The Silver Music Box

Posted on 12 May 2017 by Mina Baites

A captivating cross generational novel from German author Mina Baites about a Jewish family divided by World War II and an inheritance with the power to bring them back together 1914 For Paul, with love. Jewish silversmith Johann Blumenthal engraved those words on his most exquisite creation, a singing filigree bird inside a tiny ornamented box He crafted this treasure for his young son before leaving to fight in a terrible war to honor his beloved country a country that would soon turn against his own family.A half century later, Londoner Lilian Morrison inherits the box after the death of her parents Though the silver is tarnished and dented, this much loved treasure is also a link to an astonishing past With the keepsake is a letter from Lilian s mother, telling her daughter for the first time that she was adopted Too young to remember, Lilian was rescued from a Germany in the grips of the Holocaust Now only she can trace what happened to a family who scattered to the reaches of the world, a family forced to choose between their heritage and their dreams for the future. New Download [ The Silver Music Box ] author [ Mina Baites ] For Kindle ePUB or eBook – kino-fada.fr 3.5 When choosing to read a book about the Nazis and the Holocaust, one knows they are opening themselves up to some of the darkest days in history Yet, if the word gentle, could be applied to any book that touches on this subject, this is the one The focus is on one Jewish family, the Blumenthals The men Jewelers by trade, and the events that touch them are unveiled gently, with much of the focus on the Germans who were their friends, and others who went out of their way, at great risk to th 3.5 When choosing to read a book about the Nazis and the Holocaust, one knows they are opening themselves up to some of the darkest days in history Yet, if the word gentle, could be applied to any book that touches on this subject, this is the one The focus is on one Jewish family, the Blumenthals The men Jewelers by trade, and the events that touch them are unveiled gently, with much of the focus on the Germans w...4.5 starsThe Silver Music Box is one of the best Kindle First books I have read I started it this morning when I had a little free time and couldn t put it down until I had finished it The book is beautifully written it was originally written in German and then translated into English so occasionally a turn of phrase or expression is a little unusual but that didn t impact the story one bit The tale starts out slowly but really picks up about a third of the way in.The silver music box is at 4.5 starsThe Silver Music Box is one of the best Kindle First books I have read I started it this morning when I had a little free time and couldn t put it down until I had finished it The book is beautifully written it was originally written in German and then translated into English so occasionally a turn of phrase or expression is a little unusual but that didn t impact the story one bit The tale starts out slowly but really picks up about a third of the way in.The silver music box is at the heart of the tale A...This book is just amazing and one of the best I ve read it a long time Very hard to put down There are a lot of characters in the book and they are listed in the front of the book and I found that to be very hopeful The book starts in 1914 and father Johann Blumenthal creates a silver music box for his young son to remember him by when he goes to fight in the German WWI The silver music box is at the heart of the tale and the book follows 3 generations of the family through heartwarming tim This book is just amaz...Visit the locations in the novel Lubeck and HamburgA story that sings and soars like the bird of the bird box It s made by a Jewish jeweller for his little son before the father volunteers for WWI to show he is a good German This war story, is unlike any other in that it looks at the Jewish people and how they helped and worked hard for their country, helped others less fortunate and wanted to play their part in the war It s a poignant story and one where you gasp in hope one moment, cry in Visit the locations in the novel Lubeck and HamburgA story that sings and soars like the bird of the bird box It s made by a Jewish jeweller for his little son before the father volunteers for WWI to show he is a good German This war story, is unlike any other in that it looks at the Jewish people and how they helped and worked hard for their country, helped others less fortunate and wanted to play their part in ...This book was one of my Kindle First selections and so heart wrenching The tale of a Jewish family trying to flee the growing animosity towards they re kind from the Germans.It s heart breakingly accurate when you read about what all they had to go through The characters were relatable and your heart went out to them as they dealt with the persecution, especially from those they thought of as friends.I love historical novels, getting to learn things from a different time and I definitely lear This book was one of my Kindle First selections and so heart wrenching The tale of a J...When I read the blurb on the back of The Silver Music Box I expected a story that jumped between the past and the present Initially I was disappointed that this is not how the story is written OrganizationUsually organization of material is only relevant in non fiction however, Mina Baites has made it relevant in this book The blurb will lead you to believe that you will be reading the story of a woman discovering her heritage for half the book While technically you do read Lillian s heri When I read the blurb on the back of The Silver Music Box I expected a story that jumped between the past and the present Initially I was disappointed that this is not how the story is written OrganizationUsually organization of material is only relevant in non fiction however, Mina Baites has made it relevant in this book The blurb will lead you to believe that you will be reading the story of a woman discovering her heritage for half the book While technically you do read Lillian s heritage story however, it s very misleading as that portion of the story is only the last 70 or so pages I would have much preferred to read up to a point when many of our characters are separated in WWII, or Lillian is dropped at the orphanage not a spoiler it s in the blurb Then a second book could have been Lillian s story that discusses her origination and eventually ties her to our previo...Epic family story spanning from 1916 thru 1963, in Germany, London and Cape Town, South Africa.The Blumenthal Brothers of Altona, Germany, Max and Johann, are jewelers and silversmiths, and have been doing business for years Johann decides to volunteer during the First World War, leaving his wife and young son Before he goes, he makes an intricate silver music box for his son, Paul The music box never leaves his son s hand.Next comes the turmoil in Germany as Hitler comes to power Paul is no Epic family story spanning from 1916 thru 1963, in Germany, London and Cape Town, South Africa.The Blumenthal Brothers of Altona, Germany, Max and Johann, are jewelers and silversmiths, and have been doing business for years Johann decides to volunteer during the First World War, leaving his wife and young son Before he goes, he makes an intricate silver music box for his son, Paul The music box never leaves his son s hand.Next comes the turmoil in Germany as Hitler comes to power Paul is now grown and working in the family business He and his family believe that although they are Jews, they will be protected because of his father s military service years before, but they are mistaken Now married, Paul, his wife and young daughter, his mother, aunt and uncles need to decide what to do as the anti Jewish propaganda takes hold in the entire country.Fast forward after the war to the early sixties in England, and a newly orphaned young woman finds her whole...I thought this book was pretty good, up until the last section It s in three parts, WWI, the years leading to WWII and the 1960s The story of the Bluementhal family in the first two parts shows real people and issues When we get to the third generation it s like the author ru...I guess I could consider this a page turner if I meant I found myself turning the pages rapidly without reading predictable paragraphs I found itlike a journal than an novel I realized last night that i was reading it...I was disappointed in this book In fairness to the author, I m always a bit hesitant to criticize a work in a translation Some examples the translation of The Solitude of Prime Numbers was superb I do read French and some Italian there is a world of difference between the original, very stilted Charles Archer translation of Nobelist Sigrid Undset s magnificent Kristin Lavransdatter and the later quite wonderful one of Tiina Nunnally I have read that the English translation of Stieg Larsso I was disappointed in this book In fairness to the author, I m always a bit hesitant to criticize a work in a translation Some examples the translation of The Solitude of Prime Numbers was superb I do read French and some Italian there is a world of difference between the original, very stilted Charles Archer translation of Nobelist Sigrid Undset s magnificent Kristin Lavransdatter and the later quite wonderful one of Tiina Nunnally I have read that the English translation of Stie...

English
12 May 2017

Mina Baites