A superb book that I struggled to put down as I just wanted to keep reading. I love historical fiction especially in this era but this is the first book I've read where the story is based in Berlin and we see it from the perspective of the citizens of Berlin.

When we look back at World War II we rarely stop to think that many Germans didn't agree with Hitler and just wanted the bombing and destruction of their wonderful city to stop.

Written on a dual timeline we meet Beth who is moving to Berlin to work in the zoo, she is keen to solve a puzzle from her mothers past and through this we get to visit the zoo and its keepers in Berlin at the height of the war.

This story grips you as you read about the poor living conditions for both the zoo keepers and the animals as they struggle to keep as many animals as possible alive. I have learnt so much about what the citizens of Berlin faced through the war torn years and how severe the punishments were if anyone spoke out against what was happening around them.

These wonderful characters will stay with me for a long time from across both timelines as well as the memories of the wonderful animals they lost and those they fought so hard to save from not only from the bombings but the arrival of the Russians as well.

A heartwrenching story that pulls you in and makes you eager to keep turning the pages.

I love time slip novels especially one’s that revolve around World War II, and this one written by Anna Stuart kept my attention from start to finish. This rapid page turners is an absolute must read. It is one that I devoured in one sitting.

I absolutely loved the story of Adelaide and her infant sister. But Katrina who was a true heroine because of the sacrifices she made in her life to help the orphaned children of the war. She would do anything to save as many children as she possibly can. But now fast forward to Berlin current day, Bethan Taylor and goes to work in the Berlin Zoo as a Vet. One day she meets a lady at the Berlin Zoo sitting on a bench. As the conversation begins is the lady she meets someone she knows…from her past? As Bethan’s desire to uncover the mystery of her past and determine her future, the lady she has come across can unlock, solve and answer so many questions. This time slip novel, mixes the past and the present, it is one that is sure to stick with you for a very long time.

I was so enthralled with this emotional story. I was so engrossed with the story and the characters. This one will have to be read with a box of Kleenex nearby. Thank you Anna Stuart for this phenomenal story, I absolutely loved it.

Upon reading the blurb of this book, I knew it was something I was going to enjoy, Berlin zoo in 1943 a young girl and her baby sister are caught up in the bombings with devastating consequences, after fleeing to the Zoo they are looked after by one of the zoo keepers who happens to know the girls, I really felt for the girls and shed a few tears for them too, I could never imagine what they had to go through. Through the book we also see what is going on in Berlin zoo in 2019 where Bethan is working, she notices an elderly woman sitting on a bench all alone and decides to talk to her, what she uncovers will surprise us all. I loved reading all about the zoo in that era back then and also liked how the two stories intertwined together, I didn't want the story to end as I was completely entranced by it.

Inspired by a true story this tells the story of Beth who has recently been appointed a veterinary position at Berlin Zoo. She discovers that her grandmother was not blood, her now deceased mother having been adopted, or rather “ gifted”. She always knew that there was a link to the zoo and being here now enables her to investigate further. Back in 1943 the war has hit hard and a group of women are doing their best to look after the animals despite the bombings. Ten year old Adelaide is keen on the animals and helps her mother. When she becomes orphaned Katherina takes her under her wing. Bethan realises that all the staff know Ada well- she visits every day and rambles on about “ the babies” which appears to be about the animals. Could she hold the key as to whom Beth’s real grandmother was and what is the true story about the war years? I enjoyed this, I’ve read several wartime books recently and this was a real change. Not only the animal side but set in Berlin so a completely different perspective to many war time stories which I find very interesting and a wonderful way to learn a little history albeit through the eyes of fiction.
An interesting read, some history, wonderful animals and a smile and a little romance along the way. Wonderful.

This book’s historical thread is set during the chaotic and dangerous final days of the Second World War, as the Nazi regime is disintegrating and the people of Berlin wait to see what the future holds – atrocities perpetrated by the invading Russians, or liberation by the allied forces. What makes this story so very different is that it’s set in Berlin Zoo, as the “family” fight against the odds to secure their own lives and futures alongside those of the animals. And then, in the present day, Bethan is a vet working at Berlin Zoo, pursuing clues to her family history based on a list of German names left by her mother, who died when her daughter was 11, together with a treasured hippo brooch.

The success of a dual timeline story often depends on both stories having equal strength and interest, and this wonderful book certainly achieves that with consummate ease. The historical story really tears at your heart – the constant danger, the devastating losses (both animal and human), the impact of the situation on a group of individuals fighting to save what they love – with a wonderful focus on their passion and commitment. At times, the story is particularly harrowing, and difficult to read – this is really powerful writing, and some of the scenes of bloodshed and devastation really sear themselves into the memory. Katharina, at the story’s centre, is the kind of strong woman who I always enjoy – entirely three-dimensional, sometimes flawed, often vulnerable, but showing exceptional bravery and resilience as she struggles for something she believes in.

The present day story provides the lightness, though driven by Bethan’s quest to uncover the secrets her maternal grandmother took to the grave. She has a boyfriend at home, a total tosser who seems to have zero interest in anything Bethan does (the Leicester City duvet cover really told me all I need to know!), and the distance allows her some space to examine their relationship. And there’s the possibility of a new romance, a fellow zoo worker who makes her heart beat a little faster – and who is more than happy to help and support her as she uncovers the layers of family secrets. At first, I did wonder if her story might be a little too light – but it develops really nicely, and the characters are strong enough and their story so involving that it provides a welcome relief at times from the more disturbing aspects of the wartime experiences. There’s a nice focus on family in the present day too, and I particularly liked Bethan’s relationship with her father – there’s a particular warmth about it, although he was initially so vehemently opposed to her investigations into the past.

I particularly liked the fact that the wartime story was based on the real history of Berlin Zoo – Google told me that Katharina Heinroth did become scientific director at the war’s end, helping to restore it after the ravages of allied bombing, when the animal numbers had been tragically reduced from 4000 to 91. But this book is much more than a retelling of well-researched history with some light romance and a few family secrets on the side – it’s a really compelling read, deeply moving, and a fitting tribute to the ordinary Berliners who risked their lives for a future they believed in. A great read, wonderful storytelling – and highly recommended by me.

(Review copied to Amazon UK, but link not yet available)

I’ve read and enjoyed other books by the author so was looking forward to this. I’ve read a lot of books set during WWII but none with a Berlin Zoo as the back-drop so was looking forward to reading something a little different. I really enjoyed this book. The author uses my favourite plot device, events in the present impacted by the past. In this case, a woman seeks answers to secrets uncovered after her mother’s death and wants to understand the meaning of a list of names she found among her mother’s things, a list of women from Berlin. I loved the way the past and present meander around each other and we gradually learn how everything is linked. I found this an engrossing read.

Wow. The Berlin Zookeeper has had me fascinated from the beginning. I have learned about how the Germans treated their Berliners during the second world war and is not a pretty tale. I have read quite a lot of books which are set during this time but they've all been told from an English or American perspective. This beautiful story is told over two timelines - WWII and 2019/2020 - from German and English points of view about the running of Berlin Zoo during the war. I don't know if it's based on a true story but my goodness, it is brilliant.

Dual time period novels can be tricky and for whatever reason I always find the “modern” main character rather vapid, The Berlin Zookeeper finally has a woman, who is an intelligent veterinarian not constantly bemoaning her love life, though there is some of that in the novel.

Bethan, has come to the Berlin Zoo for a year long stint to learn more about zoo animals as well as to find out more about her mother’s muddled past. She leaves behind her beloved father and not so beloved boyfriend in search of answers. After learning a shocking secret at her grandmother’s deathbed, Bethan is determined to find out more about the zoo that played such a prominent role in her mother’s past.

Katharina Heinroth, is short in stature, but not in boldness. In the face of relentless Allied bombings, she does everything she can to protect her animals and what’s left of her Zoofamilie. Even with the Reds coming in behind Hitler’s defeat, she shows heroism, where not much is found. Her name lives on not only in Berlin Zoo’s legacy, but also in Bethan’s mother’s jewelry box leading to the two ladies’ stories to intertwine.

Out next Tuesday, The Berlin Zookeeper is yet another angle to be read about WWII. Thank you to Bookouture, Netgalley, and of course Anna Stuart for the advanced copy.

This dual time line- 2019 and WWII- tells the story of the incredibly brave (and real) Katharina and Oskar who owned the Berlin Zoo and used it to save the lives of children during the war, Bethann, in the more or less present, is in search of her real grandmother and, to be honest, she's only interesting as a mechanism to get to Katharina's story. This is tough to read in spots but it's also heartwarming for the strength and commitment of Katharina in particular, Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of the WWII novel looking for something a little different.

So back in March, I was led in a hospital bed in a world of pain and ridiculously tired and weak and I didn't thinknid be able to concentrate on anything. I was in for 4 days and 2 of those days, I was kept occupied by this beautiful book.

The Berlin Zookeeper is about the true story of Katherina Heinroth and her love and passion for keeping the Berlin Zoo going during World War 2. Throughout the book, we flip between 1943 and today, following the lives of Katherina and her zoo family, and Bethan Taylor.

When Bethan was young, her Mum passed away and amongst her Mother's jewellery, she finds a list of names of women who worked at Berlin Zoo in 1943, Katherina's being one of them. Her father refuses to explain to her the meaning of the list, so all grown up and a certified Vet, she travels to Berlin Zoo to work for a year and piece together the mystery of the list.

I found this book to be an easy yet heartbreaking read of the devastation that war brings and how that devastation can bring people closer together. Through a character named Ada, we see how the effects of war can last a lifetime.

Thank you to netgalley, Bookouture and Anna Stuart for allowing me to read this book. I loved it!

Wow! I devoured this book in a day!

I am a big fan of historical fiction and I've always been especially fascinated with WW2, as we studied this era so much in school but with little to no focus on Germany's experience or even that of the every day people trying to continue with their lives. I was fully invested in learning more about present day and past Berlin. It's a truly captivating story told from dual timelines. I was so enamoured by both the story and the
wonderfully entertaining characters.

I would wholeheartedly recommend and buy this book without hesitation.

The book is based on 2 main characters, Bethan (present day) and Katharina (during ww2). Bethan moves from the Uk to Berlin as a vet at the zoo which Katharine and her friends worked at during the war. The story focuses around the fact that Bethan is in search or her biological grandmother who she believes was part pf Katharinas friendship group.
The story gives an insight into the lives of the people of Berlin during the war and the hardships and horrors that they faced.
I found the book to be really well written and it drew you into the story so that you felt for the characters.

A hippo brooch and a list of names – that’s all that remains of eleven year old Bethan’s mother. When she is old enough, she takes on the journey to delve into the past that seems to be hiding behind the items. Taking up a job in the Berlin Zoo, Beth endeavours to find the hidden truths.

Beth’s grandmother isn’t her real grandmother. That’s all Oma Erika had been able to tell to Jana, Beth’s mother, before she drew her last breath. Rewind to 1943. Katherina and Oskar have spent their lives trying to build up the zoo with love and care, and now everything is being blown apart by the bombs thrown randomly in the middle of the night. They must take a decision – who to save and who to leave behind. Both the animals and the humans.

The book had a unique element of the zoo in it set against the backdrop of the World War II which I haven’t seen anywhere before. That definitely deserves some applause. It had its good moments too, especially in the bond of Binky, the monkey and Max, and the general human-animal bond. It was beautiful to read those parts. But the book didn’t seem to draw me in much. I couldn’t really connect to the characters, one primary reason for which might be the dry, formulated and disjointed speech that the characters seemed to be speaking in, especially Bethan and her contemporaries. I felt like a spectator merely looking at the events unfolding in some distant far away land. All in all, it didn’t quite work out for me but it certainly gave a nice insight into the minds of those Germans who abhorred Hitler yet had to suffer continually in the hands of all those who came in power.

I adored this book! A dual narrative novel set in Berlin Zoo in modern day and at the closing of WW2, this was a beautiful story about resilience, strength and compassion.

The modern day narrative followed Bethan, as she tried to unravel a family mystery, and along the way discovered her own identity. In WW2 Berlin, the narrative centres of Katharina, who is determined to look after the animals in the zoo and to save as many she can from the horrors of war, as well as the children in her care.

Anna Stuart's writing is the kind you can fall into, knowing you are going to be perfectly guided through the story, following characters you come to love. This is a really beautiful, emotional read, one that I will be recommending to everyone!

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Anna Stuart for this ARC in return for my honest review. I'm a big fan of historical fiction and have read a lot of WW2 novels, this book told the story from a unique perspective. I absolutely adored it. The characters were genuinely engaging and I very much cared for their plight. A powerful and compelling book.

An intriguing and emotional story of the trials and tribulations faced by civilians in WWII - from the German side. In a dual timelines story, vet Bethan Taylor, who has learned that her late, German-born mother was adopted, joins the staff of Berlin zoo and begins her quest to track down her real grandmother. Meanwhile, back in the closing days of WWII, Katharina Heinroth battles to protect her Zoofamilie - both animals and colleagues - from the might of the Nazis and the cruelty of the advancing Russian army. Her story holds the key to the secret of Bethan's mother's birth - if only she can unlock it.
This was a fascinating story, not only for the mystery, but for its authentic and emotional portrayal of two very different women with very different challenges. Bethan is a sympathetic character, but it's Katharina who really captures our hearts. She is so brave, strong and resourceful in the face of relentless challenges. As Berlin faces nightly bombings from the allies, the author does not spare us from the horrors of war, which destroys lives, both human and animal, but there is always a sense of hope that, even as the worst of humanity is explored, the best of humanity will prevail. With a well-paced narrative, intriguing plot, engaging characters and the unusual setting of the zoo, both past and present, this is a historical novel, based on a true story, that I'd highly recommend to anyone.

I’ve read a lot of WW2 books but none have taken place in a zoo. I never thought about any zoos or the animals that might have to survive the bombings.
This book is told in dual timelines, each story just as interesting. I thought the book was really good, it was hard to put down. Definitely recommend to historical fiction fans.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

As many of you all know...I am a sucker for historical fiction based anything on Holocaust and WWII. But this book, though based on WWII is a bit different--it's not about Holocaust but about German woman Katharina who is secretly opposing the rule of the Nazis and...who saves the children and babies.

This book actually reminds me of the Zookeeper's Wife which is based on the real life story of a woman who along with her husband saves many Jews as they could in their Warsaw Zoo in Poland. The only difference is, no Jews are in the story but saving many babies as she could. The story spans back and forth from present day, a woman named Bethan Taylor who moves from England to Berlin after finding a list of German women's names in her mother's jewelry box. The past tells of a woman named Katharina, a brave and courageous woman who owns Berlin Zoo with her husband, Oskar. The author has done a good job of drawing the reader into the story and getting to know more about the history, especially during the final years of the war. I also like how Bethan, whose mother was German and who apparently was adopted was determined to find her real grandmother while working in the Berlin Zoo. The story kept me hooked from the beginning and I was totally engrossed into the story.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this beautiful book--a story of two women, both determined and would do anything and was really engaging story. Worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC of the book. The review is based on my honest opinion.

This book had me from the title and it lived up to my hopes the whole way through. I loved all the puzzle pieces from the two timelines being put together to solve the mystery in Bethan’s past.
Bethan was 11 when her mom died and to get away from all the mourners in her house, she goes and hides under her mom’s bed with her jewelry box and there she finds a list of names and her mom’s favorite brooch, a hippo. Bethan doesn’t understand any of it and when she asks her father, he shuts her down and throws it out. She saves it from the trash and goes on with rebuilding life without her mom.
Years later she takes a job as a vet at the zoo in Berlin, where she takes the list and tries to resolve the questions that have been in the back of her mind all these years. In doing so, she learns that her mother had been adopted and her beloved grandmother wasn’t her biological grandmother. Which sends her on the hunt to find out who she really was. In the process, she figures out who & what’s important in life and makes some changes.
In the other timeline, we meet the caretakers of the Berlin Zoo and all their animals that they loved like family during the war and Hitler’s regime. Life was so difficult that at times they were forced to eat the animals that died of hunger. It was heartbreaking.
This was a totally different look at this time period and I was enthralled with every page. The women were so strong and they were in charge of the zoo while the men were off at war or captive. Cannot recommend this book enough!!
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for this Arc in exchange for my review.

Another wonderful historical fiction book! An interesting perspective, highlighting the horrors that residents of Berlin experienced during the end of World War II.

Present Day: Bethan Taylor finds herself spending a year as a Vet at the Berlin Zoo. While there, she tries to uncover the secrets shared on a note by her mother, who passed away when she was 11.

World War II - Berlin Zoo. Katharina Heinroth is a zookeeper at the Berlin Zoo. After many losses and atrocities, she finds herself caring for two little girls while working to keep them and the zoo animals safe from the war.

Will Bethan uncover the secret she is looking for? Will Katharina succeed at keeping those that she loves and has not lost safe from the horrors of war?

This is a story of bravery and strength - especially that of women during the second world war. The horrors of what the residents of Berlin (especially those who did not support Hitler and the Nazi Party) was heartbreaking. The characters, their development and relationships are incredible. The switching back and forth between time periods and characters was surprisingly clear and did not confuse me. I could not stop reading and wanting to know how the book ended!

Thank you Netgalley and Bookouture for the Advanced Reader copy.