Rainbow Reviews

BOOK BLURB:
World War II draws to a close. Hope and happiness are scarce on the streets of Berlin but step inside one of the city's celebrated cabaret nightclubs and one can escape the ugliness of war, if only for a few hours. Heinrich, a young German officer visits “Die Comedie des Lebens”, one of the most popular, each night for a chance to see Marika, whose music and heart he immediately falls for. Heinrich is a dream come true for the vocalist, but Marika keeps a dangerous secret and as the love between the two blossoms, Marika worries that the secret may tear them apart. Torn between two lives, Marika must make a decision before it's too late.

BOOK REVIEW:
Marika is a singer at the cabaret nightclub “Die Komodie des Lebens” or “Comedy of Life”. She has captured the eye of a young soldier, Heinrich, an engineer of bridges, tunnels and roadways. He comes to see her each night, moved to tears by her performance. The songs she sings give him a glimpse into her soul and more than anything he wants to take away the sadness and loneliness he hears. In a country torn apart by war, the songs that Marika sings have more significance than ever.

“She sang with her eyes closed, letting the tragedy overtake her and flow through her, thinking of what she wanted to be, what she could never be, everything that she wanted but would never obtain, and the things that she’d missed since coming to this city.

‘Sag mir wo die Blumen sind,’ she sang. Say to me where the flowers are. She contemplated the words, acutely aware of the fleeting fragility of life, beauty and happiness, of how quickly and cruelly it was stamped out and stolen away.”

What Marika wants more than anything is to be happy, to find someone to love her, “despite her nature.” She desires Heinrich, but is convinced that if she reveals her secret she will lose him forever. She conceals her true self, tucked away behind a carefully constructed façade. No one knows who she really is, not even her roommate Lizzi. Marika must decide if she can trust Heinrich to love her enough to see past her secret.

Say To Me Where the Flowers Are is a stunning story of love during wartime. This is a quick read at only 36 pages but it leaves a lasting impression. This is a very emotional story, with characters that I loved from the very beginning. Set near the end of World War II, the story is true to the time period with the depictions of both the people and the city of Berlin itself. The character of Marika is fascinating and it is impossible not to connect with her immediately. The heartbreaking ending brought me to tears with its poignant realism. This touching story is an example of powerfully exceptional writing, with a wealth of meaning behind every word. It was a pleasure to read and is most definitely highly recommended!

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