fabulous and important story that at 800 pages long was simply an amazing read. It absolutely blew me away!
I have read books from different perspectives of World War II, but I think this is the first time I have come across a book that explores various different perspectives and that has so much excellent research.
The story begins in the years prior to the start of the war. Hitler is only just coming back into the public eye. He is making some speeches that are catching peoples attention. At this point, he is focusing on Germany's lost power and how the Treaty of Versailles has made life for those living in Germany harder than it should be. Obviously being based on history, we know where the story is heading.
The Kastner's are a German family, they have a good social standing. Erich is a respected General and his wife moves in favourable social circles. Their three children have good educations and have promising futures. They employ a German family to help with the house, children and domestics. The Nussbaum's have been with the Kastner's for two generations, they are German Jews.
As Hitler's National Social Party garner more support the story and the perspectives really come into their own. Not all German's are with Hitler and his subtle indoctrinated messages, others eye the changes with a critical and sceptical eye. No one at this point really understands what will happen in the coming years.
This is such an amazing book to read, I have read it over several days as I wanted to be able to absorb it properly rather than just race through it. This has meant the books has nagged at me and got under my skin. There are obvious emotions that I felt with the book, the obvious disbelief that people will blindly follow and completely change because someone has the ability to talk them into it. The obvious horror as living conditions and lives change. The profiteering from the pain and suffering of others and also the dictatorial direction the country was going in.
I realise that I have not spoken too much about the story, but I sincerely believe that this is a book that the synopsis that does a great job of doing what it is supposed to do. It worked so well for me, the synopsis lured me in and the author took up the reins and led me into the lives of the two main families. A story that shows different perspectives, treatments, living conditions, and how one man could bring so much destruction, distrust and abhorrent behaviours out.
This is a stunning book that I cannot recommend highly enough. If you have an interest in history, WWII, The Holocaust, and persecution then you really need to pick this one up. It is a fabulous and important story that at 800 pages long was simply an amazing read. It absolutely blew me away!
February 8, 2022
I was very kindly sent a copy of this book by the author in return for my honest opinion. In no way has this influenced the following review.
Why oh why can I ONLY give this 5 stars....seriously its at least a 10.
Welcome to Kiel, Northern Germany in 1933; the base of the German Baltic Fleet and the centre for German Sailing. Here resides the Kästner family-a prominent military family at the heart of Kiel's naval, social and sailing circles. They are also the longtime employers and close friends of the Nussbaum family.
With Adolph Hitler and the National Socialist party rising to power, things have never looked better for families like the Kästner's. There is a slight problem though...the Nussbaum's are Jewish. Bound by years of friendship and love, Erich Kästner tries to protect his employees as Germany tears itself apart under the dictatorship of Hitler.
As I am a lot of a history nerd, I was perfectly happy to settle into this one for the long haul. However, this may not be an easy read for many people. There is a lot of military/sailing information to process as well as the political backdrop of a slow persecution. I found it a riveting read. In the UK we are taught a lot about WW2 but not what came in the years before it. This book lays that bare. We are shown the small changes that came about slowly over time and how the mindset of the country was warped with hatred.
The tale follows Eric Kästner, a retired Army General, currently working at the intelligence branch for the army and navy. Knowing Kästners views towards Hitler in the opening pages set the tone of the book and immediately had me intrigued. Unlike most he is a critic of the new regime.
I was hooked to this one from the beginning. It is told mostly in the third person with the main focus on the Kästner family and the experiences of the Nussbaums and their acquaintances. There are a few small chapters from the future Ruth Nussbaum at various points which gives the impression that she is the one telling the story. All of the characters are deep and complex with differing views and experiences. They all come together to set the tone of the time.
It is clear from the writing and descriptions that Mr. Jones has done a lot of research for this trilogy and I commend him for that. It's paid off too with a novel that's full of life. It's so descriptive of people, place and life in general that you feel as though you are living it.
Why oh why can I ONLY give this 5 stars....seriously its at least a 10.
Welcome to Kiel, Northern Germany in 1933; the base of the German Baltic Fleet and the centre for German Sailing. Here resides the Kästner family-a prominent military family at the heart of Kiel's naval, social and sailing circles. They are also the longtime employers and close friends of the Nussbaum family.
With Adolph Hitler and the National Socialist party rising to power, things have never looked better for families like the Kästner's. There is a slight problem though...the Nussbaum's are Jewish. Bound by years of friendship and love, Erich Kästner tries to protect his employees as Germany tears itself apart under the dictatorship of Hitler.
As I am a lot of a history nerd, I was perfectly happy to settle into this one for the long haul. However, this may not be an easy read for many people. There is a lot of military/sailing information to process as well as the political backdrop of a slow persecution. I found it a riveting read. In the UK we are taught a lot about WW2 but not what came in the years before it. This book lays that bare. We are shown the small changes that came about slowly over time and how the mindset of the country was warped with hatred.
The tale follows Eric Kästner, a retired Army General, currently working at the intelligence branch for the army and navy. Knowing Kästners views towards Hitler in the opening pages set the tone of the book and immediately had me intrigued. Unlike most he is a critic of the new regime.
I was hooked to this one from the beginning. It is told mostly in the third person with the main focus on the Kästner family and the experiences of the Nussbaums and their acquaintances. There are a few small chapters from the future Ruth Nussbaum at various points which gives the impression that she is the one telling the story. All of the characters are deep and complex with differing views and experiences. They all come together to set the tone of the time.
It is clear from the writing and descriptions that Mr. Jones has done a lot of research for this trilogy and I commend him for that. It's paid off too with a novel that's full of life. It's so descriptive of people, place and life in general that you feel as though you are living it.
February 25, 2022
Where do I begin to tell you about this book. This book is completely different from anything Alan has written before. I have read his previous three books. Short, gritty crime novels.When I met Alan a few years ago, he hadn't had a book out for a while and he told me he was writing a book about the Second World War. He said it was possibly going to be a trilogy.
Now I have read books about this period before but never one so all encompassing as this one. And this is before we even get to the war proper. Set in the year 1933 it tells the reader about the rise of the Nazi Party and the dictatorship of Adolf Hitler. It also tells us about the Kästner family and also their servants the Nussbaums . The Nussbaums are the second generation of their family to be servants to the Kästner family The only problem with this is Nussbaums are Jewish and their lives are becoming more and more untenable in pre war Germany.As the book progresses we find General Erich Kästner trying to protect his employees and save them from persecution. Is it a battle he can win? Enough about the story. What stands out in this novel is the amount of research Alan has done in time, place and settings. He perfectly marries the mundane and everyday with descent into dictatorship and anarchy. Boat trips with his sons and his wife and eldest daughter attending functions, where the wives of the new order jockey for position to further their husbands careers. A book that at first you would think would affect the Nussbaums directly,, because of their Jewish heritage but also General Erich Kästner and his family. It is a climate that affects everyone who comes under its sway. This is a picture Alan describes so well.This is a very long book but don’t be put off by that. I found myself to quickly become invested in the characters. I found it difficult to read, especially the treatment of the Jews, it made for uncomfortable reading but obviously necessary to the story. A book that will play on your emotions.
Highly commended and recommended ! RE-read and found it as entertaining as the first time. Historical fiction par excellence ,
Now I have read books about this period before but never one so all encompassing as this one. And this is before we even get to the war proper. Set in the year 1933 it tells the reader about the rise of the Nazi Party and the dictatorship of Adolf Hitler. It also tells us about the Kästner family and also their servants the Nussbaums . The Nussbaums are the second generation of their family to be servants to the Kästner family The only problem with this is Nussbaums are Jewish and their lives are becoming more and more untenable in pre war Germany.As the book progresses we find General Erich Kästner trying to protect his employees and save them from persecution. Is it a battle he can win? Enough about the story. What stands out in this novel is the amount of research Alan has done in time, place and settings. He perfectly marries the mundane and everyday with descent into dictatorship and anarchy. Boat trips with his sons and his wife and eldest daughter attending functions, where the wives of the new order jockey for position to further their husbands careers. A book that at first you would think would affect the Nussbaums directly,, because of their Jewish heritage but also General Erich Kästner and his family. It is a climate that affects everyone who comes under its sway. This is a picture Alan describes so well.This is a very long book but don’t be put off by that. I found myself to quickly become invested in the characters. I found it difficult to read, especially the treatment of the Jews, it made for uncomfortable reading but obviously necessary to the story. A book that will play on your emotions.
Highly commended and recommended ! RE-read and found it as entertaining as the first time. Historical fiction par excellence ,
August 20, 2021
This is a massive book, about three times the length of a good-sized book, but what an incredible story it is! I felt bereft when I read the last page. So do not be put off by the size of it. Embrace it, live it and feel every raw emotion in it. I have read quite a few books around the war years, and this has to rank at the top of them all.
I joined the Kästners, a highly respected German naval officers family and their devoted Jewish servants, the Nussbaums, in 1933. The two families had a very close bond, with the Nussbaums often invited to join the family and their guests after serving them, where they were, treated like family themselves. The children of the families grew up side by side and were best of friends. Unrest was rumbling, and rumours were increasing about the new Chancellor Adolf Hitler and his radical thinking.
General Kästner was a well-respected man with everyone, the men who had served under him, his fellow officers and the local community. He is one of the good guys, a hero. The loyalty of not just the Nussbaum’s but both families to each other is remarkable. The futures of both these families unravel to the early years of WW11 to 1940.
The small things are at first just put down to rumours but, they build over the coming years. I liked that the author also wrote from the children’s point of view, especially the schooling. As more chapters fell behind me, the atrocities increased, and it does not make easy reading. I felt a great sadness for so many of the soldiers, for what they had become.
Where the story has taken me to is perfect. It left me with my heart in the mouth and baited breathe and so very eager to return to both of these incredible families.
Alan Jones, the author, is not just a writer, he has breathed life into every character, with nothing held back. The thing that makes this such a winning book for me, is that it is a story of bonds between people that see each other for the good they are and nothing more, A very highly recommended read, The best this year!
I joined the Kästners, a highly respected German naval officers family and their devoted Jewish servants, the Nussbaums, in 1933. The two families had a very close bond, with the Nussbaums often invited to join the family and their guests after serving them, where they were, treated like family themselves. The children of the families grew up side by side and were best of friends. Unrest was rumbling, and rumours were increasing about the new Chancellor Adolf Hitler and his radical thinking.
General Kästner was a well-respected man with everyone, the men who had served under him, his fellow officers and the local community. He is one of the good guys, a hero. The loyalty of not just the Nussbaum’s but both families to each other is remarkable. The futures of both these families unravel to the early years of WW11 to 1940.
The small things are at first just put down to rumours but, they build over the coming years. I liked that the author also wrote from the children’s point of view, especially the schooling. As more chapters fell behind me, the atrocities increased, and it does not make easy reading. I felt a great sadness for so many of the soldiers, for what they had become.
Where the story has taken me to is perfect. It left me with my heart in the mouth and baited breathe and so very eager to return to both of these incredible families.
Alan Jones, the author, is not just a writer, he has breathed life into every character, with nothing held back. The thing that makes this such a winning book for me, is that it is a story of bonds between people that see each other for the good they are and nothing more, A very highly recommended read, The best this year!
July 17, 2021
This historical fiction novel is completely out of my comfort zone of reading. Yet, I devoured it. A fantastic read which showed phenomenal research was involved. The Gathering Storm starts in Kiel in 1933. Although a fiction novel many of the events were factual. The focus on the Kastner family and their friends,but also employees , the Nussbaums, is an important part of the fictional plot. Erich Kastner is a straight talking and honourable character. Once I started reading this book I just couldn't put it down. I was drawn to the characters and the true events which were starting to unfold. We are all aware of the atrocities that occurred during WW2 and this first in trilogy is only the beginning of what is to come. This is a powerful first book in the Sturmtaucher Trilogy . A superb book!
September 21, 2021
THE GATHERING STORM
BY ALAN JONES
Alan Jones is a busy man.
He has recently retired from his veterinary practice in a small Scottish country town. He is an active soccer player, loves sailing his 45 year old yacht, makes furniture in his spare time and somehow still finds some time to spend with his wife, four children and four grandkids. He has somewhere in between managed to write 3 crime novels but his interest in world war 2, sparked a new meaning to putting his everyday life on hold in order to research and write about this period of history which he is clearly so passionate about.
Jones has spent five long, lonely years researching, reading, and writing The Sturmtaucher Trilogy, The Gathering Storm being the first in the series (an appropriate title - with war brewing)
The story takes place in 1933 in the naval city of Kiel, Northern Germany. It centres around two families. The prominent General Erich Kastner, his wife and four children who live a privileged life amongst the social elite. The Nussbaums, a Jewish family that have worked for and lived on the Kastner’s property for two generations. They have been loyal employees and dear friends of the Kastners. Their children spend hours together, are the dearest of friends and life is good for both families.
With the rumblings of war, things begin to change. As Hitler claws his way to power, Erich Kastner desperately tries to protect his employees and dearest friends, attempting to find a way for them to flee troubled Germany.
Where do I start …
First things first - thank you Alan Jones for the honour of a) a free copy of your remarkable book and b) for taking the time to tell a piece of my people’s history, honouring the Jewish people that suffered at the hands of the Nazis.
I have to fess up - when Alan Jones so kindly gave me a copy of his book, I thought to myself, “how am I going to read a book that is 800 pages? I don’t have the concentration for such a long book I said to myself.” I was clearly mistaken.
DO NOT be put off by the length of this remarkable book. 800 pages went by in a flash.
I love historical fiction and Alan is a lovely member of my book club (The Book Club) so of course I was going to give it a try.
Jones has superbly researched this piece of history and so brilliantly crafted a novel which cleverly mixes fact and fiction. The attention to detail is exceptional.
Jones passion for this period of history is felt throughout the novel. I loved his writing and the thorough knowledge of Jewish traditions he has clearly taken the time to learn about.
Not long till book two of the trilogy hits the shelves next month! I know it’s going to be as good.
5 stars. Alan Jones you can feel so proud of your remarkable accomplishment.
BY ALAN JONES
Alan Jones is a busy man.
He has recently retired from his veterinary practice in a small Scottish country town. He is an active soccer player, loves sailing his 45 year old yacht, makes furniture in his spare time and somehow still finds some time to spend with his wife, four children and four grandkids. He has somewhere in between managed to write 3 crime novels but his interest in world war 2, sparked a new meaning to putting his everyday life on hold in order to research and write about this period of history which he is clearly so passionate about.
Jones has spent five long, lonely years researching, reading, and writing The Sturmtaucher Trilogy, The Gathering Storm being the first in the series (an appropriate title - with war brewing)
The story takes place in 1933 in the naval city of Kiel, Northern Germany. It centres around two families. The prominent General Erich Kastner, his wife and four children who live a privileged life amongst the social elite. The Nussbaums, a Jewish family that have worked for and lived on the Kastner’s property for two generations. They have been loyal employees and dear friends of the Kastners. Their children spend hours together, are the dearest of friends and life is good for both families.
With the rumblings of war, things begin to change. As Hitler claws his way to power, Erich Kastner desperately tries to protect his employees and dearest friends, attempting to find a way for them to flee troubled Germany.
Where do I start …
First things first - thank you Alan Jones for the honour of a) a free copy of your remarkable book and b) for taking the time to tell a piece of my people’s history, honouring the Jewish people that suffered at the hands of the Nazis.
I have to fess up - when Alan Jones so kindly gave me a copy of his book, I thought to myself, “how am I going to read a book that is 800 pages? I don’t have the concentration for such a long book I said to myself.” I was clearly mistaken.
DO NOT be put off by the length of this remarkable book. 800 pages went by in a flash.
I love historical fiction and Alan is a lovely member of my book club (The Book Club) so of course I was going to give it a try.
Jones has superbly researched this piece of history and so brilliantly crafted a novel which cleverly mixes fact and fiction. The attention to detail is exceptional.
Jones passion for this period of history is felt throughout the novel. I loved his writing and the thorough knowledge of Jewish traditions he has clearly taken the time to learn about.
Not long till book two of the trilogy hits the shelves next month! I know it’s going to be as good.
5 stars. Alan Jones you can feel so proud of your remarkable accomplishment.
August 25, 2021
I was delighted to be asked to be a beta reader for this important book. I am a second generation of a holocaust survivor and to be honest, at times I found it very challenging to read as I could imagine my dad's family in a very similar situations with their friends and neighbours slowly starting to turn against them with the rise of Hitler and the Nazi's
It is incredibly obvious that the author has poured his heart and soul into this book and has done so much meticulous research that I almost forget it was fiction and began to think I was reading about real people.
Stories of the holocaust are so important as I believe we need to learn from yesterday for a better tomorrow and I am so thankful that this book has been written.
It is a very powerful book and one of the best I have read in a while!
It is incredibly obvious that the author has poured his heart and soul into this book and has done so much meticulous research that I almost forget it was fiction and began to think I was reading about real people.
Stories of the holocaust are so important as I believe we need to learn from yesterday for a better tomorrow and I am so thankful that this book has been written.
It is a very powerful book and one of the best I have read in a while!
July 29, 2021
I don't really know how to begin to describe this book as whatever I say cannot do justice to this writers masterpiece. My favourite genre, I have read many, many books on this subject and this book has to be the best I have ever read.. The attention to detail, the painstaking research, the descriptive writing draw you in from the very first page and keep you enthralled throughout and even though it is a long book I just did not want it to end.. This is not an easy subject to write about but the author has written it in such a way that it captures your imagination and you feel as though you are living in that timescale . It has been an honour and a privilege to read this book, I eagerly await the next in the series and wish to thank TBC and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this fabulous book.
July 14, 2021
I’ve just finished Alan Jones The Gathering Stotm which he kindly let me have an ARC copy of.
I read a huge amount of fact and fiction around WW2 especially the Holocaust and resistance and have read both the Winds of War and War and Remembrance. This book blew me away. The right blend of military detail with the creeping horror of what was coming slowly for Germany. Even though I have read about the atrocities committed when Poland was invaded I was still shocked and horrified . The way Canaris is portrayed is spot on. I loved this book. I think that says it all to be honest. Just read it when it comes out!!
I read a huge amount of fact and fiction around WW2 especially the Holocaust and resistance and have read both the Winds of War and War and Remembrance. This book blew me away. The right blend of military detail with the creeping horror of what was coming slowly for Germany. Even though I have read about the atrocities committed when Poland was invaded I was still shocked and horrified . The way Canaris is portrayed is spot on. I loved this book. I think that says it all to be honest. Just read it when it comes out!!
August 8, 2021
I honestly don’t know where to start with this book, I’m still processing days later.
This is the first book in a trilogy and unlike most trilogies it’s an absolutely beast of a read -700 pages but do not be put off every single page adds value to the story. The book is so rich in history and the characters so real that it fills all the pages and it really works.
Such a clever read, I’ll be looking out for the rest of the series
This is the first book in a trilogy and unlike most trilogies it’s an absolutely beast of a read -700 pages but do not be put off every single page adds value to the story. The book is so rich in history and the characters so real that it fills all the pages and it really works.
Such a clever read, I’ll be looking out for the rest of the series
August 29, 2021
This is the first book in a trilogy.
This book takes place in the 1930s.
Its a big book and i was a bit worried about the size of it and how long it would take me to read but i didn't have to worry it was so good i wanted to read it every spare minute i could grab...
Great character development.....
This incredible book shows us the gradual influence of Hitler and his party in Germany and its people.
A great book you should read it....
This book takes place in the 1930s.
Its a big book and i was a bit worried about the size of it and how long it would take me to read but i didn't have to worry it was so good i wanted to read it every spare minute i could grab...
Great character development.....
This incredible book shows us the gradual influence of Hitler and his party in Germany and its people.
A great book you should read it....
July 15, 2021
Well written, thought provoking and entertaining. Would thoroughly recommend this trilogy that seamlessly blends fact with believable characters and a storyline that keeps you engaged to the end.
January 10, 2022
This is a long book, and quite an achievement; it's the most detailed fictional account of this period that I've ever read. It is set in the city of Kiel in northern Germany, and shows how the persecution of the Jews developed so gradually over the years, how Hitler was perceived when he first came to power, and the way in which the idea of war sneaked up on everyone. It certainly increased my knowledge about the period, generally.
I very quickly became invested in the main characters - General Erich Kästner and his family, and Yosef and Miriam Nussbaum, his driver/handyman and cook/housekeeper. Also Ruth Nussbaum, Yosef and Miriam's daughter, from whom the account derives. Some characters and places are real, some are fictional; there is an explanation at the beginning of the book. All the main characters were clearly defined, so I was interested in their stories.
One aspect I liked very much was how some chapter topics were heralded by memos between official personnel - mostly to General Kästner from his superiors and colleagues - informing each other of the Führer's plans, or by articles in either the Kiel morning paper or the underground publication distributed by Jews. Later, information is given to the reader in this way via letters between Miriam and her friend Esther, who escaped to Palestine, and between their children. These short, sharp shocks (particularly via the memos and the Morgenpost) built suspense so well, and gave a nice variation to the text.
More than any other book I've read on the subject, The Gathering Storm illustrates how the restrictions placed on the Jews were introduced so gradually that they became almost resigned to such persecution. Similarly, we see how the ordinary people were manipulated to see the Jew as the cause of all the country's problems, a subspecies, dirty, untrustworthy, etc. In effect, there was little difference between those who joined in wholeheartedly with the persecution and those who turned a blind eye and went along with it for the sake of their own safety. Most of all, though, this book answered the question asked by so many: why did most of the Jews just accept what was happening?
I saw the reason for their perceived passive reaction as not only fear and lack of options, but also the fact that they didn't know how bad it was going to get. Had they been told that within the next decade six million of them would be murdered in concentration camps, the entire country might have reacted differently to those first changes in the law. Each time there was a lull in the violence and trouble, the characters hoped that everything had 'settled down now'. They clung onto little glimmers of hope, onto rumours that Hitler would be ousted; all they had to do was wait. The characters would assure each other that it couldn't get much worse.
'It is hard to believe that something of that nature can happen in our country in the twenty-first century' - Yosef, about the murder of a Jewish doctor in 1933.
'Once the country is stabilised we'll return to normal, surely?' - Mrs Kästner, justifying her vote for Hitler, when her husband criticised one of the new laws giving him absolute power.
The population was kept in the dark, never knowing what was true and what was rumour, gradually being desensitised to the cruelty, believing that the Jews should not 'expect to be able to move around with impunity, endangering the German people'. Soon civilians who had swallowed all the propaganda were doing much of the job for Hitler and his men, via discrimination, violence, damage of property, etc.
I did like this book a lot, and will definitely read the next one in the trilogy, but I felt it could have been cut down by at least a quarter. I was in awe of the extensive research, but at times I felt that it was perhaps a little over-researched. There are long, detailed chapters about sailing and boat races in which the Kästners were involved that seemed to be there only to show that the author knows about sailing and boat races. The 1936 Olympics seemed to go on forever, important though it was because of the attitudes towards Jesse Owens. The other aspect I was not so keen on was that much of the story is told in dialogue - it's used to convey information, incidents often being reported in conversation after the event, rather than the scene being shown, so it had less impact. For instance, Yosef's experience of a riot outside the British Consulate in which many Jewish citizens were assaulted by the Nazis was dealt with in one paragraph; it could have been an excellent action and terror-filled scene. I actually found the memos and news items at the start of the chapters more foreboding and atmospheric than the rest of the book.
It's a novel that I'd recommend if you're interested in the subject matter, but I did feel it needed an editor with the sort of eye that prunes superfluous detail; not all research needs to make it into the book, and the proofreader did not pick up on the moderately frequent misuse of the word 'I' when 'me' should have been used (a minor bugbear of mine!). Looking at the other reviews, though, it seems that not being completely blown away by The Gathering Storm puts me in a minority of one (!!), so you may want to disregard my thoughts. It is, as I said, jolly good on the whole - I've already bought the next book and am looking forward to seeing what happens next for the Kästners and the Nussbaums.
I very quickly became invested in the main characters - General Erich Kästner and his family, and Yosef and Miriam Nussbaum, his driver/handyman and cook/housekeeper. Also Ruth Nussbaum, Yosef and Miriam's daughter, from whom the account derives. Some characters and places are real, some are fictional; there is an explanation at the beginning of the book. All the main characters were clearly defined, so I was interested in their stories.
One aspect I liked very much was how some chapter topics were heralded by memos between official personnel - mostly to General Kästner from his superiors and colleagues - informing each other of the Führer's plans, or by articles in either the Kiel morning paper or the underground publication distributed by Jews. Later, information is given to the reader in this way via letters between Miriam and her friend Esther, who escaped to Palestine, and between their children. These short, sharp shocks (particularly via the memos and the Morgenpost) built suspense so well, and gave a nice variation to the text.
More than any other book I've read on the subject, The Gathering Storm illustrates how the restrictions placed on the Jews were introduced so gradually that they became almost resigned to such persecution. Similarly, we see how the ordinary people were manipulated to see the Jew as the cause of all the country's problems, a subspecies, dirty, untrustworthy, etc. In effect, there was little difference between those who joined in wholeheartedly with the persecution and those who turned a blind eye and went along with it for the sake of their own safety. Most of all, though, this book answered the question asked by so many: why did most of the Jews just accept what was happening?
I saw the reason for their perceived passive reaction as not only fear and lack of options, but also the fact that they didn't know how bad it was going to get. Had they been told that within the next decade six million of them would be murdered in concentration camps, the entire country might have reacted differently to those first changes in the law. Each time there was a lull in the violence and trouble, the characters hoped that everything had 'settled down now'. They clung onto little glimmers of hope, onto rumours that Hitler would be ousted; all they had to do was wait. The characters would assure each other that it couldn't get much worse.
'It is hard to believe that something of that nature can happen in our country in the twenty-first century' - Yosef, about the murder of a Jewish doctor in 1933.
'Once the country is stabilised we'll return to normal, surely?' - Mrs Kästner, justifying her vote for Hitler, when her husband criticised one of the new laws giving him absolute power.
The population was kept in the dark, never knowing what was true and what was rumour, gradually being desensitised to the cruelty, believing that the Jews should not 'expect to be able to move around with impunity, endangering the German people'. Soon civilians who had swallowed all the propaganda were doing much of the job for Hitler and his men, via discrimination, violence, damage of property, etc.
I did like this book a lot, and will definitely read the next one in the trilogy, but I felt it could have been cut down by at least a quarter. I was in awe of the extensive research, but at times I felt that it was perhaps a little over-researched. There are long, detailed chapters about sailing and boat races in which the Kästners were involved that seemed to be there only to show that the author knows about sailing and boat races. The 1936 Olympics seemed to go on forever, important though it was because of the attitudes towards Jesse Owens. The other aspect I was not so keen on was that much of the story is told in dialogue - it's used to convey information, incidents often being reported in conversation after the event, rather than the scene being shown, so it had less impact. For instance, Yosef's experience of a riot outside the British Consulate in which many Jewish citizens were assaulted by the Nazis was dealt with in one paragraph; it could have been an excellent action and terror-filled scene. I actually found the memos and news items at the start of the chapters more foreboding and atmospheric than the rest of the book.
It's a novel that I'd recommend if you're interested in the subject matter, but I did feel it needed an editor with the sort of eye that prunes superfluous detail; not all research needs to make it into the book, and the proofreader did not pick up on the moderately frequent misuse of the word 'I' when 'me' should have been used (a minor bugbear of mine!). Looking at the other reviews, though, it seems that not being completely blown away by The Gathering Storm puts me in a minority of one (!!), so you may want to disregard my thoughts. It is, as I said, jolly good on the whole - I've already bought the next book and am looking forward to seeing what happens next for the Kästners and the Nussbaums.
July 10, 2022
Unforgettable people; devastating history
Although these books are long, I wished they were longer and I missed the people in them when I finished the trilogy. Serious book withdrawal symptoms!
I thought I knew a lot about WW2 but I have never been immersed in German daily life and impossible decisions as I was in these impeccably researched books. Alan Jones manages to create a cracking adventure story of people-smuggling and spying, while never losing sight of the ways in which the Third Reich scapegoated and legislated against Jews, with the support of most of the non-Jewish populace – and while the rest of the world turned a blind eye.
Don’t get me wrong – this is a story, with romance and adventure, betrayal and revenge. But it is set in historical events of breath-taking importance and horrors. I could not help but think about what I read.
The Western allies also come under the spotlight of the author’s clear-eyed gaze and I was shocked at the hostile immigration laws in the USA and the UK. No ‘welcoming of huddled masses’! I also learned so much about why German Jews emigrated to Palestine – while they could still leave Germany at all. And I learned why most didn’t leave when they could.
I am not Jewish but I flinch when reading about the holocaust and was nervous when I started the second novel, as Jews’ lives in Germany became increasingly dehumanised, but the author interspersed facts and memos to distance the reader for a brief respite from the brutal reality for individual Jews whom we’d come to know and care about. There was also so much love, hope and loyalty to keep the reader from total despair and, by the third novel, I trusted the author to steer me through the war with honesty, and with respect for all those who tried to show humanity.
After surviving Auschwitz, Primo Levi asked, ‘What is a man?’ and in these novels we find some answers but also the implicit question, ‘What would you have done, if you were an ordinary German, with Jewish friends?’ This is an important question because it has not gone away and all of us are deciding every day what we do, faced with political dangers that have strong echoes of WW2 history. If you think that’s an exaggeration (as I did), read these novels and you might change your mind, as I did.
Although these books are long, I wished they were longer and I missed the people in them when I finished the trilogy. Serious book withdrawal symptoms!
I thought I knew a lot about WW2 but I have never been immersed in German daily life and impossible decisions as I was in these impeccably researched books. Alan Jones manages to create a cracking adventure story of people-smuggling and spying, while never losing sight of the ways in which the Third Reich scapegoated and legislated against Jews, with the support of most of the non-Jewish populace – and while the rest of the world turned a blind eye.
Don’t get me wrong – this is a story, with romance and adventure, betrayal and revenge. But it is set in historical events of breath-taking importance and horrors. I could not help but think about what I read.
The Western allies also come under the spotlight of the author’s clear-eyed gaze and I was shocked at the hostile immigration laws in the USA and the UK. No ‘welcoming of huddled masses’! I also learned so much about why German Jews emigrated to Palestine – while they could still leave Germany at all. And I learned why most didn’t leave when they could.
I am not Jewish but I flinch when reading about the holocaust and was nervous when I started the second novel, as Jews’ lives in Germany became increasingly dehumanised, but the author interspersed facts and memos to distance the reader for a brief respite from the brutal reality for individual Jews whom we’d come to know and care about. There was also so much love, hope and loyalty to keep the reader from total despair and, by the third novel, I trusted the author to steer me through the war with honesty, and with respect for all those who tried to show humanity.
After surviving Auschwitz, Primo Levi asked, ‘What is a man?’ and in these novels we find some answers but also the implicit question, ‘What would you have done, if you were an ordinary German, with Jewish friends?’ This is an important question because it has not gone away and all of us are deciding every day what we do, faced with political dangers that have strong echoes of WW2 history. If you think that’s an exaggeration (as I did), read these novels and you might change your mind, as I did.
August 27, 2021
The Gathering Storm shares its title with Churchill's first volume of his extensive memoir of the Second World War and although Alan Jones' series doesn't run to six titles, it is still a trilogy of epic proportions. This first novel of The Sturmtaucher Trilogy documents the years between 1933 and 1940 in Germany as Hitler and the NSDAP rise to power leading eventually to the outbreak of another war in Europe.
With the heartbreaking benefit of hindsight, we already know the terrible outcome of National Socialism in Germany, particularly for the Jewish population across the whole of Europe. It's natural to wonder how such an atrocity could have occurred and why so many ordinary people stood by and encouraged what would become known as the Final Solution; Alan Jones explores how and why this happened and it makes for sombre, salutary reading.
Much of the novel is set in Kiel and the sense of place throughout is excellent but the vivid descriptions of various sailing trips and races - General Erich Kästner might be an army man but he loves the water - are particularly fascinating. They clearly reflect the author's own love of sailing and also give the book its clever double-edged title.
The Kästners and Nussbaums have a long history together; the latter might be their domestic help but Erich and Yosef were boyhood friends and that bond persists despite their different social standings in the naval town. Kästner is one of the few people to voice any concerns about the National Socialists in 1933. We are reminded of the devastating effect the Treaty of Versailles had on the people of Germany, not just economically and in terms of territory loss but on how the country viewed itself. In the earlier chapters of The Gathering Storm, the General is often a lone voice as Hitler seduces the population with his promise to make Germany great again.
It's harder to excuse or understand the increasingly brutal treatment of Jews, beginning with the gradual abolition of their rights and the loss of their citizenship before the violence of Kristallnacht, removal to concentration camps and forced emigration to Poland and Eastern Europe. The Simon Wiesenthal quote, 'For evil to flourish, it only requires good men to do nothing' is noted at the start of the chapters which detail what happens in Kiel and beyond in 1936 and it's a damning indictment not just of the Germans who stood by but also the international governments who did too little, too late. However, despite being a harrowing read - particularly knowing that much worse is yet to come - the reasons why people didn't speak up and even supported the erosion of Jewish rights are tragically comprehensible.
If Erich Kästner and at least two of his children allow us some belief in humanity, his wife Maria is a more difficult figure to like. She might not be actively anti-Semitic and has been friendly to Yosef's wife, Miriam until now but she isn't prepared to risk her name or status, especially as she is impressed by many of Hitler's achievements and doesn't share the General's fears for the future.
A book of this size and scope allows readers to really get to know both families as we follow them through the years and although it's inevitable that our fears will mostly be for the Nussbaums, there are ominous hints that life will become harder for the Kästner family too. This is a necessarily difficult story; you can't read about the cruelty of teachers towards their Jewish pupils, the cruel destruction of Jewish shops and synagogues and the sickening treatment of Jewish victims of the SS without feeling upset and angry but this is clearly a book borne out of devotion to the subject. The depth and breadth of research is evident throughout and it ensures that The Gathering Storm is never an exploitative read. Any fictional treatment of the Holocaust must remain true to what really happened, regardless of our innate desire for heroism and solace. For all Erich Kästner's attempts to protect his friends and to warn others of the imminent danger for the Jewish community, we are never left in any doubt that he is doomed to fail; evil will flourish and the extent of suffering will be almost beyond the capacity of our worst imaginations.
This outstanding novel is an honest, comprehensive account of one of the worst periods of history and I have no doubt that the following books in the Sturmtaucher Trilogy, Flight of the Shearwater and The Turn of the Tide will be equally as magnificent. Please don't be put off by its length, The Gathering Storm is immersive historical fiction at its absolute finest. An unmissable read.
With the heartbreaking benefit of hindsight, we already know the terrible outcome of National Socialism in Germany, particularly for the Jewish population across the whole of Europe. It's natural to wonder how such an atrocity could have occurred and why so many ordinary people stood by and encouraged what would become known as the Final Solution; Alan Jones explores how and why this happened and it makes for sombre, salutary reading.
Much of the novel is set in Kiel and the sense of place throughout is excellent but the vivid descriptions of various sailing trips and races - General Erich Kästner might be an army man but he loves the water - are particularly fascinating. They clearly reflect the author's own love of sailing and also give the book its clever double-edged title.
The Kästners and Nussbaums have a long history together; the latter might be their domestic help but Erich and Yosef were boyhood friends and that bond persists despite their different social standings in the naval town. Kästner is one of the few people to voice any concerns about the National Socialists in 1933. We are reminded of the devastating effect the Treaty of Versailles had on the people of Germany, not just economically and in terms of territory loss but on how the country viewed itself. In the earlier chapters of The Gathering Storm, the General is often a lone voice as Hitler seduces the population with his promise to make Germany great again.
It's harder to excuse or understand the increasingly brutal treatment of Jews, beginning with the gradual abolition of their rights and the loss of their citizenship before the violence of Kristallnacht, removal to concentration camps and forced emigration to Poland and Eastern Europe. The Simon Wiesenthal quote, 'For evil to flourish, it only requires good men to do nothing' is noted at the start of the chapters which detail what happens in Kiel and beyond in 1936 and it's a damning indictment not just of the Germans who stood by but also the international governments who did too little, too late. However, despite being a harrowing read - particularly knowing that much worse is yet to come - the reasons why people didn't speak up and even supported the erosion of Jewish rights are tragically comprehensible.
If Erich Kästner and at least two of his children allow us some belief in humanity, his wife Maria is a more difficult figure to like. She might not be actively anti-Semitic and has been friendly to Yosef's wife, Miriam until now but she isn't prepared to risk her name or status, especially as she is impressed by many of Hitler's achievements and doesn't share the General's fears for the future.
A book of this size and scope allows readers to really get to know both families as we follow them through the years and although it's inevitable that our fears will mostly be for the Nussbaums, there are ominous hints that life will become harder for the Kästner family too. This is a necessarily difficult story; you can't read about the cruelty of teachers towards their Jewish pupils, the cruel destruction of Jewish shops and synagogues and the sickening treatment of Jewish victims of the SS without feeling upset and angry but this is clearly a book borne out of devotion to the subject. The depth and breadth of research is evident throughout and it ensures that The Gathering Storm is never an exploitative read. Any fictional treatment of the Holocaust must remain true to what really happened, regardless of our innate desire for heroism and solace. For all Erich Kästner's attempts to protect his friends and to warn others of the imminent danger for the Jewish community, we are never left in any doubt that he is doomed to fail; evil will flourish and the extent of suffering will be almost beyond the capacity of our worst imaginations.
This outstanding novel is an honest, comprehensive account of one of the worst periods of history and I have no doubt that the following books in the Sturmtaucher Trilogy, Flight of the Shearwater and The Turn of the Tide will be equally as magnificent. Please don't be put off by its length, The Gathering Storm is immersive historical fiction at its absolute finest. An unmissable read.
August 28, 2021
'The Gathering Storm' by Alan Jones is the first in a stunning series called The Sturmtaucher Trilogy. I am an avid reader of historical fiction and when this tour popped into my email I couldn't reply fast enough.
A novel which begins as Hitler and his National Socialist party are clawing their way to power in 1933 Germany. We meet the Kästners, prominent Military family who are so well known in the social, naval and yachting circles. Then we have the Nussbaums, two generations of this family have been in service to the Kästners, but they are friends too. With the rise of Hitler, the Kästners and others like them are riding a high...they haven't yet thought of the implications for their friends and domestic staff, the Nussbaums, who are Jewish.
The Sturmtaucher Trilogy documents the devastating effect on both families of the Nazis’ hateful ideology and the insidious erosion of the rights of Germany's Jews.
When Germany descends ever deeper into dictatorship, General Erich Kästner tries desperately to protect his employees, and to spirit them to safety.
As the country tears itself apart, the darkness which envelops a nation threatens not only to destroy two families, but to plunge an entire continent into war.
A novel that Alan Jones has clearly poured his heart and soul into. A fictional account cleverly interwoven with facts of what people endured during the Second World War in Germany. The research that went into this is painstakingly present throughout.
It shows exactly how Hitler managed to get where he did and as quick as he did at that time. At first it was just rumours and people like the Kästners who are really good friends with the Nussbaums, still don't really believe.
But as Hitler and Himmler, Goebbels, Heydrich, Goering and Hess, amongst others, work on their plans to get rid of all non-Aryans from Germany, while invading and annexing Czechoslovakia, the Sudetenland and Poland, Jews start to see their lives become harder and harder as their jobs, homes, money and their freedom are beginning to be taken away from them by the Nazi's. As Jews begin to flee out of the country the Nussbaums make the decision to stay while knowing their privileged postion being with the kästners could end at any moment.
A novel that is packed with true historical events that form the backbone to this fictional account of the two families as the horror of Hitlers 'reign' unfolds. I am in my element when it comes to historical fiction and this book ticked every box. The fact that Alan Jones has woven a story that really does make you feel so close to these families and you see these years through different perspectives and the differences in how people were treated. The brutality which everybody knows of, seems closer and crueler as you read this book. It puts on show the power Hitler gained with a lot of people in the country and just how much badness he brought out of in a lot of people during those years.
A book that I feel everybody should read as almost an educational text. I found it an enthralling and most definitely an immersive story that broke my heart into a million pieces then stamped on it! Such an amazing book...can't wait for the next one.
Thank you to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours and Alan Jones for my gifted copy of the book.
A novel which begins as Hitler and his National Socialist party are clawing their way to power in 1933 Germany. We meet the Kästners, prominent Military family who are so well known in the social, naval and yachting circles. Then we have the Nussbaums, two generations of this family have been in service to the Kästners, but they are friends too. With the rise of Hitler, the Kästners and others like them are riding a high...they haven't yet thought of the implications for their friends and domestic staff, the Nussbaums, who are Jewish.
The Sturmtaucher Trilogy documents the devastating effect on both families of the Nazis’ hateful ideology and the insidious erosion of the rights of Germany's Jews.
When Germany descends ever deeper into dictatorship, General Erich Kästner tries desperately to protect his employees, and to spirit them to safety.
As the country tears itself apart, the darkness which envelops a nation threatens not only to destroy two families, but to plunge an entire continent into war.
A novel that Alan Jones has clearly poured his heart and soul into. A fictional account cleverly interwoven with facts of what people endured during the Second World War in Germany. The research that went into this is painstakingly present throughout.
It shows exactly how Hitler managed to get where he did and as quick as he did at that time. At first it was just rumours and people like the Kästners who are really good friends with the Nussbaums, still don't really believe.
But as Hitler and Himmler, Goebbels, Heydrich, Goering and Hess, amongst others, work on their plans to get rid of all non-Aryans from Germany, while invading and annexing Czechoslovakia, the Sudetenland and Poland, Jews start to see their lives become harder and harder as their jobs, homes, money and their freedom are beginning to be taken away from them by the Nazi's. As Jews begin to flee out of the country the Nussbaums make the decision to stay while knowing their privileged postion being with the kästners could end at any moment.
A novel that is packed with true historical events that form the backbone to this fictional account of the two families as the horror of Hitlers 'reign' unfolds. I am in my element when it comes to historical fiction and this book ticked every box. The fact that Alan Jones has woven a story that really does make you feel so close to these families and you see these years through different perspectives and the differences in how people were treated. The brutality which everybody knows of, seems closer and crueler as you read this book. It puts on show the power Hitler gained with a lot of people in the country and just how much badness he brought out of in a lot of people during those years.
A book that I feel everybody should read as almost an educational text. I found it an enthralling and most definitely an immersive story that broke my heart into a million pieces then stamped on it! Such an amazing book...can't wait for the next one.
Thank you to Anne Cater of Random Things Tours and Alan Jones for my gifted copy of the book.
January 22, 2022
This is an extremely thoughtful, well researched and well constructed story with many pieces of a giant jigsaw puzzle slowly fitting together beginning in 1933 in Kiel in Germany. "Our children and our children's children need to know what's taking place in Germany in 1933."
By focusing on two families and their contrasting status and differing lives, one a military family, and the other - the Nussbaums, who work for them, a Jewish family - Mr.Jones can encompass all aspects of the slowly tightening noose on Germany's Jewish citizens, their loss bit by bit of any rights and the build up to the second World War. The indifference to their plight by German citizens. and the tapping in by Hitler to fear and ingrained prejudices is well depicted..
I have to say, I'm well read on the period, but although there were aspects I knew, in this book there were also aspects I didn't know or had been unclear about and I like to learn. It is hard to grasp just how insane the notion of ridding Europe of any Jewish people is and how Hitler and the third reich set about doing just that and the horrors he unleashed in his insane and evil quest. "Day by day they're tightening their grip on every facet of normal life. " "A lot of good people have been seduced by him, even those who should know better."
We slowly find out as the book progresses how this comes about from both sides of the divide through many well depicted characters.
It's a very long book that needs a commitment to read. It took me three weeks compared to a normal read - for me - of 3 or 4 days, I read very few books of this length, the longest two being Jane Eyre and a Cormorant Strike book by JK Rowling! But this book is so very well worth the effort and is well written and compelling. We must never stop learning about this time or forget.
I really feel the book should be required reading for all A Level students and Secondary school pupils learning history in our schools.
I look forward to reading the second book and then the third in this moving trilogy.
By focusing on two families and their contrasting status and differing lives, one a military family, and the other - the Nussbaums, who work for them, a Jewish family - Mr.Jones can encompass all aspects of the slowly tightening noose on Germany's Jewish citizens, their loss bit by bit of any rights and the build up to the second World War. The indifference to their plight by German citizens. and the tapping in by Hitler to fear and ingrained prejudices is well depicted..
I have to say, I'm well read on the period, but although there were aspects I knew, in this book there were also aspects I didn't know or had been unclear about and I like to learn. It is hard to grasp just how insane the notion of ridding Europe of any Jewish people is and how Hitler and the third reich set about doing just that and the horrors he unleashed in his insane and evil quest. "Day by day they're tightening their grip on every facet of normal life. " "A lot of good people have been seduced by him, even those who should know better."
We slowly find out as the book progresses how this comes about from both sides of the divide through many well depicted characters.
It's a very long book that needs a commitment to read. It took me three weeks compared to a normal read - for me - of 3 or 4 days, I read very few books of this length, the longest two being Jane Eyre and a Cormorant Strike book by JK Rowling! But this book is so very well worth the effort and is well written and compelling. We must never stop learning about this time or forget.
I really feel the book should be required reading for all A Level students and Secondary school pupils learning history in our schools.
I look forward to reading the second book and then the third in this moving trilogy.
August 19, 2021
The Gathering Storm is mainly about the Kastners and the Nussbaums. The Kastners are German and the Nussbaums are Jewish and have worked for the Kastners for many years.
The two families are fond of each other and their children all play together and are friends. Things start to change with the threat of World War 2 and the appalling treatment of the Jewish community.
This is a very long book but don’t be put off by that. I found myself to quickly become invested in the characters. I found it difficult to read, especially the treatment of the Jews, it made for uncomfortable reading but obviously necessary to the story. The story really put my emotions through the wringer.
I must also mention the authors meticulous research, I can’t begin to imagine the hours spent to help with this book. This is in my Top 5 books of this year, and I am looking forward to the second part in the trilogy.
The two families are fond of each other and their children all play together and are friends. Things start to change with the threat of World War 2 and the appalling treatment of the Jewish community.
This is a very long book but don’t be put off by that. I found myself to quickly become invested in the characters. I found it difficult to read, especially the treatment of the Jews, it made for uncomfortable reading but obviously necessary to the story. The story really put my emotions through the wringer.
I must also mention the authors meticulous research, I can’t begin to imagine the hours spent to help with this book. This is in my Top 5 books of this year, and I am looking forward to the second part in the trilogy.
August 2, 2021
The time, work, research and effort the author put into this book is astonishing!!! It's a masterpiece.
I've read this authors previous crime thriller books and loved them. This is the first historical fiction book I've ever read and the longest book I've read, nearly 900 pages but I thought I'd give it a go because I'm a fan of the author. I'm so glad I did.
The main characters in the book are 2 families, The Kastners who are German and the Nussbaums who are Jewish and work for the Kastners. They have a fantastic relationship as do both families children, that is until the threat of war and we see things change, I found this difficult to read. I can never imagine the stress and utter horror the Jewish Community must have gone through throughout this time, it's heart breaking.
I can't recommend this book highly enough.
I've read this authors previous crime thriller books and loved them. This is the first historical fiction book I've ever read and the longest book I've read, nearly 900 pages but I thought I'd give it a go because I'm a fan of the author. I'm so glad I did.
The main characters in the book are 2 families, The Kastners who are German and the Nussbaums who are Jewish and work for the Kastners. They have a fantastic relationship as do both families children, that is until the threat of war and we see things change, I found this difficult to read. I can never imagine the stress and utter horror the Jewish Community must have gone through throughout this time, it's heart breaking.
I can't recommend this book highly enough.
March 2, 2022
Wonderful, terrifying an absolute must read .. review to follow
August 16, 2021
This book is staggeringly brilliant, the work, the research, the emotions it invokes and the horror. There were times when I gasped at what was perpetrated against not just the Jews, but also the Roma, disabled people, homosexuals and anyone who did not make up the perfect Aryan race. This included the rape and murder of young Jewish girls by drunken SS soldiers (one incident of which will stay in my head for a long time to come) and the burning of the synagogue in Warsaw, killing 200 Jews praying inside. I knew these things happened but it is described here in such terrifying detail, yet without embellishment or glorification. It doesn’t require any. It’s not Hollywood. It’s horror in its own right, a perfect example man’s inhumanity to man.
The story itself is told from the point of view of two families who live in Kiel. General Erich Kästner and his wife Maria and their four children Franz, Johann, Eva and Antje, and the Nussbaums, who are Jews and have worked for the Kästners for many years. Yosef, Erich’s driver, his wife Miriam and their two children, Ruth and Manny, are great friends with their employers. Ruth and Antje in particular, are the best of pals.
But as Hitler and his cohorts – Himmler, Goebbels, Heydrich, Goering and Hess, amongst others, develop their plans to remove all non-Aryans from Germany, while invading and annexing Czechoslovakia, the Sudetenland and Poland, life for the Jews becomes harder and harder as they lose their rights, their jobs, their homes and their savings. It is not so bad for the Nussbaums, living with the Kästners, but how long can it last? As their friends escape to Palestine or attempt to go to America or the UK, the Nussbaums prefer to stay put for the moment.
Apart from the main historical figures as mentioned above (whose involvement in the book is factual and forms the background of the fictional story), the only one who is real is Admiral Wilhelm Canaris. We learn a lot about Hitler’s plans and the time-line starting in 1933, through his dated memos to Erich Kästner, as well as newspaper reports in the Kiel Morgenpost. This is a very clever plot device as it seamlessly weaves the facts into the fiction.
You can read about Canaris here: “Wilhelm Franz Canaris was a German admiral and chief of the Abwehr, the German military intelligence service, from 1935 to 1944. He was initially a supporter of Adolf Hitler but by 1939 had turned against the regime.” Source Wikipedia
In 1945 Canaris was taken to Flossenbürg concentration camp, where he was publicly humiliated and executed for high treason. By this time the war was almost over.
But of everything I read in this wonderful book, I probably found this passage amongst the most upsetting:
28/09/1939 Memo from Wilhelm Canaris to Erich Kästner – “The Fuhrer has signed an authorisation…. that exonerates the Reich’s physicians from prosecution in relation to euthanasia of German citizens living in institutions with mental and physical disabilities whom the physicians deem incurable and thus unworthy of life.”
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours.
The story itself is told from the point of view of two families who live in Kiel. General Erich Kästner and his wife Maria and their four children Franz, Johann, Eva and Antje, and the Nussbaums, who are Jews and have worked for the Kästners for many years. Yosef, Erich’s driver, his wife Miriam and their two children, Ruth and Manny, are great friends with their employers. Ruth and Antje in particular, are the best of pals.
But as Hitler and his cohorts – Himmler, Goebbels, Heydrich, Goering and Hess, amongst others, develop their plans to remove all non-Aryans from Germany, while invading and annexing Czechoslovakia, the Sudetenland and Poland, life for the Jews becomes harder and harder as they lose their rights, their jobs, their homes and their savings. It is not so bad for the Nussbaums, living with the Kästners, but how long can it last? As their friends escape to Palestine or attempt to go to America or the UK, the Nussbaums prefer to stay put for the moment.
Apart from the main historical figures as mentioned above (whose involvement in the book is factual and forms the background of the fictional story), the only one who is real is Admiral Wilhelm Canaris. We learn a lot about Hitler’s plans and the time-line starting in 1933, through his dated memos to Erich Kästner, as well as newspaper reports in the Kiel Morgenpost. This is a very clever plot device as it seamlessly weaves the facts into the fiction.
You can read about Canaris here: “Wilhelm Franz Canaris was a German admiral and chief of the Abwehr, the German military intelligence service, from 1935 to 1944. He was initially a supporter of Adolf Hitler but by 1939 had turned against the regime.” Source Wikipedia
In 1945 Canaris was taken to Flossenbürg concentration camp, where he was publicly humiliated and executed for high treason. By this time the war was almost over.
But of everything I read in this wonderful book, I probably found this passage amongst the most upsetting:
28/09/1939 Memo from Wilhelm Canaris to Erich Kästner – “The Fuhrer has signed an authorisation…. that exonerates the Reich’s physicians from prosecution in relation to euthanasia of German citizens living in institutions with mental and physical disabilities whom the physicians deem incurable and thus unworthy of life.”
Many thanks to @annecater for inviting me to be part of #RandomThingsTours.
August 20, 2021
I am very careful with my selection of historical novels set in WWII, both as a reader and as a reviewer, but The Gathering Storm, by the Scottish author Alan Jones was an inspired choice.
First and foremost, it´s a massive book: 800 pages that are decently packed with historical details and nonfiction information. Mostly based in Kiel, in the Northern part of Germany, The Gathering Storm - first from what the author calls Sturmtaucher Trilogy - follows the destiny of Nussbaums, a Jewish family, in the service of the Kästners, a family belonging to the highest military elites of a Germany who not only does not want to acknowledge his Jews but plans to completely annihilate them.
It is not an easy topic, both to think, read and write about. The past, in different re-readings and interpretations, still permeates, more or less aggressively, the present political discourse, in Germany and elsewhere. By outlining the story of a simple Jewish family, like many who strongly considered themselves rightfully part of the German nation, to end up murdered for the only reason of being born Jews, this book is a fictional testimony of the audacity of evil. But it also dilutes the danger of a black and white label and introduces characters with a consistence of their own, which may not give up in the face of the evil.
Based on five years of intensive research, the book creates a local ambiance both in the descriptions and the dialogues. Particularly the dialogue and the ´British Mandate of Palestine´-Germany exchange of letters are a good example of how a honest and genuine fictional approach can create a good story which follows a certain historical matrix while adding creative content to the various episodes created. Most probably it helps to be less involved emotionally and personally in a specific story.
I am very curious to read the rest of the trilogy as well, following the next war years, as well as the unfortunate course of events for the Jews in Germany and elsewhere. Especially for history fiction lovers, this book is a great read and despite the discouraging amount of pages for this first volume, reading it is really worth it.
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of a book blog tour, but the opinions are, as usual, my own
First and foremost, it´s a massive book: 800 pages that are decently packed with historical details and nonfiction information. Mostly based in Kiel, in the Northern part of Germany, The Gathering Storm - first from what the author calls Sturmtaucher Trilogy - follows the destiny of Nussbaums, a Jewish family, in the service of the Kästners, a family belonging to the highest military elites of a Germany who not only does not want to acknowledge his Jews but plans to completely annihilate them.
It is not an easy topic, both to think, read and write about. The past, in different re-readings and interpretations, still permeates, more or less aggressively, the present political discourse, in Germany and elsewhere. By outlining the story of a simple Jewish family, like many who strongly considered themselves rightfully part of the German nation, to end up murdered for the only reason of being born Jews, this book is a fictional testimony of the audacity of evil. But it also dilutes the danger of a black and white label and introduces characters with a consistence of their own, which may not give up in the face of the evil.
Based on five years of intensive research, the book creates a local ambiance both in the descriptions and the dialogues. Particularly the dialogue and the ´British Mandate of Palestine´-Germany exchange of letters are a good example of how a honest and genuine fictional approach can create a good story which follows a certain historical matrix while adding creative content to the various episodes created. Most probably it helps to be less involved emotionally and personally in a specific story.
I am very curious to read the rest of the trilogy as well, following the next war years, as well as the unfortunate course of events for the Jews in Germany and elsewhere. Especially for history fiction lovers, this book is a great read and despite the discouraging amount of pages for this first volume, reading it is really worth it.
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of a book blog tour, but the opinions are, as usual, my own
August 17, 2021
The Gathering Storm is the first part in a trilogy and takes place during the 1930s and the first few months of the war. I have read a few books that concern the Second World War but I have never read one quite as detailed as this before. Or one that covers the events from so many different points of view. Adult and children, officers and housewives. Some are Jewish who live in fear of losing everything. Some are lifelong friends or employers who worry about what is happening to their country. Some are social climbers who agree with everything that Hitler and his followers were doing. Their hatred and opinions made my skin crawl.
I found this book equally fascinating and horrifying. It is long, 800 pages, but it wouldn’t have worked in quite the same way if it was shorter. The reader needed to see how the different communities were affected by Hitler and his followers. I learnt so much from reading it. One example was Kristallnacht, I had heard of it but never knew why it happened.
Even though it was the most difficult to read it was the Nussbaum’s story I wanted to read. Their life would have been typical of so many Jewish families at the time. Losing every bit of their freedom as the 1930s progressed. Their many friends, some who made it to Palestine and some who were deported, all who were losing everything they owned. The abuse their children suffered at school from former friends and teachers, it was heartbreaking to read. More so because you know it would have happened.
I don’t think I have ever felt so tense when reading a novel. I was desperate to know what would happen to the characters I met throughout. I felt relief that at least one survived the experience and was recalling events many years later. I hope there are more.
I need to know what happens next and will definitely be reading the second book in the series. Thankfully I only have a few months to wait. Well done Alan Jones, this novel is extraordinary.
I found this book equally fascinating and horrifying. It is long, 800 pages, but it wouldn’t have worked in quite the same way if it was shorter. The reader needed to see how the different communities were affected by Hitler and his followers. I learnt so much from reading it. One example was Kristallnacht, I had heard of it but never knew why it happened.
Even though it was the most difficult to read it was the Nussbaum’s story I wanted to read. Their life would have been typical of so many Jewish families at the time. Losing every bit of their freedom as the 1930s progressed. Their many friends, some who made it to Palestine and some who were deported, all who were losing everything they owned. The abuse their children suffered at school from former friends and teachers, it was heartbreaking to read. More so because you know it would have happened.
I don’t think I have ever felt so tense when reading a novel. I was desperate to know what would happen to the characters I met throughout. I felt relief that at least one survived the experience and was recalling events many years later. I hope there are more.
I need to know what happens next and will definitely be reading the second book in the series. Thankfully I only have a few months to wait. Well done Alan Jones, this novel is extraordinary.
April 4, 2022
This is set in the early 1930s (and onwards) when Hitler had just come to power. Germany has been suffering high unemployment and poor housing and many see him as a possible saviour to improve Germany once and for all. The Kastners are a prominent military family and have the Nausbamms working for them as they have for many years. The men even went to school together. Whilst the Nausbamms have always suffered the occasional taunt from being Jewish, things are now beginning to heat up and it appears that this is fuelled by Hitlers National socialist party. I found it interesting to read that Hitler was tried and found guilty (in 1923) for treason but was so successful at his trial that he pretty much came out of it unscathed. He dictated Mein Kampf whilst in prison and was already the leader of the National German socialist workers party. This is the story of the two families living and working side by side in extremely trying times in the lead up to the war and just into the early part.
I found this an interesting and fascinating read- a wonderful way to learn about social and political history. I've learnt much about WW2 from novels and this one gave so much more as it gives the lead up to the war and what was happening in Germany. An incredibly well researched novel with a wonderful story woven in which must have taken hours, scrap that, months of research. A good length read so incredibly good value (£1.77 on kindle at time of writing) which drew me in and kept the pages turning. There's a little light heartedness which comes across well and lightens being in the face of adversity from both families and how friends can get you through.
A stunning, compelling, really interesting read- wow. The very best way (for me) to learn so much and have a story woven around the facts of war which at the time of writing are rather poignant. A highly recommended read and I very much look forward to the next instalments.
I found this an interesting and fascinating read- a wonderful way to learn about social and political history. I've learnt much about WW2 from novels and this one gave so much more as it gives the lead up to the war and what was happening in Germany. An incredibly well researched novel with a wonderful story woven in which must have taken hours, scrap that, months of research. A good length read so incredibly good value (£1.77 on kindle at time of writing) which drew me in and kept the pages turning. There's a little light heartedness which comes across well and lightens being in the face of adversity from both families and how friends can get you through.
A stunning, compelling, really interesting read- wow. The very best way (for me) to learn so much and have a story woven around the facts of war which at the time of writing are rather poignant. A highly recommended read and I very much look forward to the next instalments.
August 14, 2021
I received a free copy of this book from the Book Club Reviewer Group in exchange for my review.
Wow. There is no other way to start this review. I have read many books in which the topic was Germany in World War II both fiction and non-fiction and the attention to detail in the world Jones builds. Keil, a key town in the war in Northern Germany, is almost lovingly painted in a pre-Nazi glory. The Gathering Storm following a German General and his family and a Jewish family that works as staff in their home but are treated like family with they and their children joining the family at parties much to the chagrin of more traditional people who are seeing Herr Hitler as something of a second coming. We see the cracks early on via an overheard conversation and we also see the less the embracing attitude from people who, for now, are just being polite though there's a feel even within their ranks. A knowledge that the times are calling for caution.
How long must it have taken to Jones to research and write this novel? There's a very real feeling to the characters. Some people react badly to fear and we see that in some of the characters. What may seem to be unlikable reads as visceral. Very reminiscent of this author's characters in "The Cabinetmaker." Real and raw.
I just loved this story. I received it free but pre-ordered a copy from Amazon to support this author. Pick it up, if you like historical epics featuring flawed characters and careful crafted plotlines like The Thorn Birds, this is the book for you.
Wow. There is no other way to start this review. I have read many books in which the topic was Germany in World War II both fiction and non-fiction and the attention to detail in the world Jones builds. Keil, a key town in the war in Northern Germany, is almost lovingly painted in a pre-Nazi glory. The Gathering Storm following a German General and his family and a Jewish family that works as staff in their home but are treated like family with they and their children joining the family at parties much to the chagrin of more traditional people who are seeing Herr Hitler as something of a second coming. We see the cracks early on via an overheard conversation and we also see the less the embracing attitude from people who, for now, are just being polite though there's a feel even within their ranks. A knowledge that the times are calling for caution.
How long must it have taken to Jones to research and write this novel? There's a very real feeling to the characters. Some people react badly to fear and we see that in some of the characters. What may seem to be unlikable reads as visceral. Very reminiscent of this author's characters in "The Cabinetmaker." Real and raw.
I just loved this story. I received it free but pre-ordered a copy from Amazon to support this author. Pick it up, if you like historical epics featuring flawed characters and careful crafted plotlines like The Thorn Birds, this is the book for you.
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