Dancing Winds

by James C. McCrae

In Hitler's Germany it was forbidden for a Jewish boy to fall in love with the daughter of an SS officer. But that's what handsome Sender Rosen did when he fell for Katrin Becker in the autumn of 1938. The holocaust took a brutal turn on Kristallnacht -- the night of broken glass -- but Sender Rosen's terrible ordeal and the horrors endured by his family were not enough to make him forget Katrin, the love of his life. The winds of the heavens danced between Sender and Katrin for seven long years of adversity and adventure, but neither of them allowed the winds to stop dancing. There were few Nazi officials who possessed the integrity of Katrin's father, Hauptsturmfuehrer Horst Becker. When he joined the SS, his job was to deport Jews and confiscate their money, not torture, starve and murder every single one of them. Hitler's hatred took Nazi Germany too far - all the way to genocide. Horst and his family wanted out. Katrin's dream of achieving classical music excellence and Sender's determination to succeed in films blend with a poignant story of love, hate, murder, adversity, forgiveness, reconciliation and strength of character. Sender's grandmother and sister conspire in a delightful plot to bring the story to an emotive conclusion that is sure to surprise Sender, and please the reader.

280 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2006

Reviews

[Karli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book - the writing reminds me a lot of Stuart Woods. The pacing is great, the characters are compelling and it was really hard NOT to read it in one sitting.

This book did not make light of the Holocaust but it also didn't get mired down in it. The story was fairly realistic (if in an idealized way) and was fun to read and left the reader feeling hopeful.

The book also discusses the complicity and difficulties facing the Nazi soldiers in this regime, which is a subject I've really never seen dealt with before.

Well done and very readable!

[Heather(Gibby) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story of forbidden teen-age love, set during the horrific events of the Holocaust of WWII.

The story is engaging, if at times simplified.
It appears the intended audience was for a high school or young adult audience.
It is well written, and historically accurate to my own limited knowledge.

Definitely worth a read!

[Wes Pue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this book. It was published by a cousin a decade ago bit I've only just discovered it. Organized around the love of a German boy and girl in 1938, and horrid atrocities of the holocaust, the book is compelling reading.