Next book

CARAVANS IN THE DARK

A well-intentioned but awkwardly executed look at lesser-known events of World War II.

Oldre’s historical novel delves into the struggles of Romani people under Nazi occupation.

In the late 1930s, a Romani family travels though the prewar Czechoslovakia, trying to make a living. Fifteen-year-old Jana Benak is used to this nomadic life, helping her stepmother Zofie take care of younger siblings, telling fortunes in town, and scavenging for supplies, but she longs for more independence and self-expression. Not long after Jana’s family arrives in Prague, they’re caught in the crosshairs of conflict: Nazi soldiers flood the country, bringing out deep-seated animosity between the local Germans and the Czech population. For the Romani, this means even more uncertainty and persecution; many men in Jana’s family are arrested, their horses are requisitioned for the German army’s needs, and a brief but chilling encounter between Jana and Adolf Hitler himself leaves no doubt about his plans: “We’ll soon be rid of her race,” he mutters to his entourage. The novel follows several characters as they attempt to resist the Nazis. Jana forms a connection with a clockmaker, Joseph Novotny, at the castle where she works; he trains her to deliver clandestine messages. Meanwhile, Jana’s friend Otto is drawn into a plot to tamper with the steel used for gun production, and his Czech friend Albert uses his family’s means to help Romani people escape the occupied territories. Overall, this historical novel has a compelling premise, tackling an underrepresented story of the Second World War. However, the aimless plot and overly large cast of characters make for a tedious read. Small incidents eventually coalesce into a larger picture, but when the climax finally arrives, it rests on a historical figure who’s otherwise peripheral to the main action. Oldre’s impressive research shines in the descriptions of Romani life and traditions. However, some of the dialogue is so slangy that it feels almost anachronistic (“Can you believe those jerks?”; “get your ass back on the job, pronto”).

A well-intentioned but awkwardly executed look at lesser-known events of World War II.

Pub Date: June 6, 2023

ISBN: 9781647424343

Page Count: 270

Publisher: She Writes Press

Review Posted Online: June 6, 2023

Next book

WE ALL LIVE HERE

A moving, realistic look at one woman’s post-divorce family life that manages to be both poignant and funny.

A recently divorced writer juggles a chaotic full house, a struggling career, and a confusing romantic life.

Lila Kennedy thought she had the perfect family—a loving mother, a doting stepfather, two wonderful daughters, and a great husband. She even wrote a self-help book about repairing a marriage, which was published a mere two weeks before her husband left her. After her own mother’s sudden death, Lila finds herself an unexpected single mom with her health-nut stepfather, Bill, for a roommate. When her long-absent actor father, Gene, moves in, things go from crowded to chaotic. When Gene isn’t talking about his memories of starring on a Star Trek–like television show, he’s starting fights with Bill. Perhaps the worst part is that Lila’s supposed to produce a new book about the unexpected direction her life has taken. She quickly finds that writing about her real-life romantic exploits (including the kind gardener Bill hired and the sexy single dad she lusts after at school pick-up) and the actual heartbreak that upended her family is easier said than done. Moyes creates a world that is believable and funny. It’s hilarious to read about the distinct characters in Lila’s life—such as her lentil-loving stepfather and egocentric biological father—interacting with each other. There’s plenty of drama here, but none of it feels forced. It all comes from flawed people doing their best to coexist and making plenty of mistakes along the way. Moyes combines the warmth of an Annabel Monaghan rom-com with the humanity of a Catherine Newman novel, creating a story that will provoke tears and laughter.

A moving, realistic look at one woman’s post-divorce family life that manages to be both poignant and funny.

Pub Date: Feb. 11, 2025

ISBN: 9781984879325

Page Count: 464

Publisher: Pamela Dorman/Viking

Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024

Awards & Accolades

Likes

  • Readers Vote
  • 295


Our Verdict

  • Our Verdict
  • GET IT


  • New York Times Bestseller

Next book

THE WOMEN

A dramatic, vividly detailed reconstruction of a little-known aspect of the Vietnam War.

Awards & Accolades

Likes

  • Readers Vote
  • 295


Our Verdict

  • Our Verdict
  • GET IT


  • New York Times Bestseller

A young woman’s experience as a nurse in Vietnam casts a deep shadow over her life.

When we learn that the farewell party in the opening scene is for Frances “Frankie” McGrath’s older brother—“a golden boy, a wild child who could make the hardest heart soften”—who is leaving to serve in Vietnam in 1966, we feel pretty certain that poor Finley McGrath is marked for death. Still, it’s a surprise when the fateful doorbell rings less than 20 pages later. His death inspires his sister to enlist as an Army nurse, and this turn of events is just the beginning of a roller coaster of a plot that’s impressive and engrossing if at times a bit formulaic. Hannah renders the experiences of the young women who served in Vietnam in all-encompassing detail. The first half of the book, set in gore-drenched hospital wards, mildewed dorm rooms, and boozy officers’ clubs, is an exciting read, tracking the transformation of virginal, uptight Frankie into a crack surgical nurse and woman of the world. Her tensely platonic romance with a married surgeon ends when his broken, unbreathing body is airlifted out by helicopter; she throws her pent-up passion into a wild affair with a soldier who happens to be her dead brother’s best friend. In the second part of the book, after the war, Frankie seems to experience every possible bad break. A drawback of the story is that none of the secondary characters in her life are fully three-dimensional: Her dismissive, chauvinistic father and tight-lipped, pill-popping mother, her fellow nurses, and her various love interests are more plot devices than people. You’ll wish you could have gone to Vegas and placed a bet on the ending—while it’s against all the odds, you’ll see it coming from a mile away.

A dramatic, vividly detailed reconstruction of a little-known aspect of the Vietnam War.

Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024

ISBN: 9781250178633

Page Count: 480

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2023

Close Quickview