Review of The Jewelers Daughter

[Patty Allread]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Jewelers Daughter" by Janice Williams.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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The Jeweler's Daughter by Janice Williams takes place during the Holocaust and begins in 1943 when German Jews started to see the unthinkable evil happening and realized that to save their lives, they must be willing to sacrifice everything else. The Feiners, a Jewish family, became increasingly aware of the threat of the Nazis. Joseph Feiner, a jeweler, did everything he could to prepare young Anna to survive the Nazi's determination to eliminate Jews. Mr. Feiner taught Anna how to survive on her own in a hiding spot in the woods if escape became necessary. However, things did not go as planned.

This book is a coming-of-age story in which Anna must leave her happy home with her family and fight for her life. She also had to leave her best friend, Peter Reinhold, who lived next door and worked in his father's bakery. Does Anna ever see Peter again? Will the Feiners survive?

I liked how Williams showed Anna's gradual ability to confront her situation. At home, Anna was a typical young teenage girl who wanted to sleep in late and enjoy the morning summer breeze while her mother nagged her to get up and do chores. At first, Anna dismissed the idea that she might have to hide from anyone. Little by little, Anna realized that her life was about to change forever, and her chances of survival were slim. Reading the book, I felt what it might have been like for Anna and her parents to have their everyday lives turned upside down and to endure the impossible. I felt their fear, horror, and sadness, as well as the joy and relief of each small victory as they fought for survival. I also enjoyed Anna's strong determination and her ability to think on her feet.

While there was nothing I disliked in this book, I noticed the characters' names, Anna and Peter, were similar to the names of characters in a world-renowned novel about a real-life young girl during the Holocaust (The Diary of Anne Frank}. It is a minor consideration that didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the book. Williams' book is not a knock-off of the other story, although it shares some similar themes.

The Jeweler's Daughter, a story about the Holocaust, is also about the hopes and dreams of a young girl in love and her determination to beat all odds against her despite devastating losses. It was very well written and professionally edited, with only a few errors. Therefore, this brave and touching story deserves my rating of four out of four stars.

Through gifted storytelling simplicity, Williams brings this story to life with brutal realism but without overwhelming violence or profanity. This book is suitable for middle school and older readers, including adults. I recommend it to readers interested in the Holocaust who can also appreciate the story of a young girl growing up during extreme circumstances.

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The Jewelers Daughter
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Israel10]

The Jeweler's Daughter by Janice Williams takes place during the Holocaust and begins in 1943 when German Jews started to see the unthinkable evil happening and realized that to save their lives, they must be willing to sacrifice everything else. Great review.

[Chiwendu Ikechukwu]

This book looks interesting from the review above. And the storyline is my kind of story. Adding it to my shelf for future reading ASAP.

[Ikechukwu Blessing]

The cover page was what captured my attention at first sight, following the bravery and courage shown by Anna.Beautiful review.

[lawisimportant23]

This is such an inspirational story. I do not know what I would do in the protagonist's shoes. Great job with the review.

[Jack A]

Great review Patty! You really brought the story to life for me!
It’s interesting that there seems to be a lot of books about the holocaust out now and I think that is important so we can stay aware of what can happen if we turn a blind eye!!

[Phil Akor]

The book cover is what drew me to the review, I’m happy about your rating of the book because I would love to give it a try.

[Nwaka Chukwuemeka]

Wow, what a creative review. Your review is detailed and captivating.i will love to know more about this book. Fantastic review.

[Jane Ogwang]

Anna sounds like a determined and strong lady. I'd like to read more of her story. Thank you for the recommendation.

[lebone moloi]

This book is a very humbling book, with a setting from a real