The Watchmaker of Dachau

By: Carly Schabowski

Narrated by: Alison Campbell, Martin Reeve

Length: 9 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

An unforgettable novel of human kindness, inspired by an incredible true story.  

Snow falls and a woman prepares for a funeral she has long expected, yet hoped would never come. As she pats her hair and straightens her skirt, she tells herself this isn’t the first time she’s lost someone. Lifting a delicate, battered wristwatch from a little box on her dresser, she presses it to her cheek. Suddenly, she’s lost in memory....

January 1945, Dachau, Germany. As the train rattles through the bright, snowy Bavarian countryside, the still beauty outside the window hides the terrible scenes inside the train, where men and women are packed together, cold and terrified. Jewish watchmaker Isaac Schüller can’t understand how he came to be here, and is certain he won’t be leaving alive. 

When the prisoners arrive at Dachau concentration camp, Isaac is unexpectedly pulled from the crowd and installed in the nearby household of Senior Officer Becher and his young, pretty, spoiled wife. With his talent for watchmaking, Isaac can be of use to Becher, but he knows his life is only worth something here as long as Becher needs his skills. 

Anna Reznick waits tables and washes linens for the Bechers, who dine and socialise and carry on as if they don’t constantly have death all around them. When she meets Isaac, she knows she’s found a true friend, and maybe more. But Dachau is a dangerous place where you can never take love for granted, and when Isaac discovers a heartbreaking secret hidden in the depths of Becher’s workshop, it will put Anna and Issac in terrible danger....

Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, We Were the Lucky Ones, and The Alice Network. 

©2021 Bookouture, an imprint of Storyfire Ltd. (P)2021 Bookouture, an imprint of Storyfire Ltd.

One of the best

This was one of the best Holocaust books I’ve experienced. There was enough of the truth of this horrific time mixed with the story of several different perspectives and how each was impacted. I’d actually listen to it again and I don’t do that often. The narrators was fantastic as their voices and varied pacing only enhanced the emotions of the characters.

Unique

I disagree with one reviewer who said she was disappointed. I was far from disappointed. The book was full of the anguish of the Jewish people, the horror of the death camps, the sadistic Nazi machine and how love of any kind can help survivors of any horrific crime.

Tug at your heart strings kind of story

I have read a lot of this particular genre and this story is one of the better ones. The characters are very well rounded. The story was easy to follow and flowed nicely.
My only criticism is the narrators voice of the mother. It was very very whiny and really got on my nerves.
Other than that a good choice and selection.

Heartbreaking

This book is very well written , but is very descriptive of prison life in the camp. It made me sad to listen to it but I could not stop.
It still baffles me how anyone could be so cruel as Hitler and his regime.

Awesome

This book is about a watch fixer, and a domestic servant. They lived in the camp at night but came to the Commander's home during the day. I truly enjoyed this story and narration. Not all the historical fiction have such a good story as this one. I'll never forget the Watchmaker, Issac. The Nazis were not kind people and it showed in how they treated the people they conquered. I highly recommend this book.

Very well written and performed.

I would not say it was my favorite, but it was very touching. The performances were excellent.

Touching and beautiful

What a beautifully written book, but even more beautifully narrated. Expertly done. Their voices are so enthralling that it takes you right to the heart of the characters and their stories. Almost as if you are there with them.
I loved this book from the get go.

Spellbound

Any time I listen to a Holocaust story, I am amazed at how human can so cruelly hurt another and it doesn’t seem to bother them even though their children are the same age. Guess I am a bleeder heart American.

Wow!

This audiobook is excellent. You really feel like you know the characters. I don't want to give anything away, but I loved the words, "Two negatives make a positive." What a great motto to live by when things are tough!

Annie

Very good read. Enjoy the story
Could not put it down. Highly recommend. Story so full of life in a dying environment.

A good story

The narration was good and it wasn't just the horror of that era the storyline was good The characters where good l enjoyed it l found it much better than previous book

The watchmaker of Dachau

A beautifully written story. I enjoyed listening to the various views of life in the camp and at the house. I also loved the ending which was quite poetic.

Very disappointing

I checked the category more than once as I couldn’t believe this wasn’t a children/young adults book. Not sure what the plot was meant to be or even if there was one. The sleeping tablets in the cake scenario was unbelievable in a book aimed at adults and almost insulting.

Absorbing

What a beautifully written story about such a difficult topic. Such love and care in times of complete despair and brutality. I laughed and sobbed. Really enjoyed the choice of narrators too.