Product Description

When Peter's parents are killed, he is sent to an orphanage in Warsaw. Then German soldiers take him away to be measured and assessed. They decide that Peter is racially valuable. He is Volksdeutscher: of German blood. With his blond hair, blue eyes, and acceptably proportioned head, he looks just like the boy on the Hitler-Jugend poster. Someone important will want to adopt Peter. They do. Professor Kaltenbach is very pleased to welcome such a fine Aryan specimen to his household. People will be envious. But Peter is not quite the specimen they think. He is forming his own ideas about what he is seeing, what he is told. Peter doesn't want to be a Nazi, and so he is going to take a very dangerous risk. The most dangerous risk he could possibly choose to take in Berlin in 1942.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10745 in Books
• Published on: 2009-03-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 304 pages

Review
`A heart racing thriller about courage, convictions and the construction of identity'
--The Bookseller, 19/26th December 2008

'Powerful'
-- Financial Times

Review
`An exceptional novel, persuasive in its details, with an utterly compelling story and powerful message'

Review
`Thrilling and chilling. A thought-provoking tale that looks at the effects of fascism on society and the family'

Customer Reviews

Auslander
A brilliant story of danger and survival in Nazi Germany.

Polish orphan Peter is 'Volksdeutscher' - of German blood, and looks the Aryan ideal with his blond hair and blue eyes. He is sent to Berlin, where he is invited to live with the Kaltenbach family. He soon realises that he does not share Professor and Frau Kaltenbach's pro-Nazi ideals. At first he thinks that he is alone in not accepting the Nazi ideology that's all around him, but gradually he realises that he is not alone. He falls in love, and becomes involved with the highly-dangerous anti-Nazi free-thinkers, which includes assisting Jews that have gone underground. He also discovers, on more than one occasion, that you can't always judge someone by first impressions.

The story vividly portrays the dangers of wartime Berlin. Peter appears to be the ideal Hitler-Jugend member; obedient, brave and in good physical health. Underneath, though, he never loses his compassion and generosity of spirit. The story doesn't flinch from giving details of what might (and frequently did) happen to those judged dispensible by the Nazis, but doesn't dwell on the cruelty. This would be a great "background" read for those interested in discovering more about this period of history. It is also ideal for demonstrating that not all Germans were Nazis - a common misconception among the young.

Great stuff from an excellent author
I bought this book for my nephew, started reading it and knew I had to keep it. Sorry Harry - I'll get you another copy. But this is a great read for all ages. Historical fiction at its best.

Very interesting, well researched and easy to read
Life in Berlin, the fear that was to live under the Nazi regime and the dangers of speaking your own mind are only few of the things you get to "experience" reading this book.

I am only half way through it, so if it's got a horrible ending I am sorry, but I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about what life was like for the simple german folk living in Berlin under Hitler.

This is by no means a historical book but the author has put considerable effort in researching the background of the novel, this combined with a good (and very well written) story makes for fascinating read that is also quite informative!

Definitely give it a go if you are into your history but do not really wanna sit down and "study" it for hours on end as its entertaining and does give a picture of what life was like in Berlin during the war!!