The Silver Music Box

I normally get my Kindle First reviews posted much sooner, since I know how excited I am, and many are, to make their KF selection for the month. I'm a bit later this time around, and there are already some wonderful reviews for this book, so I'll just say that I echo them! When I started looking through the selections early this morning, I wasn't very happy with any of them. I have never chosen a thriller, so that one was out. The book about the Unkillable Kitty O'Kane didn't interest me enough to even get the sample chapters. I considered the Moth book (sorry, I don't remember the title), and did get the sample chapters, but they didn't impress me...Which I have to admit was the same for this book. I read the sample chapters of this book 3 times before finally deciding, reluctantly, to make it my month's selection.I wasn't expecting too much, and though it didn't really grip me until about 20% in, it turned out to be an utterly delightful read. Such a beautiful story. There weren't a lot of moments that really burned in my mind, but the book as a whole is wonderful. There is absolutely no language or sex, and while several other KF selections in the past have enchanted me somewhat more, there was nothing in this book that made me want to knock off a star. I'd definitely recommend it as a solid choice for readers of historical fiction.

4.5 starsThe Silver Music Box is one of the best Kindle First books I have read. I started it this morning when I had a little free time and couldn’t put it down until I had finished it. The book is beautifully written – it was originally written in German and then translated into English so occasionally a turn of phrase or expression is a little unusual but that didn’t impact the story one bit. The tale starts out slowly but really picks up about a third of the way in.The silver music box is at the heart of the tale. As the book opens in 1914, Johann Blumenthal creates an ornate silver music box for his son Paul so that Paul will remember his father while Johann goes off to fight for Germany in World War 1. The story continues through the decades until the mid-1960’s following Paul and his family members and close friends with the silver music box remaining the thread that ties them all together. At times uplifting and at other times heartbreaking, the story sucked me in until I made it to the very last page.My favorite part of the book was Lilian’s story, and the path she is lead down when her adoptive parents die. Have tissues handy!! I also liked that a list of characters is included at the front of the book; it is very helpful because there are a lot of people in the book. I also enjoyed the Author’s Note at the end where she discusses her exhaustive research and the facts she altered a bit for the purpose of maintaining the flow of the book. I was happy to learn that one of my favorite characters, August Konrad, was based on a real person – what a pleasant surprise!The Silver Music Box is a wonderful and heartrending tale that will stay with me for a long time.

This is the best Kindle First book that I have read in a long time. The story is exquisite, the words just flow. Love the characters, it follows the family for several decades.I have always loved family sagas, this one is wonderful. Highly recommend.

Before setting off to fight for his country of Germany in World War 1, Johann Blumenthal gives his son Paul a beautiful music box. Paul treasures this item as he grows into a young man who runs the jewelry store his family has owned for years. But because the Blumenthal family is Jewish, the family business and their lives will be changed forever as the Nazis come into power. This is a story of what people are willing to sacrifice in the name of love and their dreams.This was an incredible historical fiction novel. I have read many books taking place right up to and during World War 2 but was not very familiar with role of Jewish soldiers fighting for Germany in World War 1. I thought the story of Paul and Clara was fascinating and what they were willing to do in order to fulfill Clara's dream. I loved the role of the music box in the story and how it spanned generations. Knowing how history played out it made for tense reading at times but in my opinion it is a book well worth reading because it accurately shows the tough decisions people had to make during that time period. I definitely recommend to anyone who has an interest in historical fiction.

The past several months I have bypassed all the Kindle First selections as they held no interest for me. The only book to appeal to me this month was The Silver Music Box. My interest was piqued by the sample chapter and the entire rest of the story did not dissapoint. This is one of those 'cannot put it down' books that will stay with me for a long time.The writing is like a fine wine - it goes down so smoothly. The story of the Blumenthalls was captivating and, while fiction, paints a poignant picture of a terrible period in history. The author does an excellent job of bringing every character in the book, and there are several, to life. I highly recommend The Silver Music Box. As another reviewer mentioned, have several tissues close at hand.

The persecution of Jews seems to begin slowly, and most cannot fathom what is to come. Some emigrate, and some remain committed to the land they call home. The story eventually focuses on Paul and Clara Blumenthal and their desperate attempt to flee with their young daughter. Then comes a rather jarring transition to 1960's London, where we meet a young lady who was sent to England on a Kindertransport, and follow her search for her birth family. Of course it all meshes, sometimes too easily. This novel was originally written in German, and I think some of the emotional connection may have been lost in translation

This was my Kindle First choice for November and I must say that is one of the better books I have read from recent selections. But it's too short. You can't really write a three generation saga in just 265 pages. I could have done with that many for each couple. And the 1960's romance was totally unnecessary to the story (I don't think that's a spoiler as it's pretty obvious where that is going from the first paragraph). Overall I enjoyed the writing, and the translation flowed well. My only comment on the translation is that London has pavements, not sidewalks. Americanisms like this irritate me. What did really annoy me about this very good story was the huge gaps in time which passed between the end of some chapters and the start of the next. The story covers a lot of history and as a UK reader of war fiction is is interesting to read something written from 'the other side' as it were. And it actually made me cry, that rarely happens.

This book will pull on your heart strings, return you to the past and cause you to worry about the future. Historical, romantic and sad, this book may not leave you with feelings of happiness, but we should all read the occasional book like this so that we remember.

The first half of the book is deserving of more than three stars. It is compulsive reading, describing the persecution of Jews in Hitler’s Germany from the point of view of a prosperous family of jewellers. The second part of the novel is unconvincing, the story wandering into a rather trite love story. This could have been a success, but for me the book fails at this point.

I was really enjoying this book, totally gripped and felt the tension rising as the narrative progressed through the 1930s to the start of the persecution of people of a Jewish faith. I thought the pressures on families and considerations of decisions that people made well done.thenbook jumped to 1963 - why? Total ruined the book for me, it felt a total cop out as if the author was in a hurry to finish the book, tie up loose ends with no thought of preceding style of narrative and powerful characterisation and story

Written by German author Mina Baites and well translated by Alison Leyland. The story is centred around the silver music box and takes the reader through three generations of a respected German Jewish family from 1914 up to the mid sixties. Although rather harrowing in parts I could not put this book down. A wonderful read.

The story of a beautiful silver music box made by a master craftsman for his son, the horrific changes that affected the family as the grip of the Nazis strangled the family. The desperate journey to flee and get to safety. The child who felt she didn't belong and the search for her blood family. I felt that Lillian's journey was probably a little easier than I would have thought, however, I enjoyed the story very much and felt invested in the characters - I would recommend.

It is a story about a loving and caring Jewish community, and in particular one Jewish family who went through so much pain and heartbreak as their community was destroyed by the Germans leading up to and through the second world war even though so many had given their lives for the homeland during the first world war. It is a story very well written and very worth reading.

Interesting to read a WWII book set in Germany. Good storyline on the whole although I found the writing style a little contrived in places. But that may be because it is a translation. Also the characters mostly seemed to be absolutely good or absolutely bad which didn’t really ring true. However I will probably read the second in series at some point.

I found the information that was given in this book quite interesting , but I was not captivated by it , the story did not grip me in any way. Yes there was a lot of detail and I'm sure the historical accuracy is just fine . So I feel a fitting rating for a 'just fine" medeochre novel is a just fine perfectly ok 3 stars

Although I enjoyed this book and appreciated the lack of violence during this period it somewhat lacked direction and had complete different branches At the crucial time the family just disappeared and skipped past the war and straight to the next generation I just lost interest because it turned too cheesy and left me disappointed.

This book is truly wonderful. A story that is as sad as it is uplifting, in writing about a dreadful period in our history the author manages to imbue her writing with true humanity. Sometimes reading a novel in translation can feel just that, as though one is getting the story almost second hand but in this case one reads the book as the author meant us to, there is no feeling that it is anything but the words as the author meant them. I read this in one sitting unable to stop until I reached the end, an ending which managed to reinstate one's faith in society, despite it's problems.

Having a small son, I really fell for this story. Moving (sometime a little quickly) through various stages of an extended families’ plight during the wars in Europe, it was very bittersweet. The ending became a little predictable, but that doesn’t detract from a lovely, moving story about a time that wasn’t so long ago. Echoes in modern-day politics doesn’t go unnoticed.

The first part was quite gripping but then it suddenly jumped to 1963 and it was like someone different had written the second part. Lillian the main character was irrtating and totally dismissive of her adoptive parents. The romance was mawkish and irrelevant, chick-lit style. I cannot see how this can develop into a series.

This book is amazing it is so nice to read a book written by the other side, if nothing else war should be made illegal as the people on both sides suffer not the politiciansThe book was translated very well and the pages kept turning until finished in the early hours of the morningWould definitely recommend this book

An excellent, exciting read from start to finish. Didn't want to put it down. And very full of historic details, very enthralling, bringing tears at times and great joy at others. Look forward to reading more from this writer hopefully.