Reviewer: Amy Lignor
Title: The Things We Cherished
Author: Pam Jenoff
Publisher: Doubleday
ISBN-13: 978-0-3855-3420-8 (Hardcover)
Release Date: July 2011
Genre/Sub-genre: Historical (Romance) Fiction
Year/Setting: 2009 & WWII Era/Philadelphia & Europe
Overall Rating: 5.0+
Sexual Content Rating: Subtle/Sensual
Language (Profanity/Slang) Content Rating: None/Mild
Violent Content Rating: Minimal/Moderate
Pam's Website/Blog: www.pamjenoff.com
Dear Readers:
Giving a Pam Jenoff book to this reviewer is a lot like giving meat to a starving dog, or taking a five-year-old to, "The Smurfs." I am SO in love with this author there should be a special review rating of 10 or 10 million in order to let all of you know just HOW wonderful this author is at what she does!!! Ever since I set eyes on Pam’s debut novel, The Kommandant’s Girl, I have never in my life read better plots or more fascinating stories than the ones this woman creates.
In 2009, Charlotte Gold is a public defender helping the children of the Philadelphia streets get fair trials and better breaks in life. One morning, after Charlotte has been killing herself to help one of her young clients, she heads back to the office and finds her ex-fiancé - who broke her heart ten years ago - sitting in her chair. Brian has changed a bit. Now married to the woman he dumped Charlotte for, he is looking a bit terrified. Brian wants nothing more than to make partner at his firm, and in order to do that, he must defend a man by the name of Roger Dykmans. This is a client who is charged with a crime that ultimately brought about his own brother’s death back in WWII. Brian needs Charlotte’s help because of her knowledge of the Holocaust, as well as her gift of getting clients to trust her. And, although Charlotte doesn’t want anything to do with Brian, her fascination with WWII history causes her to head to Munich for one week.
Charlotte finds herself working with Brian’s brother, Jack Warrington. Jack is a very handsome individual, but seems to have a certain odd chip on his shoulder where Charlotte is concerned; he can go from sweet to snooty in about ten seconds. Jack is not happy about this present case. He has spent most of his life prosecuting the WWII ‘beasts,’ not saving them - so the moral dilemma for Jack runs deep. But as the two team up to find answers, the life of the accused, Roger Dykmans, brings forth some truly incredible stories of WWII.
The reader will be amazed as they follow the journey of a very special clock that was built in Bavaria in 1903; traveled from Bavaria to Berlin in 1922; then on to Breslau in the 1940’s. The secrets this clock holds - and the astounding stories it tells - presents a novel that will never be forgotten. The past and the present weave together to show readers everything: bigotry, denial, forgiveness, love, pain, war, and…sacrifice. The romance is stunning. The characters are perfectly drawn. The locales make the reader feel as if they are actually sitting there during WWII as the sirens scream overhead, watching people give up everything in order to save the ones they love.
The beauty of Pam Jenoff’s writing is indescribable. Immaculate is the closest a human being could come to offering a true review of these amazing pages! Frankly, this reader needs Pam Jenoff to write at least one book a month…because there is no better!
Until next time,
Amy
Question or comment regarding the review or the book? Click here and let Amy know.
Top
Reviews
Featured Reviews
Archived Reviews