Review of Once We Were Family

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José Cortez
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Review of Once We Were Family

Post by José Cortez »

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Once We Were Family" by Nancy Saling Graham.]
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5 out of 5 stars
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Once We Were Family: In Nazi Germany is a fictional family drama novel written by Nancy Saling Graham. It consists of sixty-one chapters that follow the life of Annalise Klaus, a German lady born years before the occupation of the Nazi Party. The book also follows the members of her family through the World War and after.

The book opens with an introduction to Annalise's family. Her siblings consist of Herman, Helga, Hans, and the twins, Zella and Brandt. As the Nazi Party takes over Germany, everyone begins to feel the implications in their lives. Her father watches as his Jewish colleagues in the university are taken away. Herman graduates as an architectural engineer, only to be forced to work for the Nazis, where he witnesses the terrible treatment of Jewish workers. Hans is forced off to war, and even the twins become indoctrinated into the Nazi philosophy. All of this, coupled with the drama of just growing up, greatly affects Annalise. Witness the Klaus family navigate the treacherous path of being good people in Nazi Germany. What would become of Hans? Will the twins become Nazis? And will Annalise ever find happiness? Find out in this amazing book.

There is a lot I love about this book. The language used was simple and very easy to follow. What I love most about the book are its characters. Each member of the Klaus family had a distinct and intriguing storyline. From the intellectual Annalise to the vain Helga to the hardworking yet flawed Herman, each character served the overarching plot very well. I found myself very emotionally attached to the characters, genuinely worried for their wellbeing. I also like the plot. It was very interesting, and although it is fictional, it felt very rooted in reality. There were also a lot of unexpected plot twists. Some of these were very heart-wrenching and had me read them through teary eyes. The book does well to paint a picture of Nazi Germany, setting the stage for a wartorn Berlin during the allied forces' invasion. The book also does well to discuss difficult topics like race, war, and even rape. Overall, the book was a fantastic and interesting read and eye-opening.

I have only one, albeit small, issue with the book. It had, in my opinion, too many chapters, as some of the chapters were very short and may have been joined together.

I found only one error in the book, as it was professionally edited. Therefore, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. I found the book interesting, and it captured my emotions. Despite the negative aspect mentioned above, I was very satisfied with the book and could not rate it any lower. I recommend this book to lovers of fictional family drama.

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Once We Were Family
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Post by Book owly »

The story seems sorrowful as I read about the hard lives of people filled with emotions in the review. Your review is great and it me curious about wanting to read the book. Thank you for the great review.
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Post by Hazel Mae Bagarinao »

As I sampled the few pages, I am captivated by its well-developed characters. I am convinced that I'm going to love the storyline. Klaus's family seems facing numerous challenges with the war. I love how the author narrates the riveting story with its readable language. Congratulations to the author on BOTD!
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Post by Domeseo Camus Meda »

A BOOK BY NANCY SALING GRAHAM THAT TELLS THE SAD STORY OF ANNALIZE KLAUS A GERMAN LADY BORN BEFORE THE NAZI PARTY OCCUPATION, HER FAMILY LIFE, THE NAZI PARTY TAKEOVER AND ITS DISASTRATIVE CONSEQUENCES.
A BOOK FOR LOVERS OF FICTIONAL FAMILY DRAMA.GOOD REVIEW
Fredrick Felix Mnjala Maneno
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Post by Fredrick Felix Mnjala Maneno »

Books based on the times immediately before, after and during the war can be really exceptional as this one seems to be. I'd really love to know Annalise's family better and see if and how the Nazi regime changed them as individuals. Very insightful review. Great job.
Real courage is when you know you are licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what! (To kill a Mockingbird - Atticus Finch) Harper Lee.
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Post by Njugush254 »

seems like a monotonous and uninteresting read. The premise of following the life of Annalise Klaus and her family during the Nazi regime might not be compelling enough for me.The predictable trajectory of characters, such as Hans being forced off to war or the twins becoming indoctrinated into Nazi ideology, may not offer enough surprises or fresh perspectives.

Moreover, the focus on family drama amidst such a historically significant backdrop might make the story feel disconnected or lacking in depth. The struggles and challenges faced by the Klaus family during this tumultuous time could have been explored in a more engaging and thought-provoking manner.
But all there is no accounting for taste . The review is well written
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Post by Margi zuu202 »

Book of the day BOTD is historical fiction dating back in 1935 at only 13 Annalise belongs to middle class family of six unaware of evil of Nazism the atmosphere is full of mistrust and loss at the end of war his parents struggle to keep the family together and begin new life that affected Annalise leading her to leave her childhood home to face more struggles and challenges.. The book was well written and reviewed I will recommend it
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Post by John Arun Kumar »

Nancy Saling Graham seems to have the gift to communicate in simple language in this creative fiction set during the Nazis. I sampled a few pages and I felt that I could go on reading this intriguing plot. You have written the review so well without giving away too much . Congratulations on the BOTD!
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Nemanja Jankovic
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Post by Nemanja Jankovic »

"Once We Were Family" by Nancy Saling Graham is a novel about Annalize Klaus' family. The novel is set in the period of World War II and after. The book is written in simple language and the characters in the book are very realistically thought-out.
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Post by Nancy004 »

I would like to read "Once We Were Family: In Nazi Germany" because it explores a significant period in history through the lens of a family drama. The reviewer's positive comments about the language, characters, and plot intrigue me, as does their emotional attachment to the story. Additionally, the book's ability to depict the complexities of life during Nazi Germany and tackle difficult topics like war and race makes it an appealing read. Congratulations to author on BOTD
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Post by tarafarah7 »

Today's BOTD is a historical fiction novel set in Nazi Germany that follows 13yo Annalize Klaus and her family through extreme challenges and struggles to keep their family together. Filled with drama and emotion, readers are sure to be pulled in by the storyline and well-developed characters through to the end. Thank you for your helpful review! :-)
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Amy Luman
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Post by Amy Luman »

I like books that showcase different personalities. Annalise and Helga seem to do that. Congratulations on BOTD!
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Post by Aditi A »

I am a sucker for such tales that associate history and our perspective on it. Graham threw it out of the window with this one, and my God the emotions that it charged me with! Plus this amazing review topping all that's there. Thank you best wishes to you.
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Post by Triciat50 »

I love historical fiction, and this book seems to be particularly well-written. Thanks for your review!
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Post by Rose Nafula Oketch »

This book is so emotional, seeing a family being divided and each family member having to endure challenges and struggles in their lives after the Nazis take over Germany. It has clearly brought out the effects of war. From the free sample on Amazon, the storyline is intriguing, especially how the Klaus family takes different directions during and after the war. Congratulations BOTD!
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