Saturday, January 20, 2018

The Melody of the Soul Review




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Travel back in time to 1943 and meet Anna Zadok, a Jewish Christian and concert violinist whose career is ended because of Nazi occupation in Prague. Don't miss the new historical novel, The Melody of the Soul, by Liz Tolsma. Though musical instruments have been declared illegal, Anna defiantly continues to play the violin. But Officer Horst Engel, quartered in Anna's flat and dissatisfied with German ideology, enjoys her soothing music. When Anna and her grandmother face deportation, Horst risks everything to protect them.

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 About the Book

By 1943, Anna Zadok, a Jewish Christian living in Prague, has lost everything, including her career as a concert violinist and almost her entire family. The only person she has left is her beloved grandmother, and she's determined to keep her safe. But protecting Grandmother won't be easy--not with a Nazi officer billeted below them.

Anna must keep a low profile. There's one thing she refuses to give up, though. Despite instruments being declared illegal, Anna defiantly continues to practice her violin. She has to believe that the war will end someday and her career will be waiting. Fortunately for Anna, the officer, Horst Engel, enjoys her soothing music. It distracts him from his dissatisfaction with Nazi ideology and reminds him that beauty still exists in an increasingly ugly world.

When his neighbors face deportation, Horst is moved to risk everything to hide them. Anna finds herself falling in love with the handsome officer and his brave heart. But what he reveals to her might break her trust and stop the music forever. . . .(Goodreads)




My Thoughts

Sadly, this was not the book for me. I have read all of Tolsma's previous books and this one was disappointing. I have read a lot of books set during WWII, and this story just seemed to lack the depth I love in books. I didn't feel like I got to know the characters at all. I didn't really love any of the characters and I was a bit disappointed in the ending.  The setting is great and the idea of the book is fine, though I am not sure how realistic some things were. Needless to say the cover is beautiful and I am curious to read Tolsma's next novel. 

Three Stars. 

"I received this book from Litfuse Publicity for free. All opinions are my own."









1 comment:

Katie Summer said...

Wondering what your issue with the character development was. I found all the characters pretty deep and intriguing. There was a lot of research and factual things that were true, at least as far as I could see. Curious to hear what you had issues with?