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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 found the following review helpful:
A definite must-read! Jun 07, 2006
By Tanya B. Evans
"In the Shadow of the Mill" is an excellent, thought-provoking book that draws you into the life and mind of a girl growing up in Germany in a farmworking family during WW II and the post-war era. Stories of her sometimes comical, sometimes disturbing childhood experiences are beautifully written and ingeniously interwoven together to create a powerfully vivid and emotionally captivating glimpse into her life. Once I started reading, I became so engrossed in the book that I didn't want to put it down. There are so many levels to which one can relate to -- the financial struggles of a poor family, the relationship among family members-- particularly between a girl and her mother, the cruelty of human nature, and the ever-questioning naive yet philosophical approach the heroine has to understanding the changing world around her. This was one of the most enjoyable yet disturbing books I have ever read, leaving me to ponder her story long after finishing the book. Definitely a must-read!!
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
A great book! May 15, 2006
By M. Warner
In the Shadow of the Mill gripped me from the very first page. The mark of a great book is the sense of wonder and awe it conveys while opening the reader's eyes to a world they didn't know existed. This book does more than that. Schulga's beguiling memoir of her life as a penniless child growing up in northern Germany during and after World War II put me inside the mind of an inquisitive and fascinating young girl. From startling images of an omnipresent war, to tender scenes with her father and stern lessons from her mother, to practical jokes and colorful adventures with her siblings and the local people of the small village, the stories Schulga recounts are full of both delight and meaning. I strongly urge you to buy this book for yourself and also for a loved one. This really is a terrific book that deserves attention. I will definitely read it more than once.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
engrossing Jul 12, 2006
By E. Laway
"Lady E"
Rosemarie Schulga wrote this book out of sheer recollections that she has told her children, friends and family over the years about her childhood in a farmer's village in Northern Germany in and around the second world war. Although her parents were basically farm hands living on a large, fuedal like estate, Rosemarie never felt more at home with her eigth brothers and sisters. Life was and often, a struggle specially during the early years of the war when the author's strong and resourceful father was sent for a brief time to prison because he refused to interpret for the Nazis. Vati (the father) had a rough life growing up as well, being borne in Belaruss, sent to prison at 16 and escaping to Germany and living as an emigre. For what seem like a harsh childhood, Schulga nevertheless has nothing but endearment, recollecting what it was like growing up in a picturesque setting during idyllic times that is no more. She describes in meticulously details, her mother's delicious cooking and also the happy occassions when a little break was taken from the back breaking work, to celebrate a holiday or a village tradition. But having to grow up amidst so many siblings with parents working from sun up and sun down, leaves very little to tend to a liitle girl's sensibilities and curiousities. Rosemarie often recieved slappings from her mother when she ask too many questions or shows a certain weakness like refusing to stir the gushing blood of a pig into a bowl to prevent it from coagulating with her bare hands. The author took the killing of her pet goat for meat, especially hard since she took it for granted that she will be keeping this animal as a pet since she was allowed to treat it like one for a while. The book ends when Rosemorie turned fourteen and her mother has already arranged for her to marry an older farmer down the lane which is nothing unussual for girls her age. But like most survivors of difficult childhoods, Rosemarie was intelligent and had wit and foresight to endure. This book was written in an easy- to-read, conversational prose which took a little to warm up to for the first few pages. But it doesn't take much for the author to draw you in. I really appreciated how the author cherished the wonderful memories of her parents and siblings despite of all the difficulties growing up poor. Her experiences and how she was able to survive them shaped her character and was able to share the finer more cherished ones with her children and with us. I highly recommend this book. It's a wonderful read.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Takes you to a different world Jun 04, 2006
By Graig A. Roylance
"book lover"
My wife, my 17 year old and I have read this book and it was fascinating for each of us, and all in different ways. I was captivated by the images of life from the inside of Nazi Germany. My wife enjoyed the conversations that Mrs. Schulga is able to strikingly convey and my daughter was absorbed in the humanity and inhumanity of life. I strongly suggest you try this book.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
All Possible Charm Apr 23, 2007
By Second Monday Book Group
The following are comments from members at the April 9, 2007, meeting of the SECOND MONDAY BOOK GROUP located in Prospect Park, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
"The book has all possible charm due to the author's frank revelations and her observations on life."
"She had a life of heavy-duty work, and she survived. It made me feel that if she could, maybe I could."
"Her descriptions made me understand what she was living through."
"I was amazed by her memory. She was consistent in using the child's point of view."
"I liked the simplicity of her writing. She used simple sentence structure but was very direct."
"At first, there was a lot of 'first person,' but it stopped bothering me when I got into the story."
"I wondered, what is the theme? It's more like vignettes. So I watched the chapter titles and got the focus. I think the chapters should be part of an historical society's collection."
"I kept thinking of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books--the slaughter of animals, for example, but this book gave more details."
"The book is remarkably well done. It's heartbreaking."
"I was struck by the universality of the poverty-stricken existence--the whole idea of how you exist when you have almost nothing."
"Rosemarie Schulga did a remarkable job in preserving those old villages for us to read about."
See all 16 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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