Title: The Survivors
Author: Kate Furnivall
Published: October 1st 2018
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia
Pages: 448
Genres: Fiction, Historical
RRP: $32.99
Rating: 5 stars
Germany, 1945. Klara Janowska and her daughter Alicja have walked for weeks to get to Graufeld Displaced Persons camp. In the cramped, dirty, dangerous conditions they, along with 3,200 others, are the lucky ones. They have survived and will do anything to find a way back home.
But when Klara recognises a man in the camp from her past, a deadly game of cat and mouse begins.
He knows exactly what she did during the war to save her daughter.
She knows his real identity.
What will be the price of silence? And will either make it out of the camp alive?
Guest Review:
The Survivors is the twelfth emotional novel from historical fiction author, Kate Furnivall. While World War II is my favourite genre, Furnivall has delved into a period I have not given much thought to…immediately after the war. More specifically, the life of those who lived in the Displaced Persons camps . Kate has set her Polish characters, Klara and her daughter Alicja Janowska, in a fictional camp in Germany called Graufeld (grey camp) that is reminiscent of the camps of the time. It is evident that Furnivall has researched the life and times of displaced persons as she describes the heart breaking, harsh conditions for many of the women and children. From shaving their heads upon arrival, to working long hours in difficult conditions to protecting themselves from the unwanted advances of the men, women had to be strong in ways with the little they were given, which is quite difficult for the modern woman to comprehend. Furnivall expertly takes the reader by the hand back to the past through the eyes of not only mother and daughter, but also Davide Bouvier.
At its heart, The Survivors is a tale of how far a mother would go to protect her daughter… to hell and back. Klara is a fierce, strong woman who lost her husband early on in the war. She has endured every woman’s worst nightmare, doing many unspeakable things that not everyone would understand, but it is all in the name of love for her only child. Klara’s desire to see Alicja live has seen her through the atrocities of war to find herself in what she believed to be relative the safety of camp. Her life during the war is carefully revealed in flashbacks that will leave readers stunned as she goes about daily camp life. However, new problems arise in the name of Oskar Scholz. Klara is a resourceful woman who turns to the few people she trusts, including Frenchman, Davide Bouvier, and Hanna.
Davide was a wonderful man that worked in the administration of Graufeld. He has suffered his own hardships, including the death of loved ones and problems with his health as a result of his working conditions during the war. Early on it is clear Davide has feelings for Klara as he helps her and Alicja more than other camp members. Klara’s feelings for Davide were not as transparent, leaving the reader to wonder if Klara was using Davide for his position. Klara’s other close confidant is Hanna, a mother earth figure who cared for one of Alicja’s friends. She too does what she can to protect her friends, often using her womanly charms when necessary. Hanna’s past is closely guarded and when the surprising truth is revealed, it has consequences for her friends.
The Survivors is also a story of the love a daughter has for her mother and what she is willing to do to take care of her mother. Alicja is a ten year old girl who has seen too much and heard too much from the war. Alicja has also been forced to grow up quickly. She knows that Oskar poses a threat to her mother but doesn’t know how or why. Alicja willingly assists her mother in different ways as do her three close friends. The children did things that would not even be a consideration today, leaving readers with the potential to be surprised at the risks they had to take, all in the name of survival. Furnivall also shows the flip side; the hatred that has blossomed in ones so innocent and the gentle guidance they need to be allowed to be children once again.
Dealing with themes of love and war and so much more, this is an epic novel that will leave you breathless until the very end.
The Survivors by Kate Furnivall was published on 1st October 2018 by Simon & Schuster Australia. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.
To learn more about the author of The Survivors, Kate Furnivall visit here.
*Thanks extended to Simon & Schuster Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
