Book Blurb:
A woman who suffers unspeakable horrors during the Holocaust reconnects years later with her son born from the tragedy, in a conclusion uniting the three that will have you cheering through your tears and a sense that despite the evil in the world, good will prevail.
Book Buy Link: https://geni.us/FLVydg
Author Bio:
I have been fascinated by science since age five or six, when I got a telescope for a birthday. At that point I was going to be an astronomer, but that changed when I got my first chemistry set at about ten.
B.A. Chemistry Indiana University 1961.
First lieutenant Army Chemical Corps 1963. Last assignment - Executive officer technical intelligence detachment.
Retired in late 2002 after a successful career with a number of chemical companies including one that I started and a second that I co-founded in 1974 for recycling and disposal of waste chemicals.
After retirement became a consultant and then a teacher. Now in my fourth career as a writer.
My first book was a memoir of a brief teaching career that I began when I was 66. Title is "Teacher's Gotta Dance", available presently only on Kindle. Second book was a rebuttal to Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth", titled "A Really Inconvenient Truth-The Case Against the Theory of Anthropogenic Global Warming". My latest is a novel, titled "Secession- A Republic Reborn". Here is a link to an interview: http://thepolitistick.com/could-states-start-seceding-from-the-union-this-author/ Also a podcast interview (not the same). The interview starts seven minutes or so into the podcast. https://audioboom.com/posts/6109981-podcast-anson-knowles-7-15-17.
Editorial Review:
The Game is a novel based in the present day with flashbacks to the horrors or World War II. While Rivka is currently happily married and has a teenage daughter, Marsha, she is still haunted by the atrocities of her past. In her teenage years she was raped by an SS officer, Stahl, who was part of Hitler Youth and wanted revenge on Rivka’s father, Schoenstein. Stahl had been a student of Schoenstein and had been offended by one of his remarks in the classroom. Once Hitler gained power and Stahl rose up the ranks, he chose to take out his petty resentments on Schoenstein’s family through rape, abuse, and brutalization. This is a tragic reminder of how seemingly small, innocuous comments can cost one their life during such dangerous times.
As a result of the sexual assault, Rivka became pregnant. However, the readers are left on a cliffhanger, not knowing what happened to the baby, except that it was put up for adoption. It is not until many years later when a 21-year-old boy, Alex Greenbaum, shows up to work for Nate, when Rivka starts doing some detective work to find out what happened to her adopted baby all those years ago.
This is a truly heartbreaking tale of what war can do to families and nations and the lasting effects it can have. Not only is the generation who undergoes such suffering affected, but the generations to come are also blighted by their inherited tragedy.
The opening pages of the book are potent and a vital reminder to us all to take a stand when something is not right. I believe the following is a powerful quote which everyone ought to heed, “But there are times when one must stand up and say “NO!” When a government or authority is illegitimate as evidenced by its sanctioning and committing murder, thievery, propaganda, disenfranchising a segment of the population, and turning one segment against another, one must no longer mind his own business. Rather, his business is then everyone’s business, and becomes one of resistance.” I appreciate how the author sets the tone of the story from the very beginning as well as the social responsibility which we all must shoulder during times such as these.
This is also emphasized in the following quote by Pastor Martin Niemoller which reminds us to take a stand for our fellow humans, “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.”
I found The Game to be akin to an Aesop fable whereby the message for readers is to learn from the mistakes and tragedies of the past so as not to repeat them. It is also an important work of historical fiction. Moreover, there is a combination of mystery, sleuthing and playing detective involved in the storyline whereby Rivka is trying to find closure to the events of the past as well as bring her family together. I appreciate how despite the horrific past, the story ultimately ends in justice being served.
Although I enjoyed this novel greatly, I felt that the storyline needed space to breath. The scenes moved too quickly, the flashbacks were too sudden and the time hopping into future events was slightly jarring. As a result, the characters did not develop into their fullest expression which inhibited my ability to connect with the characters. While it is a great story with an important message, it did not feel complete. Essentially, I believe the story could be much longer. It would behoove the author to truly dive into the emotions, the fears, the tumult, and chaos that World War II created as well as the aftermath which left survivors and future generations shaken to their core. Once this is done, I believe it will be a truly impactful, heart-wrenching, and memorable novel.
*****
“The Game” by Phil Fishman receives 3 stars from The Historical Fiction Company
Posted with permission from the author.
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