WITHOUT YOU

A romantic novel set in war-time Norway tracks the perils of young Elsa, whose husband leaves for America just before the 1940 German invasion.

Readers searching for a light sentimental tale with a unique historical twist might enjoy the unconventional coupling that drives this novel. While World War II Norway provides the groundwork and setting for the plot, the real story centers on Elsa, whose husband John departs for America seeking a better life. The two tearfully make plans to reunite when John is settled, but just as Elsa receives her visa to the United States, German planes descend upon her once-peaceful country. With her dreams of a new life interrupted, Elsa is forced to rent a room to a German soldier, who has grown weary of the war. Meanwhile, gossip about her husband’s spiral into alcoholism has reached Elsa’s ears, and when he signs on to join the resistance, Elsa fears that the man she married might never return–even if he survives the war. The setting, time period and unlikely partnership make this novel atypical among other breezy stories of its ilk. The brutality of World War II forces certain characters into unlikely roles–the author attempts to reveal the humanity in a Nazi and the heroism in a drunk. However, further exploration of the war’s effects on this town and these protagonists–specific details about daily life in 1940s Europe–would enrich the narrative and ignite the book’s pacing. Without the nuance these specifics would provide, the characters remain two-dimensional. The author instead spends several chapters thoroughly explicating the war’s events, while revealing little about Elsa’s character or the perils of living in a German-occupied country. In addition, it’s often it difficult to discern whether certain observations come from particular characters or an omniscient–yet opinionated–narrator. This often leads to what may be historical inaccuracy. For instance, Elsa’s described as a stunning blond with a lanky figure credited to war rations. It’s unlikely that a bony shape would have been held in high regard in the 1940s, and yet the narrator often praises it (and that figure undoubtedly increases her attractiveness to a certain war-weary German soldier). While the novel’s plot has strength, it would have been pleasant to understand more about Elsa, who remains fixated on appearance, gossip and her dreamed escape to America.

A breezy romance that offers little detail and sputters for too long before the plot kicks in.