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Marika est une jeune orpheline tchèque dont les parents ont été tués par les nazis. Depuis ce jour, elle éprouve envers tous les Allemands une incoercible haine. Gunter est un officier allemand dont le sous-marin vient de sombrer, en cette année 1940, au large des côtes de l'Afrique du Sud, où Marika a trouvé une famille d'adoption après la mort de ses parents. Entre Gunter et Marika, c'est le coup de foudre. Et bientôt le drame : Marika, enceinte, découvre la véritable nationalité de Gunter et le congédie au cours d'une scène violente. Chacun, alors, va suivre son destin, sans réussir à oublier. Entre Londres et Johannesbourg, entre le monde sophistiqué de la haute couture et le rude milieu des chercheurs de diamants, Marika et Gunter se cherchent et se fuient, ballotés au gré de leur passion et de leur orgueil. Esclave du ressentiment qui l'anime encore, Marika finira-t-elle par écouter ce que lui dicte son coeur ?
Une très belle et très âpre histoire d'amour et de revanche.
Une très belle et très âpre histoire d'amour et de revanche.
453 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
About the author
Madge Swindells
41 books21 followersMADGE SWINDELLS was born and educated in England. As a teenager, she emigrated with her parents to South Africa where she studied archaeology and anthropology at Cape Town University. The author of numerous romance novels, her work has been translated into seven languages and has reached bestseller lists across the world.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 10, 2014
As a young girl, Marika Margos witnessed the shooting of her mother during WWII, when the Jewish citizens of Prague were rounded up for the concentration camps. A train load of orphaned children were rescued and send to foster homes in Africa. This is where Marika's first life would end and a new life with her foster parents, Irwin & Bertha Factor, would begin. Her childhood memories of the war would result in bitterness, as well as an oath to herself to revenge the death of her parents. She would find the killers of her father, in particular, who practiced as a doctor in France and was murdered during the massacre of 650 French men, women and children on the afternoon of 10th June 1944, at Oradour-sur-Glane.
However, it would take many years, and a painful journey through life to finally accomplish her goal. The lessons she would learn would be devastating and her inability to return the love she received from the people around her would almost destroy them all. The price of her determination to find and bring the German killers to justice, would be higher than she ever could imagine. Her road to healing would take her through the wonder world of the Namib desert, the fishing village of Walvis Bay where Bertha and Irwin owned a general dealer's store, to the high and mighty world of the rich and famous of Europe. She will ultimately learn that the world she was so desperate to conquer, and did conquer, would regard morals a luxury. She would learn the hard way that forgiveness did not require anything but selfless love, although it took an epiphany, almost too late, to rescue her from her own emotional obstructions and choices.
COMMENTS:
This international bestseller has been published in 1985 for the first time. I am reading the 1986 edition. It is the fourth book of Madge Swindells that I read. For the fourth time I know I have made the right choice. Not one single book of this author ever used a blueprint for success. Each story is unique and brilliantly compiled. Most of her books have been translated into at least nine languages.
While reading about Marika Margos, Hans Kolb, Bertha Factor, and Clair McGuire's lives in Song of the Wind, I was thinking about the quality of writing these authors of the Eighties produced. I have never come across this high standard of penmanship in pop-lit again, which is particularly present in Madge Swindell's books. This kind of prose for this genre is above average and has imprinted her stories forever on my mind.
This is not only an unbelievable love story, without the cheap thrills of chic-lit, but also a high drama, action-packed suspense adventure in which honor, commitment, loyalty and friendship surpass every hardship or horror which crossed their paths in this 505 pages of brilliance. I did not have the urge anywhere in the book to skip pages. The suspense is keeping the reader glued to this book right from the beginning to end. And although I figured out what was going to happen in the end, I was still totally surprised by the events in the end. I kept on reading until the very last period was added after the very last word. One of the hardest things to do was closing the book and saying goodbye to the characters.
Although I devoured the books of Sydney Sheldon, Wilbur Smith, Judith Krantz, Barbara Taylor Bradford and the like, from the same genre and period, it was always Madge Swindell's books which forever embedded themselves in my mind and soul. I was fortunate to get hold of this copy.
You should consider reading this book. Well, I recommend it to everyone interested in contemporary historical fiction with enough suspense and adventure thrown in to make it a highly entertaining, as well as informative read.
I guarantee you that it won't be the last Madge Swindells you would want to read. "The Corsican Woman" and "Edelweiss" were the first two books of hers that I read. I can recommend them as well.
However, it would take many years, and a painful journey through life to finally accomplish her goal. The lessons she would learn would be devastating and her inability to return the love she received from the people around her would almost destroy them all. The price of her determination to find and bring the German killers to justice, would be higher than she ever could imagine. Her road to healing would take her through the wonder world of the Namib desert, the fishing village of Walvis Bay where Bertha and Irwin owned a general dealer's store, to the high and mighty world of the rich and famous of Europe. She will ultimately learn that the world she was so desperate to conquer, and did conquer, would regard morals a luxury. She would learn the hard way that forgiveness did not require anything but selfless love, although it took an epiphany, almost too late, to rescue her from her own emotional obstructions and choices.
COMMENTS:
This international bestseller has been published in 1985 for the first time. I am reading the 1986 edition. It is the fourth book of Madge Swindells that I read. For the fourth time I know I have made the right choice. Not one single book of this author ever used a blueprint for success. Each story is unique and brilliantly compiled. Most of her books have been translated into at least nine languages.
While reading about Marika Margos, Hans Kolb, Bertha Factor, and Clair McGuire's lives in Song of the Wind, I was thinking about the quality of writing these authors of the Eighties produced. I have never come across this high standard of penmanship in pop-lit again, which is particularly present in Madge Swindell's books. This kind of prose for this genre is above average and has imprinted her stories forever on my mind.
This is not only an unbelievable love story, without the cheap thrills of chic-lit, but also a high drama, action-packed suspense adventure in which honor, commitment, loyalty and friendship surpass every hardship or horror which crossed their paths in this 505 pages of brilliance. I did not have the urge anywhere in the book to skip pages. The suspense is keeping the reader glued to this book right from the beginning to end. And although I figured out what was going to happen in the end, I was still totally surprised by the events in the end. I kept on reading until the very last period was added after the very last word. One of the hardest things to do was closing the book and saying goodbye to the characters.
Although I devoured the books of Sydney Sheldon, Wilbur Smith, Judith Krantz, Barbara Taylor Bradford and the like, from the same genre and period, it was always Madge Swindell's books which forever embedded themselves in my mind and soul. I was fortunate to get hold of this copy.
You should consider reading this book. Well, I recommend it to everyone interested in contemporary historical fiction with enough suspense and adventure thrown in to make it a highly entertaining, as well as informative read.
I guarantee you that it won't be the last Madge Swindells you would want to read. "The Corsican Woman" and "Edelweiss" were the first two books of hers that I read. I can recommend them as well.
June 21, 2012
An interesting story with so many ups and downs of life and of relationships. Describes beautifully that how sometimes while running behind our goal we forget the people whom we love, without whom life is so difficult. At the end but real love finds its path.
August 18, 2021
Στην διάρκεια του δεύτερου παγκοσμίου πολέμου μια έφηβη από την Τσεχία καταφεύγει στην Νότια Αφρική για να σωθεί από το μίσος των ναζιστών. Ερωτεύεται χωρίς να το ξέρει έναν Γερμανό στρατιώτη. Και έκτοτε βάζει στόχο της ζωής της να συλληφθεί ο Γερμανός αξιωματικός που είναι υπεύθυνος για το θάνατο του πατέρα της. Περιπέτεια που διαβάζεται ευχάριστα το καλοκαίρι.
November 26, 2020
Wartime intrigue and romance
Marika fell in love when young and got pregnant but before the baby was born another woman who was jealous of their relationship told her that Gunter was a German and that his papers were forged. Having lost her parents in the war because of Nazis Marika ended the relationship but never stopped loving him. She was adopted when a young girl by Bertha whom she left the baby with so she could pursue her career. Brilliantly penned with emotions all over the place. This book is another winner for author Madge Swindells.
Marika fell in love when young and got pregnant but before the baby was born another woman who was jealous of their relationship told her that Gunter was a German and that his papers were forged. Having lost her parents in the war because of Nazis Marika ended the relationship but never stopped loving him. She was adopted when a young girl by Bertha whom she left the baby with so she could pursue her career. Brilliantly penned with emotions all over the place. This book is another winner for author Madge Swindells.
November 1, 2018
Complicated but beautiful story
These long and epic tales by Madge Swindells have been both entertaining and educational. The tragedy of Oradour bears repeating as I feel there are many young readers who might not know about it. And the African sands and coastal conditions bring the continent close to readers like me who will never have the chance to actually visit. Thank you for your wonderful stories.
These long and epic tales by Madge Swindells have been both entertaining and educational. The tragedy of Oradour bears repeating as I feel there are many young readers who might not know about it. And the African sands and coastal conditions bring the continent close to readers like me who will never have the chance to actually visit. Thank you for your wonderful stories.
April 17, 2019
Wonderful read
This romance is written well, describing Southwest Africa(now Namibia) and the desert so vividly. You are drawn into the lives of the characters and experiencing their pain and sometimes joy, with them. The horrors of WWII is so recently, I tend to not like reading about it. Although the book was a long read, I could not put it down. Loved it, but it was a bit exhausting.
This romance is written well, describing Southwest Africa(now Namibia) and the desert so vividly. You are drawn into the lives of the characters and experiencing their pain and sometimes joy, with them. The horrors of WWII is so recently, I tend to not like reading about it. Although the book was a long read, I could not put it down. Loved it, but it was a bit exhausting.
November 11, 2018
Another fab read about the war, the death of a family by the nazi regime and how it affected a surviving daughter. I loved all the characters, Bertha, Hans/Gunther and Sylvia. I even felt sorry for Claire knowing that she turned her obsession for Gunther into something evil and deadly that eventually gave her the only way out. Well written book with lots of surprises.
August 2, 2025
This was an amazing book. Slightly different from the norm but I could not put it down. The story had a number of locations and a look into how those with great wealth can live. It was a story of adventure passions intrigued and suspense. I would thoroughly recommend it
January 30, 2013
A magnificent story. I enjoyed every minute of reading.
Read
June 9, 20131st one I read, and wanted to read more from her
September 16, 2018
Great story, but....
Yes, a great story ruined by it's dragging length. I could have done without the grueling on and on writing and repeated back and forth.....Too much story ruined this story!
The fact that the plot should be made into a movie isn't lost on me at all. I have to give it to this author for her amazing creativity in that regard.
The story about a Czech child shipped with Jewish refugee children to South Africa during WWII to be fostered by a childless Jewish couple is a very integral part of this multi-faceted plot. Near the final days of the war a few years later a German submarine off the coast of the same town is destroyed and a young German naval engineer is rescued and taken to the local hospital for treatment. This is where the next part of the plot becomes important and very interesting. As they say, the plot thickens when romance ensues. The main characters are numerous and the story shows great promise...... and then stagnated as the years go by. Unfortunately, or fortunately, based upon one's personal opinion, I found myself reading through the boring middle of this book until, once again, the storyline sparks and flames into an amazing last third of the story. I have to be honest and admit I was glad I forgef ahead to the finish line. Definite five-star plot!! Too bad that boring middle wasn't edited better. Would have made all the difference.
With great sadness and desperation, adventure, action and drama, romance and revenge, cruelty and tenderness, and secrets galore, it's definitely worth the read even with the stagnated middle. So I give it three stars to balance what could and should be a five-star book.
I recommend to readers of historical fiction with the aforementioned caveat. Definitely worth the read if one can get through the muddy middle.
Yes, a great story ruined by it's dragging length. I could have done without the grueling on and on writing and repeated back and forth.....Too much story ruined this story!
The fact that the plot should be made into a movie isn't lost on me at all. I have to give it to this author for her amazing creativity in that regard.
The story about a Czech child shipped with Jewish refugee children to South Africa during WWII to be fostered by a childless Jewish couple is a very integral part of this multi-faceted plot. Near the final days of the war a few years later a German submarine off the coast of the same town is destroyed and a young German naval engineer is rescued and taken to the local hospital for treatment. This is where the next part of the plot becomes important and very interesting. As they say, the plot thickens when romance ensues. The main characters are numerous and the story shows great promise...... and then stagnated as the years go by. Unfortunately, or fortunately, based upon one's personal opinion, I found myself reading through the boring middle of this book until, once again, the storyline sparks and flames into an amazing last third of the story. I have to be honest and admit I was glad I forgef ahead to the finish line. Definite five-star plot!! Too bad that boring middle wasn't edited better. Would have made all the difference.
With great sadness and desperation, adventure, action and drama, romance and revenge, cruelty and tenderness, and secrets galore, it's definitely worth the read even with the stagnated middle. So I give it three stars to balance what could and should be a five-star book.
I recommend to readers of historical fiction with the aforementioned caveat. Definitely worth the read if one can get through the muddy middle.
July 16, 2021
This book was not a short one!
But I really enjoyed the history and learning about South Africa "geology".
It is mainly about a woman who can't let go of her hate of the Germans who killed her
parents and how that affects her life.
There is a lot more going on in the plot than just that ...........
Some mistaken identity, family secrets and so forth.
But I really enjoyed the history and learning about South Africa "geology".
It is mainly about a woman who can't let go of her hate of the Germans who killed her
parents and how that affects her life.
There is a lot more going on in the plot than just that ...........
Some mistaken identity, family secrets and so forth.
March 22, 2023
Its a guilty pleasure of a book. You know you're not reading highbrow literature but it's so enjoyable. Its a big novel- over five hundred pages in hard cover and its is eighties' big,- big money, big diamond, larger than life love,hate and revenge. And its immensely enjoyable.
What a great miniseries it would make.
What a great miniseries it would make.
October 12, 2014
did not enjoy
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews