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The Rainbow
There, on the dusty floorboards, was a piece of paper, folded neatly. A newspaper article, written in German, alongside a faded picture of two men in Nazi uniforms staring at the camera. I was about to place it back in the box of forgotten things when something in the text jumped out at me. My breath caught in my chest. I know that name.
London, present day. Isla has grown up hearing her beloved grandad’s stories about his life as a child in pre-war Poland and as a young soldier bravely fighting the Germans to protect his people. So she is shocked and heartbroken to find, while collecting photos for his 95th birthday celebration, a picture of her dear grandfather wearing a Nazi uniform. Is everything she thought she knew about him a lie?
Unable to question him due to his advanced dementia, Isla wraps herself in her rainbow-coloured scarf, a memento of his from the war, and begins to hunt for the truth behind the photograph. What she uncovers is more shocking than she could have ever anticipated – a tale of childhood sweethearts torn apart by family duty, and how one young man risked his life, his love and the respect of his own people, to secretly fight for justice from inside the heart of the enemy itself…
A heartbreaking novel of love, betrayal and a secret passed down through a family. Inspired by an incredible true story. Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, We Were the Lucky Ones and The Alice Network.
London, present day. Isla has grown up hearing her beloved grandad’s stories about his life as a child in pre-war Poland and as a young soldier bravely fighting the Germans to protect his people. So she is shocked and heartbroken to find, while collecting photos for his 95th birthday celebration, a picture of her dear grandfather wearing a Nazi uniform. Is everything she thought she knew about him a lie?
Unable to question him due to his advanced dementia, Isla wraps herself in her rainbow-coloured scarf, a memento of his from the war, and begins to hunt for the truth behind the photograph. What she uncovers is more shocking than she could have ever anticipated – a tale of childhood sweethearts torn apart by family duty, and how one young man risked his life, his love and the respect of his own people, to secretly fight for justice from inside the heart of the enemy itself…
A heartbreaking novel of love, betrayal and a secret passed down through a family. Inspired by an incredible true story. Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, We Were the Lucky Ones and The Alice Network.
340 pages, Paperback
Published July 23, 2021
2059 people are currently reading
3506 people want to read
About the author
Carly Schabowski
15 books188 followersCarly Schabowski worked as a journalist in both North Cyprus and Australia before returning to Oxford, where she studied for an MA and then a PhD in creative writing at Oxford Brookes University.
Carly now teaches at Oxford Brookes University as an associate lecturer in Creative Writing for first and second-year English literature students.
The Ringmaster’s Daughter is Carly’s debut novel and will be published by Bookouture in July 2020, with her second novel, The Watchmaker of Dachau coming out later that year. These texts are both true, epic, moving historical novels centred around survival, human suffering, and the finding of love within the backdrop of the desperate and uncertain times of 1940s Europe
Carly now teaches at Oxford Brookes University as an associate lecturer in Creative Writing for first and second-year English literature students.
The Ringmaster’s Daughter is Carly’s debut novel and will be published by Bookouture in July 2020, with her second novel, The Watchmaker of Dachau coming out later that year. These texts are both true, epic, moving historical novels centred around survival, human suffering, and the finding of love within the backdrop of the desperate and uncertain times of 1940s Europe
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews
September 2, 2023
The Rainbow by Carly Schabowski
Narrated by Tamsin Kennard
2015 Isla is going through some of her grandfather's things when she sees a picture of two men in Nazi uniforms, standing side by side. One of those men is her grandfather. The grandfather she knew to have fought in the Polish army. Since her grandfather has worsening dementia she must start digging elsewhere and travels to speak to her great uncle, who may be able to tell her more about that picture and her grandfather's past.
The story alternates between Isla and her grandfather in 2015 to the times before and during WWII, when Poland is invaded by Germany. We meet a ten year old Thomasz,, his family, the girl who he grows to love, and a traveling man who plays a huge part in the life of Thomasz. We watch as the world falls down around the Polish people. There comes a time when Thomasz is forced to join the German army and then he is fighting against his won country, his own people, his own brother. This is now the nightmare of Thomasz's life, becoming what he hates most, while being vilified by Germans for being a Pole and by his countrymen for being a solder for Germany.
Thomasz is given choices which are really not choices at all. To live or to die, to kill or be killed. He will never forgive himself for what he has done and what he didn't do. And there is a woman involved, his love, Zofia, and what she must do. She too has choices and she pays for them dearly. This story is heartbreaking and in many ways is reflected in the events of today.
One thing that is hard to get my mind around is that some of those that were probably in their mid twenties during the war, are later able to relate things to Isla in 2015. These people have to be almost a century old and yet they seem to have the faculties of people forty years younger. I listened to the audiobook and there were no author's notes with it but I want to find out more about the author's writing process for this story.
Pub Jul 28th 2021
This is an Audible selection.
Narrated by Tamsin Kennard
2015 Isla is going through some of her grandfather's things when she sees a picture of two men in Nazi uniforms, standing side by side. One of those men is her grandfather. The grandfather she knew to have fought in the Polish army. Since her grandfather has worsening dementia she must start digging elsewhere and travels to speak to her great uncle, who may be able to tell her more about that picture and her grandfather's past.
The story alternates between Isla and her grandfather in 2015 to the times before and during WWII, when Poland is invaded by Germany. We meet a ten year old Thomasz,, his family, the girl who he grows to love, and a traveling man who plays a huge part in the life of Thomasz. We watch as the world falls down around the Polish people. There comes a time when Thomasz is forced to join the German army and then he is fighting against his won country, his own people, his own brother. This is now the nightmare of Thomasz's life, becoming what he hates most, while being vilified by Germans for being a Pole and by his countrymen for being a solder for Germany.
Thomasz is given choices which are really not choices at all. To live or to die, to kill or be killed. He will never forgive himself for what he has done and what he didn't do. And there is a woman involved, his love, Zofia, and what she must do. She too has choices and she pays for them dearly. This story is heartbreaking and in many ways is reflected in the events of today.
One thing that is hard to get my mind around is that some of those that were probably in their mid twenties during the war, are later able to relate things to Isla in 2015. These people have to be almost a century old and yet they seem to have the faculties of people forty years younger. I listened to the audiobook and there were no author's notes with it but I want to find out more about the author's writing process for this story.
Pub Jul 28th 2021
This is an Audible selection.
July 22, 2021
3.5 stars
Can you ever forgive or the fact that what you thought you knew was just not so? Coming across a photo of two men in Nazi uniforms, Isla, preparing for her grandfather's nine-fifth birthday, is shocked, for one of the men in the photo is her beloved grandfather. How could this possibly be?
She is prohibited from asking her grandfather because of his advanced case of dementia. She grabs onto two things, one is a desire to know the truth, the other a rainbow colored scarf that belonged to her grandfather. As Isla delves into the past, she comes across a tale of lost love, of survival in order to protect one's family, and the ability of some to face danger when others might fear to go. She also learns of a seemingly magical connection between her grandfather an a gypsy, the original owner of the rainbow scarf.
This story shows how deep the wounds of war go, how far a lost love will be held onto, and the courage of those who put their lives on the line for freedom. As Isla travels back to her grandfather's native Poland, she learn much about her grandfather's life and that of his family. It is an interesting tale of hope in the face of the cruelty of war.
Thank you to Carly Schabowski, Bookouture, and NetGalley for a copy of this book due out July 28, 2021.
Can you ever forgive or the fact that what you thought you knew was just not so? Coming across a photo of two men in Nazi uniforms, Isla, preparing for her grandfather's nine-fifth birthday, is shocked, for one of the men in the photo is her beloved grandfather. How could this possibly be?
She is prohibited from asking her grandfather because of his advanced case of dementia. She grabs onto two things, one is a desire to know the truth, the other a rainbow colored scarf that belonged to her grandfather. As Isla delves into the past, she comes across a tale of lost love, of survival in order to protect one's family, and the ability of some to face danger when others might fear to go. She also learns of a seemingly magical connection between her grandfather an a gypsy, the original owner of the rainbow scarf.
This story shows how deep the wounds of war go, how far a lost love will be held onto, and the courage of those who put their lives on the line for freedom. As Isla travels back to her grandfather's native Poland, she learn much about her grandfather's life and that of his family. It is an interesting tale of hope in the face of the cruelty of war.
Thank you to Carly Schabowski, Bookouture, and NetGalley for a copy of this book due out July 28, 2021.
July 10, 2021
Isla grew up listening to her grandfather’s stories from his childhood. Whether it is the magic man who could summon rainbows or the hardships he faced as a Polish soldier during WWII, Isla knew her grandfather as a caring, loving, and brave man who fought against the Nazis.
A chance trip to the attic in his home challenges all that Isla ever knew about him. What is his picture in a German uniform doing in the attic? Why did her grandfather fight for the Nazis? And who does that lovely rainbow scarf belong to?
Isla knows her grandpa is in no position to answer her questions. His dementia is worsening. Her Gran insists that the picture doesn’t belong to grandpa. Unable to resist her doubts and uncertainties, Isla starts her quest for truth.
Was her grandpa really a part of the German army? Why did he join their side? What happened in his life that no one wants to talk about it? Why is grandpa's elder brother distant from them and doesn’t want to meet his own brother?
As Isla digs more, she understands how life can tear apart families, break lovers, and crush a man while still giving him hope for a new dawn.
Based on a true story, The Rainbow shows us the past of the grandfather, Thomasz, an ordinary child who was forced to grow up at gunpoint and make a choice that changed his life forever. But could that choice have been avoided? No one knows the answer.
After reading the author’s previous book, The Watchmaker of Dachau, I knew I had to pick this one as soon as possible. The Rainbow is better when it comes to narration and execution of the delicate plot. The pace is decent, even if the author could have done without a certain track.
Despite so many characters and people involved, the story seamlessly flows between the past and present. We get to read the POV of more than one character (but only when necessary), and that adds depth to the narration.
We don’t know much about Isla, but we do know her important her grandpa is to her. She doesn’t jump to conclusions or worry about what it would do to her life and career. Her focus is on emotions. Such heroines are rather pleasing to read. However, for me, the heroine of the book would be Zofia. My, she’s just so good even if limited presence.
Thomasz is not your regular hero. In fact, he doesn’t even consider himself a hero. He’s an ordinary man with flaws. A man who is afraid; someone who has to make a choice and knows he could be wrong. There isn’t any remarkable about him, but everything he has lived through is beyond imaginable.
The plight of the Polish boys forced into the German army is hardly documented, and the author writes about such boys, drawing references and details from a true story (that belongs to her family). The author said she worked on the story for 7 years, and her dedication shows.
The emotions have still been artfully balanced, and finally, leave the reader with a bittersweet experience. The book was almost a 5-star until the author introduced a new track I could do without.
To sum up, The Rainbow is a heartwarming story of life, choices, love, betrayal, and a faint hope to keep going in search of a better life.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bookouture and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#TheRainbow #NetGalley
A chance trip to the attic in his home challenges all that Isla ever knew about him. What is his picture in a German uniform doing in the attic? Why did her grandfather fight for the Nazis? And who does that lovely rainbow scarf belong to?
Isla knows her grandpa is in no position to answer her questions. His dementia is worsening. Her Gran insists that the picture doesn’t belong to grandpa. Unable to resist her doubts and uncertainties, Isla starts her quest for truth.
Was her grandpa really a part of the German army? Why did he join their side? What happened in his life that no one wants to talk about it? Why is grandpa's elder brother distant from them and doesn’t want to meet his own brother?
As Isla digs more, she understands how life can tear apart families, break lovers, and crush a man while still giving him hope for a new dawn.
Based on a true story, The Rainbow shows us the past of the grandfather, Thomasz, an ordinary child who was forced to grow up at gunpoint and make a choice that changed his life forever. But could that choice have been avoided? No one knows the answer.
After reading the author’s previous book, The Watchmaker of Dachau, I knew I had to pick this one as soon as possible. The Rainbow is better when it comes to narration and execution of the delicate plot. The pace is decent, even if the author could have done without a certain track.
Despite so many characters and people involved, the story seamlessly flows between the past and present. We get to read the POV of more than one character (but only when necessary), and that adds depth to the narration.
We don’t know much about Isla, but we do know her important her grandpa is to her. She doesn’t jump to conclusions or worry about what it would do to her life and career. Her focus is on emotions. Such heroines are rather pleasing to read. However, for me, the heroine of the book would be Zofia. My, she’s just so good even if limited presence.
Thomasz is not your regular hero. In fact, he doesn’t even consider himself a hero. He’s an ordinary man with flaws. A man who is afraid; someone who has to make a choice and knows he could be wrong. There isn’t any remarkable about him, but everything he has lived through is beyond imaginable.
The plight of the Polish boys forced into the German army is hardly documented, and the author writes about such boys, drawing references and details from a true story (that belongs to her family). The author said she worked on the story for 7 years, and her dedication shows.
The emotions have still been artfully balanced, and finally, leave the reader with a bittersweet experience. The book was almost a 5-star until the author introduced a new track I could do without.
To sum up, The Rainbow is a heartwarming story of life, choices, love, betrayal, and a faint hope to keep going in search of a better life.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bookouture and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#TheRainbow #NetGalley
July 30, 2021
As soon as I read the synopsis I knew it was a book I would enjoy reading. I enjoy historical fiction, especially when the characters are so well written as the case is with ‘The Rainbow’.
Isla’s grandad is suffering from dementia and it is becoming increasingly difficult for him to relate his stories of pre war life in Poland that she loved so much. He would often tell her how as a young soldier, he helped fight the Germans to protect his people. So when she is collecting photos for his 95th birthday celebration she is shocked and heartbroken to find a picture of her dear grandfather wearing a Nazi uniform. Is everything she thought she knew about him a lie?
Due to his advancing dementia Isla is unable to question him and wraps herself in her rainbow-coloured scarf, a memento of his from the war, and begins to hunt for the truth behind the photograph. This is the start of her search for the truth that will prove shocking and emotional, a tale of childhood sweethearts torn apart by family duty, and how one young man risked his life, his love and the respect of his own people, to secretly fight for justice from inside the heart of the enemy itself.
This is an absorbing, emotional read that gripped me from the very start. Carly Schabowski is an author I have never come across before but shortly after I started it I was already ordering one of her earlier books. Great characters, beautifully written and an emotional ride. The book effortlessly goes from past to present in the narrative that is based on a true story.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Isla’s grandad is suffering from dementia and it is becoming increasingly difficult for him to relate his stories of pre war life in Poland that she loved so much. He would often tell her how as a young soldier, he helped fight the Germans to protect his people. So when she is collecting photos for his 95th birthday celebration she is shocked and heartbroken to find a picture of her dear grandfather wearing a Nazi uniform. Is everything she thought she knew about him a lie?
Due to his advancing dementia Isla is unable to question him and wraps herself in her rainbow-coloured scarf, a memento of his from the war, and begins to hunt for the truth behind the photograph. This is the start of her search for the truth that will prove shocking and emotional, a tale of childhood sweethearts torn apart by family duty, and how one young man risked his life, his love and the respect of his own people, to secretly fight for justice from inside the heart of the enemy itself.
This is an absorbing, emotional read that gripped me from the very start. Carly Schabowski is an author I have never come across before but shortly after I started it I was already ordering one of her earlier books. Great characters, beautifully written and an emotional ride. The book effortlessly goes from past to present in the narrative that is based on a true story.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Bookouture for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2021
This is a complex dual-timeline novel that will break your heart, while at the same time giving you hope. We are transported to the devastation of World War II, and all its horror and secrets, and then to England 2015, as a granddaughter is dealing with the heartbreak of her grandfather’s dementia, and then even more pain upon learning certain truths. We are shown a compelling story of love, sacrifice, secrets, and betrayal, and left in awe at how love can overcome hate. I felt a connection to the dementia aspects of this story, as I personally watched dementia slowly take my Dad’s memory, and the heartbreak of that is portrayed in a real way in this novel. The fact that this is based on a true story makes it even more compelling. Carly Schabowski has woven together a complex, beautiful, and painful tale you keep you attuned to each turning page until the last secret is revealed.
I received a free copy of this book via Bookouture. My opinions are my own.
Merged review:
This is a complex dual-timeline novel that will break your heart, while at the same time giving you hope. We are transported to the devastation of World War II, and all its horror and secrets, and then to England 2015, as a granddaughter is dealing with the heartbreak of her grandfather’s dementia, and then even more pain upon learning certain truths. We are shown a compelling story of love, sacrifice, secrets, and betrayal, and left in awe at how love can overcome hate. I felt a connection to the dementia aspects of this story, as I personally watched dementia slowly take my Dad’s memory, and the heartbreak of that is portrayed in a real way in this novel. The fact that this is based on a true story makes it even more compelling. Carly Schabowski has woven together a complex, beautiful, and painful tale that will keep you attuned to each turning page until the last secret is revealed.
I received a free copy of this book via Bookouture. My opinions are my own.
I received a free copy of this book via Bookouture. My opinions are my own.
Merged review:
This is a complex dual-timeline novel that will break your heart, while at the same time giving you hope. We are transported to the devastation of World War II, and all its horror and secrets, and then to England 2015, as a granddaughter is dealing with the heartbreak of her grandfather’s dementia, and then even more pain upon learning certain truths. We are shown a compelling story of love, sacrifice, secrets, and betrayal, and left in awe at how love can overcome hate. I felt a connection to the dementia aspects of this story, as I personally watched dementia slowly take my Dad’s memory, and the heartbreak of that is portrayed in a real way in this novel. The fact that this is based on a true story makes it even more compelling. Carly Schabowski has woven together a complex, beautiful, and painful tale that will keep you attuned to each turning page until the last secret is revealed.
I received a free copy of this book via Bookouture. My opinions are my own.
July 30, 2021
I find historical fiction to be one of the most plentiful genres of books. Not only are there multitudes of time periods and eras to choose from, but each one of those also has unlimited stories that can be researched and told. A case in point is this book. The level of detail about what happened to the Polish people after the Germans invaded in WWII was fascinating. The storytelling is unique because it is a mixture of styles – it was never confusing and actually made for a well-rounded story. I liked how the author used the colors of the rainbow to “color” certain memories. I also was struck by the thought that our memories can be demons that make us afraid to remember – but when faced with them later, they can actually show strength and resilience. It’s all a matter of perspective. I highly recommend this book. For a full review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for a digital ARC of the book.
June 23, 2021
“Sometimes finding the truth can be painful. But then, it can be liberating too.”
After reading ‘The Watchmaker of Dachau,’ I didn’t think Carly Schabowski’s newest book would reach the same heights….I was wrong! It’s truly an unforgettable novel about human kindness. She’ll numb your senses with dancing in the rain, mystic readings and rainbow scarves and then you slightly become aware of the crescendo of insidious fear before the atrocity and human suffering take center court. If you loved her second book, you’ll love this one; the same juxtaposition and the same bonds formed due to shared experiences.
Isla is home helping her grandmother prepare for her grandfather’s 95th birthday and finds a saved newspaper article featuring her grandfather in a Nazi uniform. It’s not what she expected to find when gathering photos for the celebration. Why? Well, her grandfather is Polish! This is his story.
Stories such as this one need to be published to remind us of (1) the atrocities in our world history but also (2) of the endurance and strength displayed in the desperate and uncertain times. I am shocked at the destructive power held in the hands of some at the expense of many. You’ll learn about little-known historical wartime experiences of Polish men and boys who were forcibly conscripted into the Wehrmacht. One-quarter of a million Polish boys like Tomasz, who was simply in town for ice cream, were forced into the German army.
Seven years in the making and born from her own family history, this tale has an authentic feel and centers around survival, human suffering and finding love within the backdrop of the desperate and uncertain times of 1940s Europe.
July 28, 2021
I was gifted this advance copy by Carly Schabowski, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
After reading ‘The Watchmaker of Dachau,’ I didn’t think Carly Schabowski’s newest book would reach the same heights….I was wrong! It’s truly an unforgettable novel about human kindness. She’ll numb your senses with dancing in the rain, mystic readings and rainbow scarves and then you slightly become aware of the crescendo of insidious fear before the atrocity and human suffering take center court. If you loved her second book, you’ll love this one; the same juxtaposition and the same bonds formed due to shared experiences.
Isla is home helping her grandmother prepare for her grandfather’s 95th birthday and finds a saved newspaper article featuring her grandfather in a Nazi uniform. It’s not what she expected to find when gathering photos for the celebration. Why? Well, her grandfather is Polish! This is his story.
Stories such as this one need to be published to remind us of (1) the atrocities in our world history but also (2) of the endurance and strength displayed in the desperate and uncertain times. I am shocked at the destructive power held in the hands of some at the expense of many. You’ll learn about little-known historical wartime experiences of Polish men and boys who were forcibly conscripted into the Wehrmacht. One-quarter of a million Polish boys like Tomasz, who was simply in town for ice cream, were forced into the German army.
Seven years in the making and born from her own family history, this tale has an authentic feel and centers around survival, human suffering and finding love within the backdrop of the desperate and uncertain times of 1940s Europe.
July 28, 2021
I was gifted this advance copy by Carly Schabowski, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
January 23, 2022
I’m not sure why I didn’t enjoy this book more, seeing it contains all the elements I love in a story: family secrets, ethical dilemmas and a WWII theme based on a true story. And yet it has taken me weeks to read because the story just hasn’t really grabbed me and I still don’t feel emotionally connected to any of the characters. My brain tells me that I should feel sorrow and pain, and yet I am a mere spectator, looking in from the outside, detached. Perhaps the writing style is not for me, or the story just isn’t right for me at this time. Whatever the case, I have decided to DNF at 70%, which I hardly ever do, but I don’t think that persevering will improve my experience. A great premise, but it just didn’t touch my heart the way I though it would.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
*blog* *facebook* *instagram*
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the free electronic copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
*blog* *facebook* *instagram*
July 21, 2021
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Carly Schabowski's heartbreaking WW2 tale THE RAINBOW.
Having loved the author's previous book "The Watchmaker of Dachau" , I was eager to delve into THE RAINBOW and while it is a heartbreaking story both in the past and present, for me it didn't quite reach that same height. But then, it was a pretty high bar to compete with, in my view. Having said that, THE RAINBOW is still an unforgettable tale that will have you reaching for the tissues and numb your senses.
The story begins with in Isla in 2015 England on a visit with her grandparents when she comes across a rainbow coloured silk scarf and an old newspaper clipping of two men, one of whom is her grandfather Tomasz Jasienski dressed in a German Nazi uniform. But this can't be right! Her granddad is Polish. He fought in the Polish army, not the Nazis. Maybe it is another Tomasz Jasienski. But the photo is clearly her granddad, of that Isla is certain. She cannot ask him as he is in the late-mid stages of dementia and while some days are lucid, many are not, and the last thing she wants to do is upset him by stirring up old memories. Then when her grandmother deflects any questions she asks, it merely arouses her curiosity.
And so begins Isla's quest for answers, for information about her grandfather's past and what really happened in that photo. All she has is the name and an address of her granddad's brother whom he has not seen or spoken to in seventy years and while they may have been estranged, Andrezj sent his brother a yearly Christmas card up until five years ago. Is he still alive? There was only one way to find out. Isla travels to Poland in search of Andrezj and the answers for which she seeks. She finds the gruff 99 year old living in a sheltered retirement home where he gives her some diaries that had been her grandfather's during the war.
Returning to England, Isla has the diaries translated from her grandfather's native Polish and through them she journeys back with Tomasz as a young boy in 1930 through to WW2, when he was forced into the German army.
The perspective then changes as we meet Tomasz in the summer of 1930 as a ten year old boy who meets a gypsy named Kapaldi living in a colourful caravan on a neighbouring farmer's land. To Tomasz, Kapaldi was a magical man who could make it rain and create rainbows. The first time Tomasz ever saw Kapaldi, he was dancing naked with nothing but a rainbow scarf around his neck. The same rainbow scarf Isla found in her grandfather's attic. She remembers the tales she was told as a girl about a magical man and rainbows that she thought were just fairy tales. When one day, Tomasz comes to see Kapaldi he finds some of the local lads beating him and taunting him so he jumps on the farmer Kowalski's tractor and makes way towards the young thugs hurting his friend. The lads scarpered in fear and Kapaldi thanked young Tomasz for saving his life. He promised him that he now owes him a debt and that one day he will save Tomasz's life too.
It was the summer of 1930 that Tomasz also met the young Zofia at a carnival where he won her a little wooden heart. Zofia kept the little heart as a reminder of happier times when in 1939 Poland was invaded by the Germans and life became even harder for the Polish. The couple are now 19 and in declaring their love, Tomasz tells Zofia he plans to ask her father permission to marry her and together they plan their future together. But then Tomasz is taken by the Nazis and forced to fight alongside them for the Reich. It is during a harrowing time in which they were to round up a group of partisans working against them that Tomasz tossed a grenade and killed them. The sight of the bodies with their innards spilling out etched into his memory forever. He is whisked away to the office of Captain Liebenez, who had seconded him to the German army in the first place, and awarded Tomasz the Iron Cross for his bravery for which the two men were photographed and immortalised forever in a newspaper clipping found wrapped in a silk scarf some seventy years later.
As a reward for his bravery and loyalty to the Reich, Tomasz was given the easier task of translator away from the frontline of battle, although he was often ridiculed by his peers and those above his rank as well as the public. Why? Because he was Polish. It was often heard said "Stupid Pole" and even the boarding house in which Liebenez installed him, the caretaker landlady said to him "Poles not welcome here" and he had to find somewhere else to eat, which left him wandering the unfamiliar streets in which he often found himself lost. On these occasions he found himself conjuring up the image of Kapaldi who then helped him find his way back. But he had seemed to so real, was it just his imagination or had he truly seen Kapaldi? They hadn't crossed paths in many years but somehow Tomasz always knew Kapaldi was there watching over him.
And then when a tragic even occurs that numbs Tomasz even further from which he feels he will never recover, he feels that Liebenez has been playing games with him all along and doesn't have his best interests at heart at all. Then Liebenez is promoted to Major whilst unbeknownst to Tomasz, his beloved Zofia is unwittingly caught up in the Major's games as well. Tomasz is now a broken man and on the last page of his diaries he writes..."What have I done?"
Intrigued even further by the ambiguity of her grandfather's final words on those pages, Isla travels back to Poland in the hope of uncovering the meaning behind those words. What had happened for her grandfather to have berated himself with those four words? This journey takes her even further into Poland back to where her grandfather grew up and it is there she meets Zofia, her grandfather's first love. And the truth of what really happened beyond those final words is finally revealed...as are the secrets of the past.
Based on a true story that was seven years in the making, THE RAINBOW is as emotional as it is heartbreaking. The plight in which young Polish boys faced at being forced into the German army is a little known fact that I had no idea about. The Nazis were cruel to almost everyone, even amongst themselves at times, in their quest for a pure Aryan race and their belief that they could do anything they wanted to anyone they chose. And the higher their rank the more entitled they were. This is seen in Major Liebenez and the games he played with Tomasz and Sofia. He seemed to be their friend but to him they were just a means to an end. I loathed him.
Tomasz, whilst the hero of the story, is not your regular hero. And he certainly doesn't consider himself to be one. He is an ordinary man with flaws. He lives in fear, he's made decisions that could put his life in jeopardy, choices that could be wrong and while there is nothing extraordinary about him, what he has been through is unthinkable. And as an old man approaching 95, Isla begins to wonder considering what he has lived through...is his dementia a curse or a blessing?
As for Isla herself. We don't know much about her. We know she is a lawyer but that in itself doesn't define her. What is important is her granddad and the truth behind the photo she found in the attic. Unlike most heroines of a story, particularly those who are lawyers, she doesn't focus on her life or career but on emotions and what it must have felt like to live through all that her grandfather and later Zofia lived through. The war was another time, another era, something that is beyond the realms of today's generation and yet Isla found herself immersed within the past and the emotional journey she took to uncover the secrets that had been lost to time.
THE RAINBOW is a beautiful story and heartbreaking at the same time that the author drew references from a true story that belongs to her own family. It is a bittersweet tale that the reader will find it hard not to shed tears. For me, it was the threat of losing those memories forever locked inside a mind that was slowly disappearing. Dementia is a cruel and unprejudiced disease that steals memories from the living to remain locked in the past unless they are detailed before they are lost forever. I didn't find Tomasz to be in the late stages of dementia as he was still lucid enough to regale Isla with the final chapter of his story and a late stage sufferer would barely able to talk let alone recall sporadic memories. I saw him as late-mid stage as it's the final stages that are the most heartbreaking of all.
There was one aspect I didn't really warm to in the story and one which I felt no connection to. For me, it didn't belong there in the way it was portrayed but would have been better served in another connection to the story. I won't say in what capacity so as not to spoil it.
A poignant read that carries through the generations, THE RAINBOW is a tale of family, love and lost secrets. Perfect for fans of historical WW2 fiction.
I would like to thank #CarlySchabowski, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheRainbow in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Having loved the author's previous book "The Watchmaker of Dachau" , I was eager to delve into THE RAINBOW and while it is a heartbreaking story both in the past and present, for me it didn't quite reach that same height. But then, it was a pretty high bar to compete with, in my view. Having said that, THE RAINBOW is still an unforgettable tale that will have you reaching for the tissues and numb your senses.
The story begins with in Isla in 2015 England on a visit with her grandparents when she comes across a rainbow coloured silk scarf and an old newspaper clipping of two men, one of whom is her grandfather Tomasz Jasienski dressed in a German Nazi uniform. But this can't be right! Her granddad is Polish. He fought in the Polish army, not the Nazis. Maybe it is another Tomasz Jasienski. But the photo is clearly her granddad, of that Isla is certain. She cannot ask him as he is in the late-mid stages of dementia and while some days are lucid, many are not, and the last thing she wants to do is upset him by stirring up old memories. Then when her grandmother deflects any questions she asks, it merely arouses her curiosity.
And so begins Isla's quest for answers, for information about her grandfather's past and what really happened in that photo. All she has is the name and an address of her granddad's brother whom he has not seen or spoken to in seventy years and while they may have been estranged, Andrezj sent his brother a yearly Christmas card up until five years ago. Is he still alive? There was only one way to find out. Isla travels to Poland in search of Andrezj and the answers for which she seeks. She finds the gruff 99 year old living in a sheltered retirement home where he gives her some diaries that had been her grandfather's during the war.
Returning to England, Isla has the diaries translated from her grandfather's native Polish and through them she journeys back with Tomasz as a young boy in 1930 through to WW2, when he was forced into the German army.
The perspective then changes as we meet Tomasz in the summer of 1930 as a ten year old boy who meets a gypsy named Kapaldi living in a colourful caravan on a neighbouring farmer's land. To Tomasz, Kapaldi was a magical man who could make it rain and create rainbows. The first time Tomasz ever saw Kapaldi, he was dancing naked with nothing but a rainbow scarf around his neck. The same rainbow scarf Isla found in her grandfather's attic. She remembers the tales she was told as a girl about a magical man and rainbows that she thought were just fairy tales. When one day, Tomasz comes to see Kapaldi he finds some of the local lads beating him and taunting him so he jumps on the farmer Kowalski's tractor and makes way towards the young thugs hurting his friend. The lads scarpered in fear and Kapaldi thanked young Tomasz for saving his life. He promised him that he now owes him a debt and that one day he will save Tomasz's life too.
It was the summer of 1930 that Tomasz also met the young Zofia at a carnival where he won her a little wooden heart. Zofia kept the little heart as a reminder of happier times when in 1939 Poland was invaded by the Germans and life became even harder for the Polish. The couple are now 19 and in declaring their love, Tomasz tells Zofia he plans to ask her father permission to marry her and together they plan their future together. But then Tomasz is taken by the Nazis and forced to fight alongside them for the Reich. It is during a harrowing time in which they were to round up a group of partisans working against them that Tomasz tossed a grenade and killed them. The sight of the bodies with their innards spilling out etched into his memory forever. He is whisked away to the office of Captain Liebenez, who had seconded him to the German army in the first place, and awarded Tomasz the Iron Cross for his bravery for which the two men were photographed and immortalised forever in a newspaper clipping found wrapped in a silk scarf some seventy years later.
As a reward for his bravery and loyalty to the Reich, Tomasz was given the easier task of translator away from the frontline of battle, although he was often ridiculed by his peers and those above his rank as well as the public. Why? Because he was Polish. It was often heard said "Stupid Pole" and even the boarding house in which Liebenez installed him, the caretaker landlady said to him "Poles not welcome here" and he had to find somewhere else to eat, which left him wandering the unfamiliar streets in which he often found himself lost. On these occasions he found himself conjuring up the image of Kapaldi who then helped him find his way back. But he had seemed to so real, was it just his imagination or had he truly seen Kapaldi? They hadn't crossed paths in many years but somehow Tomasz always knew Kapaldi was there watching over him.
And then when a tragic even occurs that numbs Tomasz even further from which he feels he will never recover, he feels that Liebenez has been playing games with him all along and doesn't have his best interests at heart at all. Then Liebenez is promoted to Major whilst unbeknownst to Tomasz, his beloved Zofia is unwittingly caught up in the Major's games as well. Tomasz is now a broken man and on the last page of his diaries he writes..."What have I done?"
Intrigued even further by the ambiguity of her grandfather's final words on those pages, Isla travels back to Poland in the hope of uncovering the meaning behind those words. What had happened for her grandfather to have berated himself with those four words? This journey takes her even further into Poland back to where her grandfather grew up and it is there she meets Zofia, her grandfather's first love. And the truth of what really happened beyond those final words is finally revealed...as are the secrets of the past.
Based on a true story that was seven years in the making, THE RAINBOW is as emotional as it is heartbreaking. The plight in which young Polish boys faced at being forced into the German army is a little known fact that I had no idea about. The Nazis were cruel to almost everyone, even amongst themselves at times, in their quest for a pure Aryan race and their belief that they could do anything they wanted to anyone they chose. And the higher their rank the more entitled they were. This is seen in Major Liebenez and the games he played with Tomasz and Sofia. He seemed to be their friend but to him they were just a means to an end. I loathed him.
Tomasz, whilst the hero of the story, is not your regular hero. And he certainly doesn't consider himself to be one. He is an ordinary man with flaws. He lives in fear, he's made decisions that could put his life in jeopardy, choices that could be wrong and while there is nothing extraordinary about him, what he has been through is unthinkable. And as an old man approaching 95, Isla begins to wonder considering what he has lived through...is his dementia a curse or a blessing?
As for Isla herself. We don't know much about her. We know she is a lawyer but that in itself doesn't define her. What is important is her granddad and the truth behind the photo she found in the attic. Unlike most heroines of a story, particularly those who are lawyers, she doesn't focus on her life or career but on emotions and what it must have felt like to live through all that her grandfather and later Zofia lived through. The war was another time, another era, something that is beyond the realms of today's generation and yet Isla found herself immersed within the past and the emotional journey she took to uncover the secrets that had been lost to time.
THE RAINBOW is a beautiful story and heartbreaking at the same time that the author drew references from a true story that belongs to her own family. It is a bittersweet tale that the reader will find it hard not to shed tears. For me, it was the threat of losing those memories forever locked inside a mind that was slowly disappearing. Dementia is a cruel and unprejudiced disease that steals memories from the living to remain locked in the past unless they are detailed before they are lost forever. I didn't find Tomasz to be in the late stages of dementia as he was still lucid enough to regale Isla with the final chapter of his story and a late stage sufferer would barely able to talk let alone recall sporadic memories. I saw him as late-mid stage as it's the final stages that are the most heartbreaking of all.
There was one aspect I didn't really warm to in the story and one which I felt no connection to. For me, it didn't belong there in the way it was portrayed but would have been better served in another connection to the story. I won't say in what capacity so as not to spoil it.
A poignant read that carries through the generations, THE RAINBOW is a tale of family, love and lost secrets. Perfect for fans of historical WW2 fiction.
I would like to thank #CarlySchabowski, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheRainbow in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
October 4, 2021
This is an outstanding book which I thoroughly recommend. It tells the story of little known happenings during the war which I found very interesting whilst keeping the personal interest alive. It goes between the war years and the present effortlessly. I have previously read a book by this author and will now look for others to read.
August 1, 2021
Reading Stuff 'n' Things
What a read that was ... so good!
I am not normally a fan of historical fiction but the cover and then the blurb had me interested and I am so pleased I didn't let this pass me by. Although this is a work of fiction, it is inspired by a true story but it feels like a "real" story and I was totally and utterly absorbed and invested in the lives of all the characters.
The story starts off in the present when Isla finds a photograph of her grandad in a German uniform, this raised questions and caused confusion as the story always told was how her grandad fought against the German's in World War II. Unable to find answers from her grandad, who has dementia, she begins a quest to uncover the truth and so begins this brilliantly written story of war, adversity, strength, courage, love, loss and friendship.
I am unable to give this book the review it deserves, I can't find the right words to put across how much I enjoyed it for which I apologise but a massive thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
What a read that was ... so good!
I am not normally a fan of historical fiction but the cover and then the blurb had me interested and I am so pleased I didn't let this pass me by. Although this is a work of fiction, it is inspired by a true story but it feels like a "real" story and I was totally and utterly absorbed and invested in the lives of all the characters.
The story starts off in the present when Isla finds a photograph of her grandad in a German uniform, this raised questions and caused confusion as the story always told was how her grandad fought against the German's in World War II. Unable to find answers from her grandad, who has dementia, she begins a quest to uncover the truth and so begins this brilliantly written story of war, adversity, strength, courage, love, loss and friendship.
I am unable to give this book the review it deserves, I can't find the right words to put across how much I enjoyed it for which I apologise but a massive thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
July 22, 2021
Carly Schabowski has quickly become one of my go to authors.
The Rainbow is another brilliantly written, sensitively told dual timeline story about Isla and her grandfather. Based on true events from the authors’ family, this story is a stark reminder of the many atrocities faced for those in WWII.
The writing is so emotional and beautiful and I loved getting to know Isla and the history of her family. Heartbreaking at times, it is told with love and the magic of the rainbow is just wonderful.
The Rainbow is another brilliantly written, sensitively told dual timeline story about Isla and her grandfather. Based on true events from the authors’ family, this story is a stark reminder of the many atrocities faced for those in WWII.
The writing is so emotional and beautiful and I loved getting to know Isla and the history of her family. Heartbreaking at times, it is told with love and the magic of the rainbow is just wonderful.
July 25, 2021
The Rainbow is a story that flicks between present and past where in present day Isla is keen to found out more about her grandfather after the discovery of an old photograph. In the past, we get to know Tomasz her grandfather better and what life was like for him in the lead up to and during the war.
Wow, I have to say my emotions were all over the place with this book. Some parts literally broke me. It's so beautifully written and I was gripped throughout in my eagerness to discover more about Tomasz's past. Even the present day is so very bitter sweet and I have to admit I couldn't stop the tears from falling the further in and closer to the end I got. Whilst it is about the war, it felt so much more. It delves into different types of relationship/friendships and how far we would go for the ones we love. It's very much about choices and having to live with them. I loved present day as much as I loved the past and whilst the past could be quite harrowing to read, the present day was also so emotional. Such an amazing read and one that will stay with me for a long time.
Wow, I have to say my emotions were all over the place with this book. Some parts literally broke me. It's so beautifully written and I was gripped throughout in my eagerness to discover more about Tomasz's past. Even the present day is so very bitter sweet and I have to admit I couldn't stop the tears from falling the further in and closer to the end I got. Whilst it is about the war, it felt so much more. It delves into different types of relationship/friendships and how far we would go for the ones we love. It's very much about choices and having to live with them. I loved present day as much as I loved the past and whilst the past could be quite harrowing to read, the present day was also so emotional. Such an amazing read and one that will stay with me for a long time.
August 4, 2021
Oh wow. Such a beautiful beautiful story. The writing is poignant and rich, transporting and wonderful. Jewels on the page. Loved this one so much.
July 29, 2021
I’ve often said whilst ending my review of a debut novel that ‘this is only the tip of what the author can do and I think there will be much more to come from this author in the future’. Well, this is definitely the case with Carly Schabowski. I enjoyed her debut The Ringmasters Daughter and her subsequent book, The Watchmaker of Dachau, but now having read her third book The Rainbow I really feel she has come a long way and is really getting into her stride. I definitely think this is the best book she has written and as it is based on a true story and it is a story she has always wanted to write that this element added even more to the book. Yes, there is a small element of ‘magic/suspend your disbelief that something could happen’ here as was present in her previous books but it didn’t play a dominant role in the overall plot and I felt it worked well here. It aided one character in connecting with another and said character used this experience in the toughest of times.
The Rainbow moves back and forth between the past and the present with the past sections being more prevalent and I enjoyed them much more. That’s not to say the parts featuring Isla and her search for answers in the present day were not good they definitely were but I found them to be mere tools to link the major plots of the story together. I found myself deeply invested in the story of unlocking the secrets of the past and it’s certainly a story that gives plenty of food for thought. Can you still love the man you always loved even if he was not who he said he was? What happens when the man you know as your grandfather turns out to have a past that will shock and anger you? Can you reconcile the man you know so well with what a photo seemingly says about him?
Isla goes to see her grandparents in the country. Her grandfather Tomasz who is Polish is now 95 and suffering from dementia has not spoken to his brother Andrzej in years. Whilst Isla is looking for something in the attic she stumbles across a rainbow scarf and a newspaper article with a photo of two German soldiers. The article details how a man earned the golden German cross for acts of bravery killing partisans in the Ukraine. She recognises one of the men as being her grandfather but didn’t he fight for the British during the war? The photo says different and Isla wants to know the truth. Her grandmother is evasive when questioned and also doesn’t want any extra upset placed on Tomasz considering his state of mind. Isla determines she must discover the answers for herself. Just who was Tomasz and why was he a German soldier in the war?
When Isla makes contact with Andrzej in Poland she knows if she wants answers she must go there to talk to him but Andrzej is grumpy, dark and moody. Tomasz made a mistake and it cost lives and he can never be forgiven for that. Isla is presented with Tomasz's diaries and through reading them she hopes to find out the truth. The scenes set in the present day were enough to get the story going and when we reverted back to them throughout the novel they strongly tied together questions that arose as we read about the past.
We are introduced to Tomasz in 1930 who resides in the Polish countryside on a farm with his family. An old caravan in a field leads to him meeting Kapaldi, who is like a magician of sorts. To me he was like an advisor to Tomasz and he goes on to play such a crucial role that was wonderfully but very subtly developed and I appreciated what a character he was. The years pass by and Tomasz falls in love with Zofia. They plan to spend their lives together but Hitler has other plans and if you do not have papers to prove you have German blood rather than Polish than the worst will befall you. German blood was believed to be superior, homes were taken from Poles for being Jewish or resisting German occupation and boys were rounded up to fight in the army. The peace and tranquillity of Tomasz's life was shattered.
Through one thing and another Tomasz is given a choice - his family will be moved to Germany to god knows what fate or else he must join the army and fight on the German side. This is where we see the beginnings of the turmoil that Tomasz faces throughout the remainder of the book. Of course, family must come first and he makes what he feels is the right decision but how can you live with yourself fighting on a side which promotes such hatred, abuse and brutality? Tomasz wrestles with his conscience time and time again and becomes increasingly angry at the madness surrounding him that he has no control over. The situation Tomasz finds himself in really makes you stop and think. If you saw a photo like Isla did and everything you knew about someone was a lie would your opinion of them instantly change or would you with hold judgement until if you have time to dig that little bit deeper?
Our views and opinions on the what the Germans did during the war are very strong and rightly so but this book makes you look beyond the bare details. That perhaps all is not as it seems at first glance in every case and regarding Tomasz, Isla is best to keep ploughing on until the real truth emerges. What could have Tomasz done during that time that made him so ashamed and his brother refused to speak to him ever again? You wonder had he no other choice? Do what your superiors asked of you or face being killed yourself not to mention the reprisals your family back home would receive if not. Yes, it brought shame on the family fighting on the German side and Tomasz was viewed as a traitor and it was like he had sold out his family but his love for Zofia always shone through and he had her at the forefront of his mind in everything he did.
The story dragged ever so slightly in the middle when Tomasz details where he is based and what he is doing but then the pace picked up again and I was completely riveted with all the various twists and turns. The author deftly highlighted the plight of Polish men forced to fight on a side inflicting so much horror and showed what pressure Tomasz was under. It was like he was a pawn in a game with someone turning the screw of control ever tighter. He really was faced with no choice but to keep going hoping he would emerge out the other side to his love and his family. You feel every bit of his fear and confusion as he grapples with knowing what the right thing is to do but then the hand that controls him wishes him to do the opposite. Another strand of the story begins to emerge towards the end which only served to increase the tension and unease which pervaded throughout the book and at one point you are left open mouthed in shock at what is unfolding before your eyes.
The ending perhaps was a little rushed but on reflection it was perfect as it made things come full circle and everything was fully explained to the reader. The Rainbow is an excellent read, packed full of emotions and you can tell the author has put so much time and effort into her research and thought carefully how she wished to convey her families story. It’s a story of courage, bravery and the sacrifices people will go to for love.I would definitely recommend The Rainbow and can’t wait to see what Carly Schabowksi brings us next.
The Rainbow moves back and forth between the past and the present with the past sections being more prevalent and I enjoyed them much more. That’s not to say the parts featuring Isla and her search for answers in the present day were not good they definitely were but I found them to be mere tools to link the major plots of the story together. I found myself deeply invested in the story of unlocking the secrets of the past and it’s certainly a story that gives plenty of food for thought. Can you still love the man you always loved even if he was not who he said he was? What happens when the man you know as your grandfather turns out to have a past that will shock and anger you? Can you reconcile the man you know so well with what a photo seemingly says about him?
Isla goes to see her grandparents in the country. Her grandfather Tomasz who is Polish is now 95 and suffering from dementia has not spoken to his brother Andrzej in years. Whilst Isla is looking for something in the attic she stumbles across a rainbow scarf and a newspaper article with a photo of two German soldiers. The article details how a man earned the golden German cross for acts of bravery killing partisans in the Ukraine. She recognises one of the men as being her grandfather but didn’t he fight for the British during the war? The photo says different and Isla wants to know the truth. Her grandmother is evasive when questioned and also doesn’t want any extra upset placed on Tomasz considering his state of mind. Isla determines she must discover the answers for herself. Just who was Tomasz and why was he a German soldier in the war?
When Isla makes contact with Andrzej in Poland she knows if she wants answers she must go there to talk to him but Andrzej is grumpy, dark and moody. Tomasz made a mistake and it cost lives and he can never be forgiven for that. Isla is presented with Tomasz's diaries and through reading them she hopes to find out the truth. The scenes set in the present day were enough to get the story going and when we reverted back to them throughout the novel they strongly tied together questions that arose as we read about the past.
We are introduced to Tomasz in 1930 who resides in the Polish countryside on a farm with his family. An old caravan in a field leads to him meeting Kapaldi, who is like a magician of sorts. To me he was like an advisor to Tomasz and he goes on to play such a crucial role that was wonderfully but very subtly developed and I appreciated what a character he was. The years pass by and Tomasz falls in love with Zofia. They plan to spend their lives together but Hitler has other plans and if you do not have papers to prove you have German blood rather than Polish than the worst will befall you. German blood was believed to be superior, homes were taken from Poles for being Jewish or resisting German occupation and boys were rounded up to fight in the army. The peace and tranquillity of Tomasz's life was shattered.
Through one thing and another Tomasz is given a choice - his family will be moved to Germany to god knows what fate or else he must join the army and fight on the German side. This is where we see the beginnings of the turmoil that Tomasz faces throughout the remainder of the book. Of course, family must come first and he makes what he feels is the right decision but how can you live with yourself fighting on a side which promotes such hatred, abuse and brutality? Tomasz wrestles with his conscience time and time again and becomes increasingly angry at the madness surrounding him that he has no control over. The situation Tomasz finds himself in really makes you stop and think. If you saw a photo like Isla did and everything you knew about someone was a lie would your opinion of them instantly change or would you with hold judgement until if you have time to dig that little bit deeper?
Our views and opinions on the what the Germans did during the war are very strong and rightly so but this book makes you look beyond the bare details. That perhaps all is not as it seems at first glance in every case and regarding Tomasz, Isla is best to keep ploughing on until the real truth emerges. What could have Tomasz done during that time that made him so ashamed and his brother refused to speak to him ever again? You wonder had he no other choice? Do what your superiors asked of you or face being killed yourself not to mention the reprisals your family back home would receive if not. Yes, it brought shame on the family fighting on the German side and Tomasz was viewed as a traitor and it was like he had sold out his family but his love for Zofia always shone through and he had her at the forefront of his mind in everything he did.
The story dragged ever so slightly in the middle when Tomasz details where he is based and what he is doing but then the pace picked up again and I was completely riveted with all the various twists and turns. The author deftly highlighted the plight of Polish men forced to fight on a side inflicting so much horror and showed what pressure Tomasz was under. It was like he was a pawn in a game with someone turning the screw of control ever tighter. He really was faced with no choice but to keep going hoping he would emerge out the other side to his love and his family. You feel every bit of his fear and confusion as he grapples with knowing what the right thing is to do but then the hand that controls him wishes him to do the opposite. Another strand of the story begins to emerge towards the end which only served to increase the tension and unease which pervaded throughout the book and at one point you are left open mouthed in shock at what is unfolding before your eyes.
The ending perhaps was a little rushed but on reflection it was perfect as it made things come full circle and everything was fully explained to the reader. The Rainbow is an excellent read, packed full of emotions and you can tell the author has put so much time and effort into her research and thought carefully how she wished to convey her families story. It’s a story of courage, bravery and the sacrifices people will go to for love.I would definitely recommend The Rainbow and can’t wait to see what Carly Schabowksi brings us next.
June 30, 2022
love me a good ww2 fiction
August 8, 2021
I am a sucker for historical fiction books, especially ones centered around World War II stories. The Rainbow by Carly Schabowski. What made this particular all the more unforgettable is because it was drawn from stories from Schabowski’s own family.
Isla loves her grandfather dearly, but dementia is slowly taking him away from her. Isla grew up with stories from her grandfather both growing up in Poland and during WWII where he bravely fought the nazi’s. But, while looking for pictures in the attic of her grandparents home, Isla comes across a rainbow scarf and a picture of someone in a nazi uniform. This someone who looks a lot like her grandfather. Isla’s grandmother is adamant it is not her grandfather but Isla does not believe it and while still curious to know, she knows she can’t ask her grandfather either. Here begins Isla’s quest to find out the meaning behind the picture as well as working through her own emotions of wondering if her grandfather really is the same good and honorable man she has always loved.
Schabowski really writes with such honesty and passion and each chapter of this story takes you deeper and deeper into the lives of its characters and the stories they have to share brings out so much emotion and so much heartbreak. Thomasz, Isla’s grandfather, is a hero, but he is also real with flaws and regrets. We come to know Thomasz when he was a young boy at ten years old, friendships that he has made – especially with Kapaldi, a gypsy and owner of the rainbow scarf. Their story really hits you hard and it is raw and moving. There is just so much that Schabowski brings to this story, so many wonderful passages that make you sit back and think. I can honestly say that Carly Schabowski is now on my radar and I am going to have to comb through her back books and buy all of them to read.
The Rainbow is an engrossing story that will leave you sobbing and emotional all the way through. What a great read!
Isla loves her grandfather dearly, but dementia is slowly taking him away from her. Isla grew up with stories from her grandfather both growing up in Poland and during WWII where he bravely fought the nazi’s. But, while looking for pictures in the attic of her grandparents home, Isla comes across a rainbow scarf and a picture of someone in a nazi uniform. This someone who looks a lot like her grandfather. Isla’s grandmother is adamant it is not her grandfather but Isla does not believe it and while still curious to know, she knows she can’t ask her grandfather either. Here begins Isla’s quest to find out the meaning behind the picture as well as working through her own emotions of wondering if her grandfather really is the same good and honorable man she has always loved.
Schabowski really writes with such honesty and passion and each chapter of this story takes you deeper and deeper into the lives of its characters and the stories they have to share brings out so much emotion and so much heartbreak. Thomasz, Isla’s grandfather, is a hero, but he is also real with flaws and regrets. We come to know Thomasz when he was a young boy at ten years old, friendships that he has made – especially with Kapaldi, a gypsy and owner of the rainbow scarf. Their story really hits you hard and it is raw and moving. There is just so much that Schabowski brings to this story, so many wonderful passages that make you sit back and think. I can honestly say that Carly Schabowski is now on my radar and I am going to have to comb through her back books and buy all of them to read.
The Rainbow is an engrossing story that will leave you sobbing and emotional all the way through. What a great read!
October 13, 2023
A heartbreaking but excellent read. Many times It made me remember the stories my Oma told me about working as a slave girl for a policeman’s family in Poland during WWII. Many details are vague and I would love some clarity like Isla received in this book but unfortunately my Oma’s mind is not able to bring details to light anymore.
Moral of the story: don’t let your family history be buried with those who carry it.
Moral of the story: don’t let your family history be buried with those who carry it.
December 23, 2021
It was a heartbreaking story. Many Polish men young and older were made to join the Luftwaffe and German Navy and the Wehrmacht or else. They would hurt or kill their children, parents, friends, siblings, sweetheart and wife. If the Polish soldier defied the German Colonel, Majors orders . Many were too scared to cross the The Third Reich. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book very much
January 20, 2023
A beautifully written heart wrenching tale following Isla who tries to piece together her grandfather’s history after finding an old wartime photograph. Impossible not to shed a tear or two. Fabulous read.
September 7, 2024
Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, this story is beautifully heart wrenching but also full of hope and love. The dual timelines and multiple POVs really gave it so much depth and detail. The characters were well developed and enjoyable to read about as well. Highly recommend!
August 28, 2021
Really enjoyed this book. Opened up anew perspective on WW2 from a Polish angle. Would highly recommend. 4.5.
September 18, 2021
This was my first book by this author and I loved it! Highly recommend!
October 17, 2021
This was another beautifully written WWII story. It goes back and forth between present day when Isla discovers a disturbing newspaper article bout her grandfather who is suffering from dementia, implying that he was a Nazi. She sets out to find the truth, the story moving back and forth between her and what her grandfather went through. I loved this book and would highly recommend it.
4.5 stars rounded up.
4.5 stars rounded up.
April 22, 2023
This book was a heartbreaking a story of the often unspoken atrocities that happened in Poland during the Second World War and also the story of a women’s love for her elderly grandparents
March 8, 2024
I had a hard time getting into this book and for me it didn’t start getting interesting until the last quarter of the book.
January 13, 2024
Incredible story! Very well written.
June 30, 2021
This book evokes so many emotions. Based loosely on memories the Authors grandfather has growing up in Poland and being forcibly conscripted into the German Army. Many Polish boys were conscipted in this way, this is the first novel i have read about this.
Isla is preparing for her beloved Grandfathers birthday when she finds an old photograph of him in a German War uniform and a very colourful scarf. Unable to question her grandfather due to his dementia She travels to Poland to try to discover the truth.
I recommend everyone to read this lovely novel
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review
Isla is preparing for her beloved Grandfathers birthday when she finds an old photograph of him in a German War uniform and a very colourful scarf. Unable to question her grandfather due to his dementia She travels to Poland to try to discover the truth.
I recommend everyone to read this lovely novel
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review
Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews