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The Road Beyond Ruin

By: Gemma Liviero
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld, Angelo Di Loreto
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Summary

For some people in post-World War II Germany, the battle is not over.

August 1945. As Stefano, an Italian POW, heads toward home across war-ravaged Germany, he encounters a young child beside his dead mother. Unable to leave him to an unknown fate, Stefano takes the boy with him, finding refuge in a seemingly abandoned house in a secluded woodland.

But the house is far from vacant. Stefano wakes at the arrival of its owner, Erich, a former German soldier, who invites the travelers to stay until they can find safe passage home. Stefano cautiously agrees, intrigued by the disarming German, his reclusive neighbor Rosalind, and her traumatized husband, Georg. Stefano is also drawn to Monique, the girl in a photograph on Rosalind’s wall, who went missing during the war.

But when he discovers letters written by Monique, a darker truth emerges. This place of refuge could be one of reckoning, and the secrets of the past might prevent the travelers from ever getting home.

©2019 Gemma Liviero. (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Superb

What a story.. You will never guess. Great plot and very interesting historically. Thank you

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Gripping story

I found the narration slightly distracting at times but it didn't dimish my enjoyment of hearing this insightful story.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Complex story.

A very complex story set mostly in post war Germany. I found it confusing how the chapters went backwards in time. Even the ending left me uncertain

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant narration captures you!

I’m not one for anything historical or political but this story is brilliantly written & performed even better. The characters all seem so real & the story line is absolutely fantastic. I’m going to struggle to find a follow up to this!

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2 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

*Harrowing*

Whenever I read historical fiction I kind of expect there will be some harrowing parts that will be hard to read. In this case it concentrated on post World War 2 Germany. This is not the end of the dangers.

Things are grim as the country tries to recover. It starts off with Stefano an Italian prisoner of war and a master of a few different languages. He desperately wants to go home and is on foot when he comes across a young boy who is all alone in the world as he sits next to his expired mother. You can sense Stefano’s hesitation as he weighs up what to do. He decides to take the boy with him who says very little.

Stefano on the hunt for somewhere to stay and finds a seemingly vacant house. They take shelter for the night. The morning brings with it a catalogue of events. Stefano is greeted by a gun, the owner of the house is Erich. He was a German soldier who weighs things up and allows them to stay.

Stefano is no fool as there is Rosalind a neighbour who is as warm as ice and her husband Georg is losing his mind. Why does he go mad when he sees Erich? A photo of a woman, ties the three of them together in a dangerous way. Only two are aware of their connection…

Who is more dangerous? What secrets are they all carrying? There are back stories that map out how they came to the stage they are at.

I completely disliked Erich’s character, you will see why if you read the book. Rosalind is in a hell of her own making borne out of jealousy. Is Stefano who he says he is?

This is a book that was not easy to read but it was compelling at the same time.

‼️Triggers‼️
Rape
horrifying deaths of babies

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