An extraordinary book of the bravery of ordinary people in troubling times
The Traitors Circle marks a brilliant start to a new year filled with
extraordinary books. Utterly transfixed by this powerful story of a
German aristocrat tea party infiltrated by a Gestapo agent, I couldn't
put it down. Horrific and frightful, it is a powerful story of normal
people doing all they could to help those in danger, especially Jews
fleeing Germany, during the Nazi reign in World War II Germany. A true
cautionary tale for our times as any nation ruled by fear and hate has
the potential of allowing atrocities to become everyday 'normal' acts.
The
Traitors Circle is full of heart, gumption and inner strength few must
possess. I was taken by all the tea party conspirators and found this a
stressful read as I worried for their safety. I knew not their fates,
and didn't want to research them whilst reading, fretting for them as
events unfolded. The amount of research to knit together their separate
stories must have been staggering. My heart broke numerous times
throughout as I experienced the full range of emotion and anger. Much of
my make up is German. When younger I felt the slightest twinge of guilt
when WWII was covered in History class. Not because I, or any of my
family, was guilty but by genetic association. It was difficult to
believe so many Germans could be victims of the Nazis, they must have
all been complicit to allow such things to happen, surely? Some may have
participated at first or were taken up with the wave of enthusiasm to
better Germany after the first World War. But by the end of the war I am
sure the views were very different and fear kept them from standing
against the Nazis. Reading this book, as awful as it is, does re-enforce
my faith in people. That so many will risk everything to help others is
hugely heartening.
The Traitors Circle is an important story.
One that has ignited an interest in more non-fiction reading. I haven't
read The Escape Artist yet but will after a break with Ben Macintyre and
Agent Zigzag.
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