Official Review: Cuckoo Clock New York by Elisabeth Marrion

[bluegreenmarina]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Cuckoo Clock New York" by Elisabeth Marrion.]

---

3 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Cuckoo Clock New York by Elisabeth Marrion tells one Jewish family’s story of survival through the Holocaust and World War II, and of their travels through Europe and America as they resettle and rebuild their lives. The story centers on Dr. Esther Rosenthal, who departs in a hurry for Holland with her father Mordechai to avoid capture and persecution by the Nazis. Esther’s ultimate goal is to travel to England per the whispered instruction of her husband, who was taken in the night by Nazi soldiers. Esther and Mordechai’s journey is not an easy one, and the people they meet along the way impact their lives in significant ways, more than once aiding in their narrow escapes from danger and detection.

This book tells the story of a volatile time in our recent history, and the pace of the story is appropriately quick. As we follow Esther to Holland and then England, we come to meet a group of children from an orphanage, three of whom she eventually adopts. The family goes on to travel to America, leaving behind Joshua, one of Esther’s three adopted children. As we follow their story, we experience the impact of the war on each member of the family. Esther’s husband Ibrahim’s experiences following his nighttime capture are relayed as well, and while the book superbly and honestly portrays the horrific realities of the Holocaust, it does so without allowing the story and characters to become mired in tragedy and despair. In all, the story is one of courage and perseverance, and the hope and victory found from the support of friends and family during the darkest times.

The author does an excellent job in pacing this story, and the dynamic characters and plotline would translate well if this book were rewritten for the big screen. The characters are immediately relatable and sympathetic, and the plot is rich and exciting. The story is broken up into short manageable chapters, which enables ease of reading but also at times spaces the flow of the story in a choppy way. The reader is introduced to a fairly large cast of side characters, and the chapters alternate between their various perspectives and experiences through the war. At times it can be difficult to remember the backstories of the various characters due to the shortness of the chapters, which do not always allow sufficient time for the reader to connect with each name.

It is also not always clear what the passage of time is between the end of one chapter and the start of the next, and at times I found myself going back to confirm that what I had just finished reading had indeed taken place a significant amount of time prior to the next part of the story being told. However, as a whole, the narrative is not difficult to follow, and throughout the course of the story keeps the reader invested in its eventual resolution. As we follow Esther’s family though the course of the war, we yearn for her to be reunited with her husband, and the author beautifully captures the anguish of the uncertainty and fear of war. Unfortunately, I had hoped that the conclusion of the story would focus more deeply on the resolution of Esther’s search for Ibrahim. I felt that since this had been made the focus of so much of the preceding storyline, there should have been a more direct account of the final scene and the outcome of the search. Instead, the way it was relayed seemed almost like an afterthought, and felt anticlimactic after the build up.

Overall this was a fascinating story of a dark time in the 20th century, and the humanity of the characters captured in this work reminds us that war impacts everyone in significant and life-altering ways. We are reminded of the meaning of hospitality, and encouraged to examine our understanding of what defines a home and a family. This is a book about the Holocaust, but rather than being bleak and disturbing like so many other accounts, it leaves us with a sense of hope and perseverance through the darkest times. Because some of the characters could have been portrayed more deeply, and due to the concerns I had with the flow of the story, I rated this book 3 out of 4 stars, however I came very close to giving it a perfect rating. This was an interesting and emotional account of a war that changed the course of history for the entire world.

******
Cuckoo Clock New York
View: on Bookshelves

Like bluegreenmarina's review? Post a comment saying so!

[kandscreeley]

Sounds like a pretty good book despite its flaws. I do enjoy reading about the holocaust. Thanks for the honest review.

[Joy Boudreau]

This sounds like a solid book; I love the themes of hope and perseverance! Thanks for the review.

[godreaujea]

I love historical fiction and this time period is so fascinating. Thanks for the awesome review, I might just have to check it out!

[Reuben 92]

This book sounds like there's plenty to set it apart from other wartime narratives. I love how you compared the volatile time period to the jumpy structure! I really enjoyed this review - thank you!