Berlin, Germany, 1930—When the Nazis rise to power, Sofie von Meyer Rhodes and her academic husband benefit from the military ambitions of Germany’s newly elected chancellor when Jürgen is offered a high-level position in their burgeoning rocket program. When scandalous rumors about the Rhodes family’s affiliation with Hitler’s regime spreads, idle gossip turns to bitter rage, and the act of violence that results will tear apart Sofie’s community and her family before the truth is finally revealed. while it’s based on a true story, at the end of the day it is fiction and i can 100% understand any criticism this book receives. The Rhodes family were faced with a moral dilemma and did what they felt they had to do to protect their family. This book also allows the reader to see both sides of the war, from the effect it had Sofie and also Lizzie, from the Jewish or German point of view.

Sofie and Jürgen were in an impossible situation – should they have resisted and faced certain torture and death? She wonders if being married to Jürgen makes her as complicit as her husband when it comes to Hitler’s crimes. Lizzie’s mentally unstable brother adds even more tension to the situation since he believes Jurgen is out to get him.And while the manager of the program for which Jurgen works encourages the American wives to make their German counterparts welcome, many can’t reconcile themselves to being friendly with a race of people who may have been responsible for the atrocities they have all heard about. Her brother, Henry has seen first-hand what the Nazis did, resulting in mental distress termed combat fatigue. Berlin, 1934: Sofie Rhodes is the aristocratic wife of a scientist whose post-WWI fortunes change for the better when her husband, Jurgen, is recruited for Hitler’s new rocket project. Both women are survivors who will do whatever is necessary to protect the ones they love, including turning a blind eye.

But what really made this book one I will never forget was the emotional connection I felt with the characters and story itself. To the dismay of the hosts of the welcome party, Lizzie takes a stand and harsh words fly between her and Sofie. I thoroughly enjoy the intimacy and emotional intelligence of her stories, and I am already eager for what’s next.

Books take us to places we’ve never been, they teach us about our world, and they help us to understand human experience. The German Wife is another exceptional read by Aussie author Kellie Rimmer which I thoroughly enjoyed. The Crossword Solver is designed to help users to find the missing answers to their crossword puzzles. Every book of hers I've read I have been fully immersed in the story and end up having an emotional crisis along the way.

Operation Paperclip was a massive risk for the government and I do see Lizzies perspective that criminals got away with atrocities because the USA had a need for their skills. It's a heartbreaking narrative, and it's hard to know which characters are in the right and which are wrong - it all depends on which perspective you are coming from. Sofie is the aristocratic wife of scientist Jürgen who is recruited for a Hitler's new rocket project. Once wealthy, Sofie Rhodes and her husband Jürgen are in financial ruin after the impact of the Depression. As the country passes laws targeting Jewish people, Sofie and Jurgen assure themselves that it can’t get any worse, that rational German minds will prevail.While the focus is on the German wife and her family, the American woman’s story is entwined throughout the two timelines twenty years apart.