FromNazi-occupied Poland
to a Chicago courtroom Elliot Rosenzweig, a respected civic leader and
wealthy philanthropist, is attending a fundraiser when he is suddenly
accosted and accused of being a former Nazi SS officer named Otto
Piatek. Although the charges are denounced as preposterous, his accuser,
Ben Solomon, is convinced he is right. Solomon urges attorney Catherine
Lockhart to take his case, revealing that Otto Piatek was abandoned as a
child and raised by Solomon's family only to betray them during the
Nazi occupation. But has he accused the right man? Once We Were Brothers
is the compelling tale of two boys and a family that struggles to
survive in war-torn Poland. It is also the story of a young lawyer who
must face not only a powerful adversary, but her own self-doubts. Two
lives, two worlds and sixty years all on course to collide in a
fast-paced legal thriller. The author, Ronald H. Balson, is a Chicago
trial attorney and educator. His practice has taken him to international
venues, including small villages in Poland, which have inspired this
novel.
Paperback, 379 pages
Published
February 15th 2010
by Berwick Court Publishing Co.
Terri's Thoughts
I bought this book years ago and somehow it stayed on my shelf and I never got around to reading it. I finally picked it up as I try to clean out my to read list. I wish I had read it sooner.
As this is not a new book, I am sure there are thousands of reviews out there that will cover every aspect of this book so I will not even try to do it justice.
Two things to know before I go any further. I am a huge fan of historical fiction, and I am an even bigger fan of stories that center around WWII. You could pretty much guess that the odds were favorable that I would enjoy this book. I also discovered this book based on a recommendation of other stories that I had given high marks to. So...my thoughts?
Of course I was captivated from the very beginning. Let's get the parts that didn't sell me right away. It was the characters if Liam and Catherine in the present day (2004). While not unlikable, I felt like I was supposed to know them already, that they were previously introduced to the reader. This of course was not the case so it left me feeling like I was scrambling to play catch up with their storyline and back story. That being said, in my opinion, they were not the stars of this story so I can easily forgive.
As you would expect, the story of Ben is a tragic one. So much so that I have sat down to start this review and I couldn't because the story was still with me. I could not set it aside to jot down any objective thoughts. Although this is a work of fiction, based on all of the resources out there that describes the Holocaust, you know that these events can happen, have happened and worse. I am absolutely flabbergasted that the human race is capable of such cruelty. I am also mortified that we as humans have not learned our lesson from this piece of history. Turn the news on at any time and there is further evidence of what horrors we are capable of. I digress, however perhaps this is why this story, and others like it, move me so much?
I have read many wartime stories, each individual in their own right and some with striking similarities. There is almost always a love story, as was the case in this book. Ben and Hanna had me cheering for them from the beginning and you knew that the outcome of their story would be tragic. Every time they dance together I was anxious knowing that it could potentially be the last.
I didn't know how the story was going to end but I had my suspicions. While the conclusion was as I thought, I was nonetheless glued to the story to see it played out. There may even have been a couple of profanities uttered out loud. I will not share these secrets, they must be read to know.
Ultimately I really enjoyed this book. Although can I say I enjoyed it when the subject matter is so horrific? Let me phrase it as this is a book that captured my attention, kept it and then left me thinking about it long after I finished it. Since I think I may be late to the party on this story, any fan of WWII historical fiction should read it if they have not already. I wish I had read it sooner.
I bought this book years ago and somehow it stayed on my shelf and I never got around to reading it. I finally picked it up as I try to clean out my to read list. I wish I had read it sooner.
As this is not a new book, I am sure there are thousands of reviews out there that will cover every aspect of this book so I will not even try to do it justice.
Two things to know before I go any further. I am a huge fan of historical fiction, and I am an even bigger fan of stories that center around WWII. You could pretty much guess that the odds were favorable that I would enjoy this book. I also discovered this book based on a recommendation of other stories that I had given high marks to. So...my thoughts?
Of course I was captivated from the very beginning. Let's get the parts that didn't sell me right away. It was the characters if Liam and Catherine in the present day (2004). While not unlikable, I felt like I was supposed to know them already, that they were previously introduced to the reader. This of course was not the case so it left me feeling like I was scrambling to play catch up with their storyline and back story. That being said, in my opinion, they were not the stars of this story so I can easily forgive.
As you would expect, the story of Ben is a tragic one. So much so that I have sat down to start this review and I couldn't because the story was still with me. I could not set it aside to jot down any objective thoughts. Although this is a work of fiction, based on all of the resources out there that describes the Holocaust, you know that these events can happen, have happened and worse. I am absolutely flabbergasted that the human race is capable of such cruelty. I am also mortified that we as humans have not learned our lesson from this piece of history. Turn the news on at any time and there is further evidence of what horrors we are capable of. I digress, however perhaps this is why this story, and others like it, move me so much?
I have read many wartime stories, each individual in their own right and some with striking similarities. There is almost always a love story, as was the case in this book. Ben and Hanna had me cheering for them from the beginning and you knew that the outcome of their story would be tragic. Every time they dance together I was anxious knowing that it could potentially be the last.
I didn't know how the story was going to end but I had my suspicions. While the conclusion was as I thought, I was nonetheless glued to the story to see it played out. There may even have been a couple of profanities uttered out loud. I will not share these secrets, they must be read to know.
Ultimately I really enjoyed this book. Although can I say I enjoyed it when the subject matter is so horrific? Let me phrase it as this is a book that captured my attention, kept it and then left me thinking about it long after I finished it. Since I think I may be late to the party on this story, any fan of WWII historical fiction should read it if they have not already. I wish I had read it sooner.
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