Diane Armstrong (1)

Fictional account based on a real event that took place in a small town in Poland in 1941 where people of the Jewish faith were locked into a barn and burned to death. The author took a different angle than usual in approaching this story. It is set in the early 2000’s rather than the 1940’s and involves a forensic dentist, who has personal ties to the region, taking part in an excavation of the site of a mass grave from the WWII era.

I had mixed feelings about this book. On the plus side, I liked the idea of examining the past to find out the truth of what happened through forensic science. I found it intriguing that the author brought together an atheist, a priest, and a rabbi, providing the opportunity to reflect on human nature in an insightful manner from various angles. I thought the author did an excellent job of showing the ideology of the various political factions in the town. I am drawn to books like this that explore personal beliefs and values, and how seemingly ordinary people can act in an extraordinarily inhumane ways while others jeopardize their lives to aid strangers. I thought the protagonist’s journey of personal identity was conveyed in a meaningful manner.

On the minus side, after the prologue, it was extremely slow in establishing the storyline. I kept wondering where the book was headed. The main plotline doesn’t gain momentum until about midway through the book. I thought the last half was far superior to the first half and wish the laying of groundwork had been more focused. The few graphic sex scenes seemed somehow out of place in a book about such deep and thought-provoking subject matter.

If you are interested in World War II fiction based around true events, explorations of personal identity, integrity, or good vs. evil in the world, I think it’s a worthwhile reading experience.… (altro)

Years ago I read" Winter Journey" by Diane Armstrong and loved it, then I tried a couple of her other novels but they never appealed, so I was a bit hesitant to read "Dancing with the Enemy". However, despite a slow start I thoroughly enjoyed this historical story.

Following the lives of a teenager, Tom Gaskell, and Dr Hugh Jackson during WWII and modern-day, Xanthe Maxwell, the plot is set in Jersey on the Channel Islands. The three stories make for a very interesting read and the reader soon realises that their lives interconnect, but not in the way that is expected at the start. I was fully invested in each character as they make decisions that have a lasting impact on their lives. The author cleverly and believably weaves their stories together in a heart-breaking, compelling read. Highly recommended.… (altro)

This is a pretty good read, WW2 historical fiction fans will love this! This story is told from three points of view over two timelines:
Hugh Jackson & Tom Gaskell live on Jersey & are thrown into the thick of it when Britain abandons the Channel Islands, leaving the citizens to fend for themselves when the Germans take control.
Hugh is a doctor who evacuates his pregnant wife to England but chooses to stay behind to look after the patients who stay. Tom is mortified by his mother's fraternisation with the enemy & with his two best mates makes a decision that will bring disaster & terrible ramifications for them & their family.
2019: Sydney doctor Xanthe, traumatised & burnt out from the never-ceasing pressure of her hospital work travels to St Helier after quitting her job to figure out what to do with her life. While there she finds Hugh's journal & is plunged into a world of violence & oppression but also bravery, passion & resistance.......
I enjoyed this story very much. At first I had a hard time connectiong to the characters, I tend to veer towards more true- story stuff when it comes to WW2 stories but I won this story through Better Reading so I gave it a go. The prose is wonderfully lyrical & the story flows beuatifully.
I was a bit disappointed with the ending, I thought it could have been wrapped up a bit better, but all in all it's a pretty good read!… (altro)