Two girls, inseparable friends, one ghastly war but nothing will keep these two apart. This is a moving tale based on a true story around 1940s Belgium of friendship, the horrors and unfairness of war and the prejudices of ordinary people who get mixed up in surviving terrible conditions.

This is a very well written account of struggling in adversity and kept me hooked as to the outcome of the characters who I came to care for and for whom I wanted justice.

A highly recommended, gripping read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC

This book has everything that is needed for a really good story; finely drawn characters, action that moved along swiftly, pathos and an historically accurate background.  The writing is excellent and I admire the skill of the author in producing such a special book.  The story is so memorable that this book will stay with me for a long time to come.  I do not hesitate to recommend it.

Ashes is a raw and moving story which illustrates just how powerful the bond of friendship between two people can be, as well as the adversity that can be overcome through having those we love close to us and despite the troubling times in which it’s set, de Vinck still infuses the tale with strength and dreams of one day again living in freedom once again. It's a heart-wrenching tale of hope, survival and friendship during World War Two by an award-winning essayist and is inspired by the author’s true and touching family history. It's July 1939 in Belgium, a mere few months before the start of the war, and Simone Lyon, the daughter of prominent and well regarded Major General Joseph Lyon, is inseparable from her close friend Hava Daniels, who hails from a devout Jewish family. When the war breaks out and the Germans begin their invasion of Belgium, both Simone and Hava devastatingly find themselves separated from their families and must rely on each other for support. When the Nazis start rounding up Jews, Hava is one of the unlucky ones and is taken away with very little idea of what awaits her. Simone vows to find her once the war is over. But will they ever be reunited?

Historical fiction set against the harsh and harrowing backdrop of WWII has really taken over the genre of late, however, what particularly drew me to Ashes was the fact that it revolves around a seemingly unbreakable friendship and platonic love rather than a relationship as in most of the others stories. It still tugs at the heartstrings just as much and I found myself moved almost to tears on some occasions and laughing out loud on others. You are taken on an emotional rollercoaster of ups and downs, peaks and troughs as you follow the meanderings and trials and tribulations they come face to face with. The two girls’ lives are brought vividly to life and you can't help but have your heart warmed by their enduring friendship. Set out in short chapters there are little sound bites, or epigraphs, from history at the beginning of each one which immerses you into the compassionate tale right from the start. The descriptions of incidents where they had to escape and evade the Nazi regime were terrifying even for me as merely a reader. It's clear extensive research has informed this narrative and the author has captured the zeitgeist of the time perfectly. Many thanks to Harper Inspire for an ARC.

A beautiful book about a friendship between Simone and Hava. Focused on the Nazi invasion of Belgium and the attempts of the two girls to escape the bombings and soldiers, I didn't want to put this book down. Highly recommended.

A beautifully written story about friendship, loss and love.

Set in Belgium, Hava and Simone meet as girls and become best friends.  However, World War II tears their lives apart.  Their innocence is obvious - Simone has no idea of the danger her friend is in as she hasn’t understood Hitler’s hatred for the Jewish community.  This innocence left me afraid for both girls.

I know that some reviewers feel that this innocence in unrealistic, however, I can believe that many people truly believed that they would never be affected by the war and so would have been woefully unprepared for a Nazi invasion.  Again, I know that there has been some criticism about the abrupt separation of Hava and Simone, however, I did not feel that it was rushed, I feel it was very realistic to what would have occurred - a blur of terror and confusion, and then, gone.

The start of each chapter has a quote in relation to WW2 and these add to the horrifying and upsetting background of the story, the hate and division spread by the Nazi party.  Interestingly, reading it with the knowledge of recent events also shows that things are not that different in relation to the spread of hate and division, this time by the right wing political parties and their supporting media.

I really enjoyed this book and recommend it.

Belgium, July 1939: Simone Lyon is the daughter of a Belgian national hero, the famous General Joseph Lyon. Her best friend Hava Daniels, is the eldest daughter of a devout Jewish family. Despite growing up in different worlds, they are inseparable. In the spring of 1940, Nazi planes and tanks begin bombing Brussels, their resilience and strength are tested. Hava and Simone find themselves caught in the advancing onslaught and are forced to flee. 

This is a touching and moving story about two women whose differences that once united them, will now be torn apart by Hitler's Nazi occupation. Of France and Belgium. Both women have strong bonds with their fathers. The story flows along at a decent pace through some horrific subject matter. The girls try to escape the Nazi but it all doesn't quite go to plan. I loved the authors writing style. The characters and plotline were complex. This is an emotional read. My only criticism is that I felt the ending was a bit rushed.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperInspire (HarperCollins Publishers UK) and the author Christopher de Vinck  for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow what a truly fantastic read. Felt like I was there so well written and descriptive. Would highly recommend

This book is about two young women who live in Belgium in the Second World War. While they have very different characteristics, they are the best of friends. The war starts for them when Hitler invades Belgium and they are forced to grow up quickly when they witness many of the harsh realities of war.

It is certainly an interesting story and the fact that it is based on true events makes it even more touching. But I found the speech and thoughts of Simone (who is essentially the storyteller) as well as the other main character, Hava, to be a bit disjointed. She is supposed to be 18 and while I wouldn’t expect her to think or speak like someone who is twice their age, it just didn’t feel quite right. I would also like to have had more in the book about the real events that the story was based on.

Having said all of this, I did enjoy reading it and I’m glad that this story has been told. An absolutely heartbreaking account - one of too many from that period.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book and thank you to the author for bringing this story to light.

Thank you to Christopher de Vinck. #Ashes #NetGalley for an ARC copy if this book

A deeply touching novel about two young women whose differences, which once united them, will tear them apart forever, during Hitler’s Nazi occupation of Belgium and France. Based on true events. The story is an emotional rollercoaster that had me in tears in parts.

You have to love the friendship between the two girls Hava and Simone, whom story is based around.

Def recommend

Ashes pays tribute to a friendship irrevocably altered by the horror of World War Two and the courage of two young women, one a gentile and the other a Jew, whose bond endured.  The story is inspired by the experiences of the author’s family in Belgium and is narrated in the first person by eighteen-year-old Simone Lyon, daughter of a renowned WWI Belgian national hero. When the story opens in July 1939 Simone and her father, General Joseph Lyon, are living peacefully in Brussels, a country known for its neutrality.  When she meets playful Jewish teenager, Hava Daniels, and strikes up an instant rapport she is embraced by Hava’s generous family and never stops to consider their differences or the Jewish faith of the devout clan.  Simone is wrapped up in thoughts of books and Hollywood despite her father urging her take more interest in the wider world with her only knowledge of war informed by reading Gone with the Wind.  So when things change rapidly in the spring of 1940 both young women and their country are frighteningly unprepared..

As German troops advance on the city of Brussels Simone and Hava are separated from their respective families and forced to flee their country together in hope of a passage to safety.  When Hava’s religion sees the firm friends cruelly torn apart in Dunkirk Simone vows never to forget her and determines they will be reunited.  Once troops descend into Brussels the pace of the story accelerates and covers a lengthy period, ultimately going on to follow Simone and her eventual return to a free Belgium following four years under Nazi rule.  The book covers the entirety of WWII and by focusing on the girls friendship it skims the surface of the enormity of the devastating changes going on in the world and fails to make apparent the monumental horror of day-to-day life.  Big events such as the Battle of Dunkirk and the years which Belgium spent under Nazi rule deserve greater recognition than a bit part in a story and I found much of their journey a little too superficial.  The book primarily concentrates on Belgium’s involvement in the war and knowing little about the country’s involvement I enjoyed this focus and learned a great deal.

The writing is straightforward and pretty sterile and for me it was lacking in emotional resonance.  I never felt actively involved in the story and failed to warm to, or invest in, either Simone or Hava.  Both girls felt extremely immature and I found it hard to believe that given Simone’s fathers military career and Hava’s faith that they would never have considered the possibility of a war and been so unprepared for it.  I struggled to envisage either of them doing anything but panicking and given they were both a little dimensionless I never had the belief required for what should have be a far more heart-wrenching story.  I also had an issue with Simone using the clout of her father’s Croix de Guerre to ease her journey to and ensure her safety when so many ordinary citizens were struggling without this privilege.  

Whilst I found Ashes a competent story of friendship, courage and resilience in treacherous times I felt distanced from the horrors on the page largely due to the clinical writing.  I had mixed feelings about the epigraphs at the start of each chapter and whilst some brought home the horror of an ongoing war and sent a shiver down my spine (quotes from politicians etc) many didn’t seem particularly relevant to the events that followed or hit home.  The abrupt ending also left me with reservations and I doubt that Simone and Hava’s story will stick in my mind over and above so many more powerful novels highlighting the plight of the Jews in World War Two.

I felt this novel had promise, Belgium pre WW2, a young girl Simone de Lyon is the daughter of a Belgian general, known for his single handed defence of Belgium during the First World War. She forms a strong bond with fun loving Hava Daniels a local jewish girl and their love of all things Hollywood, Clark Gable and opera. Their life in Brussels feels safe and untouched from the horrors going on in the world however all of that is to change. Alongside the narration of their daily lives comes added news items and quotes from the key leaders of the countries involved.  I found this added to the novel. Their escape from the city was nail biting and I was there with them as they fled.  I did feel as though the final quarter of the book was hurried and it spoilt it a little for me.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and publishers for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review

Simone Lyon is the great Generals daughter, living a privileged life in Brussels with her Father , 18 year old Simone enjoys burying herself in books. One day while volunteering at the Red Cross Simone meets Hava, 

When Belgium is invaded by the Nazis Simone and Hava run from Belgium, following the girls throughout world war 2. 

A really good book I throughly enjoyed it.

Flight from Evil

Simone is the daughter of a Belgian hero of WW1, Hava belongs to a family of Polish Jews. In 1939 in Brussels they become close friends, united by their love of literature, music and theatre. At 18 years old they are both gloriously naïve, delighting in their happy and gentle adventures in a gilded and beautiful time, but around them Europe is succumbing to war as Hitler builds up his power, sends his armies into eastern Europe and threatens the west. 

When war begins and Belgium is invaded the two friends attempt to escape. The reader is swept up in the bombing of Brussels, attempts to escape by train, by bus, by foot. The girls enter Dunkirk in the company of British Tommies, dine in a seafood restaurant as the evacuation takes place, sleep in an hotel room given to them by a fugitive Jew. Again and again the power of Simone’s name, daughter of the general, allows them safety and passage, but a story like this must also have its share of tragedy.

The writer’s style is simple and unadorned, but there is real power in the description of the girls’ attempts to escape together, much emotional involvement in their relationship, sorrow in aspects of the eventual outcome.

“Ashes” is the heartwarming tale based on true events by author Christopher De Vinck. Set in Belgium 1939, eighteen year old Simone Lyon is the Catholic daughter of a Belgium national hero, General Joseph Lyon. Her best friend Hava Daniels, is the daughter of a devout Jewish family. Despite growing up in different worlds, they are inseparable. Spring 1940 brings 
Nazi planes and tanks bombing Brussels where they live and their resilience and strength are tested. Hava and Simone find themselves caught in the advancing onslaught and are forced to flee but even the most harrowing horrors cannot break the bonds of love and friendship of a relationship that never should have been. 
The story starts quite powerfully and straight away the reader is subjected to the horror of war. We are then taken back to how Simone and Hava became friends and as the Germans invade Belgium shortly after, we follow their resilience and perseverance to protect each other and stay alive. 
The girls really did capture my heart and their innocence was a joy to read. To say the book wasn’t riveting would be doing the story (and the authors writing) a disservice because just the nature of the story based on true events deserves high praise. However it was slow at times and the ending seemed a bit rushed. I did find the final closing chapter very emotional when we learned what finally happened and I admit to feeling quite sad when reading.
Simone’s and Hava’s friendship was remarkably poignant and the relationship between them was truly incredible and lovely to read. Highlighting the horrors of the Nazi invasion of a country thought to be neutral and the perils of being a Jew made this book a harrowing but heartwarming read. The author hopes to remind readers what it if feels like to be filled with compassion, dignity and love and I believe he achieved this. The historical facts/quotations at the start of each chapter were a nice addition and often were very informative. 
If you enjoy character based stories with a backdrop of war then you’ll find this book is for you and apart from being a tad slow at times, I did enjoy and would read more by this author again. 

4 stars

Inspired by a true story, this tale takes on the horrors of WWII without flinching.
Simone Lyon is the daughter of a decorated Belgium General from WWI; Hava Daniels is the daughter of a Polish Jew.  They are great friends and innocent 18 year old s with crushes on popular film stars.
Then Germany invades Belgium, and they literally have to run for their lives..
Interspersed with historical facts, which I found interesting and relevant, this story is well worth time reading.

Belguim summer 1939. 
Simone is the daughter of a French General , a hero from the First World War. Her best friend is Hava, a jewish girl
and they do everything together.
With Simone's father working away with the resistance,when Belguim falls to the Nazi's and Hava's family dissapears the girls try to escape. They get to Dunkirk but are turned back at the port and manage to get on the last bus out. They are safe but the bus is boarded by German officers looking for identification and Jews.
 Can they escape and flee the Nazi's?
Two teenage girls on the verge of womanhood with all their lives in front of them. Two teenage girls with an indestructible friendship. Will it survive the war.

Absolutely harrowing account of two young girls caught trying to escape the Nazi invasion of Belgium. One is the daughter of a war hero and has done protection from society. Her best friend is a Polish Jew, so has no chance. Unfortunately the story gets side tracked with whimsical stories and random thoughts and memories so the plot sometimes gets lost. Could have been amazing, but gets distracted.

I am sorry to say that this book just didn't engage me at all and I hardly got beyond 10%. War fiction is my preferred genre and it is rare for me not to finish a book set during WW2. But the writing didn't draw me in and I gave up. With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review an e-ARC of this title.

A brilliant thought-provoking tale set in a horrific time in history.  It really brings home the effects of the horror at the time as well as the kindness of strangers in the most despairing of times.  Highly recommended.

My first by this author but that’s what I love about NetGalley. A bit slow to start but then I couldn’t put it down. The story of 2 women, one a Jew and the other a Gentile during WW2 in Belgium and France. The end could have gone one of two ways and the author chose a fairly predictable One but that was ok. The truth is WW2 in Europe was harrowing and the author did not shy away from that. Thanks Christopher de Vinci and NetGalley.