The Blood upon the Rose

If it weren't for Kurt, this book would be added to my favorites list. His obsessive love disorder was frightening and it came to an unlikely end as well (people with obsessive disorders don't listen to reason as swiftly nor as easily as he did).

There was a major inconsistency that bothered me, and I'll try to avoid spoiling it as I explain a bit. Mitch and Gisela discovered a plot set against them, yet they both still fell for its trappings. If they knew about it, why would they not be on their guard about it? That didn't make any sense to me.

I loved Bettina and Katya! They reminded me of the elderly sisters on The Waltons, and they were truly delightful and quite good at bringing a bit of humor into the craziness that had become their reality. These ladies were written incredibly well, and I liked that I never knew what was going to pop out of their mouths next.

The physical journey in this story is one I haven't seen much in books yet, though I've only recently been on this WWII reading kick. It was a refreshing take on World War Two, but like most other stories set in this era, there were moments and trials that were disturbing and difficult to read. That doesn't make them any less meaningful, only less beautiful than other moments along the way. But then, war isn't a beautiful thing, is it?

This book was very good, mostly well written, and carried a lot of deep emotions that tugged me further into the characters' lives and fears. I would recommend it for folks 17 or older who want to see what the realities of war are like. Stories like this one can be perspective-altering.

A few notes on grammar (this did not affect my rating):
* “askance” was used when “askew” was intended
* one double-negative
* missing commas on direct address

Content:
* harsh realities of war, including murder, rape, suicide, etc.
* alcohol and drunkeness

I was not compensated for my honest review.