Review: A View Across the Rooftops

A View Across the Rooftops by Suzanne Kelman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A View Across the Rooftops is a very moving book set during the period of World War II in Amsterdam. These are hard times and only love and compassion provides (some) solace.

Josef Held is a professor teaching mathematics, whose life seems to hold no charm after the passing of his wife Sarah many years ago. He finds Hannah Pender at the university charming and yet cannot find the urge to take the relationship forward. The Nazi occupation and their treatment of Jews, brings more pain. His neighbor Mrs. Epstein is killed right in front of his eyes, an old lady who took pleasure in playing the piano. There is also his Jewish student Michael Blum, whose easy ways he finds difficult to relate to. And yet, Josef makes a choice – he helps Michael by hiding him. Michael is in love with Elke (who is not Jewish) and the prevailing situation separates them. There are further complications and risks with his niece Ingrid dating a high-level German officer.

Josef and Michael form a bond over time – at the start without even speaking much with each other. As trust grows, they learn to share their pains and memories of better times. There are several close shaves while Michael is in hiding, and he also falls seriously ill at one time.

This is not a fast paced book, and yet it is very beautiful – a sum total of the characters, their inner feelings, circumstances and the strength of the story. It is a wonderful story of courage, letting go and find purpose in the most difficult of situations.

My rating: 4.5 / 5.

My thanks to Bookouture, NetGalley and the author for a free electronic copy of the book for providing a review.


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