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The World That We Knew
- Narrated by: Judith Light
- Length: 10 hrs and 15 mins
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The World That We Knew
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Summary
‘Oh, what a book this is! Hoffman’s exploration of the world of good and evil, and the constant contest between them, is unflinching; and the humanity she brings to us – it is a glorious experience. The book builds and builds, as she weaves together, seamlessly, the stories of people in the most desperate of circumstances – and then it delivers with a tremendous punch. It opens up the world … in a way that is absolutely unique. By the end you may be weeping’ Elizabeth Strout, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Olive Kitteridge
In Berlin in 1941 during humanity’s darkest hour, three unforgettable young women must act with courage and love to survive, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Dovekeepers and The Marriage of Opposites Alice Hoffman.
In Berlin, at the time when the world changed, Hanni Kohn knows she must send her twelve-year-old daughter away to save her from the Nazi regime. She finds her way to a renowned rabbi, but it’s his daughter, Ettie, who offers hope of salvation when she creates a mystical Jewish creature, a rare and unusual golem, who is sworn to protect Lea. Once Ava is brought to life, she and Lea and Ettie become eternally entwined, their paths fated to cross, their fortunes linked.
Lea and Ava travel from Paris, where Lea meets her soulmate, to a convent in western France known for its silver roses; from a school in a mountaintop village where three thousand Jews were saved. Meanwhile, Ettie is in hiding, waiting to become the fighter she's destined to be.
What does it mean to lose your mother? How much can one person sacrifice for love? In a world where evil can be found at every turn, we meet remarkable characters that take us on a stunning journey of loss and resistance, the fantastical and the mortal, in a place where all roads lead past the Angel of Death and love is never ending.
Praise for Alice Hoffman:
'A major contribution to twenty-first century literature' Toni Morrisonon The Museum of Extraordinary Things
‘A great atmospheric storyteller… Her books are a real pleasure’ Kate Atkinson
'Hoffman reminds us with every sentence that words have the power to transport us to alternate worlds, to heal a broken heart, and to tie us irrevocably to the people we love' Jodi Picoult
'Miss Hoffman heals wounds with the gentle touch of an angel' Joseph Heller
‘Hoffman… writes with heartbreaking clarity’ The Times
‘Alice Hoffman is simply brilliant’ Daily Mail
'Hoffman knows how to tell a good story' Sunday Times
'Monumental… magical, moving… beautifully written... A genuine masterpiece' Daily Mail on The Dovekeepers
'One of the finest writers of her generation' Newsweek
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What listeners say about The World That We Knew
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jac
- 30-04-21
I could not stop listening
Beautifully read, wonderful story .
Once I stated to listen I just could not stop. Courage, love, fear, heartbreak and hope The inhumanity of humans
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- LISETTE
- 19-04-23
Immersive and beautifully narrated
This story weaves faith and superstition, courage and loss together through the lives of characters caught up in the nightmare of wartime occupation in France. Heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- C L Hall
- 08-07-21
absolutely amazing, couldn't tear myself away!
fantastic story read beautifully. you felt you were there with the characters .would recommend
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- little egret
- 07-06-23
Weak story told with excessive earnestness
I am not against a bit of fantasy/magic in an otherwise real life story, it is just that it does not work here. Even aside from so easily created but amazingly talented golem, the story and characters do not feel real. The tale is peopled with extremes of heros and villains. And no people in the war did no go around thinking that they really must give up smoking!
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- George
- 02-07-21
Cods-wallop .
This is the biggest load of cods-wallop I’ve heard in a long time , anyone who can listen to this superstitious nonsense and grant that there is any credibility in this needs therapy .
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