From the Bookshelf of Transformational Fiction…

Saving Amelie

Cathy Gohlke

Start date: June 1, 2015

Finish date: June 30, 2015

Discussion: Book Club Reads

Discussion leader: Jessica White

Why we're reading this: June 2015 summer read

[close] June 2015 summer read

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 8 topics — 187 comments total

Book Club Reads

* 2016 October Book Club-The Feathered Bone
By Jessica · 1 post · 13 views

last updated Oct 06, 2016 08:37AM

2016 September Book Club-The Things We Knew
By Jessica · 13 posts · 20 views

last updated Sep 29, 2016 06:41AM

What Members Thought

May 22, 2015 Sam B rated it it was amazing

Shelves: owned-books, christian-fiction, giveaway, favorites, historical, read-in-2015

This was my first book by Cathy Gohlke and now it is one of my favorite books ever.

This is a great read: I got hooked at the very beginning and had a very hard time putting the book down. The author does a very good job at bringing you back to the time when WWII began. The story follows multiple characters which gives the story so much more depth: Rachel is the daughter of a eugenics scientist, Jason is an American reporter, Leah and Friederich are a German couple. There are also other character ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Jan 26, 2014 Martha rated it it was amazing

There are times you read a historical fiction book from this time period and you finish it and even though the main characters ended up happy, you feel the weight of what happened settling in on your shoulders. While Ms. Gohlke addresses really tough issues in this book, I did not end it feeling depressed. I felt like I had more of an idea about the very brave people that faced an enemy during a very dangerous time for those that were handicapped, too perfect, came from “flawed” parents, or were ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

May 20, 2015 Toni Shiloh rated it it was amazing

Saving Amelie by Cathy Gohlke is the most profound Christian historical fiction novel I have ever read. Cathy Gohlke pulls the reader into World War II Germany with the help of a sweet, innocent young child named Amelie, who happens to be deaf. Amelie's mom, Kristen begs her estranged friend, Rachel Kramer, to save her daughter and get her to the U.S. out of harms way. Kristen fears Hitler's plans of a pure race mean the end for her daughter. When Rachel agrees to help, she is set on a journey t ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Jul 04, 2015 Wilani Wahl rated it it was amazing

What a powerful Book! It is difficult to read because of the travesty of Germany in World War II. Yet it is important to read and understand what those times were like. The book is well written and I felt like I was living the life of Rachel. I cried a lot. In the process of reading I found some similarities to what is going on in America today which makes it even sadder. While this is fiction, it correctly portrays what it was like in Germany. I loved the Spiritual thread throughout the book. T ...more

Like · see review

May 30, 2018 Reader rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2018

Very good historical fiction set in Nazi Germany.

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 17, 2014 Rebecca rated it it was amazing

Cathy Gohlke has crafted a beautiful narrative amidst a turbulent time in world history; Nazi Germany during the height of Hitler's arrogance and cruelty; using the backdrop of Oberammergau as her stage."Saving Amelie" embodies realism in such a way, with its traceable facts and actual locations, that one might actually believe that it happened. And fortunately and unfortunately; collectively, it probably did.

Rachel Kramer, upon leaving the comforts of New York with her father, the acclaimed gen Cathy Gohlke has crafted a beautiful narrative amidst a turbulent time in world history; Nazi Germany during the height of Hitler's arrogance and cruelty; using the backdrop of Oberammergau as her stage."Saving Amelie" embodies realism in such a way, with its traceable facts and actual locations, that one might actually believe that it happened. And fortunately and unfortunately; collectively, it probably did.

Rachel Kramer, upon leaving the comforts of New York with her father, the acclaimed geneticist Dr. Rudolph Kramer, could never have imagined that she would be prevented from returning. Upon her arrival in Germany, Rachel is reunited with her childhood friend Kristine, who married a previous suitor of Rachel's; now a rising star in the Nazi regime, SS officer, Gerhardt Schlick. Kristine confides her deep distress over her four year old daughter, Amelie; who was born deaf. In the name of racial purity, disabled German children were being routinely separated from their families and subsequently disappearing, prompting Kristine to frantically implore Rachel to leave Germany immediately and take Amelie with her.

Jason Young is an American journalist assigned to Berlin; actively following the story of genetic research; insinuating that Germans were murdering many of their own people along with those of Jewish descent. Rachel's father, he believes, is guilty of engineering some of the exact research that has aided many inhumane experiments. When he and Rachel are accidentally introduced at a state dinner, their immediate connection launches a spiral of events that has Rachel running away from secrets about herself, her father, Gerhardt Schlick; and towards a family that she never knew existed; taking Amelie with her.

In spite of being separated on and off for months from each other, Jason and Rachel both similarly and dramatically change during the course of this story; from the inside out. As they cross paths with the now renowned theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, they began to understand that their inner courage and selfless love for others is not derived from their own goodness, but from a "costly grace". As Rachel reads the Bible for the first time in her life, she is confronted with person of Jesus, who willingly sacrificed himself for all humankind; and realizes that "all that ran counter to her upbringing - the very idea that the Bible was anything but destructive to human ambition."

Gohkle's epilogue reinforces that fact that Bonhoeffer was one of very few voices in the Christian Church, who understood completely how Hitler's distorted ideology and cruel anarchy would challenge the Church to worship man, rather than the one true God; and he writes, "The Church has only one pulpit and from that pulpit faith in God will be preached and no other faith, and no other will than the will of God, however well-intentioned." And even more sobering, he states,"Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men look on and do nothing." From where we are positioned in history, we can attest to the fast that Bonhoeffer was prophetically correct.

This is such an outstanding book; Gohlke is a master story-teller and I was privileged to receive an advance copy of this book from the publisher in order to give my honest opinion of the story.

...more

Like · see review

Jul 24, 2015 Carolyn rated it it was amazing

Shelves: christian-historical-fiction, wwii

Beautifully-crafted novel written mainly from the perspective of Americans in Oberammergau, Germany before the United States’ entry into World War II. Author Cathy Gohlke takes the reader inside the lives of a pair of sisters unwittingly used by the infamous Josef Mengele in his eugenics experiments.
By interweaving elite Aryan society with simple Bavarian culture, the author allows the reader to examine the triumph of evil in Nazi Germany from various sides. The vile destruction of life and cult ...more

Like · see review

Aug 14, 2014 Kristen rated it really liked it

I do not usually read books like this but when I read what the book was about I figured I would give it a try. It took me a little while to get into it but once I did, I was hooked. I fell in love with the characters and could hardly wait to see what happened next. This has made me want to read more books set in the time of WWII. It has also made me excited to read more books by this author. I would highly recommend this book for those who like historical fiction.

Like · see review

Jun 26, 2017 Karen Hadley rated it really liked it

Whew, this book is heart stopping and eye opening. A good reminder of what others have gone through in our history with a fiction twist. It took a little bit to get into the book but not long and then I wanted to just keep reading. I was reminded I really am blessed. So, join Rachel, Lea, Jason, Oma, Amelie and others as they live one day at a time in Germany that led to World War II.

Blessings,
Karen

Like · see review

May 19, 2015 Diane Aldinger-samson rated it it was amazing

A wonderful book. I loved the characters and how human the author created them. Real. With problems. And ways of thinking because of their backgrounds. In real life none of us perfect and we all have some sort of distortions. In this book it was beautiful to watch and participate with each character, be immersed in their lives and feel the real-life drama. I sat on the edge with every page. I highly recommend this book.

Like · see review

Jun 08, 2015 Caryl rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015-challenge

Transformational Fiction

Cathy Gohlke has masterfully addressed the tough issues surrounding World War II. Saving Amelie is a powerful story of love and the will to survive. I highly recommend this book.

Like · see review

Jun 20, 2014 Kiersti Giron rated it it was amazing

Such a wonderful read! Saving Amelie opened up to me a whole new side of World War II...what it was like to live within Germany at that time, and even more, what it was like to try to live as a Christian. With beautifully crafted characters, thoroughly researched setting (Oberammergau, village of the Passion Play), a gripping plot, and probing spiritual questions that relate as much to our day as to that of Hitler and Bonhoeffer, Saving Amelie was a treat, a truly satisfying read. Now I want to ...more

Like · see review