City of Women

By: David R. Gillham

Narrated by: Suzanne Bertish

Length: 13 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

It is 1943 - the height of the Second World War. With the men taken by the army, Berlin has become a city of women. And while her husband fights on the Eastern Front, Sigrid Schröder is, for all intents and purposes, the model soldier's wife: She goes to work every day, does as much with her rations as she can, and dutifully cares for her meddling mother-in-law, all the while ignoring the horrific immoralities of the regime.

But behind this façade is an entirely different Sigrid, a woman who dreams of her former Jewish lover, who is now lost in the chaos of the war.

Sigrid's tedious existence is turned upside down when she finds herself hiding a mother and her two young daughters - whom she believes might be her lover's family - and she must make terrifying choices that could cost her everything.

©2012 David R. Gillham (P)2012 Penguin Audio

Amazing book - don't miss it!

Where does City of Women rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This book ranks #1 of all the audiobooks I have listened to so far. I couldn't wait to hear each chapter.

What did you like best about this story?

I loved the way the writer created multi-dimensional characters with an orginal story. A vivid account of WWII Berlin through the eyes of a fascinating woman. The novel's plot provides a terrific read while also displaying many aspects of life in Nazi Germany. Truly, no character is predictable.

Which character – as performed by Suzanne Bertish – was your favorite?

Sigrid is a non-forgettable character who seems so real. Fantastic writing. I thought the author was a woman because Sigrid's feelings and emotions are so authentic. What a surprise to discover that the author was male.

Who was the most memorable character of City of Women and why?

All the characters were memorable.

Any additional comments?

Ms. Bertish's performance enhanced the book for me. If I had read the book, the German street names would have been distracting but Ms. Bertish's reading made them a integrated part of the story.

Well Worth It!

Intriguing characters and a well-written story about German women living in Berlin during WW II. I really liked the characters and how the story evolved, and I will read more by this author.

Messy

This was a real mess, both from a listening stand point and from a believability POV. Hard to grasp transitions, and resolution felt too contrived.

City

Suzanne Bertish was an amazing narrator. I enjoyed the story. I was tensed up the whole time I read it. Nazi Germany was a terrible time to be alive.

captivating story and reading

Would you listen to City of Women again? Why?

This is one of the better books on tape I have heard with Audible. The story and intrigue moved, I was truly interested in the characters, the twists and turns of the plot, and the development of the characters - all convincing and riveting. I had a difficult time breaking away from the book and went thru it much too quickly. In addition the reading was excellent. I really felt as though it was the characters speaking rather, not lofty or stilted at all. Bertish was able to seamlessly represent a variety of male and female characters without any apparent difficulty.

Not a disappointment. Great Story!

What made the experience of listening to City of Women the most enjoyable?

The twist and turns and the narrator did an excellent job.

What other book might you compare City of Women to and why?

None

What does Suzanne Bertish bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She made that time seem so more real that you would not have received from reading. She did an excellent job with Sigrid's character.

Who was the most memorable character of City of Women and why?

Sigrid. The way she matured throughout the book in ways I did not expect.

Any additional comments?

Once started I could not stop until finished. This is a great listen. It didn't end as expected but ended great all the same.

Top notch narration!

A fantastic book read by a fantastic narrator. Seriously. Suzanne Bertish makes this a must-listen.

Ten stars

wow! what a great listen. I've read a number of books (both fiction and nonfiction) set during the WWII era, but this was far more "grittier" than most. Really peels back the layers and describes what ordinary Germans were confronted with during the Nazi regime. Great narration by someone who could do a German accent, too (or perhaps Ms Bertish is German). This is one of those books that is better listened to than read, due to the pronunciations of all of the German locations, etc. Highly recommend!

Intriguing view of wartime Berlin

A fascinating look at how love and passion drive people and how living through war affects a person's motives and actions. A bit slow at times, but a good story overall.

basically a good story

Any additional comments?

Basically a good story. Even exciting at times . I found the narration at bit monotone , sometimes I had to really concentrate to find out which charactor was speaking ( even when it was two diffrent sexes having a conversation)