Not quite as full of myself this week! Only to be expected with me a) being back at work after a few days break in Lille, France where reading was high on the agenda; and, b) having a cold that is lingering. Both of these factors have slowed me right down. Still, I have got another book in the "read" pile. My latest tome is The Zookeeper's War by Steven Conte. This book was a complete punt - I'd never heard of it, nor the author, but had spotted it in a bargain bucket in Blackwell's bookshop in London. This is a really good book. It's the story of Vera, an Australian woman who is married to Axel, a German who is the director of the Berlin zoo. Unfortunately, his tenure there coincides with the second world war. We follow the couple as they try and keep the zoo together despite the destructive bombings, the deaths of their beloved animals and the staff being drafted to the army. To compensate, the authorities assign forced labourers to the zoo, an idea that Vera finds disgusting. However, she surprises herself by being able to empathise with one of the men who is also a foreigner in a strange and dangerous land. As the war progresses, prejudice, fear, greed and love all come together towards a climatic end where no-one can be trusted. This book was a great read, and really interesting - hearing the voices we don't usually hear of the ordinary man and woman of Berlin, trying to stay alive and increasingly fearing the impending end of the war with the Russians taking over the city. Harrowing at times, but I found it hard to put down. Definitely a 4 STAR read.
The stats bit:
Length: 372 print pages.
Price I paid: £2.00 (in a bargain bin in Blackwells, London).
Other formats available in: none!
Sounds like an interesting read and one I'll look out for. Coincidentally on the One Show this week there was something about a British Zoo being closed during the war and all the animals put down, except for at least for an elephant which was saved by being taken home by the keeper!
ReplyDeleteI am currently reading Turbulance by Giles Foden about those that forecasted the weather for D-Day - makes a nice change from just reading about those on the front line.
By the way, I believe, while there is a book called the Zookeeper's Wife, the League Table should also read the Zookeeper's War - perhaps this means that you'll now have to add Diane Ackerman's book to your reading list ;) Interestingly, also set in the war, but in Poland.
Spooky that there is also a book called the Zookeeper's Wife. For some reason, I kept thinking I was reading a book called The Zookeeper's Wife, as she is very much the central character - and had to really think about the title when I was blogging - however, I'd obviously switched my brain off when doing the league table - will rectify.
ReplyDeleteYour Giles Foden book sounds interesting too - let me know how it goes. I've just started a book about the last four months of the life of Anne Boleyn. I've always enjoyed the Tudors - mad, bad and dangerous to know! So am looking forward to getting into that.