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When We Fall
In England, 1943, British pilot Vee Katchatourian is determined to get her flying Wings, in spite of her sex and foreign name. Meanwhile, in Occupied Poland, Ewa Hartman serves German officers in her father's guest house, while secretly gathering intelligence for the resistance. What neither woman knows is that they are in love with the same man... Stefan Bergel is haunted by a choice he made whilst held in Russian captivity. Now, he's one of the only surviving witnesses of an appalling war crime - a crime that risks going unpunished. Compelled to expose the truth, Stefan asks both women to take enormous risks for him. Their actions could completely change the course of the war... but is he asking too much? Based partly on real events, When We Fall is a moving story of three lives forever altered by a fatal choice made amidst the horror of WWII. Delving into ideas of identity, love and sacrifice, it is ideal for fans of Sebastian Faulks' Charlotte Gray.
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First published April 10, 2020
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About the author
Carolyn Kirby
5 books25 followersCarolyn Kirby's debut novel The Conviction of Cora Burns was chosen for awards by the Historical Writers Association and by the Specsavers/Crimefest debut crime fiction prize. Carolyn's second novel When We Fall was one of The Times' top 20 historical novels of 2020.
Originally from the northeast of England, Carolyn studied history at St Hilda’s College, Oxford and she is now on the organising committee for the annual St Hilda's Crime Fiction Weekend. To find out more, go to www.carolynkirby.com
Originally from the northeast of England, Carolyn studied history at St Hilda’s College, Oxford and she is now on the organising committee for the annual St Hilda's Crime Fiction Weekend. To find out more, go to www.carolynkirby.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
May 8, 2020
When We Fall is based on the Katyn massacre of 1940, until this story I wasn’t aware of this tragic event but the author’s note says the book is inspired by the fact that that all of the victims were men, except for one woman, a female pilot.
It is 1943. Vee Katchatourian, a young British woman of Armenian descent, is an Air Transport Auxillary pilot. She is new to the job and whilst delivering her Tiger Moth gets lost in fog and makes an emergency landing at an airfield in Essex. This is where she meets Flight Sergeant Stefan Bergel, of 302 Squadron, a young Polish pilot who will make such an impression, the consequences of which she has yet to fully understand.
In Poznan, Poland, Ewa (or to give her German equivalent name which she must use) Eva, Hartman, is working in the family guesthouse with her father, serving the occupying German SS officers whilst assisting the AK, the Polish underground army by passing on messages together with information she gleans from the Germans. It’s a dangerous task especially doing this right under the noses of the SS but Ewa must do what she can to help her country. Her fiancee Stefan, has been missing for over 3 years and she fears that he is dead.
When We Fall is both a powerful and compelling story based on true events. We see a little of Vee’s life as a pilot and her frustration at the best flying jobs being given to the men, and the racism she suffers because of her name. She was as brave as any man – the planes rarely had radios so she had to use her own instincts and skills when tackling challenging flying conditions.
Ewa features in much more of the story. Another brave and strong character, she trod a fine line between keeping her true Polish origins and activities secret to keep both herself and her father safe.
Both women’s lives are connected by one man. Stefan. He certainly was a troubled and complex character. For much of the story I couldn’t make up my mind about him; whose side he was really on or whether he could be trusted and this is was the aspect that intrigued me the most.
There are some shocking and harrowing scenes described, particularly with regard to the massacre. Most of the atrocities happen off the page or are hinted at but the inclusion is necessary to the authenticity of the story.
The author has superbly woven a fictional story around a true historical event. I was completely absorbed by the lives of these characters, for some people, every day was a danger and one that they may not survive. All three of them had difficult choices to make. The author’s detailed research comes over clearly and the story, whilst heartbreaking at times, is one that will capture your heart.
It was only when I got to the end, and then having read the prologue again, that I realised how perfect the title is for the book.
This was an excellent read and one to be recommended.
It is 1943. Vee Katchatourian, a young British woman of Armenian descent, is an Air Transport Auxillary pilot. She is new to the job and whilst delivering her Tiger Moth gets lost in fog and makes an emergency landing at an airfield in Essex. This is where she meets Flight Sergeant Stefan Bergel, of 302 Squadron, a young Polish pilot who will make such an impression, the consequences of which she has yet to fully understand.
In Poznan, Poland, Ewa (or to give her German equivalent name which she must use) Eva, Hartman, is working in the family guesthouse with her father, serving the occupying German SS officers whilst assisting the AK, the Polish underground army by passing on messages together with information she gleans from the Germans. It’s a dangerous task especially doing this right under the noses of the SS but Ewa must do what she can to help her country. Her fiancee Stefan, has been missing for over 3 years and she fears that he is dead.
When We Fall is both a powerful and compelling story based on true events. We see a little of Vee’s life as a pilot and her frustration at the best flying jobs being given to the men, and the racism she suffers because of her name. She was as brave as any man – the planes rarely had radios so she had to use her own instincts and skills when tackling challenging flying conditions.
Ewa features in much more of the story. Another brave and strong character, she trod a fine line between keeping her true Polish origins and activities secret to keep both herself and her father safe.
Both women’s lives are connected by one man. Stefan. He certainly was a troubled and complex character. For much of the story I couldn’t make up my mind about him; whose side he was really on or whether he could be trusted and this is was the aspect that intrigued me the most.
There are some shocking and harrowing scenes described, particularly with regard to the massacre. Most of the atrocities happen off the page or are hinted at but the inclusion is necessary to the authenticity of the story.
The author has superbly woven a fictional story around a true historical event. I was completely absorbed by the lives of these characters, for some people, every day was a danger and one that they may not survive. All three of them had difficult choices to make. The author’s detailed research comes over clearly and the story, whilst heartbreaking at times, is one that will capture your heart.
It was only when I got to the end, and then having read the prologue again, that I realised how perfect the title is for the book.
This was an excellent read and one to be recommended.
May 21, 2020
I really enjoyed Carolyn Kirby’s debut novel, The Conviction of Cora Burns, describing it in my review as “an intensely satisfying read that I can wholeheartedly recommend to readers who like their historical fiction to have real depth”. I’m happy to say those comments equally apply to When We Fall.
When We Fall combines the gradual unfolding of a complex web of relationships with moments of intense darkness and high drama, all set against the backdrop of World War II. I also loved that the book explores other themes, such as questions of identity and the symbolism of how we name things.
For example, Ewa, has German heritage but considers Poland her homeland. Poland’s history is one of occupation and re-occupation by other countries and in 1943, the occupying power is Nazi Germany. They have outlawed the Polish language and are engaged in changing the names of people and places to their German versions. For instance, Poznan to Posen. So Ewa must discipline herself to respond to the name Eva and to suppress her natural inclination to speak Polish. A lapse in the latter could be viewed as a ‘symptom of questionable national loyalty’ and bring unwelcome attention from the authorities on herself, and her father. Leading essentially a double life – as Eva, the attentive, German speaking guest house waitress and Ewa, the Polish speaking Resistance operative – she observes of her two identities that “each one speaks and acts like a different person”. She even dresses to match her role on occasions.
Incidentally, I thought it a clever touch to have the other main female character choose to be known as Vee, although her name is actually Valerie, and have her surname of Katchatourian suggest she is foreign when she was in fact born in England. Interestingly, Vee’s heritage is Armenian, a country that through the centuries was under the sway of both the Russian and Ottoman empires. Sadly, it was also the location of a massacre, now designated a genocide, during and after the First World War.
Talking of Vee, I really enjoyed the scenes in which she takes to the skies. As a reader, you get a sense of the exhilaration of flying in a small aircraft, something I’ve never done and, frankly, am unlikely ever to do. For example, this description of Vee’s first time flying the iconic Spitfire: ‘Never has an aeroplane felt more at home in its element. Higher, higher. The Spitfire is cushioned by the air. Falling is inconceivable.’ I was brought down to earth (apologies for the pun) by learning that, being a single seater plane, at some point every Spitfire pilot had to get in what was then ‘the fastest machine on earth’ and fly it, for the first time, alone.
In Stefan Bergel, and in the other man who comes to play a pivotal role in Ewa’s life, the author has created two complex characters who possess both attractive and decidedly unattractive sides. I confess I found it difficult to understand Ewa’s devotion to Stefan, even leaving aside what the reader knows but Ewa doesn’t. He shows little awareness of the impact his long, unexplained absence has had on her and, when they are reunited, seems more interested in resuming the physical side of their relationship than anything else. And the other man? On first sight, he appears more of a catch. However, as one character remarks, “It may not be clear where everyone’s loyalties really lie until they are tested”. Or, what form that test will take.
There are many clever touches I could mention such as the atmospheric section titles. [Ed: That’s enough of the puns now.] In addition, the book’s title lends itself to a variety of interpretations: falling in the literal sense, either by accident or design; in a philosophical sense, as when we fail to meet our own or other’s expectations; or in a moral sense when we give in to temptation.
In the final chapters, the revelations come thick and fast; some of these took my breath away. In a sense, When We Fall completes the mission its characters struggle so hard to achieve. The book is a great example of why I love historical fiction. It transported me to a different time and place, drew me into the lives of its characters and taught me things I didn’t know. When We Fall is a wonderful mix of historical fact and fiction, fuelled by a gripping story. Like Vee’s Spitfire, it soars joyfully.
When We Fall combines the gradual unfolding of a complex web of relationships with moments of intense darkness and high drama, all set against the backdrop of World War II. I also loved that the book explores other themes, such as questions of identity and the symbolism of how we name things.
For example, Ewa, has German heritage but considers Poland her homeland. Poland’s history is one of occupation and re-occupation by other countries and in 1943, the occupying power is Nazi Germany. They have outlawed the Polish language and are engaged in changing the names of people and places to their German versions. For instance, Poznan to Posen. So Ewa must discipline herself to respond to the name Eva and to suppress her natural inclination to speak Polish. A lapse in the latter could be viewed as a ‘symptom of questionable national loyalty’ and bring unwelcome attention from the authorities on herself, and her father. Leading essentially a double life – as Eva, the attentive, German speaking guest house waitress and Ewa, the Polish speaking Resistance operative – she observes of her two identities that “each one speaks and acts like a different person”. She even dresses to match her role on occasions.
Incidentally, I thought it a clever touch to have the other main female character choose to be known as Vee, although her name is actually Valerie, and have her surname of Katchatourian suggest she is foreign when she was in fact born in England. Interestingly, Vee’s heritage is Armenian, a country that through the centuries was under the sway of both the Russian and Ottoman empires. Sadly, it was also the location of a massacre, now designated a genocide, during and after the First World War.
Talking of Vee, I really enjoyed the scenes in which she takes to the skies. As a reader, you get a sense of the exhilaration of flying in a small aircraft, something I’ve never done and, frankly, am unlikely ever to do. For example, this description of Vee’s first time flying the iconic Spitfire: ‘Never has an aeroplane felt more at home in its element. Higher, higher. The Spitfire is cushioned by the air. Falling is inconceivable.’ I was brought down to earth (apologies for the pun) by learning that, being a single seater plane, at some point every Spitfire pilot had to get in what was then ‘the fastest machine on earth’ and fly it, for the first time, alone.
In Stefan Bergel, and in the other man who comes to play a pivotal role in Ewa’s life, the author has created two complex characters who possess both attractive and decidedly unattractive sides. I confess I found it difficult to understand Ewa’s devotion to Stefan, even leaving aside what the reader knows but Ewa doesn’t. He shows little awareness of the impact his long, unexplained absence has had on her and, when they are reunited, seems more interested in resuming the physical side of their relationship than anything else. And the other man? On first sight, he appears more of a catch. However, as one character remarks, “It may not be clear where everyone’s loyalties really lie until they are tested”. Or, what form that test will take.
There are many clever touches I could mention such as the atmospheric section titles. [Ed: That’s enough of the puns now.] In addition, the book’s title lends itself to a variety of interpretations: falling in the literal sense, either by accident or design; in a philosophical sense, as when we fail to meet our own or other’s expectations; or in a moral sense when we give in to temptation.
In the final chapters, the revelations come thick and fast; some of these took my breath away. In a sense, When We Fall completes the mission its characters struggle so hard to achieve. The book is a great example of why I love historical fiction. It transported me to a different time and place, drew me into the lives of its characters and taught me things I didn’t know. When We Fall is a wonderful mix of historical fact and fiction, fuelled by a gripping story. Like Vee’s Spitfire, it soars joyfully.
April 7, 2020
Having read and really enjoyed the authors debut novel, I was eager to read her newest offering, When We Fall.
Set during the war, I really liked that we get to meet a female pilot. It’s certainly not something you see often in historical fiction so I was slightly in awe of Vee. I have to say the cover is just perfect for the story within in it.
Through the characters, we get to see what life was back then. The people in the front line as well as people trying to help out within the secret intelligence. It makes it at times a fraught read, knowing the risks that some of them are taking.
Vee and Ewa’s lives are entwined by one man. Stefan. Admittedly I wasn’t over keen on Stefan. It’s hard to know how any of us would act when we are faced with life threatening decisions and a war going on. I would like to think that I wouldn’t have messed with two different but strong women in their own rights, feelings.
When We Fall took me on an engrossing journey that had me go through an array of emotions. It is a stark look at the lengths people went to back then. The author’s writing is mesmerizing. She has a wonderful gift of story telling that captivates her readers. Very different to her last book but equally as good. I for one can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next.
My thanks to Anne Cater and No Exit Press for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
Set during the war, I really liked that we get to meet a female pilot. It’s certainly not something you see often in historical fiction so I was slightly in awe of Vee. I have to say the cover is just perfect for the story within in it.
Through the characters, we get to see what life was back then. The people in the front line as well as people trying to help out within the secret intelligence. It makes it at times a fraught read, knowing the risks that some of them are taking.
Vee and Ewa’s lives are entwined by one man. Stefan. Admittedly I wasn’t over keen on Stefan. It’s hard to know how any of us would act when we are faced with life threatening decisions and a war going on. I would like to think that I wouldn’t have messed with two different but strong women in their own rights, feelings.
When We Fall took me on an engrossing journey that had me go through an array of emotions. It is a stark look at the lengths people went to back then. The author’s writing is mesmerizing. She has a wonderful gift of story telling that captivates her readers. Very different to her last book but equally as good. I for one can’t wait to see what she has in store for us next.
My thanks to Anne Cater and No Exit Press for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
May 24, 2020
I absolutely loved this author’s first book so I was very excited to read more from her. Once again she blew me away with another beautiful, heartbreaking and thoroughly engrossing read.
Firstly I hadn’t heard of the Katyn massacre before so I found it very interesting to learn more about it especially as it’s a part of ww2 history which is one of my favourite periods of history. The author has cleverly weaved real life facts from the event, like there being one women victim, into the story which makes the story seem more realistic and made me care about the characters. It was great to learn more about the roles women played in the war too as I feel they are sometimes overlooked.
One of the things I most enjoy about this author is her ability to create storylines that the reader can get completely absorbed into. I felt like I was living events alongside the characters, feeling everything that they did. This book manages to be a gripping thriller but also a heartbreaking read which helped keep me glued to the page. I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to No Exit Press for my copy of this book via Netgalley. If you are a fan of beautifully written, absorbing historical fiction then I thoroughly recommend this book!
Firstly I hadn’t heard of the Katyn massacre before so I found it very interesting to learn more about it especially as it’s a part of ww2 history which is one of my favourite periods of history. The author has cleverly weaved real life facts from the event, like there being one women victim, into the story which makes the story seem more realistic and made me care about the characters. It was great to learn more about the roles women played in the war too as I feel they are sometimes overlooked.
One of the things I most enjoy about this author is her ability to create storylines that the reader can get completely absorbed into. I felt like I was living events alongside the characters, feeling everything that they did. This book manages to be a gripping thriller but also a heartbreaking read which helped keep me glued to the page. I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to No Exit Press for my copy of this book via Netgalley. If you are a fan of beautifully written, absorbing historical fiction then I thoroughly recommend this book!
September 9, 2020
We’re in England in the middle of WW2 when we meet strong-willed Vee, a pilot whose job involves shuttling planes around English airfields. When she meets Stefan, one of the members of a RAF Polish Fighter Squadron, she is instantly smitten.
Meanwhile in Poland we meet Ewa, who is involved with the Polish resistance movement, while grieving the loss of her fiancé Stefan. He was last heard from languishing in a Russian POW camp three years ago. How Stefan ended up in England and why he hasn’t let Ewa know that he’s alive is unclear. Bad Stefan.
It’s a complicated plot and it’s been written to stretch out suspense about character’s motivations at the detriment of character development. I felt like we were told repeatedly to believe that Ewa and Stefan had this great love without ever feeling it – he seemed like a selfish jerk to me – while Vee made decisions that were hard to believe in.
I did particularly enjoy the descriptions of flying the WW2 planes and the ending is quite moving.
This has attracted rave reviews here on GR but it was fairly ordinary in my opinion.
Meanwhile in Poland we meet Ewa, who is involved with the Polish resistance movement, while grieving the loss of her fiancé Stefan. He was last heard from languishing in a Russian POW camp three years ago. How Stefan ended up in England and why he hasn’t let Ewa know that he’s alive is unclear. Bad Stefan.
It’s a complicated plot and it’s been written to stretch out suspense about character’s motivations at the detriment of character development. I felt like we were told repeatedly to believe that Ewa and Stefan had this great love without ever feeling it – he seemed like a selfish jerk to me – while Vee made decisions that were hard to believe in.
I did particularly enjoy the descriptions of flying the WW2 planes and the ending is quite moving.
This has attracted rave reviews here on GR but it was fairly ordinary in my opinion.
May 4, 2020
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I really enjoyed this story and for me it had everything that I look for in a historical fiction read, and I love the cover, it is not one I would really expect to see on a book in that genre but it really suits the story.
The story was fabulous, it was very well developed and I loved the way that the author told it. It was a completely addictive read and I loved how she brought the story to life for me. The characters were so well developed I really did feel as though I knew them. The book was inspired by true accounts and 2020 being the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War gives the book an extra special feeling. What these people went through at times was truly inspiring, and shocking in equal measure.
The story was cleverly written to bring the era and what the two main female characters would have been doing at the time to life. I read an awful lot of historical fiction and this is definitely a highlight of my reading year in this genre so far this year – I really enjoyed it from start to finish.
It is 5 stars from me, I thought this was a brilliant book, lovely to read and an excellent story – very highly recommended and a must for anyone reading around the events of WWII – this is a great insight as to what women would have really got involved in!!
I really enjoyed this story and for me it had everything that I look for in a historical fiction read, and I love the cover, it is not one I would really expect to see on a book in that genre but it really suits the story.
The story was fabulous, it was very well developed and I loved the way that the author told it. It was a completely addictive read and I loved how she brought the story to life for me. The characters were so well developed I really did feel as though I knew them. The book was inspired by true accounts and 2020 being the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War gives the book an extra special feeling. What these people went through at times was truly inspiring, and shocking in equal measure.
The story was cleverly written to bring the era and what the two main female characters would have been doing at the time to life. I read an awful lot of historical fiction and this is definitely a highlight of my reading year in this genre so far this year – I really enjoyed it from start to finish.
It is 5 stars from me, I thought this was a brilliant book, lovely to read and an excellent story – very highly recommended and a must for anyone reading around the events of WWII – this is a great insight as to what women would have really got involved in!!
March 1, 2020
I have heard good things about Carolyn Kirby’s first novel The Conviction of Cora Burns, so I was excited to be accepted for a copy of When we fall.
Set mainly in England and Poland in the Second world war Vee Katchatourian is a pilot for the ATA when she is asked to fly Tiger Moth to RAF Bradwell, when she meets the dashing Flight Sergeant Stefan Bergel of 302 Squadron, a Polish pilot who escaped Russia to come to Britain. There is an instant attraction which will lead her years later to her demise.
Ewa a waitress and cook at a boarding house in Berlin. She works with her father and is also a member of the Resistance. She is Stefan’s fiancé but, hasn’t seen him for a couple of years. She fears him dead.
The story follows the two women, their bravery and the struggles during the war and the link between them that includes Stefan Bergel. How he came into both their lives and how he uses both women for his own gains. Not thinking of their own feelings. The two women only meet into a fleeting glance, never to see each other again.
This is superbly written, quite shocking historical novel. It has a great unique storyline. Love the story of the two female protagonists but I didn’t like the character of Stefan and how selfish he was to get what he wanted. This had a different perspective to others of this type so because of that, this is well worth the read.
Set mainly in England and Poland in the Second world war Vee Katchatourian is a pilot for the ATA when she is asked to fly Tiger Moth to RAF Bradwell, when she meets the dashing Flight Sergeant Stefan Bergel of 302 Squadron, a Polish pilot who escaped Russia to come to Britain. There is an instant attraction which will lead her years later to her demise.
Ewa a waitress and cook at a boarding house in Berlin. She works with her father and is also a member of the Resistance. She is Stefan’s fiancé but, hasn’t seen him for a couple of years. She fears him dead.
The story follows the two women, their bravery and the struggles during the war and the link between them that includes Stefan Bergel. How he came into both their lives and how he uses both women for his own gains. Not thinking of their own feelings. The two women only meet into a fleeting glance, never to see each other again.
This is superbly written, quite shocking historical novel. It has a great unique storyline. Love the story of the two female protagonists but I didn’t like the character of Stefan and how selfish he was to get what he wanted. This had a different perspective to others of this type so because of that, this is well worth the read.
April 25, 2020
This is my favourite kind of read – one that takes me to another world but at the same time teaches me new things about the world.
I feel privileged that I was able to read this before publication and I thank Netgalley for the opportunity. The following is my honest review.
Wow – what a book! Caroline Kirby took twelve years to write this astounding debut novel and I am not surprised. It is beautifully written, with snippets and sentences that made me stop and re-read because they so perfectly and evocatively described the scenes for me:
“…a spark quickens in Ewa’s stomach like the first strike of a lighter.”
“… pigeon wings flapping like a round of applause.”
“Close by, there is a sudden lash of water. Ewa jerks round and Haller’s torch beam carves across the butter-yellow skirt and to to black trees…”
“… the bright egg of the moon…”
“The Sturmbannführer’s fishy breath is in her face. He is close enough for each fleck of dandruff to take on its own distinctive shape.”
“ …[coffee], like “the brown liquid tastes of school toilets and mud.”
These are only a few examples of the author’s amazing voice.
The love scene in the church is amazing, as is the scene in the swimming pool – they came to life like scenes in a film. There is a hint of how the story will all fall into place, mirrored in the architecture: “How elegantly the disparate shapes fit together, How naturally the architectural lines flow into each other.” In fact, I think this book would make an excellent film.
The main protagonists of “When we Fall” are four disparate main characters from England and Poland/Germany during World War 2, all faced with difficult choices, all flawed in their own ways. And they make for an interesting ride. My favourite character, Vee, is a fairly new pilot with the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary), an organisation about which I knew very little. Many of these pilots were women – ferrying new and damaged military planes between factories, scrapyards, airfields and different delivery centres. [My only gripe with the book was the occasional use of jargon – I had to look up several abbreviations]. Vee is a “wobbly” pilot and she is head-over-heels (deliciously, reluctantly) with Stefan. I liked that I was never sure about this Polish character. Whose side was he really on? There is plenty of intrigue, mystery and complication in the story to keep you turning the pages. And, indeed, the history of the extinct Republic of Poland, the way Nazi occupation carved up the country, the involvement of Russia, its annexation – is all complicated. Sometimes, I felt truth was being stretched with some of the plot – but truth IS after all stranger than fiction and at the very beginning of the book, there is a British newspaper report from 2010 that sets the scene for the mystery that will unfold: the crash of a plane containing at least 90 passengers, including a delegation of Poland’s army chief, MPs and leading historians flying from Warsaw to mark the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre of more than 20,000 Polish officers during the Second World War… Reader, get ready for an intriguing ride!
The author has obviously spent a lot of time in research but she has more than successfully woven history into her narrative and given us extra besides. These characters were young people living in truly dreadful times: so, there are love stories that will tear at the heart strings (Ewa asks herself at the start of the story: “is the rest of her youth to slip by without any sort of love? She cannot save herself for a ghost”) and what happens between them will make you shout “no, no, no…” ) “will she choose the ghost of Stefan Bergl over Heinrich Beck, who is here beside her and pulsing with life?”) and “yes, yes, yes…” but reader, you will always want to turn the next page because, “No one can be trusted one hundred per cent” and you’ll want to know the truth.
I love the little illustrations of women flying or diving at the start of the relevant sections. Nice touch.
Congratulations to the author and my hat goes off to her persistence. Your twelve years were well used, Caroline Kirby. Thank you for writing your book.
I feel privileged that I was able to read this before publication and I thank Netgalley for the opportunity. The following is my honest review.
Wow – what a book! Caroline Kirby took twelve years to write this astounding debut novel and I am not surprised. It is beautifully written, with snippets and sentences that made me stop and re-read because they so perfectly and evocatively described the scenes for me:
“…a spark quickens in Ewa’s stomach like the first strike of a lighter.”
“… pigeon wings flapping like a round of applause.”
“Close by, there is a sudden lash of water. Ewa jerks round and Haller’s torch beam carves across the butter-yellow skirt and to to black trees…”
“… the bright egg of the moon…”
“The Sturmbannführer’s fishy breath is in her face. He is close enough for each fleck of dandruff to take on its own distinctive shape.”
“ …[coffee], like “the brown liquid tastes of school toilets and mud.”
These are only a few examples of the author’s amazing voice.
The love scene in the church is amazing, as is the scene in the swimming pool – they came to life like scenes in a film. There is a hint of how the story will all fall into place, mirrored in the architecture: “How elegantly the disparate shapes fit together, How naturally the architectural lines flow into each other.” In fact, I think this book would make an excellent film.
The main protagonists of “When we Fall” are four disparate main characters from England and Poland/Germany during World War 2, all faced with difficult choices, all flawed in their own ways. And they make for an interesting ride. My favourite character, Vee, is a fairly new pilot with the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary), an organisation about which I knew very little. Many of these pilots were women – ferrying new and damaged military planes between factories, scrapyards, airfields and different delivery centres. [My only gripe with the book was the occasional use of jargon – I had to look up several abbreviations]. Vee is a “wobbly” pilot and she is head-over-heels (deliciously, reluctantly) with Stefan. I liked that I was never sure about this Polish character. Whose side was he really on? There is plenty of intrigue, mystery and complication in the story to keep you turning the pages. And, indeed, the history of the extinct Republic of Poland, the way Nazi occupation carved up the country, the involvement of Russia, its annexation – is all complicated. Sometimes, I felt truth was being stretched with some of the plot – but truth IS after all stranger than fiction and at the very beginning of the book, there is a British newspaper report from 2010 that sets the scene for the mystery that will unfold: the crash of a plane containing at least 90 passengers, including a delegation of Poland’s army chief, MPs and leading historians flying from Warsaw to mark the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre of more than 20,000 Polish officers during the Second World War… Reader, get ready for an intriguing ride!
The author has obviously spent a lot of time in research but she has more than successfully woven history into her narrative and given us extra besides. These characters were young people living in truly dreadful times: so, there are love stories that will tear at the heart strings (Ewa asks herself at the start of the story: “is the rest of her youth to slip by without any sort of love? She cannot save herself for a ghost”) and what happens between them will make you shout “no, no, no…” ) “will she choose the ghost of Stefan Bergl over Heinrich Beck, who is here beside her and pulsing with life?”) and “yes, yes, yes…” but reader, you will always want to turn the next page because, “No one can be trusted one hundred per cent” and you’ll want to know the truth.
I love the little illustrations of women flying or diving at the start of the relevant sections. Nice touch.
Congratulations to the author and my hat goes off to her persistence. Your twelve years were well used, Caroline Kirby. Thank you for writing your book.
December 10, 2019
‘When We Fall’ by Carolyn Kirby is an engrossing read set predominantly in Poland during the Second World War. The novel features two strong and courageous women: Ewa Hartman, who lives in her father’s guesthouse serving the occupying Germans whilst also working for the Polish resistance movement and Vee Katchatourian, who is a pilot in the British Air Transport Auxiliary, having to deal not just with daily institutional sexism but also racism courtesy of her Armenian surname. Whilst they glance at each other once, fleetingly, they are linked by their relationships with Flight Sergeant Stefan Bergel, 302 Squadron, a Polish pilot who has escaped to the UK.
Kirby has created a charismatic hero in Bergel and his ongoing secret suffering, linked to the Katyn massacre, as detail in the novel’s epigraph, is part of this compelling tale. Bergel is one moment an action hero of derring-do and, another, a cheating cad who uses others for his own gains. However, the reader comes to appreciate that personal guilt is woven into his political determination. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Even so, it is the women’s roles in this story which are the most memorable. Kirby not only gives us a very detailed and convincing description of the battles they have to fight, the dangers they have to overcome and the emotional strain that they are both under but she also allows these women to be doubtful, jealous and despairing. They are far more than a pilot’s appendage.
This story is completely absorbing, combining fascinating and sometimes shocking historical elements with an unusual love story. It is not until the end of the tale that we can be completely sure of Stefan’s motives and true feelings - and neither can the person he lived for, because of this, who has lived for decades in a state of emotional limbo. Whilst this novel deserves to be widely read on its own merits, it would also make a wonderful television adaptation, given its unusual storyline and its extraordinary characters.
My thanks to NetGalley and Oldcastle Books No Exit Press for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.
Kirby has created a charismatic hero in Bergel and his ongoing secret suffering, linked to the Katyn massacre, as detail in the novel’s epigraph, is part of this compelling tale. Bergel is one moment an action hero of derring-do and, another, a cheating cad who uses others for his own gains. However, the reader comes to appreciate that personal guilt is woven into his political determination. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Even so, it is the women’s roles in this story which are the most memorable. Kirby not only gives us a very detailed and convincing description of the battles they have to fight, the dangers they have to overcome and the emotional strain that they are both under but she also allows these women to be doubtful, jealous and despairing. They are far more than a pilot’s appendage.
This story is completely absorbing, combining fascinating and sometimes shocking historical elements with an unusual love story. It is not until the end of the tale that we can be completely sure of Stefan’s motives and true feelings - and neither can the person he lived for, because of this, who has lived for decades in a state of emotional limbo. Whilst this novel deserves to be widely read on its own merits, it would also make a wonderful television adaptation, given its unusual storyline and its extraordinary characters.
My thanks to NetGalley and Oldcastle Books No Exit Press for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.
June 25, 2020
I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to read The Conviction of Cora Burns recently and I enjoyed it thoroughly so when No Exit Press and NetGalley gave me the chance to read When We Fall, I was chuffed to bits.
First off, let me say that I’m not a big fan of WW2 fiction but as this is written by Carolyn Kirby, I thought I’d give it a shot. I’m pleased that I did because I found this book to be well researched, brilliantly written and a joy to read considering some of the subject matter. I’d not heard of the Katyn Massacre before though I can understand why as it was hidden from the world for so long by both sides of the war.
The two women in the story, Vee and Ewa, are as strong, brave and heroic as any man involved with the war and the writer’s portrayal of them is excellent. That said, I genuinely cannot understand what either woman sees in Stefan. I felt all the way through the book that I couldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him, I thought that he was a pretty shifty character.
I didn’t enjoy this as much as the writer’s previous book but I think that’s because it’s set in WW2, my least favourite historical period.
May 13, 2020
When We Fall is set during the tumultuous latter years of WW2 and in it we are introduced to two very different young women, each forced to play a wartime role they didn’t expect, and both of them caught up with Stefan Bergel, an enigmatic young pilot who carries with him an air of mystery.
Vee Katchatourian is a female pilot enlisted with the ATS and given the exciting and rather dangerous task of transporting fighter aeroplanes around to RAF bases in the UK. In occupied Poland, Ewa Hartman helps her father to run the family guesthouse in Poznan,where they are forced to give hospitality to German officers who are billeted in the town. Ordinarily the lives of these two brave young women should never have intertwined, but their very different relationships with Stefan Bergel will see both them facing grave danger.
Focused on the effect of living in a time when neither safety, nor shelter, was easily found, an uneasy atmosphere of mistrust pervades and I was quickly drawn into a story which is both poignant and dangerous in equal measure. Not only is wartime Poland brought to vivid life but there is also a specific thread to the story which refers to the Katyn Massacre, an event which happened in 1945, where Polish military officers were captured and killed by Soviet secret forces which is an atrocity I am ashamed to say I knew absolutely nothing about. All credit to the author for bringing this tragedy into focus on its 75th anniversary.
When We Fall is beautifully written, crisp and sharp with no emotion wasted and no expression left unobserved. Time and place slot together perfectly, from the stultified boredom of inactivity as Vee longs to fly, but doesn’t always get her pick of the choicest aircraft, to the creeping sense of disquiet as Ewa’s clandestine involvement with the local resistance places her in constant danger of discovery.
At times unutterably sad and at others, nail bitingly dangerous, When We Fall brings to poignant life such a tragic time in world history.
December 4, 2019
This is a superb book which nimbly balances believable characters and a clever and well constructed plot. It’s a welcome addition to such fiction to find two very strong female protagonists, who each hold their own in difficult circumstances.
It is well paced and will hugely appeal to those who like historical fiction as well as crime/spy books and others who generally enjoy a page turning read.
Many thanks to Netgalley and No Exit Press for an ARC in consideration of an honest review.
It is well paced and will hugely appeal to those who like historical fiction as well as crime/spy books and others who generally enjoy a page turning read.
Many thanks to Netgalley and No Exit Press for an ARC in consideration of an honest review.
May 4, 2020
I was excited to receive an advance copy of this WW2 novel, due out on 7 May, as it ticked two boxes that interest me particularly about the period. The Air Transport Auxiliary, with its female pilots flying alongside male counterparts, and the Nazi occupation of Poland, neither of which seem to have had a great deal of coverage in historical fiction recently. This makes the book timely as well as fascinating, as both areas are gathering interest. In terms of the latter, Roger Moorhouse’ excellent First To Fight released last year provided a sorely needed new nonfiction text about the role of Poland at the beginning of the war, and its treatment at the hands of both Nazi Germany and Stalin’s USSR, and it’s good to see historical fiction moving into this space too. The novel takes place under the shadow of the Katyn massacre, which permeates the narrative and forms the driving force behind the narrative, even when the characters don’t realise it.
For all the interest provided by the settings, it’s the characters who immediately leap off the page. The central characters – two women, one man – are complex, even contradictory, and engaging if sometimes frustrating (they are human, after all). Vee is an ATA pilot who more than the others seems to be struggling to fit into her place in a rapidly changing world. Ewa works at her father’s guesthouse in occupied Poznań while helping the resistance – her position complicated by both the family’s ethnic German status and the attraction she begins to feel towards some young German officers. Spitfire pilot Stefan connects the two women through a romantic connection with them both and, complicating matters rather, his murky and mysterious war work. In fact, murky is a word that well suits the activity in When We Fall – simple matters such as which side someone is on can quickly become impenetrably opaque.
When We Fall explores a world where straight-laced pre-war sensibilities were rapidly evolving into a situation where young people had – and were able – to take love, sex, comfort, human contact where they find it. (This stood out particularly given my previous read, A Remembrance Of Ghosts by Frank Barnard, set in a postwar world where the genie was temporarily, and only partly successfully, put back into the bottle). This stands for the action in both Britain and Poland. Vee, who starts out as something of an innocent, learns this lesson after a chance encounter with Stefan, who she begins to develop an obsession with. Ewa, on the other hand, knew Stefan before the war, but finds herself drawn, in Stefan’s absence, to SS officer Heinrich Beck. Stefan is such a mystery for much of the novel that it’s hard to know what he wants – he’s unquestionably focussed on picking up with Ewa where they left off, and yet is seemingly fixated on Vee, for reasons that do not become fully clear for some time. All three in their way are united by flying – Ewa, whose obsession with flying did not quite lead her into the air as it did with Vee, but to Stefan, then a pilot with the Polish Air Force and, via capture and escape, to the RAF.
The importance of Katyn in the story, and that of women pilots, led me to wonder if a particular historical person might make an appearance – without giving too much away, I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, the entire Polish part of When We Fall (which is the lion’s share) was utterly absorbing in the authenticity of its details. I know little of Germany’s efforts to further ‘Germanise’ the occupied parts of Poland, which it attempted to incorporate into the ‘Greater German Reich’ during the period the novel is set. The fact that parts of the country had been in Germany until the Versailles treaty reshaped Europe, and many within the population saw themselves as German, makes for a fearsomely complicated situation. It also makes for fascinating and enlightening reading that left me, as all the best historical fiction does, keen to find out more about the history behind the story.
On top of all this When We Fall is a page-turning adventure and mystery, which will keep the reader guessing until the last page. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
For all the interest provided by the settings, it’s the characters who immediately leap off the page. The central characters – two women, one man – are complex, even contradictory, and engaging if sometimes frustrating (they are human, after all). Vee is an ATA pilot who more than the others seems to be struggling to fit into her place in a rapidly changing world. Ewa works at her father’s guesthouse in occupied Poznań while helping the resistance – her position complicated by both the family’s ethnic German status and the attraction she begins to feel towards some young German officers. Spitfire pilot Stefan connects the two women through a romantic connection with them both and, complicating matters rather, his murky and mysterious war work. In fact, murky is a word that well suits the activity in When We Fall – simple matters such as which side someone is on can quickly become impenetrably opaque.
When We Fall explores a world where straight-laced pre-war sensibilities were rapidly evolving into a situation where young people had – and were able – to take love, sex, comfort, human contact where they find it. (This stood out particularly given my previous read, A Remembrance Of Ghosts by Frank Barnard, set in a postwar world where the genie was temporarily, and only partly successfully, put back into the bottle). This stands for the action in both Britain and Poland. Vee, who starts out as something of an innocent, learns this lesson after a chance encounter with Stefan, who she begins to develop an obsession with. Ewa, on the other hand, knew Stefan before the war, but finds herself drawn, in Stefan’s absence, to SS officer Heinrich Beck. Stefan is such a mystery for much of the novel that it’s hard to know what he wants – he’s unquestionably focussed on picking up with Ewa where they left off, and yet is seemingly fixated on Vee, for reasons that do not become fully clear for some time. All three in their way are united by flying – Ewa, whose obsession with flying did not quite lead her into the air as it did with Vee, but to Stefan, then a pilot with the Polish Air Force and, via capture and escape, to the RAF.
The importance of Katyn in the story, and that of women pilots, led me to wonder if a particular historical person might make an appearance – without giving too much away, I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, the entire Polish part of When We Fall (which is the lion’s share) was utterly absorbing in the authenticity of its details. I know little of Germany’s efforts to further ‘Germanise’ the occupied parts of Poland, which it attempted to incorporate into the ‘Greater German Reich’ during the period the novel is set. The fact that parts of the country had been in Germany until the Versailles treaty reshaped Europe, and many within the population saw themselves as German, makes for a fearsomely complicated situation. It also makes for fascinating and enlightening reading that left me, as all the best historical fiction does, keen to find out more about the history behind the story.
On top of all this When We Fall is a page-turning adventure and mystery, which will keep the reader guessing until the last page. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
April 24, 2020
When We Fall by Carolyn Kirby will be published in paperback format with No Exit Press on 7th May 2020 to coincide with the 75th Anniversary of VE Day (early release in digital on April 10th). April-May 2020 marks 80 years since the Katyn massacre and 10th April 2020 marked the 10th anniversary of the airline crash that killed top Polish dignitaries on their way to Russia to commemorate the atrocity.
I had heard of the Katyn massacre but not in any great detail. On picking up When We Fall, I immediately did some research and was horrified by what I read.
‘Sometime in the spring of 1940, thousands of Polish military officers were rounded up by Soviet secret police forces, taken to the Katyn Forest outside of Smolensk, massacred, and buried in a mass grave. In 1943, with the war against Russia going badly, the Germans announced that they had unearthed thousands of corpses in the Katyn Forest.’
Source – history.com
Carolyn Kirby made the discovery during her research that one of the victims was a woman, a Polish pilot, which became part of the inspiration behind her writing this very touching novel.
“All of the victims of the Katyn massacre were men, except, remarkably, for one woman. And when I discovered that this woman, Janina Lewandowska, was a pilot, I knew that the Polish experience would become the heart of my novel….The story is fiction, but it is one that I could not have begun to imagine without the remarkable life and death of Janina Lewandowska”
-Carolyn Kirby
When We Fall is the tragic story of three lives, three people whose stories were inextricably linked together during WW2. Vee Katchatourian, Ewa Hartman and Stefan Bergel become tied up in a tale that exposes the fear, the terror and the pure horror experienced by so many during those terrible years of the Second World War.
Vee Katchatourian works as a pilot with the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) Vee is impetuous in many of her actions which causes consternation and impatience among her superiors but Vee just wants to be up in the air doing her bit for the war effort. As a female pilot with an Armenian surname, Vee takes a lot of flak from her colleagues, but unfazed, Vee’s drive and determination keep her motivated and focused.
Ewa Hartman runs a guest house with her father in occupied Poland. On a daily basis Ewa serves breakfast and makes up bedrooms for German officers but Ewa is also part of the resistance, gathering any intelligence she can and passing it discreetly into the right hands. Ewa fears for her safety and especially that of her father, but she loves her country and her people and feels it is her duty to serve in any way she can, not just at breakfast sittings.
Stefan Bergel is an RAF pilot with a secret, one that is clawing away at him daily, one that possesses his every thought. When Vee Katchatourian is forced, due to weather conditions, to make an unscheduled landing at RAF Bradwell Bay, she meets Stefan Bergel. There is something about him, some aura that catches her attention and as the following days pass in a blur, Stefan Bergel is always in the back of her mind.
Life goes on for the ATA and Vee’s days are full of the daily dangers of flying and the hectic schedule she keeps. For Ewa Hartman in Poland, her days are fraught, as she handles sensitive information and is alert at all times for snippets of information, anything that will give the Polish Resistance something to work with.
Ewa carries the memory of her lost love, Stefan, everywhere with her. She craves his arms around her one more time but knows that these longings are fruitless. Stefan is gone. But one day she is confused, bewildered, shocked to see Stefan beside her on the street. But Stefan has changed. Slowly he reveals his story to Ewa. She is horrified with what she hears but, when Stefan asks for her help, she cannot refuse, although the price she would pay, if caught, would be of an unimaginable horror.
In gathering my thoughts to write about When We Fall I struggled immensely to put the words together. The stories of these characters, although fictional, struck me to the core. The bravery, the selflessness of their actions astounded me. There is a strength in the human body, a resilience that comes to the fore in times of stress and terror.
Vee, Stefan and Ewa brought to life a time that we must be sure to never forget. Their story, their lives, their destinies shocked and saddened me. Carolyn Kirby has taken her inspiration behind this book and created a stunning piece of literature that just unexpectedly blew me away.
When We Fall is a book haunted with the ghosts of the brave men and women who fought for our freedom with their lives. It is an evocative and very affecting tale. It is a beautiful and eloquently written story that everyone should take the time to read.
When We Fall is a richly atmospheric book, a novel that brings right to the reader’s door the crimes of the past. It is a truly stunning and heart-aching tale inspired by a shocking, disturbing and heinous period in history.
Highly recommend to all.
I had heard of the Katyn massacre but not in any great detail. On picking up When We Fall, I immediately did some research and was horrified by what I read.
‘Sometime in the spring of 1940, thousands of Polish military officers were rounded up by Soviet secret police forces, taken to the Katyn Forest outside of Smolensk, massacred, and buried in a mass grave. In 1943, with the war against Russia going badly, the Germans announced that they had unearthed thousands of corpses in the Katyn Forest.’
Source – history.com
Carolyn Kirby made the discovery during her research that one of the victims was a woman, a Polish pilot, which became part of the inspiration behind her writing this very touching novel.
“All of the victims of the Katyn massacre were men, except, remarkably, for one woman. And when I discovered that this woman, Janina Lewandowska, was a pilot, I knew that the Polish experience would become the heart of my novel….The story is fiction, but it is one that I could not have begun to imagine without the remarkable life and death of Janina Lewandowska”
-Carolyn Kirby
When We Fall is the tragic story of three lives, three people whose stories were inextricably linked together during WW2. Vee Katchatourian, Ewa Hartman and Stefan Bergel become tied up in a tale that exposes the fear, the terror and the pure horror experienced by so many during those terrible years of the Second World War.
Vee Katchatourian works as a pilot with the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary) Vee is impetuous in many of her actions which causes consternation and impatience among her superiors but Vee just wants to be up in the air doing her bit for the war effort. As a female pilot with an Armenian surname, Vee takes a lot of flak from her colleagues, but unfazed, Vee’s drive and determination keep her motivated and focused.
Ewa Hartman runs a guest house with her father in occupied Poland. On a daily basis Ewa serves breakfast and makes up bedrooms for German officers but Ewa is also part of the resistance, gathering any intelligence she can and passing it discreetly into the right hands. Ewa fears for her safety and especially that of her father, but she loves her country and her people and feels it is her duty to serve in any way she can, not just at breakfast sittings.
Stefan Bergel is an RAF pilot with a secret, one that is clawing away at him daily, one that possesses his every thought. When Vee Katchatourian is forced, due to weather conditions, to make an unscheduled landing at RAF Bradwell Bay, she meets Stefan Bergel. There is something about him, some aura that catches her attention and as the following days pass in a blur, Stefan Bergel is always in the back of her mind.
Life goes on for the ATA and Vee’s days are full of the daily dangers of flying and the hectic schedule she keeps. For Ewa Hartman in Poland, her days are fraught, as she handles sensitive information and is alert at all times for snippets of information, anything that will give the Polish Resistance something to work with.
Ewa carries the memory of her lost love, Stefan, everywhere with her. She craves his arms around her one more time but knows that these longings are fruitless. Stefan is gone. But one day she is confused, bewildered, shocked to see Stefan beside her on the street. But Stefan has changed. Slowly he reveals his story to Ewa. She is horrified with what she hears but, when Stefan asks for her help, she cannot refuse, although the price she would pay, if caught, would be of an unimaginable horror.
In gathering my thoughts to write about When We Fall I struggled immensely to put the words together. The stories of these characters, although fictional, struck me to the core. The bravery, the selflessness of their actions astounded me. There is a strength in the human body, a resilience that comes to the fore in times of stress and terror.
Vee, Stefan and Ewa brought to life a time that we must be sure to never forget. Their story, their lives, their destinies shocked and saddened me. Carolyn Kirby has taken her inspiration behind this book and created a stunning piece of literature that just unexpectedly blew me away.
When We Fall is a book haunted with the ghosts of the brave men and women who fought for our freedom with their lives. It is an evocative and very affecting tale. It is a beautiful and eloquently written story that everyone should take the time to read.
When We Fall is a richly atmospheric book, a novel that brings right to the reader’s door the crimes of the past. It is a truly stunning and heart-aching tale inspired by a shocking, disturbing and heinous period in history.
Highly recommend to all.
June 3, 2020
When, When We Fall by Carolyn Kirby popped through my letterbox I admit I was both excited and thrilled to be trusted with a review copy of this novel. Having read the authors first book, which I absolutely loved, I couldn’t wait to read this story, about three lives forever changed by one pivotal moment in time.
When We Fall is an intensely moving and powerful read, one that refuses to be put aside for the everyday things in life, like the hovering, eating or drinking! These tasks might keep you functioning, but books like this not only feed your soul, they bring to light events history has tried to hide, buried in the mists of time.
Carolyn Kirby weaves her story in a respectful and moving way around events that took place in the Second World War, the Katyn Massacre. She gives us a story that though emotional, draws back from being mawkish, for these moments deserve a story that is compelling, acting like clarion call to us all, to remember so many lives were lost. I felt drawn to the story, because her writing enticed me in, teased out each moment, until the puzzle around the terrible choice Stefan made, the dark secret that will come to define them all, is laid bare before us. My heart was broken into fragments, shattered I thought beyond repair.
It is a splendid feeling when a story causes such an emotional reaction in a reader and Carolyn Kirby gave me that, while delivering a narrative of such searing honesty that I feel honoured to be asked to review it. The tale it tells is powerful, because the events around it are so shocking and so it deserves the gravitas that Carolyn Kirby injects into the story. The tension never ebbs as the drama propels you forward to an end I wasn’t sure I was ready for, but I kept on reading, because not knowing felt worse, than the emotional heartache I felt certain I was headed for. I embraced it all because she made me want to.
The characters are exquisitely drawn, in particular Stefan with whom I was fascinated. I was never really sure of where his loyalties lay and if he could be trusted by either Vee or Ewa, let alone me as the reader. He was an enigma, so much so I felt on edge every time he appeared in the story. Stefan was the linchpin around whom the stories of the two women revolved and though on times I mistrusted him, at each stage of the story I always wanted to know if he was good at his core.
Ewa and Vee are both strong female characters, the type who stride into their futures, not in Stefan’s shade, but his equal. I loved how they were given there own very defined role in the story, each connected to Stefan, but not shaped by their feelings for him. Women often struggled for recognition during the war and Carolyn Kirby, uses both of them to inform this part of her narrative. Both Vee the pilot and Ewa the resistance fighter perfectly illustrate that complex contradiction women lived with at this time! Expected to be feminine while being used to fill men’s roles, but always reminded that should never expect to maintain this perilous equality once the war ended. Ewa and Vee both want more, especially Vee, whose passion for flying is no less than the men around her, it marks her out as a individual of complex feelings that shape and explain the path she takes.
I love that Carolyn, gave me two female characters of such richness and depth!
When We Fall takes a true story and creates around it a tale of passion, love, loyalty and a quest for justice. Within its pages is a sparkling work of immense breath. Gripping and electrifying in equal measure, the research that obviously went into it, informs the reader of its darkest moments. It is a historical thriller and because at its heart is a shadowy truth, it is all the more powerful and effecting.
When We Fall is an intensely moving and powerful read, one that refuses to be put aside for the everyday things in life, like the hovering, eating or drinking! These tasks might keep you functioning, but books like this not only feed your soul, they bring to light events history has tried to hide, buried in the mists of time.
Carolyn Kirby weaves her story in a respectful and moving way around events that took place in the Second World War, the Katyn Massacre. She gives us a story that though emotional, draws back from being mawkish, for these moments deserve a story that is compelling, acting like clarion call to us all, to remember so many lives were lost. I felt drawn to the story, because her writing enticed me in, teased out each moment, until the puzzle around the terrible choice Stefan made, the dark secret that will come to define them all, is laid bare before us. My heart was broken into fragments, shattered I thought beyond repair.
It is a splendid feeling when a story causes such an emotional reaction in a reader and Carolyn Kirby gave me that, while delivering a narrative of such searing honesty that I feel honoured to be asked to review it. The tale it tells is powerful, because the events around it are so shocking and so it deserves the gravitas that Carolyn Kirby injects into the story. The tension never ebbs as the drama propels you forward to an end I wasn’t sure I was ready for, but I kept on reading, because not knowing felt worse, than the emotional heartache I felt certain I was headed for. I embraced it all because she made me want to.
The characters are exquisitely drawn, in particular Stefan with whom I was fascinated. I was never really sure of where his loyalties lay and if he could be trusted by either Vee or Ewa, let alone me as the reader. He was an enigma, so much so I felt on edge every time he appeared in the story. Stefan was the linchpin around whom the stories of the two women revolved and though on times I mistrusted him, at each stage of the story I always wanted to know if he was good at his core.
Ewa and Vee are both strong female characters, the type who stride into their futures, not in Stefan’s shade, but his equal. I loved how they were given there own very defined role in the story, each connected to Stefan, but not shaped by their feelings for him. Women often struggled for recognition during the war and Carolyn Kirby, uses both of them to inform this part of her narrative. Both Vee the pilot and Ewa the resistance fighter perfectly illustrate that complex contradiction women lived with at this time! Expected to be feminine while being used to fill men’s roles, but always reminded that should never expect to maintain this perilous equality once the war ended. Ewa and Vee both want more, especially Vee, whose passion for flying is no less than the men around her, it marks her out as a individual of complex feelings that shape and explain the path she takes.
I love that Carolyn, gave me two female characters of such richness and depth!
When We Fall takes a true story and creates around it a tale of passion, love, loyalty and a quest for justice. Within its pages is a sparkling work of immense breath. Gripping and electrifying in equal measure, the research that obviously went into it, informs the reader of its darkest moments. It is a historical thriller and because at its heart is a shadowy truth, it is all the more powerful and effecting.
May 1, 2020
An accomplished piece of work!
I will openly admit that my detailed knowledge of the Second World War is quite limited as far as the outrageous atrocities that were carried out during that time. This piece of writing taught me quite a lot about some shocking and harrowing historical events.
When We Fall, a superb historical fiction novel, is well researched and eloquently written. Set during WWII in occupied Poland there are 3 key characters caught up in a triangle of lust, love, espionage and the Polish resistance movement.
Stefan, a Polish Spitfire fighter pilot loves Ewa who he has left behind in Poland, Stefan spent time in a concentration camp, but managed to get out after committing a cruel act that haunted him. He is also in lust with Vee Katchatourian. Vee is an English air transport auxiliary who he meets when she has to make an emergency landing at RAF Bradwell whilst he was based in the UK.
One comment that I liked, when reading was:
‘’It’s cramped, isn’t it?’ ‘Sorry? ‘You know, small.’ ‘Ah yes. But it has to be. When you are fighting, you must wear the aeroplane like a coat.’’
I learnt quite a lot especially about Air Transport Auxiliaries. They delivered new planes and flew old ones back to hangers across the country. Kirby also introduced me to the 1940 Katyn Massacres where a series of mass executions of Polish by the Soviet Union was discovered by Nazi Germany. Part of the aftermath of the Soviet invasion of Poland during World War II and Soviet repression’s of Polish citizens.
At the time the USSR claimed the Nazis had killed the victims. The way in which Kirby wove the knowledge of this brutal slaughter of so many people into the plot was convincing, all quite shocking.
Ewa’s father owned a B&B in Poland and to ensure his and his family’s survival he had to claim to be of German descent rather than a German speaking Pole. His B&B was host to the German military. One person in particular, a very handsome man SS-Obersturmführe Heinrich Beck, did lead Ewa into temptation and there’s a great twist at the end where Beck is concerned.
The attraction and desire between Stefan and Vee, compromised Vee and a decision she made did more than jeopardise her future as a pilot.
‘And then, before she has realised what he is doing, Stefan brings the back of her hand to his mouth, pressing her knuckles to his lips. Vee stands, unable to move. His pale eyes fix on hers as he turns her hand over and this time brings her palm to his mouth. Heat flickers from his lips to the flesh of her hand and into the pit of her stomach.’
So superbly put!
‘Is she really allowing herself to jeopardise her future as a pilot, indeed her future full stop, because of a school-girlish crush?’
I don’t want to give away any more detail, this is a great read, I loved it and the twists and turns made compelling reading. Even though there are some dark and shocking parts it is all pulled together quite cleverly by romance, love, lust, treachery, espionage, sabotage, punishment and a good appreciation of how difficult it was during that time. You’ll learn no-one could be trusted 100% when you read the book. It is most definitely an emotional and intriguing book to read.
Most definitely 5 stars from me.
Thank you NetGalley and Oldcastle books/No Exit Press for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased review.
I will openly admit that my detailed knowledge of the Second World War is quite limited as far as the outrageous atrocities that were carried out during that time. This piece of writing taught me quite a lot about some shocking and harrowing historical events.
When We Fall, a superb historical fiction novel, is well researched and eloquently written. Set during WWII in occupied Poland there are 3 key characters caught up in a triangle of lust, love, espionage and the Polish resistance movement.
Stefan, a Polish Spitfire fighter pilot loves Ewa who he has left behind in Poland, Stefan spent time in a concentration camp, but managed to get out after committing a cruel act that haunted him. He is also in lust with Vee Katchatourian. Vee is an English air transport auxiliary who he meets when she has to make an emergency landing at RAF Bradwell whilst he was based in the UK.
One comment that I liked, when reading was:
‘’It’s cramped, isn’t it?’ ‘Sorry? ‘You know, small.’ ‘Ah yes. But it has to be. When you are fighting, you must wear the aeroplane like a coat.’’
I learnt quite a lot especially about Air Transport Auxiliaries. They delivered new planes and flew old ones back to hangers across the country. Kirby also introduced me to the 1940 Katyn Massacres where a series of mass executions of Polish by the Soviet Union was discovered by Nazi Germany. Part of the aftermath of the Soviet invasion of Poland during World War II and Soviet repression’s of Polish citizens.
At the time the USSR claimed the Nazis had killed the victims. The way in which Kirby wove the knowledge of this brutal slaughter of so many people into the plot was convincing, all quite shocking.
Ewa’s father owned a B&B in Poland and to ensure his and his family’s survival he had to claim to be of German descent rather than a German speaking Pole. His B&B was host to the German military. One person in particular, a very handsome man SS-Obersturmführe Heinrich Beck, did lead Ewa into temptation and there’s a great twist at the end where Beck is concerned.
The attraction and desire between Stefan and Vee, compromised Vee and a decision she made did more than jeopardise her future as a pilot.
‘And then, before she has realised what he is doing, Stefan brings the back of her hand to his mouth, pressing her knuckles to his lips. Vee stands, unable to move. His pale eyes fix on hers as he turns her hand over and this time brings her palm to his mouth. Heat flickers from his lips to the flesh of her hand and into the pit of her stomach.’
So superbly put!
‘Is she really allowing herself to jeopardise her future as a pilot, indeed her future full stop, because of a school-girlish crush?’
I don’t want to give away any more detail, this is a great read, I loved it and the twists and turns made compelling reading. Even though there are some dark and shocking parts it is all pulled together quite cleverly by romance, love, lust, treachery, espionage, sabotage, punishment and a good appreciation of how difficult it was during that time. You’ll learn no-one could be trusted 100% when you read the book. It is most definitely an emotional and intriguing book to read.
Most definitely 5 stars from me.
Thank you NetGalley and Oldcastle books/No Exit Press for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased review.
April 21, 2020
I'm familiar with quite a lot of the atrocities that occurred during the second world war but I admit that I hadn't heard of the Katyn Massacre which is central to the plot of this book. We follow a young airwoman, Vee Katchatourian, as she gains her wings. Forced to make an emergency landing due to fog, she meets RAF airman Stefan Bergel who she connects with immediately and, upon departure, can't seem to forget him. Meanwhile in occupied Poland we follow the goings on at a guesthouse where the daughter of the owner, Ewa Hartman, plays hostess to the Germans that are billeted there. She is a spy for the resistance and passes on what she gleans. She is also the heartbroken ex of Stefan who she believes to be dead after being captured at the start of the war. One day though, she thinks she sees him in the street. Making contact, she is shocked by what he asks of her, but reluctantly agrees to help him. Back in the UK and Vee is pining for Stefan but, when he returns, she is also bemused by what he asks her to do... One man and two women hold the key to exposing one of the war's darkest secrets but will they live to tell the story?
What a powerful story this author has weaved around a real historical event. It grabbed my attention from the off and held me captive throughout. Both women involved, Vee and Ewa are strong and forthright and very gutsy. One a brave pilot ferrying planes to where they are needed, the other a spy for the resistance in amongst the very foe holding the world captive. Stefan however is harder to understand and connect to. He is a strange character who, on the face of things, uses his charm and looks to manipulate the two women who appear powerless to resist. But is it all manipulation or is it a very real means to an end that is wholly necessary. We know from the book that he has had a very bad start to his war and it's this that has shaped what follows in his life. Similarly, both Ewa and Vee do things that are necessary for survival and to get their respective jobs done. It really was a different world and time during WWII.
The story the author tells is harrowing and captivating and also very immersive. She really does set the scene and the time perfectly all the way through. We see what life was like on both sides of the water, in the UK and Poland and the differences therein. It's obvious that there has been a lot of hard work going into researching this novel and the attention to detail is second to none. The quality of writing is just as high as the author's debut novel The Conviction of Cora Burns, which I also thoroughly enjoyed and, along with this book, have no hesitation recommending. Me, I'm waiting to see what she serves up next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
What a powerful story this author has weaved around a real historical event. It grabbed my attention from the off and held me captive throughout. Both women involved, Vee and Ewa are strong and forthright and very gutsy. One a brave pilot ferrying planes to where they are needed, the other a spy for the resistance in amongst the very foe holding the world captive. Stefan however is harder to understand and connect to. He is a strange character who, on the face of things, uses his charm and looks to manipulate the two women who appear powerless to resist. But is it all manipulation or is it a very real means to an end that is wholly necessary. We know from the book that he has had a very bad start to his war and it's this that has shaped what follows in his life. Similarly, both Ewa and Vee do things that are necessary for survival and to get their respective jobs done. It really was a different world and time during WWII.
The story the author tells is harrowing and captivating and also very immersive. She really does set the scene and the time perfectly all the way through. We see what life was like on both sides of the water, in the UK and Poland and the differences therein. It's obvious that there has been a lot of hard work going into researching this novel and the attention to detail is second to none. The quality of writing is just as high as the author's debut novel The Conviction of Cora Burns, which I also thoroughly enjoyed and, along with this book, have no hesitation recommending. Me, I'm waiting to see what she serves up next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
May 22, 2020
Vee’s fog bound emergency landing will change her life.
I absolutely loved When We Fall. Firstly, the quality of Carolyn Kirby’s writing is so good because it has a modern freshness whist retaining an authentic period feel too so that it was easy to be totally immersed in the narrative. Descriptions are so subtly included that they paint a picture in the reader’s mind that transports them to the setting and action as if they are part of the events too.
Also adding to the credibility and authenticity is the meticulous research that has gone into the book. I confess I had no idea about the particular historical event that underpins this novel, but I finished When We Fall educated, entertained and emotionally connected to the people and the era. When We Fall truly is an hypnotic presentation of the period.
I found the entire story utterly gripping. Nearer the end my heart was thumping, partly because I wasn’t convinced that the outcomes would be ones I wanted. I was completely invested in the characters and knowing that the events were founded in historical fact somehow made these fictional people all the more real. Although there are several vivid peripheral characters, the focus on Vee, Ewa and Stefan feels intimate and precise, making for an immersive, totally engaging read. I thought Vee was magnificent. She embodies a feminism ahead of her time whilst retaining a vulnerability that made me concerned for her throughout.
I actually found Stefan quite difficult to like despite the attraction Ewa and Vee feel for him and that is what makes When We Fall such a wonderful book. I may not have liked the male lead character but I cared about him, understood his behaviour and wanted him to succeed because of Carolyn Kirby’s fantastic writing.
Obviously war is central to the narrative, but the themes presented are beautifully woven into the story. Loyalty, love, identity, bravery, sexism, nationalism, passion, grief and so on, form a compelling maelstrom that draws in the reader and won’t let them go. Alongside the history in When We Fall is mystery and a love story too so that there is something for any reader.
I devoured When We Fall over a weekend. This isn’t to say it is an easy and insubstantial read, but rather that Carolyn Kirby hypnotises the reader, making them desperate to know what will happen to the characters and holding them spellbound until the very last word. When We Fall is one of those novels that stays with the reader long after the pages are closed. I loved it.
I absolutely loved When We Fall. Firstly, the quality of Carolyn Kirby’s writing is so good because it has a modern freshness whist retaining an authentic period feel too so that it was easy to be totally immersed in the narrative. Descriptions are so subtly included that they paint a picture in the reader’s mind that transports them to the setting and action as if they are part of the events too.
Also adding to the credibility and authenticity is the meticulous research that has gone into the book. I confess I had no idea about the particular historical event that underpins this novel, but I finished When We Fall educated, entertained and emotionally connected to the people and the era. When We Fall truly is an hypnotic presentation of the period.
I found the entire story utterly gripping. Nearer the end my heart was thumping, partly because I wasn’t convinced that the outcomes would be ones I wanted. I was completely invested in the characters and knowing that the events were founded in historical fact somehow made these fictional people all the more real. Although there are several vivid peripheral characters, the focus on Vee, Ewa and Stefan feels intimate and precise, making for an immersive, totally engaging read. I thought Vee was magnificent. She embodies a feminism ahead of her time whilst retaining a vulnerability that made me concerned for her throughout.
I actually found Stefan quite difficult to like despite the attraction Ewa and Vee feel for him and that is what makes When We Fall such a wonderful book. I may not have liked the male lead character but I cared about him, understood his behaviour and wanted him to succeed because of Carolyn Kirby’s fantastic writing.
Obviously war is central to the narrative, but the themes presented are beautifully woven into the story. Loyalty, love, identity, bravery, sexism, nationalism, passion, grief and so on, form a compelling maelstrom that draws in the reader and won’t let them go. Alongside the history in When We Fall is mystery and a love story too so that there is something for any reader.
I devoured When We Fall over a weekend. This isn’t to say it is an easy and insubstantial read, but rather that Carolyn Kirby hypnotises the reader, making them desperate to know what will happen to the characters and holding them spellbound until the very last word. When We Fall is one of those novels that stays with the reader long after the pages are closed. I loved it.
May 8, 2020
Visit the locations in the novel
MEET THE AUTHOR HERE IN AUTHORSONLOCATION
On the strength of The Conviction of Cora Burns., I was always going to read this book. This author captured me with her story and prose from the outset and taught me about a period of history I had little knowledge of. I had heard of the Katyn Massacre but had little understanding of what it meant and what it entailed. I was shocked and horrified at what I learnt. What an amazing thing to bring this to the fore.
We are transported to Poland during the German occupation and meet Vee and Eva/Ewa, discovering what happens to them during the war. The characters and the history is real although this is fiction, it’s representative of so many others like them. Vee is a female pilot for example and Eva is a Polih/ German woman who is involved in the resistance. It’s humbling to see how they both cope and react to the ever-changing situation. More so when they both come across the problem that is Stefan.
I absolutely loved learning about Ewa in particular. This part of the story seemed rawer and more real and I felt closest to her. I didn’t care for Stefan but he did reveal strengths and emotions in the women you might not have seen otherwise.
The setting is of course everything and the author has immersed herself fully in the time and place, the emotions and rawness of the time. Whether she’s talking about the streets, the fear of the Nazis or the mudane tasks of everyday life, under occupation, at a time when women did not have the freedoms they have now, make this all the more compelling.
April 10, 2020
A captivating novel with complex, three dimensional characters and an intricate plot. I particularly loved the portrayal of Poznan, a city I know well, and in this book, a character in its own right.
Falls - physical and metaphorical - ripple through the book.
The story is told in breathless present tense by two narrators: Ewa and Vee. Although the Polish spy and English pilot love the same man, Stefan Bergel, this is not just a love triangle (spoiler alert) it’s a quadrangle as there is a third woman, a missing Polish pilot, the key to the story.
As you might expect from the author of The Conviction of Cora Burns, the characters are not at all straightforward, and far from perfect. But they are utterly captivating.
Opening with a modern day mystery (96 people were killed in a freak airplane accident on their way to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre – the secret wartime execution of 22,000 Poles by invading Russians) the initially unnamed narrator is searching for memories when she falls.
Cut to 1943 and the first meeting of Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) pilot Vee Katchatourian and Stefan Bergel in England, a forced landing in fog as the ATA do not have access to radios and have to fly by maps.
At the same time Stefan’s Polish fiancée, resistance guerrilla Ewa, convinced that her fiancé is dead, becomes attracted to SS-Obersturmfuhrer Heinrich Beck and accepts his invitation to swim in the recently converted synagogue.
What could possibly go wrong?
Specially recommended to anyone who enjoyed The Hidden by Mary Chamberlain or A Treachery of Spies by Manda Scott, or anyone who wants a novel to transport them out of lockdown...
Falls - physical and metaphorical - ripple through the book.
The story is told in breathless present tense by two narrators: Ewa and Vee. Although the Polish spy and English pilot love the same man, Stefan Bergel, this is not just a love triangle (spoiler alert) it’s a quadrangle as there is a third woman, a missing Polish pilot, the key to the story.
As you might expect from the author of The Conviction of Cora Burns, the characters are not at all straightforward, and far from perfect. But they are utterly captivating.
Opening with a modern day mystery (96 people were killed in a freak airplane accident on their way to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Katyn massacre – the secret wartime execution of 22,000 Poles by invading Russians) the initially unnamed narrator is searching for memories when she falls.
Cut to 1943 and the first meeting of Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) pilot Vee Katchatourian and Stefan Bergel in England, a forced landing in fog as the ATA do not have access to radios and have to fly by maps.
At the same time Stefan’s Polish fiancée, resistance guerrilla Ewa, convinced that her fiancé is dead, becomes attracted to SS-Obersturmfuhrer Heinrich Beck and accepts his invitation to swim in the recently converted synagogue.
What could possibly go wrong?
Specially recommended to anyone who enjoyed The Hidden by Mary Chamberlain or A Treachery of Spies by Manda Scott, or anyone who wants a novel to transport them out of lockdown...
May 7, 2020
Today is a poignant day as it is the 75th anniversary of VE Day. And, we should all stand silent at 11am and remember those who fought for our country. As the years go by, the numbers of people who lived through the second world war start to recede. So, their memories, their testimonies, their stories. Need to be chronicled for future generations to remember what they did for our country.
When We Fall may be a fictional novel. However, it is based on the WWII atrocity of the Katyn Massacre. And, the characters within the story give us the reader a harrowing account of the suffering that occured.
We follow the story of Vee and Ewa. Both very strong female lead characters, which is always nice to see in a story. Vee, is a female British pilot who flies fighter planes and has made her way in a male dominated career. In occupied Poland, Ewa is risking her life by posing as a German and gathering intelligence. Both women are fighting tooth and nail to survive and they do a pretty fine job of it.
There is one thing that they both have in common. And, that is the love of one man, Stefan. Ewa, has not seen Stefan in over three years and is still pining for him, he was the love of her life and the fact that she does not know what his fate is, makes forgetting him harder.
However, we the reader know that Stefan is in Britain and is turning Vees head. At times I didn't know how to take Stefan and did find him a bit annoying, but it's only when the true story starts to unravel and we learn of what has occured. That everything falls into place.
When We Fall is a heart-rending story, written so beautifully by Caroline Kirby.
When We Fall may be a fictional novel. However, it is based on the WWII atrocity of the Katyn Massacre. And, the characters within the story give us the reader a harrowing account of the suffering that occured.
We follow the story of Vee and Ewa. Both very strong female lead characters, which is always nice to see in a story. Vee, is a female British pilot who flies fighter planes and has made her way in a male dominated career. In occupied Poland, Ewa is risking her life by posing as a German and gathering intelligence. Both women are fighting tooth and nail to survive and they do a pretty fine job of it.
There is one thing that they both have in common. And, that is the love of one man, Stefan. Ewa, has not seen Stefan in over three years and is still pining for him, he was the love of her life and the fact that she does not know what his fate is, makes forgetting him harder.
However, we the reader know that Stefan is in Britain and is turning Vees head. At times I didn't know how to take Stefan and did find him a bit annoying, but it's only when the true story starts to unravel and we learn of what has occured. That everything falls into place.
When We Fall is a heart-rending story, written so beautifully by Caroline Kirby.
March 29, 2020
The lives of the three main characters - Stefan, Ewa and Vee - are woven together in 1943 both in England and Poland during WWII. Vee Katchatourian has just qualified as a pilot with the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary). While flying her plane cross country she becomes lost, and landing at the first airfield she sees, meets Flight Sergeant Stefan Bergel.
Ewa Hartman works in her fathers guest house in Poland, dealing with the German officers who are billeted there. She is a member of the Polish Resistance, using her position at the guest house to get snippets of information she can pass on to them. She is also engaged Stefan but hasn’t seen or heard anything from him in over 3 years. The last she heard he was a prisoner of the Russians. Then suddenly, she thinks she sees him on the street.
This is beautifully crafted, with 2 very strong female characters. There has obviously been a great deal of research done by the author, as the descriptions of life at that time feel so authentic. I really enjoyed this book, it caught my interest from the first page. We eventually see how Stefan used both women, perhaps loving them both but ultimately trying to find forgiveness for his actions in the Russian prison camp. This period has been written about a lot recently, but this is definitely one of the best.
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review
Ewa Hartman works in her fathers guest house in Poland, dealing with the German officers who are billeted there. She is a member of the Polish Resistance, using her position at the guest house to get snippets of information she can pass on to them. She is also engaged Stefan but hasn’t seen or heard anything from him in over 3 years. The last she heard he was a prisoner of the Russians. Then suddenly, she thinks she sees him on the street.
This is beautifully crafted, with 2 very strong female characters. There has obviously been a great deal of research done by the author, as the descriptions of life at that time feel so authentic. I really enjoyed this book, it caught my interest from the first page. We eventually see how Stefan used both women, perhaps loving them both but ultimately trying to find forgiveness for his actions in the Russian prison camp. This period has been written about a lot recently, but this is definitely one of the best.
Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review
March 20, 2020
When We Fall by Carolyn Kirby is an excellent historical fiction that interweaves two strong female characters, Vee and Eva/Ewa, and what events occur to and around them during WWII.
It is fascinating to see the war and struggles from two different women: Eva/Ewa a Polish/German woman involved in the resistance and Vee Katchatourian a woman pilot that is a part of the ATA and their ties to a common denominator: Stefan Bergel. To step back and see how each woman is strong, defiant, intelligent, and going through their own personal and geographical struggles can be so different, yet have someone/something so much in common braiding them together, makes for an excellent story.
The author has created a hauntingly creative plot, character cast, and a bittersweet ending. Very unique and memorable. It is so awesome to see competent and strong female lead characters, that I quickly devoured this gem to see how it all ended. Excellent ending.
5/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Oldcastle books/No Exit Press for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.
Edit: no BB listing has been created for Ms. Kirby’s book. It will be posted when created by BB.
It is fascinating to see the war and struggles from two different women: Eva/Ewa a Polish/German woman involved in the resistance and Vee Katchatourian a woman pilot that is a part of the ATA and their ties to a common denominator: Stefan Bergel. To step back and see how each woman is strong, defiant, intelligent, and going through their own personal and geographical struggles can be so different, yet have someone/something so much in common braiding them together, makes for an excellent story.
The author has created a hauntingly creative plot, character cast, and a bittersweet ending. Very unique and memorable. It is so awesome to see competent and strong female lead characters, that I quickly devoured this gem to see how it all ended. Excellent ending.
5/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and Oldcastle books/No Exit Press for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.
Edit: no BB listing has been created for Ms. Kirby’s book. It will be posted when created by BB.
May 14, 2020
When We Fall is set during WWII and is a fictional story which centres on the real Katyn massacre.
Vee is a pilot, flying planes between RAF airbases in the UK. Lost in the fog, she lands and meets Stefan, a Polish man in the RAF.
Ewa lives in Poland in a German occupied town. Her father runs a hotel for Germans only, he does this to protect his family. Ewa is a member of the Polish Resistance and passes information from SS officers to them. Her lover, Stefan was a POW and has been missing now for 3 years.
This marvellous tale tells of life during these troubled times, how Vee deals with racism and sexism as a female pilot of Armenian descent, and of Ewa, her bravery and commitment to fighting for what’s right. All linked by Stefan and the horrific massacre at Katyn.
Beautifully written with great characters, full of an atmosphere so evocative of the time and place. A mix of love, bravery and the horrors of war. A truly stunning read.
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and an eARC of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.
Vee is a pilot, flying planes between RAF airbases in the UK. Lost in the fog, she lands and meets Stefan, a Polish man in the RAF.
Ewa lives in Poland in a German occupied town. Her father runs a hotel for Germans only, he does this to protect his family. Ewa is a member of the Polish Resistance and passes information from SS officers to them. Her lover, Stefan was a POW and has been missing now for 3 years.
This marvellous tale tells of life during these troubled times, how Vee deals with racism and sexism as a female pilot of Armenian descent, and of Ewa, her bravery and commitment to fighting for what’s right. All linked by Stefan and the horrific massacre at Katyn.
Beautifully written with great characters, full of an atmosphere so evocative of the time and place. A mix of love, bravery and the horrors of war. A truly stunning read.
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and an eARC of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.
June 18, 2020
When We Fall is a unique WWII novel, based in part on the lesser known Katyn Massacre.
British Air Transport Auxiliary pilot Vee Katchatourian is lost in fog and forced to make an emergency landing at a RAF base, where she meets fellow pilot Stefan Bergel. Once departed and on her way back to her own base, she cannot forget the handsome, enigmatic airman.
In occupied Poland, Ewa Hartman runs her Father's guesthouse believing that her fiance Stefan is dead, captured by the Soviets at the beginning of the war. When a high ranking Nazi officer begins to take an interest in her, Ewa questions her own loyalties both to Stefan and her own country.
The man who captures both Vee and Ewa's hearts is Stefan Bergen, escaped POW, RAF pilot and member of the Polish resistance, or is he? His loyalties to the women in his life, as well as the side he is fighting for, are at times unclear.
Stefan is a complex character, unlikable at times, and vulnerable and lovable at others. It is easy to see why he has at least two women falling at his feet.
Who knows how many others there could be, and will his love of a beautiful woman ultimately be his downfall?
British Air Transport Auxiliary pilot Vee Katchatourian is lost in fog and forced to make an emergency landing at a RAF base, where she meets fellow pilot Stefan Bergel. Once departed and on her way back to her own base, she cannot forget the handsome, enigmatic airman.
In occupied Poland, Ewa Hartman runs her Father's guesthouse believing that her fiance Stefan is dead, captured by the Soviets at the beginning of the war. When a high ranking Nazi officer begins to take an interest in her, Ewa questions her own loyalties both to Stefan and her own country.
The man who captures both Vee and Ewa's hearts is Stefan Bergen, escaped POW, RAF pilot and member of the Polish resistance, or is he? His loyalties to the women in his life, as well as the side he is fighting for, are at times unclear.
Stefan is a complex character, unlikable at times, and vulnerable and lovable at others. It is easy to see why he has at least two women falling at his feet.
Who knows how many others there could be, and will his love of a beautiful woman ultimately be his downfall?
June 25, 2020
I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to read The Conviction of Cora Burns recently and I enjoyed it thoroughly so when No Exit Press and NetGalley gave me the chance to read When We Fall, I was chuffed to bits.
First off, let me say that I’m not a big fan of WW2 fiction but as this is written by Carolyn Kirby, I thought I’d give it a shot. I’m pleased that I did because I found this book to be well researched, brilliantly written and a joy to read considering some of the subject matter. I’d not heard of the Katyn Massacre before though I can understand why as it was hidden from the world for so long by both sides of the war.
The two women in the story, Vee and Ewa, are as strong, brave and heroic as any man involved with the war and the writer’s portrayal of them is excellent. That said, I genuinely cannot understand what either woman sees in Stefan. I felt all the way through the book that I couldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him, I thought that he was a pretty shifty character.
I didn’t enjoy this as much as the writer’s previous book but I think that’s because it’s set in WW2, my least favourite historical period.
First off, let me say that I’m not a big fan of WW2 fiction but as this is written by Carolyn Kirby, I thought I’d give it a shot. I’m pleased that I did because I found this book to be well researched, brilliantly written and a joy to read considering some of the subject matter. I’d not heard of the Katyn Massacre before though I can understand why as it was hidden from the world for so long by both sides of the war.
The two women in the story, Vee and Ewa, are as strong, brave and heroic as any man involved with the war and the writer’s portrayal of them is excellent. That said, I genuinely cannot understand what either woman sees in Stefan. I felt all the way through the book that I couldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him, I thought that he was a pretty shifty character.
I didn’t enjoy this as much as the writer’s previous book but I think that’s because it’s set in WW2, my least favourite historical period.
May 14, 2020
When We Fall is set during WWII and is a fictional story which centres on the real Katyn massacre.
Vee is a pilot, flying planes between RAF airbases in the UK. Lost in the fog, she lands and meets Stefan, a Polish man in the RAF.
Ewa lives in Poland in a German occupied town. Her father runs a hotel for Germans only, he does this to protect his family. Ewa is a member of the Polish Resistance and passes information from SS officers to them. Her lover, Stefan was a POW and has been missing now for 3 years.
This marvellous tale tells of life during these troubled times, how Vee deals with racism and sexism as a female pilot of Armenian descent, and of Ewa, her bravery and commitment to fighting for what’s right. All linked by Stefan and the horrific massacre at Katyn.
Beautifully written with great characters, full of an atmosphere so evocative of the time and place. A mix of love, bravery and the horrors of war. A truly stunning read.
Thank you to The author, the publishers and NetGalley for an eARC of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.
Vee is a pilot, flying planes between RAF airbases in the UK. Lost in the fog, she lands and meets Stefan, a Polish man in the RAF.
Ewa lives in Poland in a German occupied town. Her father runs a hotel for Germans only, he does this to protect his family. Ewa is a member of the Polish Resistance and passes information from SS officers to them. Her lover, Stefan was a POW and has been missing now for 3 years.
This marvellous tale tells of life during these troubled times, how Vee deals with racism and sexism as a female pilot of Armenian descent, and of Ewa, her bravery and commitment to fighting for what’s right. All linked by Stefan and the horrific massacre at Katyn.
Beautifully written with great characters, full of an atmosphere so evocative of the time and place. A mix of love, bravery and the horrors of war. A truly stunning read.
Thank you to The author, the publishers and NetGalley for an eARC of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.
December 4, 2019
Thank you to No Exit Press for providing a proof copy for an honest review.
Woah, this is a powerful book. I was gripped by this story from start to finish, and the more I read, the more I needed to know what came next. This is a tale full of engaging characters with real depth; each with their own emotions that felt entirely real. I lived through their excitement their sorrow, and their horror with them every step of the way.
The descriptions feel faithful, though I'll be the first to admit that I'm no expert on the matter. I knew very little about the German occupation of Poland, and I enjoyed how this novel 'opened my eyes' to a part of history that mustn't be forgotten. Of course the story here is fictional, but this period of history is very real.
I'll admit I haven't read Carolyn Kirby's first novel, but it is going to the top of my tbr pile following this one. She writes beautifully, creating worlds and characters that I want to get to know and explore.
At times gut wrenching, and always compelling, this is a book that drew me back to it each time I put it down, and kept me turning pages until the very end.
Woah, this is a powerful book. I was gripped by this story from start to finish, and the more I read, the more I needed to know what came next. This is a tale full of engaging characters with real depth; each with their own emotions that felt entirely real. I lived through their excitement their sorrow, and their horror with them every step of the way.
The descriptions feel faithful, though I'll be the first to admit that I'm no expert on the matter. I knew very little about the German occupation of Poland, and I enjoyed how this novel 'opened my eyes' to a part of history that mustn't be forgotten. Of course the story here is fictional, but this period of history is very real.
I'll admit I haven't read Carolyn Kirby's first novel, but it is going to the top of my tbr pile following this one. She writes beautifully, creating worlds and characters that I want to get to know and explore.
At times gut wrenching, and always compelling, this is a book that drew me back to it each time I put it down, and kept me turning pages until the very end.
February 21, 2020
An utterly engrossing story set in occupied Poland and England during 1943, that tells the story of two women caught up in the events of that time. Vee is an air transport auxiliary pilot, flying planes between air fields. Ewa, a waitress is also working for the resistance and waiting for her lover to return after being imprisoned in a Russian prisoner of war camp. The women never actually meet – although they do see each other, fleetingly , just once, but the man they both love, Stefan, connects them.
This is a love story that explores the depths that people went to protect and champion what they felt was right, in a time we can only imagine. Descriptions of war torn Poland are excellent as are the descriptions of the flights that Vee makes. The women are certainly the centre of the story – the men slightly less well drawn, although still realistic.
My thanks to NetGalley and Oldcastle Books No Exit press for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.
This is a love story that explores the depths that people went to protect and champion what they felt was right, in a time we can only imagine. Descriptions of war torn Poland are excellent as are the descriptions of the flights that Vee makes. The women are certainly the centre of the story – the men slightly less well drawn, although still realistic.
My thanks to NetGalley and Oldcastle Books No Exit press for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.
May 13, 2020
This story drew me in to the lives of Vee in England, and Ewa in German occupied Poland during WW2. Two strong, independent women, both involved with Pilot Stefan Bergel. RAF pilot, escaped Polish POW, member of the Polish AK resistance, or German spy? Whatever role he plays, Stefan is a charmer, and seems to care for both women, although using them to achieve his end. Ewa's story is heartbreaking, while Vee's is a real illustration of a woman trying to progress in a man's world as a pilot. Stefan's story is unveiled at the end and wasn't what I expected. The German officer Heinrich Beck is inextricably linked to Ewa and Stefan also, and we have to wait until the very end to find out his story. I didn't know from one chapter to the next what role Stefan would play, where he would appear and where his allegiance lay. A tale of some of the human suffering during WW2. #netgalley #WhenWeFall
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