Title: Winter of the World     

Author: Ken Follett

Genre: Historical Fiction  

Publisher: Dutton Books

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 940

Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Winter of the World picks up right where the first book left off, as its five interrelated families—American, German, Russian, English, Welsh—enter a time of enormous social, political, and economic turmoil, beginning with the rise of the Third Reich, through the Spanish Civil War and the great dramas of World War II, up to the explosions of the American and Soviet atomic bombs.

Carla von Ulrich, born of German and English parents, finds her life engulfed by the Nazi tide until she commits a deed of great courage and heartbreak. . . . American brothers Woody and Chuck Dewar, each with a secret, take separate paths to momentous events, one in Washington, the other in the bloody jungles of the Pacific. . . . English student Lloyd Williams discovers in the crucible of the Spanish Civil War that he must fight Communism just as hard as Fascism. . . . Daisy Peshkov, a driven American social climber, cares only for popularity and the fast set, until the war transforms her life, not just once but twice, while her cousin Volodya carves out a position in Soviet intelligence that will affect not only this war—but the war to come.

These characters and many others find their lives inextricably entangled as their experiences illuminate the cataclysms that marked the century. From the drawing rooms of the rich to the blood and smoke of battle, their lives intertwine, propelling the reader into dramas of ever-increasing complexity.

Review:

I was so excited to read the next book in this series as I loved the first book! This book carried on a few years after the first book, and focuses more on the children of the characters from the first book!

I loved the historical events that were depicted in this book, including the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War. We get to see the Second World War through the perspective of Americans, Germans, English, and Soviets! Each group of people experienced horrors in different ways, and I feel like the experiences in this book broke my heart more than the first book!

My favourite character I think was Carla, the daughter of Maud. I loved reading about Nazi run Germany from her perspective, and how she didn’t agree with the Nazis but her brother became brainwashed by the regime. Carla was a strong character who I definitely connected with the most!

If you’re looking for a long series to read, I definitely recommend these books! I need to get the third book now!

Happy reading!