This wasn't quite the book I was expecting; written in diary-style, alternating between the grandfather's and grandson's voices, it tells the true story of the grandfather who was captured by the Russians during the Second World War. I found it very shocking and disturbing in places, but also mundane / not gripping in others. It was interesting to read a different perspective on the war i.e. from the point of view of a German prisoner of war. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

We Germans is told from the point of view of a German soldier on the Eastern Front. A young British man asks his German grandfather about his role in the war, and whilst his grandfather doesn’t want to talk about it with him, he does leave him a letter to read about what happened to him after his death.

That letter is the book we read, with asides and clarifications from the grandson.

We don’t have a story that covers from the beginning to the end of the war. This is told from when things have started to go wrong for the Germans. The army is fragmented. The soldiers don’t really know where they’re going, but they know that they want to try and make it back to Germany - on foot. These men are scared, confused and the acts they see committed by both sides are horrific.

The grandson helps us to see the effects of the war on his grandfather, and his subsequent imprisonment in Russia. How 70 years post-war have changed him, how the war changed him as well. He acknowledges that he was to blame for what had happened as much as anyone else, but that he was expected to toe the line as a soldier.

This is historical fiction, but its well researched and has the hint of reality about it. It really gives the reader something to think about, and I know that personally, I haven’t found many books out there that cover this period of history in this way. I can’t say as it’s something I want to avidly read lots of books about, but having read this from a more human perspective (rather than a factual history book that lists dates and places), it feels very personal.

This is a short, powerful novel, and I think it’s worth the time spent reading it if you have an interest in either the time in history, or human nature.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

I have to be honest and say I struggled with this book a little to being with, it took me a fair while to get in to the story.

However it was worth the perseverance.

It centres around a young British man asking his German grandfather what it was like to fight on the 'wrong side' in the war.

It is a question is initially met with irritation and silence.

But after the old man's death, a long letter to his grandson is found among his things and so the story really begins.

I’d requested this book on NetGalley as it sounded interesting. My fault it took way too long to read the ARC, apologies - but sadly, this wasn’t a great book. It had potential, a German grandfather writing to his Anglo-German grandson about his time in the war. But this is no All Quiet on the Western Front. As one of the 1* reviewers said, we learn hardly anything about the characters. All the action (such as there is) takes place over a few days, and with a few of his fellow soldiers who seem unhinged or immoral.

Thankfully it was a short read. I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased review - apologies for the delay in providing this.

First off thank you to Netgalley and John Murray for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I almost never talk about book covers but first impressions on this one were so far off the mark I think it bears mentioning. The version they sent me showed a spoon on a plane white background - with literally hundreds of books on my TBR pile this made it very easy to keep shoving it to the bottom of the stack. Now that I've read it, of course, I'm horribly embarrassed to have been so easily put off. However it seems I wasn't alone as they didn't use this cover again for any of the other editions.

Now that's out of the way let me tell you, if you have any interest in WW2 or war novels or the big questions of Wehrmacht complicity in Nazi crimes, then this is certainly for you. It has more than earned the plaudits it received from such luminaries as Anthony Beevor "an impressively realistic novel of German soldiers on the Eastern Front", and William Boyd "Remarkable and audacious".

WW2 and the Eastern Front are speciality subjects of mine and I can say that this at all times feels brilliantly researched and emotionally authentic... so authentic in fact that I'm given to suspect there is more than a hint of the writer's real relationship with his Grandparents woven into this book. Given that he dedicated it to his grandparents I suspect there's a lot of his heart and personal truth on display here.

It shows the brutality and near-inhuman ferocity of the war of annihilation without ever feeling gratuitous. The characterisation and knife-edge camaraderie/murderous-antagonism of the small group of men here reminds me very much of early Sven Hassel before he went cartoonish.

Overall the grandfather's examination of his time on the front poses some philosophical and moving questions about war crimes and collective guilt without ever being crass enough to pretend at definitive answers.

Gripping and fast-paced enough to read in one sitting at that's how you roll. I'm one of those bad readers in that I very rarely recommend books to people - this I immediately recommended to several others that I knew would love it as much as I did.

5/5.

We Germans
by Alexander Starritt

This is a historical story written by a grandfather to his grandson to read after his death. It was about his time as a young German soldier posted at the Eastern front in WW2 and about the atrocities seen and crimes committed and his utter shame about it all.

It was a very difficult read and took a long time to read and is definitely not for the light hearted. It is especially hard now as some parts are now reflective in current times in Russia regards sadly showing times change but alas not all attitudes I’m sad to say.

These books should and have been written if not necessarily enjoyed. 3.5/5

I've tried to read this a couple of times now, but unfortunately I find it a bit too heavy for me! It's a great premise and I'm sure someone who loves historical based fiction would love to read this.

If you want to truly understand history, you need to examine it from all sides - as they say, history is written by the victors.

"We Germans" is the story of a German soldier during WW2 writing a letter to his grandson to talk about his experiences in the war. As you can imagine, it's not a light read, but it is very moving and eye opening, bringing a different perspective to such a terrible time.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

So many books about WW2 are from the Allied forces perspective so to read from a German soldiers perspective was an interesting opportunity. I found this moving, it was very emotional in places. It’s very easy to think of all WW2 German soldiers as Nazis simply because of the atrocities that occurred. This was a reminder that many young German men were simply fighting a war and were as horrified as the rest of the world at the treatment of Jews.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.

I didn’t find this to be readable or enjoyable so stopped reading after about 75 pages. Sorry, it just didn’t entertain me.

This book is told from a German soldier's perspective, there are a few of these books around now, and I am pleased that we are hearing their side too..
The characters are portrayed beautifully and many times I felt quite upset as I was emotionally stirred.
A short book, but I felt it said all it needed to.

Dear John Murray Press.

Firstly, thanks very much for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Unfortunately, I just wanted to let you know that I won't be reading and reviewing this title due to the large number of titles that I currently have on my shelf, and my inability to read them all. For this reason, I've decided to tidy up of my Netgalley shelf and I won't be able to read and review this title for you as I had hoped to do.

I hope to be able to read and review further titles for you in the future, and I wish both you and the author every success with this release.

Thanks and Regards
Kim

I have an immense love for WW2 historical fiction. That sounds a little morbid but it's a piece of history that is still so close to us and we can still feel its effect. I spent 5 years living in Germany and I cannot explain it to anyone who hasn't spent adequate time there - this sense of shame that still resides on in Germans. A German friend and I were estimating once that we think it will take 2 more generations being born before the shame wears away because young adults our age, our grandparents are still alive and our grandparents were the children and very young adults of that war. Once they have all passed and their children's children have aged, then maybe some of that shame will dissipate.

It always broke my heart when I lived there that they felt like any sense of pride in Germany (aside from doing well in a World Cup or Euros tournament) was forbidden. Because I have felt what Meissner (Callum's grandad who wrote this fictional letter) felt. We cannot place the blame on the shoulders of the soliders. They were later teens/early twenties, drafted in when all they wanted to do was go to university, and following orders. I was irked when it felt like Callum was trying to get his grandad to take responsibility. Meissner made efforts to explain where he felt responsible, but it all really boiled down to shame for being German in WW2, the side that was definitely in the wrong.

This was really unique in that it was from the perspective of a German solider. Most WW2 fiction doesn't brave taking this viewpoint. It's the allied forces side of things or stories of people living in Germany, but rarely the German fighters. I think it would be inapporpriate to try to give a redemption arc to anyone much further above the German infantrymen, but I thoroughly enjoyed this perspective of a normal, young German solider.

So well written, all of the hardships, thoughts and guilt.
The soldier's story is told in retrospect, with the guilt that he feels questioning his actions and decisions. The starvation he endures and his bodies reaction to food is a constant reminder to him.
He does not try to justify his actions just relates them, Informing his Grandson of his past.
A harrowing and eye opening read.

Fantastic, defo not my usual cup of tea at all, but I’m so glad I read it and I know this book is one that will stay with you long after you’ve read the last page, what a treasure it is, and one I feel all should read

Did every German soldier really know just how horrific the war they were fighting was? Did they know the acts that were committed or were they as shocked and as appalled as the rest of the world when they found out?
We Germans follows the story of a German soldier and his thoughts about the war and what he experienced and saw in a letter to his grandson.
Its a shocking read and at times quite gruesome read, not to be read just before bed that's for sure but all the same a good read, I'm not sure enjoyable is the right word but perhaps interesting is because you see the war from another perspective.. I had to put it down a few times and come back to it as it was a hard read emotionally
I think its a book you read once and then don't reread as I'm not sure I could reread some of what was said in it..

An account of a German soldier in World War 2 which describes the horror of Nazism and the loss of humanity as the war for Germany was lost.

A heavy start but a great read if you're into war history. Told by the view of a German which gave a different spin on everything I've read before.

We Germans is a thoughtful and involving book from an unusual and revealing perspective in the form of a letter from a German veteran of the Eastern Front in the Second World War who is responding to his British grandson’s questions about the war.

It was an interesting read and would recommend it to everyone.

#WeGermans #NetGalley