The Memories We Keep

by Walter Zacharius

An unexpected letter arrives in the mail, tying the present to the past, and promising a long-awaited reunion. . .

Mia Levy is content with the simple existence she leads on a farm. But her days weren't always spent so quietly. Over thirty years ago, Mia lived in Poland, where she had all she could want--her home, family, and first love, music--until history took its course, changing the world and the life she knew forever. Mia's struggle to survive would take her from the poverty-stricken streets of Poland to New York City, where she encountered a love that would span decades, to Paris where she would place herself in the gravest of dangers to uncover the mysterious fate that befell her family. . .

Inspired by the author's own experiences as an American soldier, this remarkable novel is a story of loss, love, betrayal, and the amazing power of hope. With its inventive storytelling skill and unforgettable voice, The Memories We Keep is a debut novel that will arrest your imagination until the very last page is turned. . .

"One of this year's more captivating debut novels." -- Publishers Weekly

"A breathless read." -- Booklist (starred review)

Walter Zacharius, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Kensington Publishing, served in World War II and was with the French when they liberated Paris. The Memories We Keep is his first novel.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, World War II, Poland

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Cristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed book one, as I thought it offered an interesting “inside” perspective on the slow and deliberate persecution and elimination of the Jews. I think it did a respectable job of chronicling the horrors of the ghetto and hoe once respectable families were reduced to stark poverty. Book two was similarly interesting. The author rightly dealt with Mia’s culture shock and the juxtaposition of her maturity versus the throes of young love. However, the book’s collapse was in book three. It made NO sense why Mia was sent to work as an S&M prostitute, especially since her “spy” activities were secondary to her seedy sexual exploits with the Nazis. The plotline has glaring holes in it and the reader is left to wonder what purpose, if any, does she serve in that role. I just felt the whole story took an unexpected turn for the worst as the author appeared to go from writing a book about the holocaust to indulging in his S&M fantasies.

[Fawn Ponzar · Rating 1 out of 5]

I saw this thing about what it would look like if women writers would write male characters like male writers write female characters and it was overtly funny in its over-sexuality. Well, now I know it wasn’t as funny as I thought. This author has no business telling the story of a woman set in this time. It is insulting to the history and insulting to women. Like every other page is this girl having sex or making out with another boy, all while trying to work for the resistance, find her family, escape Poland, getting shot at, etc. This guy couldn’t ignore his boner longer than a page at a time as he wrote. Just gross and wildly disrespectful.

[Jessie Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very well written book. The beginning was a great perspective of what life was like for a young woman at the beginning of the war. This woman was a sheltered teenager that turned into a hero. The first part of the book kept me turning pages. The second part was a great story of life after struggle. She became confident enough to return to the war. The third part is where you lost me. You turned her from a hero to a whore. Was very displeased with the ending.

[Sara Quale · Rating 3 out of 5]

I disliked the language the author chose to use throughout the book. Words seemed to have been used to demean the female protagonist and if readers were shocked, that was OK too. The introduction of S&M themes in the last part of the book seemed gratuitous and fodder from a mysoginistic creeper. Three stars was more in defense of the lead character’s story than a compliment to the author.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure what to say about this book. I think I will give it 3 and a half stars. I liked a lot of parts of it but other parts felt disjointed and the writing was difficult to follow. Some of the actions were too explicit but the characters were not well defined so it was hard to feel empathy toward them.

[Katie Snyder · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about a Jewish girl during WW2 who escaped, only to return to help the Americans. Love, loss, reunion, & starting over; a pretty good book but could’ve have been better written. Historical fiction is also not my most favorite genre.

[Therese Dotray-Tulloch · Rating 2 out of 5]

World War II saga told from a young woman's point of view starting in Poland to Brooklyn into occupied France and ending in Israel. Very moving and sad though not very believable.

[M Elam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this book 5 stars if it wasn't for the graphic, frequent, and completely unnecessary sex.

[Haley Howard-Jones · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mia is inconsistent and downright confusing. There are glaring plot holes in book three, and the writing itself lends you to dislike the female characters. This only gets a two from me because the epilogue redeems quite a few huge storylines for me.

[Aileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me cry at least four times. I don't understand why people have said they could not connect with the character. The main character may have been a bit distant after she got to America and then again after she lost her boyfriend and was stuck in France as a prostitute, but in my opinion she had every right to be distant since she had to go through so much. she lost all her immidiate family, the love of her life, and so much else. She like so many others had to be relocated many times, was tricked and back stabbed, plus the only man she ever loved was in France with her during liberation day but didn't see her since she had been an undercover spy and the people thought she was a prositute willingly. This book hit me so hard and it still effects me when i least expect it. This is a story of more then just lost love, it is a story of one girl's journey through more then the imposssible, but also through womenhood and life with no one there to truly guide her since she had to lose almost everyone she loved, thankfully she was finally reunited with her love at the very end but it didn't truly matter since he was married and so many years had passed before they were finally able to reunite. The book is more then just a five star book. Some might disagree but it's only because they didn't want to connect with the main character. You could relate and/or connect to her in so many different ways and most don't even try.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This book was difficult. Difficult to read, difficult to process, difficult to truly understand, difficult to keep myself from crying. Walter Zacharius described in detail how it was to be a Jew during the holocaust - and I'm sure it was extremely difficult to write, because it was difficult enough to read. I've read my share of holocaust books, but this one - it really stabbed me where it hurts most, and made me stay up at night, the words, like small knives, going round and round in my brain, my heart - and my tear ducts. And I thought to myself - Mia had it pretty good compared to what some people went through. And that in itself just makes me tear up again. She is imprisoned in a ghetto with conditions so disgustingly inhumane; she leaves behind her family, who are on their way to Auschwitz (she didn't know she was leaving them behind); she slowly makes her way to America, where everyone is living in a dream world, so oblivious to the massacre going on across the pond; she joins the British Secret Service, in order to find out what became of her family, and her assignment is to be a prostitute in a French brothel catering to Nazi pigs. After the war, is she thanked for her work that almost killed her inside? No - the people try to kill her. This book is not for anyone looking for a sweet, nice book to float away in, or for anyone with a faint heart. Just remember - it will keep you up all night and wash your pillows with tears.

[Crystal Carroll · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is about a Jewish girl from Poland who survives the Holocaust. The first half of the book, which described Mia's underground fight and eventual escape from Poland to the United States while her family was sent to a concentration camp, was excellent. However, the last half was very disappointing. Mia goes back to Europe as an American spy and it is then that the novel turns into a cheesy unbelievable spy thriller with gaping plot holes. Not to mention the writer is in need of a thesaurus and a better editor when it comes to detecting things that have already been revealed. If you read this book, I recommend stopping after Mia reaches America; otherwise, you are going to be disappointed.

[Christie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story of young Jewish girl living in Poland during the days leading up to the German invasion and what became of her and her family. There were parts of the book that were filled with gripping action/suspense that made me want to keep reading and then the author would switch gears and intersperse the novel with drawn out passages of sexual encounters. While some such passages were relevant to the plot development, the sheer number of them made this to close to the type of fiction book I'm definitely not drawn to. That's just me. For context sake, I'm the type of person who was bored to death during the movie "Titanic" until the ship started to sink and then I was enthralled. Don't know what that says about me other than I'm not much of a drama romance fan.

[Samantha Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this book. Mia is a young lady growing up in Poland with her well-off Jewish family. When the Nazis invade Poland they are forced into a ghetto where they are worked and starved almost to death. Mia's father finds a way for them to escape, but his plan backfires and Mia is the only one who gets away.

Without her family, Mia embarks on a path that is filled with sadness, loneliness, love, hate, and horror. The story portrays her journey from an innocent Jewish girl to a girl who will do anything to survive and avenge her family.

If you like WWII stories, I definitely recommend this one.

[Libraryscat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this book is fictional, I have read enough Holocaust narratives to believe in the integrity of the story. Having been present at the liberation of Paris, Zacharius surely witnessed the confusion and despair faced by the many displaced and impossibly shattered people. I found the significance of music as the backdrop for much of the story wonderful, as music evokes such strong emotions. To pair the music with such intense experiences during the war, both good and bad, was no less than phenomenal.

[Amy Rose Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is truly heartbreaking. I cried like a baby in many different sections. I can't help but be drawn to stories that are so heartwrenching. I love when an author can make me feel so much for the characters, even when they are incredibly foolish. I must say that I also was delighted by the fact that Mia's love played the clarinet, having played the clarinet for many years myself. I'm a sucker for any romantic plot set in the WWII era, especially one that spans from the European countries to America and back again. This is an incredible story. I highly recommend it.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I only gave this book a 3* rating it deserves more than that. From the very beginning you are drawn into this book and you suffer with Mia a young Jewish woman in Poland and how WWII affected her and her family as well as her relationships with people for the rest of her life. It introduces you to the side of war not fought on the battlefields but instead in survival by instinct and undercover work. Like The Cellist of Serajevo it makes the horrors of war more real and not whitewashed by heroic gun battles

[~mad · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am on page 176 - not to Part 3 yet where reviews, more than one, say it falls apart. I am enjoying it so far - but, yes, it is difficult to connect with the main character - It do like the researched history however. I'll reserve judgment on whether the author needs a thesarus.

The first half was good - the second, however, was a race to the end - I can take it or leave it! Just a little too "pat."

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story about the war from a young Polish girl's view. Lots of books out these days from this era...I never did like the main character. I think it was because it was a male author trying to see a female point of view. I don't think it worked. Glad I read it, but won't be passing it along.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for my book club.

It was an interesting subject matter, but I felt a little disappointed that I didn't have more sympathy for the main character. I wanted to, but just couldn't muster it.

[Stacy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a good book in theory but the author didn't do a good job in making you feel like the choices the girl made were what they were worthwhile. So, she ended up leading a sad life and lost out on some good things for what?

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because it received a starred review from Booklist. However, I did not like it. It lacked depth and was an unbelieveable story of Mia, a Polish Jew who makes it out of Poland to NYC back to occupied France.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

021813. This is a very haunting story. I have read many books like this one and the story has an impact on me. I know it's fiction, but reading this book I have to think how many people had to endure the pain that Mia went through. Mostly it's the pain she had to suffer after the war.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this for book club and, despite the strange turn it takes in "Book Three," I liked the book. It was an interesting and heart-wrenching story that I would definitely recommend reading.

[Lizzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love any book set during World War II. My favorite part of Modern History. It wasn't really about what I thought it would be about. It's a lot of "spy" stuff.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A graphic and brutally honest look into the life of a Jewish survivor of WWII and what she did to survive. This book was inspired by the author's experiences as an American soldier.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

A WW II story from a different perspective, a female jew passing herself off as a gentile whore.

[Lu]

american soldier WWII; love, loss, betrayal & hope

[Tammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book, sad, harsh, but that is expected with any book dealing with this subject. The ending is fair, and hopeful. I enjoyed it.

[Dana Torrente · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was...eh...good, but uncessarily vulgar? Oh man it at the end it gets pretty sexual, and it was written by an old man...crazy.