The Survivors

By: Kate Furnivall

Narrated by: Imogen Church

Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's Summary

The top 10 best-selling author.

Discover a brilliant story of love, danger, courage and betrayal, from the internationally best-selling author of The Betrayal.

Directly I saw him, I knew he had to die.

Germany, 1945. Klara Janowska and her daughter, Alicja, have walked for weeks to get to Graufeld Displaced Persons camp. In the cramped, dirty, dangerous conditions they, along with 3,200 others, are the lucky ones. They have survived and will do anything to find a way back home.

But when Klara recognises a man in the camp from her past, a deadly game of cat and mouse begins.

He knows exactly what she did during the war to save her daughter.

She knows his real identity.

What will be the price of silence? And will either make it out of the camp alive? 

An unforgettably powerful, epic story of love, loss and the long shadow of war, perfect for listeners of Santa Montefiore and Victoria Hislop.

©2018 Kate Furnivall (P)2018 Simon & Schuster UK

Critic Reviews

"A thrilling rollercoaster of a read." (Dinah Jefferies, author of The Sapphire Widow)

"Gripping. Tense. Mysterious. Kate Furnivall has a talent for creating places and characters who stay with you long after you’ve read the final word." (Jane Corry)

"Perfect escapist reading." (Marie Claire) 

GREAT STORYLINE!!

I truly enjoyed this book. It’s the first time I’ve read post WWII fiction and I’m appalled at how ignorant I was to the continued suffering of the “DPs”. Thinking about what these poor souls had to go through to try and retrieve even a sliver of what their lives were prior to the war...utterly imaginable. Once again, however, I am in awe at the resilience and pure hearts that still emerged from the ashes of that horrible time in history.

I can’t believe I’m writing this, as Imogen Church is in my top two favorite narrators, but I found her reading to be over enunciated and super dramatic. In addition, aside from the voice she used for David, all of the other male characters ended up sounding like dumb oafs. It wouldn’t deter me from listening to her again, not at all, but just a warning that it might be annoying to some ears.

The last 2-3 hours were spent wishing that I had another 10 left to go. I really didn’t want it to end!

ENJOY!!!!

3 people found this helpful

Really interesting

I read and listen to a variety of novels. I enjoy World War 11 holocaust fiction in particular. This was a little different in that it took place immediately after World War 11, although the book does go back and forth in time from 1939 to post WW11. A lot takes place in a displacement camp in Germany, where the main character and her daughter are placed hoping to be sent to England. She recognizes someone else in the camp, a German man who was an SS officer in Poland. But he has a different name now, going by her dead brothers name. I won't go into any more details, but the book follows the description Audible has given. The narrator was wonderful, every character has their own voice. She did equally well with both adults and children. I definitely want to listen to more books she has narrated. This book goes into the lives of Germans after the war, the struggles the people had that were placed in these displacement camps, and conflicts between the British, Americans, and Soviets. I prefer audiobooks that are not so suspenseful I get really tensed up. If I'm reading the book I can skip through it rapidly, not so much with listening. This book kept me interested throughout, highly enjoyed the narrative, but was not so intense I had to turn my phone off. The ending was a bit of a surprise, wasn't expecting what happened, but didn't really change anything in the story.

6 people found this helpful

Top, top novel

This novel is compelling. You listen and your disappointed when you have to shut it down for something or worse when it ends. You want it to go on so we can see what happens to the characters in their further lives. I could read about Klara and her daughter Alecja for countless more novels. Klara does some tough, even horrendous things, but it is to keep her daughter safe in a world where too many people mean her harm. Not only if you like WW2 novels but if you like wonderful, enjoyable novels, do yourself a favor and read or listen to this one.

As for the narration, Imogen Church made the words live. It was a great pairing, Kate's words and Imogen's performance. World class all the way.

2 people found this helpful

Another great one by Kate Furnivall

Great book, another wonderfully told story that shows the not so mainstream aspect of WWII.

2 people found this helpful

Melodramatic Narrator

I enjoyed the story very much. There are probably as many immediately post-WWII stories as during-the-war ones, yet very little is written about all the refugees and displaced persons. My main problem with this novel is the narrator. During the most dramatic moments, she goes into a melodramatic voice that spoils the intrinsic tension. At first I wondered if it was the writing that was at fault, but I decided if I had been reading the text, I wouldn't have added that quavering theatrical tone.

2 people found this helpful

Give up

I gave up on this one after a decent three hours effort. The story never stopped dragging along and the characters were uninteresting overall. The idea was good but it just never seen to find direction. Life is too short.

2 people found this helpful

Totally Depressing had to return

I love the WWII genre and I know this story did happen to people in the aftermath of the war but to me it was so totally depressing I couldn't get past the first few chapters. The narrator was good when the characters were speaking, but the narrative part was overly dramatic.

I really like this author and have enjoyed her other books. This one was just too depressing for me.

4 people found this helpful

WONDERFUL story, did not like the narration

I loved the book but had to start several times bc the narrator for main character was distracting. It sounded like she is accustomed to reading horror stories, maybe? Also, the voices for extra characters were close to cartoon-ish. Really good story, thought, and was glad I tried, again.

1 person found this helpful

Beautifully,masterfully read! Well done Ms Church!

This story is gripping from beginning to end. The reading was so well done, that I felt every character. Wonderful read!

1 person found this helpful

twista and turns, the extreme toll war takes. book

loved it!! great story, must listen, true blue author who knows how to spin a tale

Utterly Outstanding

A breathtaking plot with totally believable characters. Historical research in this novel was impeccable. Would recommend this book. Superb!

3 people found this helpful

The best yet from Kate furnivall

A compelling character driven historical novel. Well researched. I liked that it was set in a displaced persons’camp at the end of the war. It gave a different perspective from run of the mill world war 2 novels.
I really enjoy this author. It is her best novel yet. Big bravo.

2 people found this helpful

Engrossing

I found it to be a little slow to grab my interest but after a few chapters I couldn’t wait to hear more.

1 person found this helpful

Overacted

Over-acted and just too many adjectives.
It started to really grate on me. The storyline itself was good but I have read so many better ww2 era books. This did not compare sadly.

Misery, doom & gloom from the start.

After listening to the misery & gloom of the characters & the situation for the first hour, without any hint of things improving, I'm afraid I gave up on this book.