A Book Review | City Of Women by David Gillham

Rating: 3/5
Pages: 389

City Of Women follows a german civilian called Sigrid Schroder who try's to be the perfect German and perfect soldiers wife. Sigrid lives with her mother-in-law in Berlin however she hides a secret. Whilst Sigrid's husband is serving on the eastern front fighting for his country she has been meeting up and having an affair with a Jewish lover. 

We follow Sigrid as she not only try's to keep that a secret but also one of the girl who lives in the same building; she's part of a group that helps to hide and transport Jews and others people trying to avoid the Nazi's. 

I found this book to have a really interesting plot line and its not like anything I've read before. Firstly it was quite a nice change to hear a story from a German who doesn't necessarily have to worry about being persecuted but it was intriguing to see her still put herself and others around her in so much danger. However overall I wasn't too thrilled with the book and I wasn't racing to finish it, I felt that I didn't really warm to any of the characters and that played a big part of me enjoying the book, hence only giving it 3/5 on Goodreads. 

I must say this isn't a ww2 book to read if your below the age of 16/17, I found it to be very graphic and sexual at times so that's something to bare in mind going into it. 

I was also quite shocked how common it seemed for the characters in the book to have affairs and sleep with multiple people whilst their other half was either back at home or on the frontline. 

One event in the book really stood out to me and that was when Sigrid's husband comes home and tells her how he and his comrades set a barn on fire with a group of innocent people trapped inside it. Needless to say it was a graphic scene but it also made Sigrid realise what she didn't want to admit, that her husband really was a murderer.  

I wouldn't race to re-read this however I do think it has an interesting plot line that many would enjoy. 

I filmed a corresponding video on my thoughts which you can see over on my Youtube page.

Until next time, Sophie x