I was lucky to be invited to the book tour by The Write Reads. I bring you my review of Fracture by Elyse Hoffman today. Thank to both The Write Reads and Elysse Hoffman for the copy of the book to take part.
A heart-wrenching WW2 story of forbidden love and torn allegiances.
Franz Keidel is a monsterous SS soldier: loyal, hateful, and devoted to Hitler. With a cold heart, he hunts down his Führer’s enemies, but one fateful mission will fracture his shield of ice.
While hunting for Jews, Franz stumbles across a familiar face: Amos Auman, his childhood friend. Amos is the only source of joy in Franz’s life, but he is also a Jew. Unable to bring himself to kill his friend, Franz vows to protect Amos from his fellow Nazis.
As Franz spends more time with Amos, bringing him food and books, he falls in love with his kind-hearted friend. How could he fall in love with a man, a Jew? How can he continue to hate Jews when a Jew has thawed his icy heart?
And what will Franz do if he has to choose between Amos and his loyalty to Hitler? What choices does he have when he is already beyond redemption?
This is not my first book by Elyse Hoffman and it most definitely will not be my last. Elyse Hoffman writes the most compelling, heart wrenching and emotional books. She weaves a tale that keeps you mesmerised.
Fracture is not an easy read and is brutal in its telling in places. Set in World War Two, we meet Franz Keidel, an SS soldier who is devotes to Hitler and hunting down his enemies. Until one fateful mission that fractures his ice shield. He meets his old friend Amos, a Jew. A Jew that Franz vows to protect. The more time he spends with Amos, the more he wonders how he can hate Jews when he loves one. What will the outcome be when his loyalty to Hitler is tested, especially when he feels he is beyond saving?
A story that wrings every bit of emotion out of you as you read. A love story between an SS officer and a male Jew is not a run of the mill storyline. Nothing Elyse Hoffman writes is run of the mill, sometimes you have to suspend disbelief and just go with it. This is what I did and it’s not necessarily what I could call an enjoyable read. It’s more of an overall smashing of your heart read.
Like I say I was mesmerised by it. As much as it hurt to read, I found I couldn’t stop. I just wanted to discover what else was I store, and I did. The twists in the story just kept on coming, one minute I was happy the next minute the author had slammed me back down! The ending, well…it made it a book I won’t forget, that’s a definite! Talk about unforgettable.
Author Bio
Elyse Hoffman is an award-winning author who strives to tell historical tales with new twists. She loves to meld WWII and Jewish history with fantasy, folklore, and the paranormal. She has written six works of Holocaust historical fiction: The Barracks of the Holocaust five-book series and The Book of Uriel. Elyse’s books are the way to go if you love history and want to read some unique stories.
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