DISCLAIMER: The Porcelain Maker was sent to me for free in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher and author for providing the opportunity to read and review this book.

SUMMARY

Two lovers caught at the crossroads of history.

A daughter’s search for the truth.

Germany, 1929. At a festive gathering of young bohemians in Weimar, two young artists, Max, a skilled Jewish architect, and Bettina, a celebrated avant-garde painter, are drawn to each other and begin a whirlwind romance. Their respective talents transport them to the dazzling lights of Berlin, but this bright beginning is quickly dimmed by the rising threat of Nazism. Max is arrested and sent to the concentration camp at Dachau where only his talent at making exquisite porcelain figures stands between him and seemingly certain death. Desperate to save her lover, Bettina risks everything to rescue him and escape Germany.

America, 1993. Clara, Bettina’s daughter, embarks on a journey to trace her roots and determine the identity of her father, a secret her mother has kept from her for reasons she’s never understood. Clara’s quest to piece together the puzzle of her origins transports us back in time to the darkness of Nazi Germany, where life is lived on a razor’s edge and deception and death lurk around every corner. Survival depends on strength, loyalty, and knowing true friends from hidden foes. And as Clara digs further, she begins to question why her mother was so determined to leave the truth of her harrowing past behind…

REVIEW

The Porcelain Maker is a heartrending tale of love, family, and loss.

Beginning in 1993, we are led into an auction house, where Clara Vogel has begun the search for her biological father. The auction house has acquired German-made porcelain figurines that have a deeper connection to Clara than she could have ever imagined.

Max and Bettina’s love story is as beautiful as it is tragic. As their story is set during WW2, we are provided with a gruesome and devastating reminder of the inhumane brutality captives endured during their time in the concentration camps. It’s difficult not to find yourself being swept up in Max and Bettina’s love, it is so pure and strong. Of all the horrendous circumstances they face, their love for each other never falters.

It’s also worth mentioning the sense of found family within Max and Bettina’s story. Their friend, Richard, plays a prominent role in protecting them when the rest of their country seems to be turning against them, more so in Max’s case. There are other characters that play large roles in the found family aspect of this story but I’ll let those be a surprise.

This book was the first time I’d ever read about the Allach Porcelain Factory which did actually exist during WW2. The amount of research and detail gone into this story is evident from the description of the factory alone. It’s so rich in detail that it’s easy to become completely immersed in the storytelling.

Due to the nature of the book, it is not by any means an easy read and you will find yourself heartbroken more often than not. However, the dual narratives (Clara in 1993 to Max and Bettina’s story in the 1930s/40s.) are easy to follow as each chapter concludes another piece of the puzzle for each of the characters.

I highly recommend The Porcelain Maker if you’re an avid reader of war/romance books.