What do you think?
Rate this book
Wartime Holland #3
The Boy in the Attic
Anna opened the letter with trembling hands. ‘My darling, if you’re reading this, I haven’t managed to unravel my parents’ secret. But you can. Will you finish the search for me, find out who they were, and who you really are?’
Nazi-occupied Holland, 1944. As soldiers patrol the streets, nursing student Ilse is only just surviving the terrible famine and increasingly violent German occupation. Though exhausted by her demanding work at a hospital far from home, she can’t help but notice strange noises coming from the attic above her bedroom late at night… Investigating after curfew one evening, she discovers Levi, a terrified young Jewish man who begs her not to give him up to the Nazis, not to make him follow his family’s awful fate…
Protecting Levi will mean great danger for her. With starvation setting in, and the Nazi regime becoming ever more violent, Ilse must make the most difficult decision of her life. Can she risk death herself, to save an innocent life? As she looks into Levi’s dark, soulful eyes, she knows she must. But, as the war worsens, keeping Levi a secret becomes almost impossible, even as their mutual affection grows. And when a local German soldier becomes obsessed with Ilse, they fear their time – and luck – has run out…
London, present day. When Anna’s father dies, he leaves her a ticket to Amsterdam, a bent silver sixpence on a delicate silver chain, and a note begging her to complete the journey he was never able to. To the town where he was born, to find out once and for all who his parents were, and to discover their wartime fate.
Based on the author’s incredible family history, a totally devastating and ultimately uplifting story about a girl who risked everything, including her life, to save the man she loved. Heart-breaking and timely, this powerful tale will be loved by fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Nightingale and Fiona Valpy.
Nazi-occupied Holland, 1944. As soldiers patrol the streets, nursing student Ilse is only just surviving the terrible famine and increasingly violent German occupation. Though exhausted by her demanding work at a hospital far from home, she can’t help but notice strange noises coming from the attic above her bedroom late at night… Investigating after curfew one evening, she discovers Levi, a terrified young Jewish man who begs her not to give him up to the Nazis, not to make him follow his family’s awful fate…
Protecting Levi will mean great danger for her. With starvation setting in, and the Nazi regime becoming ever more violent, Ilse must make the most difficult decision of her life. Can she risk death herself, to save an innocent life? As she looks into Levi’s dark, soulful eyes, she knows she must. But, as the war worsens, keeping Levi a secret becomes almost impossible, even as their mutual affection grows. And when a local German soldier becomes obsessed with Ilse, they fear their time – and luck – has run out…
London, present day. When Anna’s father dies, he leaves her a ticket to Amsterdam, a bent silver sixpence on a delicate silver chain, and a note begging her to complete the journey he was never able to. To the town where he was born, to find out once and for all who his parents were, and to discover their wartime fate.
Based on the author’s incredible family history, a totally devastating and ultimately uplifting story about a girl who risked everything, including her life, to save the man she loved. Heart-breaking and timely, this powerful tale will be loved by fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Nightingale and Fiona Valpy.
Audio CD
First published August 26, 2022
1200 people are currently reading
415 people want to read
About the author
Imogen Matthews
19 books92 followersImogen Matthews lives in Oxford, England, and is the author of two romantic fiction novels. The Hidden Village is her first foray into historical fiction and YA.
She was born in Holland to a Dutch mother and English father and moved to England when she was still a baby.
Imogen has always enjoyed holidays in Holland and since 1990, has gone regularly with her husband and two children to Nunspeet on the edge of the Veluwe woods.
It was here she discovered the story of the hidden village and, together with her mother's vivid stories of life in WW2 Holland, she was inspired to write her historical fiction novels about bravery, courage, resilience and love.
She was born in Holland to a Dutch mother and English father and moved to England when she was still a baby.
Imogen has always enjoyed holidays in Holland and since 1990, has gone regularly with her husband and two children to Nunspeet on the edge of the Veluwe woods.
It was here she discovered the story of the hidden village and, together with her mother's vivid stories of life in WW2 Holland, she was inspired to write her historical fiction novels about bravery, courage, resilience and love.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
January 26, 2023
The book I’m reading is called ‘The Boy in the Attic’ written by Imogen Matthews. This is based on the book about the author mother’s life during the Nazi-occupied Holland, 1944/1945. Imogen describes her mother was an amazing, positive person who she has risked everything to save her parent’s life, including her life, to save the man she loved. I loved the story, the characters, the tension and the descriptions, which was very skilfully blends romance with the grim realities of life in wartime. The story goes back and forth between the past and present day. Past, Ilse, was studying to becoming a nurse who helps people to save others. One night she can’t help but notice strange noises coming from the attic above her bedroom. She discovers Levi, a terrifying young Jewish man who begs her not to give up to the Nazis. Present day in London. Anna’s father dies, he leaves her a ticket to Amsterdam, a blunt silver sixpence on a delicate silver chain, and a note begging her to complete the journey he was never able to meet his birth parents. As a result, did she find her grandparents she never meet? Or the man Ilse loved? You can decide.
October 10, 2022
If you haven’t already had the pleasure of reading an Imogen Matthews book you must add one to your list! She has such a passion for sharing the forgotten stories from wartime Holland and draws on her mother’s experience for authenticity. You’ll be swept up by her beautifully written accounts of ordinary people’s struggle for survival in the most difficult of times.
I love all of Mathews’ characters, but Levi and Ilse are my favourites. You won’t be reading a Matthews book for too long before you’ll notice that she crafts her characters as relatable and memorable. I noticed that I was able to get closer to Ilse because Matthews allowed me to see Ilse’s anxiety and feel her inner turmoil. I could understand how torn she was to be dancing and acting as if everything was normal when a short distance away prisoners were incarcerated for the flimsiest of reasons. I could also understand how conflicted she was to be spending time with a man whose citizens were doing so much harm to her city. Finally, I could understand how difficult it must have been to leave Rijswijk and her parents and go to Hilversum when they were starving. Likewise, I could feel Levi’s pain and frustration at being at the mercy of monsters and living without freedom.
What I noticed most was Matthews’ focus on humanity. She highlighted both bookends but explored the actions of ordinary people like Connie and William, who, at enormous risk to themselves, showed goodness and had an unselfish desire to help others. You’ll no doubt ask yourself the same question as you read: “Would I have done the same in a similar situation?” It was food for thought.
The teacher in me always appreciates the lessons Matthews shares. I learned about the history of Delft, the inspiration for Vermeer’s ‘The Little Street’ painting, liberation babies, and much more.
If I could sum up Matthews’ message in a few words, it would be to exercise empathy and take steps in learning lessons from the past so that history doesn’t continue to repeat itself.
Imogen Matthews writes unputdownable historical fiction. She helps her readers to appreciate the extreme hardship the Dutch experienced under the German occupation. Matthews’ wartime Holland series needs to top your historical fiction reading list!
I was gifted this advance copy by Imogen Matthews, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
I love all of Mathews’ characters, but Levi and Ilse are my favourites. You won’t be reading a Matthews book for too long before you’ll notice that she crafts her characters as relatable and memorable. I noticed that I was able to get closer to Ilse because Matthews allowed me to see Ilse’s anxiety and feel her inner turmoil. I could understand how torn she was to be dancing and acting as if everything was normal when a short distance away prisoners were incarcerated for the flimsiest of reasons. I could also understand how conflicted she was to be spending time with a man whose citizens were doing so much harm to her city. Finally, I could understand how difficult it must have been to leave Rijswijk and her parents and go to Hilversum when they were starving. Likewise, I could feel Levi’s pain and frustration at being at the mercy of monsters and living without freedom.
What I noticed most was Matthews’ focus on humanity. She highlighted both bookends but explored the actions of ordinary people like Connie and William, who, at enormous risk to themselves, showed goodness and had an unselfish desire to help others. You’ll no doubt ask yourself the same question as you read: “Would I have done the same in a similar situation?” It was food for thought.
The teacher in me always appreciates the lessons Matthews shares. I learned about the history of Delft, the inspiration for Vermeer’s ‘The Little Street’ painting, liberation babies, and much more.
If I could sum up Matthews’ message in a few words, it would be to exercise empathy and take steps in learning lessons from the past so that history doesn’t continue to repeat itself.
Imogen Matthews writes unputdownable historical fiction. She helps her readers to appreciate the extreme hardship the Dutch experienced under the German occupation. Matthews’ wartime Holland series needs to top your historical fiction reading list!
I was gifted this advance copy by Imogen Matthews, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
September 2, 2022
Firstly, although part of a series, The Boy in the Attic definitely works when read as a standalone. The story is partly based on factual events that happened affecting Imogen’s family in 1944/45. The tale flips between main character, Ilse’s story in 1945 during the Nazi occupation, and Anna’s from 2001 who is trying to cope with the loss of a parent. Both Anna and Isle's stories were equally engrossing and they both brought different qualities to the page through the author's great writing. Quickly-paced, sad in parts, though thoroughly entertaining and educational.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.
August 10, 2022
The Boy in the Attic takes place in two eras. 1944-1945 and in 2005. Having it set in two different times can be tricky to master, but the author did a fantastic job with blending the two times together in a way that melted together to tell the story in the perfect order.
The main character in past times, Ilse, is faced with famine, war, starvation and desperation as her country is being starved by the Nazis during their occupation. When she’s given an opportunity to possibly better living conditions, she takes it but has no idea the path of resistance, determination, love, heartbreak and bravery it will lead her on. Isle’s story touches you deep in your soul and you can’t help but feeling her feelings as she goes through her journey.
In present times, the main character is Anna who is dealing with the loss of a parent and has a sudden urge to go on a mission to answer to fill in the missing puzzle pieces of her deceased fathers childhood - all while battling her own demons and issues in her personal life.
I love both of these characters stories and I love how well-written this book is. The author makes you visualize each chapter vividly with her descriptions and candid paragraphs expressing the characters thoughts and feelings as their story unfolds.
This book also does a good job at showcasing the lifetime affects that the Nazi’s caused many survivors and future generations to endure mentally and emotionally and although some may find it sad, it is so important that the author is talented enough to do this, subtly yet very obviously.
Definitely worth reading!
The main character in past times, Ilse, is faced with famine, war, starvation and desperation as her country is being starved by the Nazis during their occupation. When she’s given an opportunity to possibly better living conditions, she takes it but has no idea the path of resistance, determination, love, heartbreak and bravery it will lead her on. Isle’s story touches you deep in your soul and you can’t help but feeling her feelings as she goes through her journey.
In present times, the main character is Anna who is dealing with the loss of a parent and has a sudden urge to go on a mission to answer to fill in the missing puzzle pieces of her deceased fathers childhood - all while battling her own demons and issues in her personal life.
I love both of these characters stories and I love how well-written this book is. The author makes you visualize each chapter vividly with her descriptions and candid paragraphs expressing the characters thoughts and feelings as their story unfolds.
This book also does a good job at showcasing the lifetime affects that the Nazi’s caused many survivors and future generations to endure mentally and emotionally and although some may find it sad, it is so important that the author is talented enough to do this, subtly yet very obviously.
Definitely worth reading!
August 27, 2022
★★★★ 4.5 stars
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Imogen Matthew's breathtaking dual timeline tale THE BOY IN THE ATTIC.
I have read alot of tales centred around the Nazi occupation of various Eurpoean countries during the war and after a while they all become a little too "samey". So I was immediately drawn to THE BOY IN THE ATTIC for its dual timeline which would thus offer something different and break up the constant sorrow at the heartbreak, deprivation and tragedy suffered by those at the hands of the Nazis. I must add, that I have also read the two previous books in this series both of which connect each other but are wholly separate to this one. The fact that this is based on the author's own family history adds a touching sense of nostalgia and romance.
I must add, briefly, that the description given for this book is somewhat different to the actual story and therefore misleading. As I will outline in my review. I do hope it will be corrected because what it states in the description is not actually what happens.
Holland, January 1945: Despite the war nearing its end, for those under occupation that still seems to be a long way off. Before the war, Ilse had dreams of studying medicine to become a doctor. But then the Germans closed the universities and now every day she must forage for scraps of food in the fields to keep herself and her parents from starving. Ever since the Germans cut off the food supply as well as the electricity and gas, the Dutch people have had to struggle to keep themselves fed and warm...and not to mention, alive. Ilse's mother is bereft at what they have been reduced to the day Ilse returns laden with tulip bulbs, all that is left for food. Then she receives an invitation to help family friends at a sanatorium where they treat patients for a number of ailments and, namely, tuberculosis. It would certainly help when she can resume her studies when at last the war is over.
Ilse arrives at the home of her best friend Connie where she will be living and cannot believe the feast she is given more than once daily, and feels guilty that she is here to enjoy it when her parents are not. Added to this, is the freedom to go out dancing but is horrified to find their partners are Nazi officers. Connie shrugs off her concerns and encourages her to just enjoy herself, whilst sporting a knowing smile as if she were keeping a secret. But all too soon, Ilse also discovers that Connie hiding something more than just a secret. In their attic.
And it is a secret that has the power, and danger, to change their lives.
London, 2001: Packing up her father's belongings after his sudden death, Anna comes across a bent sixpence dated 1942 on a chain wrapped in a peacock blue scarf. What does this mean, she has no idea. But then her mother tells her a secret about her father's origins that turn everything she has ever known on its head. After further digging about, it seems her father had a ticket booked for a ferry crossing to the Netherlands alongside a name and an address. Something he never had to the opportunity to follow up before his death.
So in honour of her father's memory, Anna decides that she will make the crossing and meet up with old family friends who may be able to shed some light on her family origins. All she has is a name, an address and the sixpence pendant wrapped in the blue scarf. What they all mean, Anna was determined to find out, despite her own personal issues surrounding an absentee and strangely aloof boyfriend.
The moment she meets her old friends, she feels a sense of homecoming...but that could be that they bring back memories of her father and their holidays in the Netherlands as a child. Despite some setbacks and with Luuk's help, Anna is able to uncover the mystery of family's past. But after that, what will the future hold?
The third in the Wartime Holland series, THE BOY IN THE ATTIC is completely set apart from the first two, "The Hidden Village" and "Hidden in the Shadows" both which centre around a village built and hidden within a forest. This tale is a dual timeline one focusing on Ilse and Anna and how the past and present connect them. The transition from past to present is interwoven seamlessly as we discover what happened to Ilse and where Anna fits into that story. It was a time that was shrouded in heartache, tragedy and sadness but it is expertly written with such vivid descriptions and candour despite the tragic circumstances.
I love dual timelines and they are one of my favourite story formats as it keeps the pace moving and the story interesting, giving it that extra edge. I was immediately absorbed into the time and place which carried me throughout the entire experience. I didn't wholly connect with Anna but she was still a relatively likeable character. Ilse was completely different and her tale was haunting and tragic.
Overall, THE BOY IN THE ATTIC is an emotional and evocative dual timeline tale that brings to life a story that would otherwise be sadly forgotten. It is fortunate that the author had the temerity to use her own family's history to bring this one to life.
I would like to thank #ImogenMatthews, #NetGalley and #Bookouture#TheBoyInTheAttic in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
I am excited to be taking part in the #BooksOnTour #BlogTour for Imogen Matthew's breathtaking dual timeline tale THE BOY IN THE ATTIC.
I have read alot of tales centred around the Nazi occupation of various Eurpoean countries during the war and after a while they all become a little too "samey". So I was immediately drawn to THE BOY IN THE ATTIC for its dual timeline which would thus offer something different and break up the constant sorrow at the heartbreak, deprivation and tragedy suffered by those at the hands of the Nazis. I must add, that I have also read the two previous books in this series both of which connect each other but are wholly separate to this one. The fact that this is based on the author's own family history adds a touching sense of nostalgia and romance.
I must add, briefly, that the description given for this book is somewhat different to the actual story and therefore misleading. As I will outline in my review. I do hope it will be corrected because what it states in the description is not actually what happens.
Holland, January 1945: Despite the war nearing its end, for those under occupation that still seems to be a long way off. Before the war, Ilse had dreams of studying medicine to become a doctor. But then the Germans closed the universities and now every day she must forage for scraps of food in the fields to keep herself and her parents from starving. Ever since the Germans cut off the food supply as well as the electricity and gas, the Dutch people have had to struggle to keep themselves fed and warm...and not to mention, alive. Ilse's mother is bereft at what they have been reduced to the day Ilse returns laden with tulip bulbs, all that is left for food. Then she receives an invitation to help family friends at a sanatorium where they treat patients for a number of ailments and, namely, tuberculosis. It would certainly help when she can resume her studies when at last the war is over.
Ilse arrives at the home of her best friend Connie where she will be living and cannot believe the feast she is given more than once daily, and feels guilty that she is here to enjoy it when her parents are not. Added to this, is the freedom to go out dancing but is horrified to find their partners are Nazi officers. Connie shrugs off her concerns and encourages her to just enjoy herself, whilst sporting a knowing smile as if she were keeping a secret. But all too soon, Ilse also discovers that Connie hiding something more than just a secret. In their attic.
And it is a secret that has the power, and danger, to change their lives.
London, 2001: Packing up her father's belongings after his sudden death, Anna comes across a bent sixpence dated 1942 on a chain wrapped in a peacock blue scarf. What does this mean, she has no idea. But then her mother tells her a secret about her father's origins that turn everything she has ever known on its head. After further digging about, it seems her father had a ticket booked for a ferry crossing to the Netherlands alongside a name and an address. Something he never had to the opportunity to follow up before his death.
So in honour of her father's memory, Anna decides that she will make the crossing and meet up with old family friends who may be able to shed some light on her family origins. All she has is a name, an address and the sixpence pendant wrapped in the blue scarf. What they all mean, Anna was determined to find out, despite her own personal issues surrounding an absentee and strangely aloof boyfriend.
The moment she meets her old friends, she feels a sense of homecoming...but that could be that they bring back memories of her father and their holidays in the Netherlands as a child. Despite some setbacks and with Luuk's help, Anna is able to uncover the mystery of family's past. But after that, what will the future hold?
The third in the Wartime Holland series, THE BOY IN THE ATTIC is completely set apart from the first two, "The Hidden Village" and "Hidden in the Shadows" both which centre around a village built and hidden within a forest. This tale is a dual timeline one focusing on Ilse and Anna and how the past and present connect them. The transition from past to present is interwoven seamlessly as we discover what happened to Ilse and where Anna fits into that story. It was a time that was shrouded in heartache, tragedy and sadness but it is expertly written with such vivid descriptions and candour despite the tragic circumstances.
I love dual timelines and they are one of my favourite story formats as it keeps the pace moving and the story interesting, giving it that extra edge. I was immediately absorbed into the time and place which carried me throughout the entire experience. I didn't wholly connect with Anna but she was still a relatively likeable character. Ilse was completely different and her tale was haunting and tragic.
Overall, THE BOY IN THE ATTIC is an emotional and evocative dual timeline tale that brings to life a story that would otherwise be sadly forgotten. It is fortunate that the author had the temerity to use her own family's history to bring this one to life.
I would like to thank #ImogenMatthews, #NetGalley and #Bookouture#TheBoyInTheAttic in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
September 6, 2022
The Boy in the Attic is book 3 in the Wartime Holland series by Imogen Matthew's but it's the first I've read; I will be rectifying that as soon as possible! In the book, the story is told from Ilse's 1945 perspective and Anna's 2005 view. In 1945, Ilse struggled to get food for her family but heard that tulip bulbs could be used as food, so reluctantly found a field and got as many as she could in the hope of keeping her parents alive. When they got a letter inviting Ilse to help out at a sanitorium near their friends home, Ilse struggled with the decision to go : who would get the food for her parents? But if she stayed the tulip bulbs would be used up quicker. She went. 2005, Anna gets a phone call from her mother to say that her father is seriously poorly in the Far East worn a chest infection. He is flown home but gets taken to hospital with pneumonia and unfortunately dies. Anna helps her mother sorting out his personal effects after discovering that he had been adopted as a baby and it looks like he was searching for his birth mother. Anna comes across something... Her mother had never seen it but they both feel it must have something to do with his parents. What is it all about......
The characters are strong women determined to help their families and the people around them. I was so drawn in that I felt as though I was living these experiences with Ilse and Anna simultaneously.
This novel is closely linked to the author's mother's recollections of life during 1944/45. Reading The Boy in the Attic opened my eyes to how the Dutch were persecuted and forced into starvation.
The characters are strong women determined to help their families and the people around them. I was so drawn in that I felt as though I was living these experiences with Ilse and Anna simultaneously.
This novel is closely linked to the author's mother's recollections of life during 1944/45. Reading The Boy in the Attic opened my eyes to how the Dutch were persecuted and forced into starvation.
August 19, 2022
The story follows modern day Anna as she strives to learn the truth about her father's biological family and Ilsa as she living through the horrors of World War II in Holland. The dual narration worked well, but Anna's story did not capture me as much as Ilsa's experiences. The book provides a look into what life was like in Holland during the Nazi occupation.
I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I received a free copy of the book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 2, 2022
Boy in the attic. Best read in ages.
I absolutely loved reading this book, totally different to what I normally read, but I will eagerly read another. Fantastic.
I absolutely loved reading this book, totally different to what I normally read, but I will eagerly read another. Fantastic.
September 1, 2022
The Boy in the Attic is the third in the Wartime Holland series by Imogen Matthews. It most certainly can be read as a stand alone book as there are brand new characters and it moves away from focusing on the hidden village and its residents which featured heavily in the first two books. I’m glad this was the case as I feel the story following the hidden village had run its course. This new book is by far the best in the series so far, it was like I was reading a completely different author. There wasn’t any slow or long winded introduction to the story instead we are straight into the action and I felt for the most part everything that was mentioned was relevant to the story. I found the writing had much more depth and meaning and the plot was far tighter and there wasn’t as much waffling as I felt there had been before. I was far more engrossed in this story and I loved that this was a dual timeline read set between 2001 and 1945. I found with books one and two not much happened at the start and in fact for a very long time whereas here by the quarter mark there was a big connection revealed and this made me excited to keep reading. There was a very brief lull at the halfway point where the story slowed down and lost its way slightly before things picked up again and I found myself quickly reading to get to the last few chapters to see how everything resolved itself if at all?
The story effortlessly moves back and forth between Anna in 2001 and Ilse in 1945 and I loved how eventually the two strands came together and connected. I didn’t prefer one aspect over the other as is normally the case for me when reading dual timeline books as I found both Anna and Ilse to be interesting characters with different qualities that had me caught up in their lives. Anna lives in London and works as a freelance writer. She is in a relationship with Hugo but right from the outset the reader can see this is not a union that is going anywhere fast and it’s quite inevitable what will end up happening with them. It’s a bit clichéd what goes on to happen but it is necessary for a part of the story to work out. When Anna’s father, Paul, falls ill whilst away on a work trip and subsequently dies her world is torn apart. As she is helping her mother clear out his things she stumbles across a tin can in his study which contains a necklace with a silver sixpence on it. Immediately Anna jumps to the wrong conclusions and I hated that she acted that way but when she tells her mother what she has found it’s then the truth comes out.
In the weeks before his death her father had discovered that he had been adopted at birth. He had believed his birth mother could still be alive in Holland and had planned to visit her to find out the truth of his birth and adoption and also who is biological father was. But time ran out on Paul and Anna decides that she will continue this quest for her father. I think Anna was shocked by what she learnt about her father but was more than keen to delve back into the history of her family in Holland. It came at the right time for her because you could sense that she needed to get away from Paul as he was always away working and when he was at home he didn’t put the love and attention needed into their relationship. I enjoyed reading of how Anna visits Holland and meets up with a family who she used to meet when her family visited her grandparents when she was younger. I could see in what direction the plot was venturing in with regard to Anna discovering the truth and yes there were several twists and turns towards the end and I knew a lot of what was coming but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story. Although, I did think towards the end things happened too quickly for Anna. It all just seemed a little bit too convenient in order to get everything wrapped up by the end.
Ilse is a young woman who is brave, strong and courageous and who would do anything to ensure her parents make it through the war. She lives in the small town of Rijswijk and prior to the outbreak of the war she had been at university studying to be a doctor. Now, as the war enters its sixth year times are desperate with a famine gripping Holland. Due to the German blockades there is no food to be found in any of the shops and money has long lost its currency and anything that can be bartered for food if it is available has been used quite some time ago. Ilse spends her days venturing out foraging for food in fields and a new low is reached when all that is left to eat is tulip bulbs. It’s horrific to think that people were reduced to this and had to lead such a relentless life of misery praying that one day the war would reach its conclusion and that they would be on the winning side. Ilse had such love and respect for her parents and I admired everything she did for them so I was surprised when she takes up the offer to help out her friend Connie’s family at a sanitorium in Hilversum. I wanted her to stay at home and try and keep providing for her family as both her parents were so vulnerable but if she had the whole point of this book would never have taken place.
When Ilse settles into life with Connie and her family she sees a new side to the war as she discovers Connie has been keeping things from her. Creaks in the attic reveal themselves to be Levi, a Jewish jeweller, who has lost his family and is hiding from being captured and sent god knows where. Ilse develops a friendship with Liev which inevitably develops into something more. This all happened very quickly but I suppose it needed to in order to let further plot points develop. You do feel the love between the pair but as everything was so secretive and cloak and dagger they could never truly be themselves. With Germans sniffing around every corner Ilse and Connie too thread a very thin line. What will happen if Levi is discovered? Ilse had a difficult and hard road to journey but her actions were respectful and courageous and the more I read the more I wanted to know how the past and present would connect together.
I can’t fail to mention the blurb and although I hate saying this but it is an important point and it has niggled away at me since I read the book. The blurb needs to be rewritten as the description of the book is wrong in terms of the content of the book and how Ilse meets Levi and Anna’s father writing her a letter. I’m wondering does the blurb recount how they did meet but then the content of the book changed or was there some mix up when writing it. I wouldn’t usually go on about a blurb too much but seen as the facts are wrong I felt the need to mention it. That said I enjoyed reading The Boy in the Attic. It’s very well written and you come to care deeply for the characters both in the past and the present. There is a great element of mystery with lots of twists and turns and of course the romance element which highlights the difficult situations the characters find themselves in not of their making but how they choose to deal with them and move forward makes for interesting reading.
The Boy in the Attic is a very good read and the author has used strands of her own personal family history combined with fictional elements. I hadn’t known much about Holland during the war prior to discovering this author but she has done a very good job of highlighting the plight of so many innocent people left to suffer and starve once the Germans started to impose blockades. Not to mention shining a light on the extraordinary lengths ordinary people went to,to protect those they loved or even people that had never previously met especially as these people where needlessly persecuted because of their religion. When the worst of times befall us the good nature, kindness and strength of people comes to the fore and Ilse and Connie really show this. With this book, I feel Imogen Matthews has taken on board what reviewers may have said about the first two books and both the writing and plot development is definitely tighter. I’m glad I have persisted with this series and am interested to see will it continue or is there something different in store for the future?
The story effortlessly moves back and forth between Anna in 2001 and Ilse in 1945 and I loved how eventually the two strands came together and connected. I didn’t prefer one aspect over the other as is normally the case for me when reading dual timeline books as I found both Anna and Ilse to be interesting characters with different qualities that had me caught up in their lives. Anna lives in London and works as a freelance writer. She is in a relationship with Hugo but right from the outset the reader can see this is not a union that is going anywhere fast and it’s quite inevitable what will end up happening with them. It’s a bit clichéd what goes on to happen but it is necessary for a part of the story to work out. When Anna’s father, Paul, falls ill whilst away on a work trip and subsequently dies her world is torn apart. As she is helping her mother clear out his things she stumbles across a tin can in his study which contains a necklace with a silver sixpence on it. Immediately Anna jumps to the wrong conclusions and I hated that she acted that way but when she tells her mother what she has found it’s then the truth comes out.
In the weeks before his death her father had discovered that he had been adopted at birth. He had believed his birth mother could still be alive in Holland and had planned to visit her to find out the truth of his birth and adoption and also who is biological father was. But time ran out on Paul and Anna decides that she will continue this quest for her father. I think Anna was shocked by what she learnt about her father but was more than keen to delve back into the history of her family in Holland. It came at the right time for her because you could sense that she needed to get away from Paul as he was always away working and when he was at home he didn’t put the love and attention needed into their relationship. I enjoyed reading of how Anna visits Holland and meets up with a family who she used to meet when her family visited her grandparents when she was younger. I could see in what direction the plot was venturing in with regard to Anna discovering the truth and yes there were several twists and turns towards the end and I knew a lot of what was coming but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story. Although, I did think towards the end things happened too quickly for Anna. It all just seemed a little bit too convenient in order to get everything wrapped up by the end.
Ilse is a young woman who is brave, strong and courageous and who would do anything to ensure her parents make it through the war. She lives in the small town of Rijswijk and prior to the outbreak of the war she had been at university studying to be a doctor. Now, as the war enters its sixth year times are desperate with a famine gripping Holland. Due to the German blockades there is no food to be found in any of the shops and money has long lost its currency and anything that can be bartered for food if it is available has been used quite some time ago. Ilse spends her days venturing out foraging for food in fields and a new low is reached when all that is left to eat is tulip bulbs. It’s horrific to think that people were reduced to this and had to lead such a relentless life of misery praying that one day the war would reach its conclusion and that they would be on the winning side. Ilse had such love and respect for her parents and I admired everything she did for them so I was surprised when she takes up the offer to help out her friend Connie’s family at a sanitorium in Hilversum. I wanted her to stay at home and try and keep providing for her family as both her parents were so vulnerable but if she had the whole point of this book would never have taken place.
When Ilse settles into life with Connie and her family she sees a new side to the war as she discovers Connie has been keeping things from her. Creaks in the attic reveal themselves to be Levi, a Jewish jeweller, who has lost his family and is hiding from being captured and sent god knows where. Ilse develops a friendship with Liev which inevitably develops into something more. This all happened very quickly but I suppose it needed to in order to let further plot points develop. You do feel the love between the pair but as everything was so secretive and cloak and dagger they could never truly be themselves. With Germans sniffing around every corner Ilse and Connie too thread a very thin line. What will happen if Levi is discovered? Ilse had a difficult and hard road to journey but her actions were respectful and courageous and the more I read the more I wanted to know how the past and present would connect together.
I can’t fail to mention the blurb and although I hate saying this but it is an important point and it has niggled away at me since I read the book. The blurb needs to be rewritten as the description of the book is wrong in terms of the content of the book and how Ilse meets Levi and Anna’s father writing her a letter. I’m wondering does the blurb recount how they did meet but then the content of the book changed or was there some mix up when writing it. I wouldn’t usually go on about a blurb too much but seen as the facts are wrong I felt the need to mention it. That said I enjoyed reading The Boy in the Attic. It’s very well written and you come to care deeply for the characters both in the past and the present. There is a great element of mystery with lots of twists and turns and of course the romance element which highlights the difficult situations the characters find themselves in not of their making but how they choose to deal with them and move forward makes for interesting reading.
The Boy in the Attic is a very good read and the author has used strands of her own personal family history combined with fictional elements. I hadn’t known much about Holland during the war prior to discovering this author but she has done a very good job of highlighting the plight of so many innocent people left to suffer and starve once the Germans started to impose blockades. Not to mention shining a light on the extraordinary lengths ordinary people went to,to protect those they loved or even people that had never previously met especially as these people where needlessly persecuted because of their religion. When the worst of times befall us the good nature, kindness and strength of people comes to the fore and Ilse and Connie really show this. With this book, I feel Imogen Matthews has taken on board what reviewers may have said about the first two books and both the writing and plot development is definitely tighter. I’m glad I have persisted with this series and am interested to see will it continue or is there something different in store for the future?
October 28, 2022
This is two stories in one. It alternates between Ilse's ordeal in occupied Holland and Anna's search for her father's birth family. One WWII suspense story with romance, one modern day mystery/romance, all adding up to a very enjoyable story as the missing pieces finally fall into place.
September 3, 2022
This is the third book in the Wartime Holland series and is a standalone novel.
Told in modern day 2005 and 1944 the author seamlessly melds the two eras together. Partly based on true events, The Boy in the Attic is a very well written piece of historical fiction which is compelling, engrossing and very moving.
A thoroughly enjoyable read which I would definitely recommend.
Many thanks to Bookouture for my tour spot.
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Told in modern day 2005 and 1944 the author seamlessly melds the two eras together. Partly based on true events, The Boy in the Attic is a very well written piece of historical fiction which is compelling, engrossing and very moving.
A thoroughly enjoyable read which I would definitely recommend.
Many thanks to Bookouture for my tour spot.
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐
September 25, 2022
Then, and many years later...
The Boy in the Attic is an interesting World War II story, taking place mainly in the Netherlands. It provides a glimpse into the lives of people caught up in the war and how they deal with the limitations put on them by the Nazis and how they became involved in situations they never would have imagined they would find themselves in. Moving forward, over forty years later, mysteries of relatives from the war years come to light and the effects of finding out what happened many years previously sheds light on family history.
I did not realize this was a dual timeline novel otherwise I may not have read it as I do not care much for dual timeline stories. The constant back and forth of two different stories within a book I feel takes away some of the impact, plus weaving so many characters in at the end of the story became confusing for me.
What is important is the author showing how terrible things were under Nazi rule, the horrors of war, and we find that even today, people still suffer from war and all it brings.
The Boy in the Attic is an interesting World War II story, taking place mainly in the Netherlands. It provides a glimpse into the lives of people caught up in the war and how they deal with the limitations put on them by the Nazis and how they became involved in situations they never would have imagined they would find themselves in. Moving forward, over forty years later, mysteries of relatives from the war years come to light and the effects of finding out what happened many years previously sheds light on family history.
I did not realize this was a dual timeline novel otherwise I may not have read it as I do not care much for dual timeline stories. The constant back and forth of two different stories within a book I feel takes away some of the impact, plus weaving so many characters in at the end of the story became confusing for me.
What is important is the author showing how terrible things were under Nazi rule, the horrors of war, and we find that even today, people still suffer from war and all it brings.
September 8, 2022
Wow, I really enjoyed this WWII Historical Fiction storyline which was different from most of what I usually read. The story starts out in January 1945 when Ilse, a young woman, is living with her parents and trying to find food for them as the war winds down and there is nothing left. Her mother sends her to a family friend to help in their TB Sanitorium. Fast forward to March of 2001 when Anna, a freelance writer living with her boyfriend Hugo, has to deal with going through her father's possessions after he dies suddenly. Anna and her mother are shocked to find out that their husband/father had been adopted and he was going to look up his real mother. The author did an excellent job weaving these two storylines and characters together.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this fascinating story that grabbed me from the very beginning.
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this fascinating story that grabbed me from the very beginning.
August 28, 2022
I have so enjoyed this series by Imogen Matthews. She weaves her own personal family history into the larger picture of world history.
I liked the family detective work, the flashbacks to WWII, and the ramifications of people’s actions.
I grasp at finding words to describe the book. It’s solid writing and contains both joy and sorrow.
Sewing the separate threads of two families, the author deftly unites them.
It’s a great piece of historical fiction that is a pleasure to read.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the early read.
I liked the family detective work, the flashbacks to WWII, and the ramifications of people’s actions.
I grasp at finding words to describe the book. It’s solid writing and contains both joy and sorrow.
Sewing the separate threads of two families, the author deftly unites them.
It’s a great piece of historical fiction that is a pleasure to read.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the early read.
September 14, 2022
Good
This is about the people of Holland during WWII and their suffering under the Nazis. It seems as if the Nazis we’re trying to starve those people. The only thing they were able to find to eat were tulip bulbs. This is about a young girl who falls in love with a Jewish boy hiding from the Nazis. Very well defined characters. Although I don’t care for books that go back and forth in time telling the story I found this to be a very well written story.
This is about the people of Holland during WWII and their suffering under the Nazis. It seems as if the Nazis we’re trying to starve those people. The only thing they were able to find to eat were tulip bulbs. This is about a young girl who falls in love with a Jewish boy hiding from the Nazis. Very well defined characters. Although I don’t care for books that go back and forth in time telling the story I found this to be a very well written story.
Read
September 14, 2022Excellent read
Isle and Connie were women I could admire. Their challenges were astronomical and they pressed on.
Anna's search for her true family history was interesting.
I don't usually prefer books that go back and forth between eras, but this one worked well enough that I didn't find it distracting. Two love stories are also intertwined. Highly recommend.
Isle and Connie were women I could admire. Their challenges were astronomical and they pressed on.
Anna's search for her true family history was interesting.
I don't usually prefer books that go back and forth between eras, but this one worked well enough that I didn't find it distracting. Two love stories are also intertwined. Highly recommend.
August 28, 2022
Reading Stuff 'n' Things
Firstly, I must point out that the description I was provided with was not accurate to how the book played out - I'm not sure what happened there but regardless, it's still a really good story and although part of a series, it can most definitely be read as a standalone.
The Boy in the Attic is a story told from 2 timelines, 2 perspectives and 2 countries.
Ilse's story takes place in Holland during World War II. The Nazi's have put a halt to her studies to become a doctor and she is living with her parents. Food is scarce and it's a daily battle to find enough to keep them from starving to death. Ilse then receives a request to help out at a hospital and she moves to live with her friend and her parents but what she discovers and the choices she makes, puts all their lives in jeopardy.
Anna's story is based in the UK in the early 2000's. Her father has just past away and whilst sorting through his affairs, discovers he was adopted and his origins are in Holland. Anna sets out to find out more.
I found the dual timelines worked really well although I admit to being more emotionally attached to Ilse's story. Both characters are well developed and I found myself completely immersed in both their stories and desperate to find out how Ilse and Anna were connected.
I found Ilse's story captivating, Anna's not as much but they worked well together and I did feel connected and invested in both their stories to the end.
This is a story of heartbreak and tragedy but also one of discovery and survival and one I would recommend to those who enjoy historical fiction stories that are set in this period. This one uses the author's own family history to give a believable feel to this story.
Thanks go to Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Boy in the Attic and share my views.
Firstly, I must point out that the description I was provided with was not accurate to how the book played out - I'm not sure what happened there but regardless, it's still a really good story and although part of a series, it can most definitely be read as a standalone.
The Boy in the Attic is a story told from 2 timelines, 2 perspectives and 2 countries.
Ilse's story takes place in Holland during World War II. The Nazi's have put a halt to her studies to become a doctor and she is living with her parents. Food is scarce and it's a daily battle to find enough to keep them from starving to death. Ilse then receives a request to help out at a hospital and she moves to live with her friend and her parents but what she discovers and the choices she makes, puts all their lives in jeopardy.
Anna's story is based in the UK in the early 2000's. Her father has just past away and whilst sorting through his affairs, discovers he was adopted and his origins are in Holland. Anna sets out to find out more.
I found the dual timelines worked really well although I admit to being more emotionally attached to Ilse's story. Both characters are well developed and I found myself completely immersed in both their stories and desperate to find out how Ilse and Anna were connected.
I found Ilse's story captivating, Anna's not as much but they worked well together and I did feel connected and invested in both their stories to the end.
This is a story of heartbreak and tragedy but also one of discovery and survival and one I would recommend to those who enjoy historical fiction stories that are set in this period. This one uses the author's own family history to give a believable feel to this story.
Thanks go to Bookouture and NetGalley for enabling me to read The Boy in the Attic and share my views.
October 28, 2022
The boy in the attic is the third in the wartime Holland series. Although I haven't read the previous books this book worked quite well as a stand-alone.
However, I did read another of Imogen Matthews's books set in Holland during the war and bases on that book I had great expectations for this one as well. This book is another time, split protagonists setup, but neither of the two stories could really totally engage me. Ilse's story started well enough with the hardships experienced in the Netherlands during the "hongerwinter" and the graphic and well documented forages she took into the countryside to find food and fuel for herself and her ailing, elderly parents. Once she transferred to her friends' place to work in the hospital however I found the story ever more unlikely and the behaviour of her friend sometimes downright irresponsible and thoughtless, but also the way Ilse and Levi just went outside incomprehensible. Also I didn't really feel the great love affair between Ilse and Levi.
In the modern time-frame I just couldn't warm to Anna. I can relate to her wish to find her fathers real roots, but the way she she goes on and on about how much she misses her father and how much this influenced her in my mind created an image of a rather young and immature girl. So much so that at times I was really surprised when the book reminded me that Anna was a mature woman in her late forties. I think this is one of the reason's this story just didn't work for me.
Having said this, like the previous book, this one was also really well documented and the author certainly did her research. Story was good enough to read the whole book, but I think it could have been a lot better with some more depth of the characters.
Three stars for this one
I want to thank Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
However, I did read another of Imogen Matthews's books set in Holland during the war and bases on that book I had great expectations for this one as well. This book is another time, split protagonists setup, but neither of the two stories could really totally engage me. Ilse's story started well enough with the hardships experienced in the Netherlands during the "hongerwinter" and the graphic and well documented forages she took into the countryside to find food and fuel for herself and her ailing, elderly parents. Once she transferred to her friends' place to work in the hospital however I found the story ever more unlikely and the behaviour of her friend sometimes downright irresponsible and thoughtless, but also the way Ilse and Levi just went outside incomprehensible. Also I didn't really feel the great love affair between Ilse and Levi.
In the modern time-frame I just couldn't warm to Anna. I can relate to her wish to find her fathers real roots, but the way she she goes on and on about how much she misses her father and how much this influenced her in my mind created an image of a rather young and immature girl. So much so that at times I was really surprised when the book reminded me that Anna was a mature woman in her late forties. I think this is one of the reason's this story just didn't work for me.
Having said this, like the previous book, this one was also really well documented and the author certainly did her research. Story was good enough to read the whole book, but I think it could have been a lot better with some more depth of the characters.
Three stars for this one
I want to thank Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 31, 2022
Holland, 1944: Ilse is a nursing student in Nazi-occupied Holland. A horrible famine and violence fills the streets from the German occupation. Ilse meets Levi when his family is arrested and sent to a concentration camp. Levi needs Ilse’s help and she risks everything to help him survive. She hides him in a tiny room in her attic. He must remain hidden and if it is discovered that he is there, it would almost mean certain death not only for Levi but also for Ilse. Present day London, Anna’s father passes away and leaves her a ticket to Amsterdam. He wants Anna to return to the town he was born in and find out what happened to his parents after the war ended. Anna never expected her journey to reveal to her the history of her family.
I love time slip novels, especially ones that are historical fiction and based on true family events. This story of both old and new was an immediate attention grabber. This beautiful story of courage and love begins during World War II in Holland and takes you through to present day in London. The people that lived during the reign of the Nazi’s endured so much horror and so courageous. They risked their lives for each other and didn’t care what the outcome was, they took the risk anyway. The effects of that horrible time followed them their entire life and affected generations of families. This story was so inspirational, unbelievably heartbreaking, and unputdownable. I was completely captivated from cover to cover and I definitely recommend this book.
Thank you Imogen Matthews for such a wonderful time slip novel. I really enjoyed everything about this book and I highly recommend it.
I love time slip novels, especially ones that are historical fiction and based on true family events. This story of both old and new was an immediate attention grabber. This beautiful story of courage and love begins during World War II in Holland and takes you through to present day in London. The people that lived during the reign of the Nazi’s endured so much horror and so courageous. They risked their lives for each other and didn’t care what the outcome was, they took the risk anyway. The effects of that horrible time followed them their entire life and affected generations of families. This story was so inspirational, unbelievably heartbreaking, and unputdownable. I was completely captivated from cover to cover and I definitely recommend this book.
Thank you Imogen Matthews for such a wonderful time slip novel. I really enjoyed everything about this book and I highly recommend it.
September 29, 2022
The Boy in the Attic by Imogen Matthews is the third book in this excellent Wartime Holland series. The brilliant book starts as Nazi-occupied Holland, 1944. As the soldiers patrol the streets, nursing student Ilse is only just surviving the terrible famine and increasingly violent German occupation. Though exhausted by her demanding work at a hospital far from home, she can’t help but notice strange noises coming from the attic above her bedroom late at night. Lise can not investigate there is a curfew on evening but when she finally investigates she discovers Levi, he is a terrified young Jewish man and begs her not to give him up to the Nazis, especially as he does not to make him follow his family’s awful fate…
But, protecting Levi will mean only one thing! she will be in great danger. Starvation is setting in, and the Nazi regime becoming ever more violent, Ilse must make the most difficult decision of her life.
Can she risk death herself, to save an innocent life?
This book then takes you to the present day in London. When Anna’s father dies, he leaves her a ticket to Amsterdam, a bent silver sixpence on a delicate silver chain, and a note begging her to complete the journey he was never able to. This is to the town where he was born, Anna has to find out once and for all who his parents were, and to discover their wartime fate.
WoW This book is So good and I highly it. I loved it.
This book can be read as a standalone as well which is great especially if you have not read the other two books However, I do recommend you go back and read the other two. They will not disappoint as they were 5 star read as well.
But, protecting Levi will mean only one thing! she will be in great danger. Starvation is setting in, and the Nazi regime becoming ever more violent, Ilse must make the most difficult decision of her life.
Can she risk death herself, to save an innocent life?
This book then takes you to the present day in London. When Anna’s father dies, he leaves her a ticket to Amsterdam, a bent silver sixpence on a delicate silver chain, and a note begging her to complete the journey he was never able to. This is to the town where he was born, Anna has to find out once and for all who his parents were, and to discover their wartime fate.
WoW This book is So good and I highly it. I loved it.
This book can be read as a standalone as well which is great especially if you have not read the other two books However, I do recommend you go back and read the other two. They will not disappoint as they were 5 star read as well.
January 4, 2023
The Boy in the Attic is by Imogen Matthews. It is an historical fiction set in Holland during World War II. Some of the events and characters are real or are based on real people or events, the story and characters are for the most part made -up. However, the essence of the story resembles the lives that many people were forced to live during the occupation during World War II. The hiding of individuals, of course, occurred as did the camps. Historical fictions help the reader somewhat understand what it was like for individuals during the war.
The story begins in 2001 in London when Anna decides to try to find out about her father’s biological parents. He had started looking for them before his death and Anna felt the need to finish his quest for him. Her investigation leads her to Amsterdam where she locates her grandmother, Ilse. Ilse takes her back to the beginning of World War II and the discovery of having a Jew living in their attic. Her parents were doctors and lived next to a sanatorium. The threat of attracting a disease kept the Nazis away so it seemed like a perfect hiding place. Levi Abel, a jeweler, was temporarily hiding in the attic awaiting a more permanent place. Isle’s best friend, Connie, was helping find him a new place. Ilse didn’t know how involved Connie was with the Resistance. Eventually, he is discovered and arrested. Little did he know that he had left Ilse pregnant.
The story is full of action and suspense. Much of the story Ilse tells her newly-found granddaughter is full of horror, deceit, and danger. It is also full of love and devotion. It is well-worth reading.
The story begins in 2001 in London when Anna decides to try to find out about her father’s biological parents. He had started looking for them before his death and Anna felt the need to finish his quest for him. Her investigation leads her to Amsterdam where she locates her grandmother, Ilse. Ilse takes her back to the beginning of World War II and the discovery of having a Jew living in their attic. Her parents were doctors and lived next to a sanatorium. The threat of attracting a disease kept the Nazis away so it seemed like a perfect hiding place. Levi Abel, a jeweler, was temporarily hiding in the attic awaiting a more permanent place. Isle’s best friend, Connie, was helping find him a new place. Ilse didn’t know how involved Connie was with the Resistance. Eventually, he is discovered and arrested. Little did he know that he had left Ilse pregnant.
The story is full of action and suspense. Much of the story Ilse tells her newly-found granddaughter is full of horror, deceit, and danger. It is also full of love and devotion. It is well-worth reading.
September 29, 2024
The Boy In The Attic by Imogen Matthews is a powerful dual timeline novel that I read in just one sitting. It is a fictional tale but has its roots in fact.
The action is set in present day in both Britain and Holland, alternating with war-torn Holland in 1945. We hear voices in the past and present that are linked by genes.
Holland in 1945 was a precarious place to be. It was still occupied by the Nazis who were determined to continue their reign of terror even though they were clearly losing the war at this point.
We hear of the brave members of the resistance who hide and move those as needed.
Resistance members needed to blend in and also disrupt the Nazi war machine. A brave female resistance fighter finds herself socializing with the Nazis. It is a dangerous position to be in as she listens for secrets. She could also be accused of fraternizing with the enemy.
Friendships made during the war, were continued into peacetime as people were united by shared events.
Love still happens in times of war. It blossoms where it will. Memories of love remain forever.
In present day, following the death of her father, a young woman finds a hidden secret. It takes her across the sea to Holland in order to discover her father’s roots.
All the characters were realistic and well-drawn. The bravery of the women of the resistance shines through. They are unsung heroes who need to be celebrated. I thoroughly hearing their stories and enjoyed The Boy In The Attic. I can highly recommend it.
The action is set in present day in both Britain and Holland, alternating with war-torn Holland in 1945. We hear voices in the past and present that are linked by genes.
Holland in 1945 was a precarious place to be. It was still occupied by the Nazis who were determined to continue their reign of terror even though they were clearly losing the war at this point.
We hear of the brave members of the resistance who hide and move those as needed.
Resistance members needed to blend in and also disrupt the Nazi war machine. A brave female resistance fighter finds herself socializing with the Nazis. It is a dangerous position to be in as she listens for secrets. She could also be accused of fraternizing with the enemy.
Friendships made during the war, were continued into peacetime as people were united by shared events.
Love still happens in times of war. It blossoms where it will. Memories of love remain forever.
In present day, following the death of her father, a young woman finds a hidden secret. It takes her across the sea to Holland in order to discover her father’s roots.
All the characters were realistic and well-drawn. The bravery of the women of the resistance shines through. They are unsung heroes who need to be celebrated. I thoroughly hearing their stories and enjoyed The Boy In The Attic. I can highly recommend it.
December 30, 2022
I love the way the author brings the characters to life in both timelines. The Boy in the Attic is a dual-timeline story set in 1944-1945 and in the present day. It is one full of emotions whilst bringing you the brutal stark truth of Nazi-occupied Holland. Ilse wants to be a doctor, but her dreams are in tatters as all the universities are closed by the Germans. She has to fight for food on a daily basis for herself and her parents. Tulip bulbs are what they have to eat.
But she receives an invitation to go and help out at the sanatorium. It’s got to be better than her current situation, so off she goes. While working there Ilse moves in with her best friend Connie and is shocked at the amount of food they have to eat. The freedom they have, even to go out dancing! However, they must dance with Nazi officers. Ilse isn’t so sure. But then she understands why Connie is doing this and discovers her secret – a little boy in the attic.
In the present day, Anna finds a sixpence in her father’s things after his sudden death, Along with a name and address in the Netherlands. She decides to find out what this is all about and go on her father’s journey.
It was a very enjoyable read. I preferred Ilse’s story to Anna’s but overall I would highly recommend giving this one a go especially if you are a historical fiction fan!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Thanks for Bookouture and Netgalley for my copy.
But she receives an invitation to go and help out at the sanatorium. It’s got to be better than her current situation, so off she goes. While working there Ilse moves in with her best friend Connie and is shocked at the amount of food they have to eat. The freedom they have, even to go out dancing! However, they must dance with Nazi officers. Ilse isn’t so sure. But then she understands why Connie is doing this and discovers her secret – a little boy in the attic.
In the present day, Anna finds a sixpence in her father’s things after his sudden death, Along with a name and address in the Netherlands. She decides to find out what this is all about and go on her father’s journey.
It was a very enjoyable read. I preferred Ilse’s story to Anna’s but overall I would highly recommend giving this one a go especially if you are a historical fiction fan!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Thanks for Bookouture and Netgalley for my copy.
July 29, 2022
Set in two timelines this tells the story of Ilse in Holland during the second world war and of Anna in present day (2001). Ilse has been trying to forage for food ever more getting scarce since the Germans invaded. They have had to resort to eating tulip bulbs as there is little else around. When Ilse gets an invitation to go and help her friend at the sanatorium it is a double blessing. Ilse wanted to train to be a doctor before the war started and going would mean that meagre rations would last her parents longer. On arrival in Amsterdam she soon discovers her friend is hiding rather more than a secret. Anna is trying to find the family of her father who they have just found out about his origins which takes her to Holland, away from Hugo who she is getting rather tired of.
I loved this. For me the dual timelines were easy to follow and really gave the story an edge. I empathised with both Ilse and Anna both being in difficult situations not necessarily of their choosing and their own empathy and kindness for others. This is part of a series (The Wartime Holland series) and would happily stand alone ( I had only read the second one). Part of this is based on facts from Imogen’s own family history which brings home exactly how things were. A stunningly evocative, moving story. 5* from me.
For more reviews please follow me on Twitter@nickisbookblog
---------------
January 10, 2025
1940s Netherlands, Ilse struggles to find food and fuel to keep her aging parents alive as war grips their country. 2005 UK, Anna's father dies and among his papers she discovers he was adopted. She sets off to find out the truth about his birth parents...
The Boy in the Attic is a dual timeline book set in the UK and the Netherlands in the 1940s and 2000s.
Both timelines have very emotional plotlines. Ilse's family are suffering and desperate. The fear and dread are vividly brought to life through the descriptions of their circumstances. Anna is dealing with her grief at the death of her dad. I felt equally absorbed by the lives of both women as they deal with their own struggles.
The danger of the Ilse's situation grows when she leaves home. She befriends a Jewish man Levi which puts her at risk due to the increased proximity and attention of the Nazi occupiers. The tension was maintained well as I awaited finding out how the past timeline linked up to the more modern one.
Meanwhile Anna finds herself increasingly distanced from her boyfriend Hugo both physically and emotionally. I was really annoyed with him (always a good sign when a book evokes a strong emotional response!) and was eager for her to find peace of mind in her relationship as well as in her quest to find her father's family.
The Boy in the Attic is an interesting and emotional historical novel.
The Boy in the Attic is a dual timeline book set in the UK and the Netherlands in the 1940s and 2000s.
Both timelines have very emotional plotlines. Ilse's family are suffering and desperate. The fear and dread are vividly brought to life through the descriptions of their circumstances. Anna is dealing with her grief at the death of her dad. I felt equally absorbed by the lives of both women as they deal with their own struggles.
The danger of the Ilse's situation grows when she leaves home. She befriends a Jewish man Levi which puts her at risk due to the increased proximity and attention of the Nazi occupiers. The tension was maintained well as I awaited finding out how the past timeline linked up to the more modern one.
Meanwhile Anna finds herself increasingly distanced from her boyfriend Hugo both physically and emotionally. I was really annoyed with him (always a good sign when a book evokes a strong emotional response!) and was eager for her to find peace of mind in her relationship as well as in her quest to find her father's family.
The Boy in the Attic is an interesting and emotional historical novel.
August 15, 2022
Secrets and sacrifices, all thanks to the Nazi occupation😟
3.5🌟 stars
I thought this novel started out really well, detailing the hunger and deprivation that fell on swaths of the Dutch people in the winter of 1944-45 under German occupation. I found the early part of the story really tragic but compelling.
I was not so caught up in the rest of their story, or in the modern day account of a young woman searching for the biological parents her father never knew. I expected to feel torn and heartbroken by the difficult choices Ilsa, her friend Connie, their families and others had to make in wartime to survive, resist and aid the Jews they were protecting from the Nazis, including the eponymous boy in the attic. The novel kept my interest to the end but did not inspire the emotional connection I anticipated. And I did not think the characters had much depth.
Historically, I was confused by a reference to the Nazis closing Jewish businesses in the Netherlands in 1938 when the Germans did not invade and occupy the country until the spring of 1940.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
3.5🌟 stars
I thought this novel started out really well, detailing the hunger and deprivation that fell on swaths of the Dutch people in the winter of 1944-45 under German occupation. I found the early part of the story really tragic but compelling.
I was not so caught up in the rest of their story, or in the modern day account of a young woman searching for the biological parents her father never knew. I expected to feel torn and heartbroken by the difficult choices Ilsa, her friend Connie, their families and others had to make in wartime to survive, resist and aid the Jews they were protecting from the Nazis, including the eponymous boy in the attic. The novel kept my interest to the end but did not inspire the emotional connection I anticipated. And I did not think the characters had much depth.
Historically, I was confused by a reference to the Nazis closing Jewish businesses in the Netherlands in 1938 when the Germans did not invade and occupy the country until the spring of 1940.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
September 1, 2022
The Boy in the Attic is the second book I’ve read by Imogen Matthews and, once again, I was hooked from start to finish. This time, the story is based on events that happened to Imogen’s family, back in 1944 and as she states at the end of the book, if it weren’t for the courageousness of her mother, then she herself wouldn’t be here today.
The story skips back and forth between Ilse’s story in 1944 and Anna’s in 2005, and as we follow them both in their lives, we discover how their stories are linked. The author tells Ilsa’s story brilliantly and with her amazing descriptive writing, we can almost imagine how hungry and scared people must have been during the war. Despite the tragic circumstances, I loved how Anna began her investigations into her past, with a silver sixpence and a peacock blue scarf.
Fast-paced, entertaining and educational. If you enjoy a dual timeline story and you enjoy historical fiction, grab yourself a copy of The Boy in the Attic.
I am lucky enough to be a part of Books on Tour for this book, so thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The Boy in the Attic by Imogen Matthews.
The story skips back and forth between Ilse’s story in 1944 and Anna’s in 2005, and as we follow them both in their lives, we discover how their stories are linked. The author tells Ilsa’s story brilliantly and with her amazing descriptive writing, we can almost imagine how hungry and scared people must have been during the war. Despite the tragic circumstances, I loved how Anna began her investigations into her past, with a silver sixpence and a peacock blue scarf.
Fast-paced, entertaining and educational. If you enjoy a dual timeline story and you enjoy historical fiction, grab yourself a copy of The Boy in the Attic.
I am lucky enough to be a part of Books on Tour for this book, so thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of The Boy in the Attic by Imogen Matthews.
August 12, 2022
Firstly, I'd like to say that the description for this book (on NetGalley at least), is quite misleading to the actual content of the book, and is actually wrong about the plot. I hope this is changed before publication.
I went into this with high expectations, as I've loved similar books in the past, and this seemed like a very interesting story to explore. Ultimately though, I found I was disappointed. The writing style felt jumpy and slightly all over the place (though I think the dual perspectives worked well, the jumping in the timeline within each one created completely unnecessary confusion), and unfortunately I could not bring myself to love either of the protagonists. They both seemed to make many questionable decisions, and I felt many aspects of their lives were either over or under explored.
I did enjoy the references to the Dutch resistance though, and I found myself invested in both protagonists' journeys, which can be a difficult thing to accomplish in these types of books.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this eARC.
2.5
I went into this with high expectations, as I've loved similar books in the past, and this seemed like a very interesting story to explore. Ultimately though, I found I was disappointed. The writing style felt jumpy and slightly all over the place (though I think the dual perspectives worked well, the jumping in the timeline within each one created completely unnecessary confusion), and unfortunately I could not bring myself to love either of the protagonists. They both seemed to make many questionable decisions, and I felt many aspects of their lives were either over or under explored.
I did enjoy the references to the Dutch resistance though, and I found myself invested in both protagonists' journeys, which can be a difficult thing to accomplish in these types of books.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for this eARC.
2.5
August 15, 2022
The WWII timeline was definitely more interesting than the timeline set in nowadays times. Hence a 3*. Though based on the author 's family history, I was not fully immersed in the novel. The dual times were for me disturbing: I couldn't connect with the main characters, too much telling than showing resulting for me in a lack of depth as to the characters ' development. The present timeline follows the pattern so oft seen in 2 timelines novels: a death resulting in a search, romance. It was for me much too predictable.
I received a complimentary ARC of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily a review.
I received a complimentary ARC of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily a review.
September 20, 2023
The book was very good. However, the synopsis on the back jacket cover was quite wrong about the way Ilse meets Levi and about Anna receiving a letter from her father. All quite confusing while I was reading thinking I missed the whole letter part. This didn’t keep me from enjoying the book, just made it a bit confusing wondering why the synopsis was written like that. Did editing of the original story get changed and someone forgot to tell the book jacket designer🤔
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews