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    Pastel Orphans
    Pastel Orphans
    Pastel Orphans
    Audiobook10 hours

    Pastel Orphans

    Written by Gemma Liviero

    Narrated by Whitney Dykhouse, Nick Podehl and Amy McFadden

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    In 1930s Berlin, young Henrik, the son of a Jewish father and Aryan mother, watches the world around him crumbling: people are rioting in the streets, a strange yellow star begins appearing in shop windows, and friends are forced to move—or they simply disappear.

    After his father becomes gravely ill, Henrik and his little sister, Greta, are taken by their mother to Poland for safety. However, not even the pastoral surroundings of their new home can protect them from the terrors of war. When the Nazis invade and Greta is kidnapped, Henrik must shed his youthful innocence and search for his lost sister, a quest that will further reveal a harrowing landscape of violence and struggle―but also unexpected connections.

    Uniquely told from the perspective of youth plunged into adult chaos, Pastel Orphans is a coming-of-age story that explores profound lessons in self-belief, kindness, and human endurance.

    Revised edition: This edition of Pastel Orphans includes editorial revisions.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateJun 2, 2015
    ISBN9781501256301
    Pastel Orphans
    Author

    Gemma Liviero

    Gemma Liviero is the author of the historical novels The Road Beyond Ruin, Broken Angels, and Pastel Orphans, which was a finalist in the 2015 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. In addition to novel writing, her professional career includes copywriting, corporate writing, writing feature articles and editorials, and editing. She holds an advanced diploma of arts (writing) and has continued her studies in arts and other humanities. Gemma lives with her family in Queensland, Australia. For more information, visit www.gemmaliviero.com.

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    Reviews for Pastel Orphans

    4.5/5

    112 ratings6 reviews

    What did you think?

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    • 5/5
      Great writer! Covers any and all questions you might have in the end. Shocking! Interesting . So very similar to what I am hearing in the news regarding Ukraine….

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This is a great story, the narrator's vary depending on the part, following the 3 main characters. Good audiobook & recommend even if you're not into historical WW2 war books.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Couldn’t stop listening... the author takes you right there with them!! Will look for more books from this author.
    • 3/5
      While the book seemed well researched and the story was a bit different than the typical than the traditional ww11 novel it fell a bit flat… Characters felt too one dimensional in many cases and several events seemed rushed/forced and while others were elaborated on in eta that added nothing to the story itself.
      Can’t say it was worth the read or that it leant any insight into the time period.
      With so many books on the subject I’d skip this one.
      Narration is average.. though all 3 narrators are American… odd choice for a book with zero Americans…
    • 5/5
      Amazing story with great detail making it easy to imagine the scenes and lives.
    • 4/5
      I won a copy of Pastel Orphans, by Gemma Liviero, through the First Reads giveaway program.Pastel Orphans is a coming of age story set in Berlin and Poland during the Nazi Era. The story is predominately told though the eyes of the protagonist, Henrik whose sister is kidnapped by a SS General. Henrik’s family had to leave their ailing Jewish father behind in Berlin so live in his mother’s homeland, Poland. Pastel Orphans depicts the lesser-known practice of the “Germanization Program” where blond-haired and blue-eyed children are kidnapped and raised to purify the German race. At the outset of the novel, Henrik’s perspective is very simple and his understanding is limited. He portrays events, such as Kristallnacht through a child’s eyes. However, he understands more as he matures and shares his understanding with the readers. The Polish resistance is also highlighted as he treks through Poland searching for his missing sister. Henrik meets Rebekah, who is part of the resistance, who later takes over as the narrator. The plot has many twists and turns and did not let me as the reader become too settled or complacent.