Review: Chasing Shadows

Chasing Shadows by Lynn Austin
My rating: 💛💛💛💛💛

“Don’t hate them,” Mama said as if reading Ans’s mind. “They’ll win if we hate them.”

Firstly, this cover is just gorgeous.

I have read a lot of WW2 stories over the last three months and this one was by far my favourite for 2022 to date. I was so captivated by the story of Lena, Ans, Miriam and Eloise, that sometimes I found myself on pause with whatever I was doing and just sitting and listening.

The author did an excellent job of capturing not only my interest, but my emotions while I learned about the struggles and fight of the Dutch. Not only did the characters have the physical struggle of the German invasion and the limitations that involved, but each one of them had their own emotional and spiritual struggle and journey through this horrible period.

I loved the fact that this book taught me about a different group of people who was intimately involved in the WW2. I have read a lot of books which was focused on the Jews in the concentration camps, but this story helped me realised there was a group who was in the background and did whatever they could to help those targeted by the Nazis.

The Biblical lessons in this book was rich and thought provoking - what would you sacrifice to help the oppressed? How would you stand in your faith in similar circumstances? How would you show God's Love to others, even your enemies?

One of my favourite scenes was between Lena and a German soldier. Why? Because it showed a different side to quite a hated group and showed that there is still an individual with his own struggles behind that ugly uniform.

Loved this book and everyone should read it.

*I listened to this on Scribd.*

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About the book:

Lena is a wife and mother who farms alongside her husband in the tranquil countryside. Her faith has always been her compass, but can she remain steadfast when the questions grow increasingly complex and the answers could mean the difference between life and death?

Lena’s daughter Ans has recently moved to the bustling city of Leiden, filled with romantic notions of a new job and a young Dutch police officer. But when she is drawn into Resistance work, her idealism collides with the dangerous reality that comes with fighting the enemy.

Miriam is a young Jewish violinist who immigrated for the safety she thought Holland would offer. She finds love in her new country, but as her family settles in Leiden, the events that follow will test them in ways she could never have imagined.

The Nazi invasion propels these women onto paths that cross in unexpected, sometimes-heartbreaking ways. Yet the story that unfolds illuminates the surprising endurance of the human spirit and the power of faith and love to carry us through.

About the author:

For many years, Lynn Austin nurtured a desire to write but frequent travels and the demands of her growing family postponed her career. When her husband's work took Lynn to Bogota, Colombia, for two years, she used the B.A. she'd earned at Southern Connecticut State University to become a teacher. After returning to the U.S., the Austins moved to Anderson, Indiana, Thunder Bay, Ontario, and later to Winnipeg, Manitoba.

It was during the long Canadian winters at home with her children that Lynn made progress on her dream to write, carving out a few hours of writing time each day while her children napped. Lynn credits her early experience of learning to write amid the chaos of family life for her ability to be a productive writer while making sure her family remains her top priority.

Extended family is also very important to Austin, and it was a lively discussion between Lynn, her mother, grandmother (age 98), and daughter concerning the change in women's roles through the generations that sparked the inspiration for her novel Eve's Daughters.

Along with reading, two of Lynn's lifelong passions are history and archaeology. While researching her Biblical fiction series, Chronicles of the Kings, these two interests led her to pursue graduate studies in Biblical Backgrounds and Archaeology through Southwestern Theological Seminary. She and her son traveled to Israel during the summer of 1989 to take part in an archaeological dig at the ancient city of Timnah. This experience contributed to the inspiration for her novel Wings of Refuge.

Lynn resigned from teaching to write full-time in 1992. Since then she has published 27 novels. Eight of her historical novels, Hidden Places, Candle in the Darkness, Fire by Night, A Proper Pursuit, and Until We Reach Home have won Christy Awards in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2009 for excellence in Christian Fiction. Fire by Night was also one of only five inspirational fiction books chosen by Library Journal for their top picks of 2003, and All She Ever Wanted was chosen as one of the five inspirational top picks of 2005. Lynn's novel Hidden Places has been made into a movie for the Hallmark Channel, starring actress Shirley Jones. Ms Jones received a 2006 Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of Aunt Batty in the film.