"The Girl from Berlin" by Kate Hewitt
Release Date: 2.25.2021

Liesel Scholz loves her new home in Berlin. She doesn't even notice the changes in the city, as her father works for the new government. She meets Rosa, the daughter of their Jewish housekeeper, and Liesel realizes something isn't right. The rules aren't fair. Rosa begs Liesel to help hide Rosa and her family.

Sam Houghton, an American captain, arrives in Germany to interrogate Nazis. He hires a woman named Anna as his interpreter. Anna has ties of the Nazi party, and she's afraid Sam will discover it as they grow closer.

Ms. Hewitt did her research. At first, I was eh, not able to connect with Liesel, but by the end, I was hooked.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in response for an honest review.


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‘The Girl From Berlin,’ by Kate Hewitt, is a compelling and haunting story about courage, love and betrayal. This dual timeline historical fiction begins in Berlin in 1936 and Frankfurt in 1946.

Writing a novel set in WW2 is challenging for authors as so much has already been written during this time in history. In my opinion, in order to stand out from the countless others, authors must appeal to readers’ empathy and emotion and/or create a character-driven plot.

Initially, I couldn’t see how the author was able to achieve either. I struggled for 2/3 of this novel to connect with the protagonist, Liesel Scholz. I kept waiting for her to quit waffling and find her inner strength to stand up for what she knew was right.

Fortunately, the author held the plot cards close and all was revealed in the end making this an emotionally charged and fantastic read. This must have been such a difficult time in history to see those you love making terrible decisions yet knowing that the ultimate choice to survive superseded any rational choice. Looking back, I now understand the lethargy Liesel’s mother exhibited and the nonchalant attitude of Liesel’s father. How ignorant my initial response! Please don’t make the same mistake I did. Finish the book. Make an informed response. The author wrote to show the plight of the ordinary Germans during the second world war and how extraordinary and difficult it must have been to stand against such a powerful and evil regime. Only a skilled author can do what Hewitt has done; shown NOT told. Patience is key in this novel. Don’t give up. The best part is the final third where all is revealed.

I appreciated the author’s masterful integration of facts as she informed readers of Operation Overcast, Operation Paperclip, as well as revealing the role IG Farben had in the Nazi camps and the atrocities at Schloss Hartheim.

This book raises many issues suitable for book club discussions. Please put this on your radar come February; it's to be published February 25, 2021.

Thank you to Kate Hewitt, Bookouture and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This WWII story started well, enthralling, dual timelines, which I like, and a 14 yo main character who doesn’t know how she really feels about the situation in Nazi Germany in 1936. But then the pacing slowed down. The story jumped from 1936 to 1937 and into the next years without anything really happening. Just endlessly telling Liesel’s feelings about what happened in Germany, I knew what she thought and was only waiting for Rosa to beg Liesel for help, and I became restless and impatient. Well, the begging finally happened in 1941 at 65% of the story; until then, Rosa was just a side character.

I liked the 1945/1946 timeline more, but those chapters were in the minority. And from the start, it was clear who Anna was; I expected that to be a mystery longer.

It’s challenging to write something new about WWII, and that’s why, when I read stories like this, I need to feel emotions, like having a lump in my throat, goosebumps, watery eyes, whatever. I only felt my chest tighten a little when Friedy was taken away and at the end of the story when Liesel searched for him. He was the only person I cared for in this story, passionate and smart. Furthermore, this story felt like a light, and tolerable summer read. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t dislike the story; it just felt a little meh because the plot was rather weak, and it wasn’t a character-driven story either.

Overall it’s a 2.5 star rating for me, and I’ll round it up to 3 because I’m the first one rating it, and I don’t want to scare people off. It’s my opinion, and other readers might think differently. This book could do well after release because I believe a group of readers will really enjoy this story.