The Boy Between Worlds

By: Annejet van der Zijl, Kristen Gehrman - translator

Narrated by: Coleen Marlo

Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's Summary

From the Amazon Charts bestselling author of An American Princess comes the true story of an unconventional family divided by war and prejudice during WWII.

When they fell in love in 1928, Rika and Waldemar could have not been more different. She was a thirty-seven-year-old Dutch-born mother, estranged from her husband. He was her immigrant boarder, not yet twenty, and a wealthy Surinamese descendant of slaves. The child they have together, brown skinned and blue eyed, brings the couple great joy yet raises some eyebrows. Until the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands explodes their promising life.

What unfolds is more than the astonishing story of a love that prevailed over convention. It’s also the quest of a young boy. Through the cruelty of World War II, he will fight for a connection between his father’s South American birthplace and his mother’s European traditions. Lost and displaced for much of his life, but with a legacy of resilience in his blood, his life will be a struggle to find his place in the world.

Moving deftly between personal experience and the devastating machinations of war, The Boy Between Worlds is an unforgettable journey of hope, love, and courage in the face of humanity’s darkest hour.

©2019 Annejet van der Zijl; translation copyright Kristen Gerhman (P)2019 Brilliance Audio, Inc., all rights reserved.

One of the best books I have ever heard!

This book was so beautifully told and such a heart wrenching story. A must read

5 people found this helpful

Wonderful book

This is a wonderful book. It is sad in parts but that is history and you cannot change history. I learned a lot from this book about history that I didn’t even know so the book was also educational. The woman’s voice who reads the Audible version is lovely. I found that she did read a bit fast so in parts you may want to slow it down a bit especially since there are a lot of unfamiliar words. I had to rewind a few times. Otherwise it was a great choice for me.

4 people found this helpful

Well written. Thoroughly enjoyed.

The author clearly dedicated a lot of time , research and compassion into this book. She wonderfully interweaves the lives of two very interesting (and previously unknown to me) people into a historical context. The outcome is a very compelling and personally enriching story. One of the best books I've read in 2019.

4 people found this helpful

A book that transports you to that time

This is the second book I have read from this author (1st was The American Princes) and has kept me fascinated from beginning to end. Annejet brings the characters in the book alive. It also showed to me at least another side of history.

2 people found this helpful

Should Be Required Reading

This is the story of what happens when people lose their rights. So no matter what the terrorists try, we should never, ever give up our second amendment rights, which ensures we will never lose our first amendment rights.
It is a story of how ordinary lives can change in an instant. How absolute power corrupts absolutely. A reason why we should be kind to one another and not judge, live and let live.

5 people found this helpful

good listen .

I really enjoyed this story. I wish that I had known it was true. recommend.

1 person found this helpful

Excellent Audio

Very good writing of what people have gone through. What the WWII did to people. Very sad but people need to here about this history.

heartbreaking

powerful story that was tough to read at times but gave a sense of the time.

Not a novel but Historical research.

What people need to know about this book is that it is a historical novel and all of what happened in this book actually happened. I had the fortune of being present at a presentation of Annejet where she explained her work process. Every detail and event can be traced back to a source she either dug up from the archives or were given to her.
The book is a testament to her writing abilities to not present history as dry cut, but to present it with the emotions the people in the (hi)story go through and argue for its relavance today.

Humanity, love and suffering

An historical and fascinating insight into these unsung heroes and those that cane before them, with them and after them.