All My Love, Detrick

This saga of two young, star-crossed lovers in Nazi Germany is insightful but disappointing. Even as a child in 1923 Berlin, Detrick Haswell was estranged from his father, an alcoholic. After a bike accident, seven-year-old Christian Detrick meets Jacob Abdenstern, a Jewish bicycle merchant, who becomes a mentor and father figure to him. Years later, Jacob’s daughter, Leah, and Detrick, who grows up to be handsome, strong, and principled, fall in love. When Hitler comes to power, and the persecution and deportation of Jews begin, Detrick finds a willing family to hide Jacob and Leah in their attic. Under suspicion because of his relationship with Jacob and Leah, Detrick joins the Nazi party to provide a cover for his true beliefs, and to help protect his parents and pay for Jacob and Leah’s quarters; later, he converts to Judaism. Although coverage of the entire World War II years and the travails of minor characters is ambitious, the timeline and narrative often feel shuffled. Marred by sentimentality and a too-brisk rhythm, the novel nonetheless has likable, engaging characters in Detrick and Leah. (BookLife)