The Absolution of Otto Finkel

By: John McKay

Narrated by: Edison McDaniels

Length: 12 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

Brittany: In the summer of 1928, 12-year-old Jack Graham and his brother, Francis, befriend the quiet German Otto Finkel, and together with the enigmatic Jean-Luc and virtuous Marco, they are involved in a serious case of misadventure that leaves a man dead and one of the boys disfigured.

The memories for most of them fade with time, but for Otto, the mental scarring matches the physical scarring. Is this the reason why, years later, in the turmoil of war, he finds himself as an officer in the Waffen SS?

Largely unbeknownst to them, the paths of the schoolboys, now young men, impinge on Otto’s life as each chooses to serve their respective countries in different ways.

Following their wartime exploits, from the beaches of Dunkirk to the purge of the Roman ghetto, from the horrors of Drancy Deportation Camp to the Nazi ratlines of postwar Europe, this is a powerful story of war, grief, love, and regret.

©2015 Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie Publishers (P)2019 Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie Pubishers

The best WW2 book since the Nightingale

I have to start off by saying that I was given this book in exchange for my honest review. This book is so outstanding! I was absolutely captivated from start to finish. I must add that I have a special interest in WW2 Fiction books and have read/listened to 9 of them since listening to the Nightingale which originally sparked my interest. There have been many good ones ( All the light you cannot see, The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Beneath a Scarlet Sky, Before We Were Yours, and many others.... This book is JUST as good, if not better than some of them. In fact, it is better than some of them. I rarely listen to a book more than once, it's just how I am. but i'll most definitely be listening to this one again. I wanted it to go on forever, and was sad when it ended.
Just get this book, you won't be disappointing.

very interesting

a very interesting book it was very unusual and very very good this story was very solid and though the narrator was very good he was a bit too fast it's not something that bothers me because usually I'm upping the notch in the speed of the narration but it's a bit fast
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review

Fantastic Audiobook!

I have a great hunger to read all things WWII. This was a very rounded telling of its time. The German side was represented. Very gruesome. The allies side was represented from the English side. The Jews were represented. And other nations civilians were shared. It wasn't til the last few chapters that I figured out who confronted Otto Finkel. I can heartily recommend this book to all that are interested in the WWII era. "I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review." "I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator.”

GREAT READ

Similar feel to The Paris Architect. Narrator speaks a little quickly, but you easily adapt. Liked it very much, in fact, could not put it down.

Decent Story and Narration

The Absolution of Otto Finkel was a decent story. I enjoyed the overall story but at times I had a hard time keeping everything straight because there is a lot of detail . It is a story set during World War II and it has three different narrations going on. It kind of reminded me of the set up of Lilac Girls, if you have read that. Some parts I could not put the book down and others I had a harder time staying focused.

I found Edison McDaniels to speak a little fast. I did have to slow down the narration. He has a nice voice to listen to, but I did find his voices were not as distinct between the characters as another book I listened to narrated by him.

It is a story I think I will revisit again in the future. I think I will get more out of it during a second listen.

I did receive a copy of this book at my request, and I have voluntarily left this review.

A great read

The Absolution of Otto Finkel.. A great read - starts with children meeting on holiday but the main story is how their lifes interact during WW2, and culminates in the 1960's.
A tale I found to be gripping and tense in places. full of beautiful details and descriptions.
A truly touching tale with some shocking scenes of cruelty. Superbly crafted.
Narration by Edison McDaniels brings the book to life and adds so much to the ambience.
I was given a free copy of this audiobook at my own request, and voluntarily leave this review.