The Opera Sisters by Marianne Monson
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Web ID: 16376224Great book
I really enjoyed this book and I’m sure you will enjoy it too. You need to pick up a copy for yourself and relax and enjoy it! Thank you for writing such a great book!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
What a story indeed!
What a story indeed! Based on the true story of the Cook sisters, we follow Ida and Louise in their journey as events unfolded before, during, and after World War II in London. So much heartbreak in comes through from that time period and yet so much hope was given for those who could, and did, escape, no matter what the circumstances were. I liked how Marianne added little notes following the chapters where she changed or altered events to fit her story, but gave account of the truth of those moments or people so their real stories wouldn't get lost in time. Very well done. *I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Groupie, gratitude, Woolworth’s paste…
4.6 Based on a true story. Groupie, gratitude, Woolworth’s paste… “ The music will distract. It will be a tool for healing.” Louise and Ida Cook, two unassuming British sisters lead a simple, sensible life. Louise is a secretary and Ida a typist, wannabe romance writer. The sisters became ardent opera fans after pinching pennies to buy a gramophone and some opera records. After Ida writes an impulsive fan letter to an opera singer appearing in London, the sisters meet many performers and other opera buffs. Some they meet just standing in ticket lines! They skimp to save money to attend these various concerts in England and on the continent. In Germany, the sisters are approached by opera community members for possible help. They begin by wearing their valuable jewelry and furs (with their own homemade clothes) back to England as future payments and guarantees. They advance to aiding in obtaining visas, work permits, exit papers, boat tickets, and even supplying temporary living quarters in their flat. This book tells the story of two unlikely heroes. The two relied on being underestimated and avoiding attracting attention. Ida’s memoir was so humble that she mainly dwelled on the subject of opera. * Some happenings in this book were included in other WWII books I recently read. This did NOT distract from the book. Ex: The 20,000 person rally at Madison Sq Garden in 1939. * I found much info online about the sisters. It was interesting to learn how they became friends with so many famous opera stars! Hint - Standing in line with a box camera. * I have only recently learned about these sisters (from other WWII books.) I would like to read Ida’s memoir Safe Passages. * Hint— Ida Cook, using a pen name , published 112 books. * The shared stories of the various people seeking help were heartbreaking. * An emotional read * I liked the character chart at the beginning. I like to refer to two pages to see names and descriptions.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
An interesting tale of survival
I had heard a lot of hype about this book, so I grabbed a copy (thank you Netgalley and Shadow Mountain publishing). It is very evident the author did a lot of study and research for this book. I loved reading about the amazing work, courage, creativity, survival skills and determination, these sisters had. The amount of people they helped, be it 29 families to hundreds of individuals, is incredible. Everyone one of those people were blessed by the diligence of those sisters. As for the writing, I didn’t feel drawn into story. The facts and footnotes were too distracting. Was it written as a fiction or nonfiction? While some facts are essential to making a story pop off the page, too many can weight it down. In addition, keeping track of so many characters, made my head swim. So in the end, I do not regret reading the book, because the history and interesting personal stories. I really didn’t feel a connection to any of the characters and the storyline was more like a timeline. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
interesting story!
I love the fact that this book is based on real people! When you read a book and love the characters, it's definitely cool that they were real people! It was really inspiring to read about their work. The format took some getting used to, as there were lots of short passages ( some about the people Ida and Louise worked with or those they helped, some showing the events happening around the world as war approached, etc.), that initially seemed jarring to me. I did find the information in those short passages very interesting, but it broke up the flow of the main story somewhat. Overall, a very interesting story about a couple of amazing women! 4 stars. I read an ARC provided by the publisher. All opinions are my own.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Well researched but not very compelling
The subject of "The Opera Sisters" is fascinating: Two sisters in 1930s London manage to help more than two dozen persecuted Germans and Austrians escape being murdered by the Nazis. It's well researched too, with footnotes clarifying any slight variations from the truth and citing sources (as a lover of historical fiction who's often dismayed to find out how little history is in some novels, I really appreciated this). But I'm sad to say that the writing let down the story. I never really got a sense of what made the sisters, Ida in particular, so compelling and magnetic that they were able to not only become great friends with the opera stars they idolized but also persuade so many other Brits to aid their cause. Perhaps we'd be better off just reading the autobiography of Ida Cook—aka romance novelist Mary Burchell—instead. Thank you, NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A story that needs to be told
This is a compelling WWII drama that left me in tears more than once. It is based on the true story of Ida and Lousie Cook, two sisters who helped Jews leave Germany and Austria until the borders were closed at the start of the war with England. Their courage and sacrifice are awe-inspiring and I was so touched by the level of their compassion and commitment. These women deserve to be remembered and honored! The book does have kindof a different format. The fictionalized story of the sisters is interspersed with historical accounts and bits from the lives of those they rescued and it does take some getting used to but it is worth it to keep reading. Also, this is a WWII novel so you can expect references to/accounts of concentration camps, suicide, beatings, degradation, starvation, etc. None of it goes into graphic detail but it is there and it is real. I appreciate that the author didn't shy away from these things but if you have trouble reading about them, this may not be the book for you. If you enjoyed Slow March of Light by Heather Moore, you will most likely enjoy this one also. It is a deep and heavy read but offers a message of hope and goodness. Just make sure you have your tissues handy! I received a complimentary copy of this book but a positive review was not required.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Inspiring, Remarkable women
I loved learning about the Cook sisters. They are truly remarkable women. I had never heard of them or their work before reading this book. I felt like the book jumped around a bit too much. It was hard at times to keep track of all the different characters and of the timeline. However, overall I learned so much and finished the book feeling inspired. I'm glad I read this!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com