Will I love The Girls of the Glimmer Factory?

Hannah is a Jewish prisoner in the “model” ghetto of Theresienstadt, created to try and convince the world that the Nazis are treating Jewish people humanely. Hilde, still a true believer, wants to make a propaganda film set in Theresienstadt; she makes us wonder how we ourselves would behave in the face of complete authoritarian rule and the resultant ignoring of all facts detrimental to the ruling government. This novel should be required reading for Americans, as our current administration and many countries around the world once again embrace authoritarianism, we can hopefully learn timely lessons from the dreadful history… show more.

I have a special interest in the human, everyday experiences of Jews during WWII and Jennifer Coburn's work satisfies that itch. She writes historical fiction about the Holocaust that brings to light little-known aspects of the Nazi years. The story is told from the perspectives of girlhood best friends who have, as a result of Nazi dogma, gone in opposite directions. Recently widowed Hilda, one of the unforgettable characters from the author’s earlier novel, Cradle’s of the Reich, becomes part of the team filming a propaganda film at Theresienstadt where her former friend is a prisoner. Thanks to Coburn's great… show more.