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A review by kathleenww
Love and Treasure by Ayelet Waldman
4.0
I'm wavering between 3.5-4 stars on this one, so I'm rounding up and going with 4. I didn't love it, but there were things about it that I really did love. The book is divided into three distinct stories, unified by a common thread: the Hungarian Gold Train. The Nazis systematically stripped Hungarian Jews of all their worldly (and valuable) possessions before sending them off to concentration camps, and even handed out receipts. Items from this train, and found in the keeping of a particular family, are the reason for the title of this novel.
A beloved granddaughter is given her legacy: a stolen pendant from the Gold Train. Her grandfather, Jack Wiseman, a US lieutenant (and also a Jew) was in charge of the train in Hungary, and he watches as the contents of the train are slowly whittled away by US officers, as furnishings for their commandeered homes. Before he leaves and the whole passel of treasure is gone, he also takes a souvenir that has some sentimental value for him. This pendant, a lovely peacock locket that is considered bad luck in the Hungarian Jewish community, is what he pockets, and takes back with him Stateside.
This is not your average World War II novel. It doesn't have a neat little tie up at the end, but I did love the way it veered off into many different aspects of people's lie, both before and after the war, and how the ripples of what happened effect so many people, both living and dead. I guess my problem with this novel was that the writing dd not dazzle me; a great story and gorgeous writing ensures a 5 star rating from me, but 4 is nothing to sneeze at! I enjoyed hearing an interview with the author, Ayelet Waldman tell about her inspirations for this story. (via the NYT Book review podcast). I was almost done with the book when I heard it, but it was a great little interview, worth searching out.
A beloved granddaughter is given her legacy: a stolen pendant from the Gold Train. Her grandfather, Jack Wiseman, a US lieutenant (and also a Jew) was in charge of the train in Hungary, and he watches as the contents of the train are slowly whittled away by US officers, as furnishings for their commandeered homes. Before he leaves and the whole passel of treasure is gone, he also takes a souvenir that has some sentimental value for him. This pendant, a lovely peacock locket that is considered bad luck in the Hungarian Jewish community, is what he pockets, and takes back with him Stateside.
This is not your average World War II novel. It doesn't have a neat little tie up at the end, but I did love the way it veered off into many different aspects of people's lie, both before and after the war, and how the ripples of what happened effect so many people, both living and dead. I guess my problem with this novel was that the writing dd not dazzle me; a great story and gorgeous writing ensures a 5 star rating from me, but 4 is nothing to sneeze at! I enjoyed hearing an interview with the author, Ayelet Waldman tell about her inspirations for this story. (via the NYT Book review podcast). I was almost done with the book when I heard it, but it was a great little interview, worth searching out.