Play Book Tag discussion

What an absolutely beautiful and engaging book! I must admit I was a little intimidated to start. At 750 pages, I had a hard time getting to it, until a challenge made it possible and a must. (#16). Plus I had two (at least) companions to read it with. But it was engaging and beautifully done. I was engrossed and enraptured into the story. I couldn't put it down.

The story itself traces a young Hungarian man who gets an opportunity to go to Paris for architecture school, and agrees to deliver a (top secret) letter. This eventually leads to an unforgettable love affair and yet another brilliantly written WWII story, where I must admit the losses are guttural, but the resilience and the fortune equals in the roller coaster of the heart. I greatly enjoyed each twist and turn.

I am posting this review on the general feed, in the August Other category, in the Trim Folder (#16), in the Buddy Read for Invisible Bridge thread, and possibly in the Jewish Book Club, if I can find the thread there as well. But for those who have read the book, I just wanted to say that the author had a way of capturing things that absolutely tugged on the heart strings and made you understand its power. Perhaps one of the many favorite stories told, which will forever stay with me, is when Andras described his mother, and how she would care for his wife in his temporary absence, he recalls a memory of himself as a kid, who had received a spectacular present, and whose mother saved the day from a huge devastation with ease and acuity, that was heroic. The story in itself was descriptive and and moving, but what it meant to him in the present, was the link that made me pause in the book, reflect, and sigh with the "aah" of understanding. I felt that. And much of the book was just like that. I laughed in places, cried in others. I hoped, I dared, I dreamed, I grieved, and I lived it - all 750 pages. What a pleasure!

It is a wonderful book and the characters stand out. As with any WWII book you know that not everyone is going to make it through so there is always that dread sitting in the pit of your stomach.

I loved the love story at the core of it and admit to being a bit impatient with it at the beginning but by the end I saw how the slow set up was necessary.

Andras is a great character and I was a little in love with him as well.

I fell in love just as deeply! What a love story!

So glad I left this on my TBR when you and I started slashing earlier this year Amy....now I need a reason to pick up another 500+ page book-seems this summer was the month of tomes for me, and I was thrilled to have an AugustTRIM book at less than 200 pages!

5***** and a ❤ from me!