April 1941. German bombers are in the air, about to attack Belfast.
Oskar is a Luftwaffe conscript whose sweetheart, Elsa, was forced to flee Berlin for Ireland two years before. War-weary he longs for escape.In remote Dunkerin, Kitty awakes to find a parachute trapped in one of the lime trees. When she discovers Oskar, injured and foraging for food in her kitchen, he becomes a rare and exciting secret. But Ireland during the 'Emergency' is an uneasy place, and word of the parachute soon spreads.
Meanwhile, Elsa is haunted by the plight of the parents she left behind. With the threat of Nazi invasion, she feels far from secure.
A chance encounter with Elsa, and Charlie, a young medical student, finds himself falling in love.
Oskar, Kitty, Elsa, Charlie. Their lives intertwine in a climate of war, exile, and ever-uncertain neutrality.
...... Outer back cover.
FIRST SENTENCE (Oskar: The Fall): Oskar had never been afraid of falling.
MEMORABLE MOMENT (Page 120): "Are those letters?" he asked. "Can you write to them?"
As soon as he said it, he remembered what Bethel had told him and he wished he could bite back the question.
She shook her head, just once this time. "Not any more. How do you write to people who are trying not to exist?"
MY THOUGHTS: Have you ever read a book where the emotions of the characters are so raw as to be tangible? Well, A Parachute In The Lime Tree is one such novel.
Beautifully penned and full of poignant moments. Though not a novel that gripped me right from the beginning, I did at first find the numerous change in narratives slightly disturbed the flow of the story but by the end I was so caught up in the hypnotic quality of Oskar and Elsa's stories that I found myself reluctant to put it down for even one moment.
A truly uplifting read, a story of lost love and redemption which spans countries and cultures, might I suggest you have a box of tissues on stand-by.
DISCLAIMER: Read and reviewed on behalf of the author I was merely asked for my honest opinion, no financial compensation was asked for nor given.
9 comments:
Lovely review, Petty. I like the sound of this book.
I really hate to cry, but am intrigued by a book you can't put down. Sounds so good.
Sounds like a very well-written book!
What a great review! I like that this book grew on you and that the characters made you feel such strong emotion. I hope to read this one- with a box of tissues. :)
~Jess
Hi Tracy,
I don't know what it is, but Irish authors can really tell a good story and Annemarie is no exception, judging by the great reviews the book has received on the major sites.
This sounds like an excellent debut novel and one which is definitely going on my reading list.
You really do manage to come by some great books to review and you always manage to do them justice in such a nice way.
Thanks for the recommendation and have a great weekend,
Yvonne
It sounds like a gripping story, great review!
hiya, this one sounds too good to miss, can't access WiFi at the moment, our routers down,, so I,ve just got my trusty phone,
sounds well written, i always love your reviews!
and thank you so much for the kind comment...actually, i've been very busy with work, so i'm a bit slow on making my favourite blog visits, lately.
big hugs!
XX
Great review Tracy! What you said about it being an emotional read is just what I was thinking when reading the synopsis. That rawness can be a powerful tool.
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