Review by LallaGatta -- The Weeping Woman of Putten
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LallaGatta
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- Latest Review: The Weeping Woman of Putten by Alyce Bailey
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Review by LallaGatta -- The Weeping Woman of Putten
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Weeping Woman of Putten" by Alyce Bailey.]
The wretchedness will seep into you until you drown in unforgettable sorrow.
The Weeping Woman of Putten by Alyce Bailey portrays the tragedy that has been Nazi Germany in all its cruelty, with torture made more vicious by the realization of the impending defeat. Although the writing style isn't flawless, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars because the memory of such terrifying crimes must live on in everyone's heart and mind.
On the night of September 30, 1944, the Dutch resistance assaults a German military vehicle near the Oldenallerbrug bridge between Putten and Nijkerk in the occupied Netherlands. One officer dies. Another is wounded and taken prisoner. The following day, Germans roundup Putten's inhabitants, vowing to kill all men between the age of eighteen and fifty if the prisoner isn't released.
As a certified nurse, Janneke is allowed to move among the captive villagers and offer medical help. To her dismay, her uncle, Johan, and her cousin, Dirk, are also risking their lives. What no one suspects is that Janneke is a member of the resistance along with her fiancé, Pieter. She doesn't know where the German soldier is detained, but she has information she could trade to spare the lives of Putten's men.
Eventually, the missing officer is found. German retaliation is brutal: 601 men are sent to labor camps while Putten is to be torched. Separated, Janneke and Dirk will experience Nazi horrors. But the real question is: will they and their loved ones survive the end of this tragic war?
During my many years as a reader, I’ve gone through quite a lot of literature regarding Nazi Germany and the atrocities committed before and during World War II. I didn't know about this particular incident, so I'm grateful to Mrs. Bailey for reviving this specific memory.
What I find fascinating is her description of the various work camps Dirk has to endure. Kamp Amersfoort, Kamp Neuengamme, Kamp Ladelund, and Kamp Westerbork are a few of such places located in the Netherlands and Germany. Conditions are so terrible that one can't help wondering how anyone could work at all.
Even if the distress in Janneke and Dirk's accounts is palpable, it's clear to me that the author hasn’t as yet perfected her writing technique. Character building is almost non-existent. Narration is detached and lacks emotional depth. At times, the point of view includes more than one person. There are a few omissions and comma misuse. Still, the reading is gripping, and these imperfections don't diminish the accuracy or the captivation of this story. So, I encourage Mrs. Bailey to spin more tales, given her ability to reach deep into the heart of her readers.
Meant not only for historically-minded bookworms, I definitely recommend this book to anyone with a social conscience.
******
The Weeping Woman of Putten
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The wretchedness will seep into you until you drown in unforgettable sorrow.
The Weeping Woman of Putten by Alyce Bailey portrays the tragedy that has been Nazi Germany in all its cruelty, with torture made more vicious by the realization of the impending defeat. Although the writing style isn't flawless, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars because the memory of such terrifying crimes must live on in everyone's heart and mind.
On the night of September 30, 1944, the Dutch resistance assaults a German military vehicle near the Oldenallerbrug bridge between Putten and Nijkerk in the occupied Netherlands. One officer dies. Another is wounded and taken prisoner. The following day, Germans roundup Putten's inhabitants, vowing to kill all men between the age of eighteen and fifty if the prisoner isn't released.
As a certified nurse, Janneke is allowed to move among the captive villagers and offer medical help. To her dismay, her uncle, Johan, and her cousin, Dirk, are also risking their lives. What no one suspects is that Janneke is a member of the resistance along with her fiancé, Pieter. She doesn't know where the German soldier is detained, but she has information she could trade to spare the lives of Putten's men.
Eventually, the missing officer is found. German retaliation is brutal: 601 men are sent to labor camps while Putten is to be torched. Separated, Janneke and Dirk will experience Nazi horrors. But the real question is: will they and their loved ones survive the end of this tragic war?
During my many years as a reader, I’ve gone through quite a lot of literature regarding Nazi Germany and the atrocities committed before and during World War II. I didn't know about this particular incident, so I'm grateful to Mrs. Bailey for reviving this specific memory.
What I find fascinating is her description of the various work camps Dirk has to endure. Kamp Amersfoort, Kamp Neuengamme, Kamp Ladelund, and Kamp Westerbork are a few of such places located in the Netherlands and Germany. Conditions are so terrible that one can't help wondering how anyone could work at all.
Even if the distress in Janneke and Dirk's accounts is palpable, it's clear to me that the author hasn’t as yet perfected her writing technique. Character building is almost non-existent. Narration is detached and lacks emotional depth. At times, the point of view includes more than one person. There are a few omissions and comma misuse. Still, the reading is gripping, and these imperfections don't diminish the accuracy or the captivation of this story. So, I encourage Mrs. Bailey to spin more tales, given her ability to reach deep into the heart of her readers.
Meant not only for historically-minded bookworms, I definitely recommend this book to anyone with a social conscience.
******
The Weeping Woman of Putten
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Weeping Woman of Putten by Alyce Bailey
