Winter Pale

An utterly unexpected and emotional WWII historical fiction novel

Romance - Historical
487 Pages
Reviewed on 12/12/2023
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    Book Review

Reviewed by Bernadette Longu for Readers' Favorite

Winter Pale by Marina Koulouri is about a young girl who becomes a young woman in a very short space of time and is caught between two men, both with their agendas; one only for his gain and one with a tender heart that can still see beyond the ugliness of war. A mix of anger, hatred, and antagonism by an unsuspecting third party makes for an intriguing tale. Winter Pale is torn between two men: the Resistance fighter Rene Martin and SS Major Friedrich von Stielen. Each one of the supporting characters hones and helps the main characters on their journey through life and the plot.

In Winter Pale by Marina Koulouri, the author has taken the Second World War and used it as a background to show how the ordinary people in the street survived, what they had to do, and how the powers that be and those that invaded another country exploit, use and abuse the very citizens that they say they have come to liberate or to govern. The reader will find their attention captured from the very first chapter to the very last. Winter Pale is a romantic tragedy, one so poignant that the reader will root for the two lovers and condemn the tormentors. The twist in the tale comes to light at the end, which will have the reader gasping in surprise. It is a very good read and the descriptions of scenes in Paris during the war and on journeys into the countryside are intriguing and delightful, always giving the main characters peace and the courage to carry on. This book is well worth reading.