What do you think?
Rate this book
33 Place Brugmann
“Wonderful reading.” —Scott Turow, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Presumed Innocent
An extraordinarily accomplished debut novel—a love story, mystery, and philosophical puzzle—told in the singular voices of the residents of a Beaux Arts apartment building in Belgium in 1939
On the eve of the occupation, in the heart of Brussels, life for the residents of eight apartments at 33 Place Brugmann is about to change forever.
Art student Charlotte Sauvin, daughter of a prominent architect in apartment 4L, knows all the details of the building and its people: how light falls and voices echo, the distinct knock of her dearest friend, Julian Raphaël, the eldest son of an art collector’s family across the hall in 4R. But all that’s familiar for Charlotte and the other residents of 33 starts to fracture as whispers of Nazi occupation become reality. The Raphaëls disappear—becoming refugees, nurses, soldiers, reluctant heroes. Masha, the seamstress on the 5th floor, deepens a dangerous affair with a wartime compatriot of Colonel Warlemont in 3R, a man far less feckless than he’d have his neighbors believe. In the face of a perilous new reality, every member of this accidental community will discover they are not the person they believed themselves to be. When confronted with a cruel choice—submit to the regime or risk their lives to resist—each discovers the truth about what, and who, matters to them the most.
33 Place Brugmann is a deeply empathetic and disarmingly hopeful tour-de-force about love, courage, and the role of art in a time of threat
An extraordinarily accomplished debut novel—a love story, mystery, and philosophical puzzle—told in the singular voices of the residents of a Beaux Arts apartment building in Belgium in 1939
On the eve of the occupation, in the heart of Brussels, life for the residents of eight apartments at 33 Place Brugmann is about to change forever.
Art student Charlotte Sauvin, daughter of a prominent architect in apartment 4L, knows all the details of the building and its people: how light falls and voices echo, the distinct knock of her dearest friend, Julian Raphaël, the eldest son of an art collector’s family across the hall in 4R. But all that’s familiar for Charlotte and the other residents of 33 starts to fracture as whispers of Nazi occupation become reality. The Raphaëls disappear—becoming refugees, nurses, soldiers, reluctant heroes. Masha, the seamstress on the 5th floor, deepens a dangerous affair with a wartime compatriot of Colonel Warlemont in 3R, a man far less feckless than he’d have his neighbors believe. In the face of a perilous new reality, every member of this accidental community will discover they are not the person they believed themselves to be. When confronted with a cruel choice—submit to the regime or risk their lives to resist—each discovers the truth about what, and who, matters to them the most.
33 Place Brugmann is a deeply empathetic and disarmingly hopeful tour-de-force about love, courage, and the role of art in a time of threat
368 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 11, 2025
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
August 14, 2024
This book offers a thought-provoking exploration of World War II through the eyes of the long-time residents of an apartment building in Belgium. It begins before the war, capturing the growing menace of Naziism and the looming threat of invasion. The narrative delves into the hardships of rationing and loss, as well as the courageous acts—both small and significant—that individuals undertake in resistance. The diverse viewpoints provide a rich tapestry of life, from children growing up within a close-knit community of neighbors to adults engaged in discussions about philosophy, design, art, and the essence of beauty. The story reveals that not everything is black and white; there are countless shades of gray. I thoroughly enjoyed the different perspectives and the exploration of family and love in such a complex context.
Reminiscent of *The Diary of Anne Frank*, *33 Place Brugman* recounts the lives of families residing in an apartment building before and during the German occupation. It vividly portrays their daily struggles for survival amid the harsh realities of war. The narrative brings to light the resilience and determination of those facing the relentless challenges of their times, offering a poignant look at their endurance and courage.
Easy read and loving characters
Reminiscent of *The Diary of Anne Frank*, *33 Place Brugman* recounts the lives of families residing in an apartment building before and during the German occupation. It vividly portrays their daily struggles for survival amid the harsh realities of war. The narrative brings to light the resilience and determination of those facing the relentless challenges of their times, offering a poignant look at their endurance and courage.
Easy read and loving characters
July 12, 2024
[I received a review copy from the publisher via Netgalley]
Oh, I really do think this book will be a "love it or hate it" read for many people.
I am in the "love it with caveats" camp, although the major caveat is likely due to this being an uncorrected proof: the formatting for the Kindle ARC I received is quite bad, with oddly formatted wraparound text, occasional single paragraph breaks when two were clearly needed, parts of the novel where the title and author name were randomly interspersed in the text... definitely needs some major fixing there. I hope the publisher is able to fix this soon.
As for the actual story: 33 Place Brugmann by Alice Austen follows the residents of a singular apartment building in Brussels on the eve of the Nazi invasion. As the war goes on, characters are forced to deal with the reality of living in an occupied country or, in some cases, the reality of being forced to flee said country.
What does one become, when the world changes so drastically? Can a community maintain itself in the face of constantly ripping seams? How do people manage--or rather, do they manage at all?
Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different resident of 33 Place Brugmann, giving the book an ensemble feel. However, there is a strong emphasis on a handful of residents, whose stories propel the narrative forward while other characters are lurking--and acting, in some cases--in the background.
The book feels, and I don't know how else to describe this so I don't know if this makes sense to anyone but myself, like it came from a European author rather than an American one. (And I say this with the disclaimer that of course, there are numerous American-written WW2 novels that also carry these traits.)
Here, the characters are all flawed and left wanting. The characters are human--incomplete, messy, filled with regrets, hopes, exhaustion, half-realized dreams. The story does not end tidily or particularly happily, reflecting the reality of so many real people's stories in WW2. We do not get a bow wrapping up what we'd love to know. There are betrayals and antisemitic characters and boring mundane realities within a country at war.
There is also a sense of the bizarre: visions (or are they?) that occur in the night, perhaps brought on by something otherworldly--or perhaps the effects of dwindling rations, illness, and stress. Like the rest of the novel, this vague supernatural element feels blunted, presented with the same forthright themes as frustrations of getting rations, suspecting betrayals in spy rings, and nosy neighbors in times of peril.
Overall, I would recommend giving 33 Place Brugmann a read if you are looking for a WW2 novel that doesn't feel like a Hollywood epic, but something that reflects the frustrating, gritty, confusing reality of life during such times.
But I would also, perhaps, recommend waiting for the official published version rather than seeking out an advanced copy, as presumably the major formatting issue will be fixed before the book is published next March.
Oh, I really do think this book will be a "love it or hate it" read for many people.
I am in the "love it with caveats" camp, although the major caveat is likely due to this being an uncorrected proof: the formatting for the Kindle ARC I received is quite bad, with oddly formatted wraparound text, occasional single paragraph breaks when two were clearly needed, parts of the novel where the title and author name were randomly interspersed in the text... definitely needs some major fixing there. I hope the publisher is able to fix this soon.
As for the actual story: 33 Place Brugmann by Alice Austen follows the residents of a singular apartment building in Brussels on the eve of the Nazi invasion. As the war goes on, characters are forced to deal with the reality of living in an occupied country or, in some cases, the reality of being forced to flee said country.
What does one become, when the world changes so drastically? Can a community maintain itself in the face of constantly ripping seams? How do people manage--or rather, do they manage at all?
Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different resident of 33 Place Brugmann, giving the book an ensemble feel. However, there is a strong emphasis on a handful of residents, whose stories propel the narrative forward while other characters are lurking--and acting, in some cases--in the background.
The book feels, and I don't know how else to describe this so I don't know if this makes sense to anyone but myself, like it came from a European author rather than an American one. (And I say this with the disclaimer that of course, there are numerous American-written WW2 novels that also carry these traits.)
Here, the characters are all flawed and left wanting. The characters are human--incomplete, messy, filled with regrets, hopes, exhaustion, half-realized dreams. The story does not end tidily or particularly happily, reflecting the reality of so many real people's stories in WW2. We do not get a bow wrapping up what we'd love to know. There are betrayals and antisemitic characters and boring mundane realities within a country at war.
There is also a sense of the bizarre: visions (or are they?) that occur in the night, perhaps brought on by something otherworldly--or perhaps the effects of dwindling rations, illness, and stress. Like the rest of the novel, this vague supernatural element feels blunted, presented with the same forthright themes as frustrations of getting rations, suspecting betrayals in spy rings, and nosy neighbors in times of peril.
Overall, I would recommend giving 33 Place Brugmann a read if you are looking for a WW2 novel that doesn't feel like a Hollywood epic, but something that reflects the frustrating, gritty, confusing reality of life during such times.
But I would also, perhaps, recommend waiting for the official published version rather than seeking out an advanced copy, as presumably the major formatting issue will be fixed before the book is published next March.
Shelved as '2025'
June 26, 2024📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Press
September 18, 2024
An incredible and heartbreaking tale about perhaps one of the most atrocious times in human history. I'm no stranger when it comes to consuming war-related content; I have watched a lot of movies on the topic but never a book and specifically one that focuses mostly on the lives of ordinary people behind the trenches. I thoroughly enjoyed the so many different perspectives that we get to read in the book which is a testament of the author's skill.
I recommend this to anyone who likes to read about human condition and the many different approaches to atrocity, grief and survival.
I recommend this to anyone who likes to read about human condition and the many different approaches to atrocity, grief and survival.
August 12, 2024
I had a bit of a tough time getting through this one. I can imagine that it's a bit tough to convey things in a historical fiction genre. As the author, you have probably immersed yourself in research and if you forget that the audience might need more guidance to make connections, you can easily lose them. I am of that group. I felt like there was a lot I was supposed to infer, as if I were reading something in code and me without my secret squirrel decoder ring at the ready. That's a lot of words for I just feel I missed so much on this and it made me frustrated.
September 10, 2024
A poignant portrait of life in Brussels during the second World War, told from the perspectives of residents of 33 Place Brugmann. We follow the residents in their everyday life as individuals, and gradually uncover the connections they have with each other. The war's brutalities are discussed and not sugarcoated, but the book is not merely a melancholic rendition of life in wartime. Art, artists, and philosophies are discussed and related to the story. Humanity and empathy can be found.
Austen's writing style is wonderful and adapts beautifully to every different character. Each character's emotions, thought processes and developments can be truly felt by the reader, giving the story extra depth.
The ending of the book felt somewhat abrupt, maybe because I was so invested in the story that I subconsciously was not ready for it to be over. We're left wondering what happened to some of the characters, yet the book is suggestive of some of their fates.
I'm looking forward to the publication of this book and hope Austen will write many more.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review
Austen's writing style is wonderful and adapts beautifully to every different character. Each character's emotions, thought processes and developments can be truly felt by the reader, giving the story extra depth.
The ending of the book felt somewhat abrupt, maybe because I was so invested in the story that I subconsciously was not ready for it to be over. We're left wondering what happened to some of the characters, yet the book is suggestive of some of their fates.
I'm looking forward to the publication of this book and hope Austen will write many more.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for an honest review
August 19, 2024
A solid debut!
I am not one who usually enjoys a book with multiple POVs as it leaves me with a small space to grow attached to and empathize with every character thrown my way. But this book may be an exception. I loved how natural each character’s connection was to the other—very raw, very human. It made me grow fond of that little apartment building with its members, having to hope for the best for them once the Nazi occupation struck.
Austen was able to start with each small detail that builds up to reveal a bigger picture. Like how the story begins with Charlotte describing the familiar features of their quaint home, then proceeding to the dawn of World War II. It gave way to a very steady progression throughout the story, which kept me intrigued and captivated the whole time.
Despite being a historical fiction and somewhat a literary fiction, I sense the high stakes, keeping me on the edge of my seat as I swipe each page. I adore each character, and I was afraid of what would happen to them, as well as what they would do. The characters are so interwoven that one character’s decision could highly affect the fate of another.
The writing is just so atmospheric, which I love. There were sentences that confused me a bit, but I believe it adds to the charm anyway.
As someone who loves art and history, I adore this book and will continue to think about it for the time being.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Grove Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I am not one who usually enjoys a book with multiple POVs as it leaves me with a small space to grow attached to and empathize with every character thrown my way. But this book may be an exception. I loved how natural each character’s connection was to the other—very raw, very human. It made me grow fond of that little apartment building with its members, having to hope for the best for them once the Nazi occupation struck.
Austen was able to start with each small detail that builds up to reveal a bigger picture. Like how the story begins with Charlotte describing the familiar features of their quaint home, then proceeding to the dawn of World War II. It gave way to a very steady progression throughout the story, which kept me intrigued and captivated the whole time.
Despite being a historical fiction and somewhat a literary fiction, I sense the high stakes, keeping me on the edge of my seat as I swipe each page. I adore each character, and I was afraid of what would happen to them, as well as what they would do. The characters are so interwoven that one character’s decision could highly affect the fate of another.
The writing is just so atmospheric, which I love. There were sentences that confused me a bit, but I believe it adds to the charm anyway.
As someone who loves art and history, I adore this book and will continue to think about it for the time being.
I’d like to thank NetGalley and Grove Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 13, 2024
'33 Place Brugmann' by Alice Austen is a wonderful and well written debut novel, following the residents of the titular apartment building in Brussels just prior to the beginning of WWII.
The book is delivered over multiple view points of different residents, with more emphasis given to some of characters voices. This allows the reader deeper insight into the characters' motivations and emotions, other viewpoints serve to enrich the broader tapestry of the time. Austen masterfully uses this technique to enhance the complexity of the storyline, but also to allow readers to gain a deep understanding of the zeitgeist of Brussels during WWII. We are given insight into the lives of the heroic, the brave, the antisemetic, and the mundane. Together, these viewpoints create a multifaceted narrative that portrays the breadth of human experience during WWII, from heroism and hate to the quiet endurance of those caught in the crossfire.
The absence of a tidy resolution in this novel serves as a poignant symbol of the enduring impact of WWII. The characters are left navigating a world forever altered by conflict, where closure is a luxury few can afford amidst the ongoing turmoil and rebuilding efforts.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, it was a well constructed reflection on life in wartime. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction.
Thanks NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the ARC in exchange for this review!
The book is delivered over multiple view points of different residents, with more emphasis given to some of characters voices. This allows the reader deeper insight into the characters' motivations and emotions, other viewpoints serve to enrich the broader tapestry of the time. Austen masterfully uses this technique to enhance the complexity of the storyline, but also to allow readers to gain a deep understanding of the zeitgeist of Brussels during WWII. We are given insight into the lives of the heroic, the brave, the antisemetic, and the mundane. Together, these viewpoints create a multifaceted narrative that portrays the breadth of human experience during WWII, from heroism and hate to the quiet endurance of those caught in the crossfire.
The absence of a tidy resolution in this novel serves as a poignant symbol of the enduring impact of WWII. The characters are left navigating a world forever altered by conflict, where closure is a luxury few can afford amidst the ongoing turmoil and rebuilding efforts.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, it was a well constructed reflection on life in wartime. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading historical fiction.
Thanks NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for the ARC in exchange for this review!
Read
July 22, 2024Thank you to Grove Atlantic/Grove Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of 33 Place Brugmann by Alice Austen.
The setting is an apartment building in Brussels, Belgium during the German occupation of the country. It follows the occupants of the eight apartments and the maid's quarters on the fifth floor. On the ground floor are the Everards, a notary, his wife and their two children who own the building. In apartment 2L is Mr. Ivo Van Cauter, a city official who moves in following the death of widow Boudrot in 1939. Across the hall is the DeBaerres, Martin, and attorney, his wife Katrin, a housewife and their adult son, Dirk, who is a student. Martin and Katrin both die, leaving Dirk to occupy the apartment alone. The third floor apartments are occupied by Colonel Herman Warlemont, a former member of the Belgian Armed Forces and a widower in 3L and Agathe Hobert, former cafe' proprietor in 3R. On the fourth floor in 4L are the Sauvins, widower architect Franois and his daughter, Charlotte, who he has raised alone after her mother died in childbirth and the Raphaels, fine art dealer Leo, wife Sophia and daughter Esther, and son Julian a student at Cambridge. The tenants are rounded out by Masha Balyayeva a refugee seamstress.
The story starts just before the German occupation with Masha and the Raphaels, all Jews, leaving Belgium ahead of the threat of the German's arrival. Masha goes to France with her lover Harry, who is a part of the resistance. The Raphaels end up in Scotland, with the exception of Julian who joins the RAF. It isn't until the Raphaels have left that Charlotte realizes that her feelings for Julian may have been more than just friends who had grown up together.
Charlotte instead marries Phillipe, a fellow student at university of Jewish descent, who also leaves ahead of the German occupation to join the RAF. Charlotte remains with her father who spends his days sketching and brewing beer that he shares with their downstairs neighbor, Colonel Warlemont.
Colonel Warlemont lives alone with his dog, Zipper, until he starts to take in misplaced deaf/mute individuals who generally stay for a few days before moving on to some place else. This is much to the annoyance of his neighbor across the hall, Agathe Hobart.
Agathe Hobart is the busybody of the building. Frequently spying on her neighbors comings and goings. She has distrust for everyone, but establishes an unexpected connection with Dirk, who is not a particularly likeable character in the beginning of the story.
Dirk does develop throughout the story, befriending Agathe, though be it for personal reasons to be able to borrow her car. However, what he does while borrowing her car brings a whole new depth to Dirk that we don't realize until very close to the end of the story.
Dirk's neighbor across the hall, Ivo Van Cauter is not only a city official, but also a Nazi sympathizer. His actions as such, puts him in a position to put most of his neighbors more ill at ease. It's his demands on Mr. Everard that almost brings down Colonel Warlemont and results in Francois Sauvin being detained by the Nazi's.
Each chapter is told from the perspective of the various characters, interweaving their stories in a way that depicts the level of distrust amongst neighbors during a time when no one is safe from scrutiny by the Nazis. From writing notes to each other while they are in the same apartment and burning them afterward to being watchful of each other and the interest the others are showing in themselves.
As a fan of historical fiction, I found the story line to be intuitive in the lives of those living in countries under German occupation. The difficulties just to survive on substandard rationing and having to be constantly vigilant of everything around you must have been exhausting. It makes it all so much clearer something my grandmother told us when she was alive. Having come to the United States in 1916 from Norway she escaped the German occupation of her home country. Her brother who stayed in Norway did tell her that during WWII the walls had ears and you had to be careful of what you said.
If you are looking for a story that depicts how the residents of occupied countries survived during WWII survived, I highly recommend 33 Place Brugmann.
The setting is an apartment building in Brussels, Belgium during the German occupation of the country. It follows the occupants of the eight apartments and the maid's quarters on the fifth floor. On the ground floor are the Everards, a notary, his wife and their two children who own the building. In apartment 2L is Mr. Ivo Van Cauter, a city official who moves in following the death of widow Boudrot in 1939. Across the hall is the DeBaerres, Martin, and attorney, his wife Katrin, a housewife and their adult son, Dirk, who is a student. Martin and Katrin both die, leaving Dirk to occupy the apartment alone. The third floor apartments are occupied by Colonel Herman Warlemont, a former member of the Belgian Armed Forces and a widower in 3L and Agathe Hobert, former cafe' proprietor in 3R. On the fourth floor in 4L are the Sauvins, widower architect Franois and his daughter, Charlotte, who he has raised alone after her mother died in childbirth and the Raphaels, fine art dealer Leo, wife Sophia and daughter Esther, and son Julian a student at Cambridge. The tenants are rounded out by Masha Balyayeva a refugee seamstress.
The story starts just before the German occupation with Masha and the Raphaels, all Jews, leaving Belgium ahead of the threat of the German's arrival. Masha goes to France with her lover Harry, who is a part of the resistance. The Raphaels end up in Scotland, with the exception of Julian who joins the RAF. It isn't until the Raphaels have left that Charlotte realizes that her feelings for Julian may have been more than just friends who had grown up together.
Charlotte instead marries Phillipe, a fellow student at university of Jewish descent, who also leaves ahead of the German occupation to join the RAF. Charlotte remains with her father who spends his days sketching and brewing beer that he shares with their downstairs neighbor, Colonel Warlemont.
Colonel Warlemont lives alone with his dog, Zipper, until he starts to take in misplaced deaf/mute individuals who generally stay for a few days before moving on to some place else. This is much to the annoyance of his neighbor across the hall, Agathe Hobart.
Agathe Hobart is the busybody of the building. Frequently spying on her neighbors comings and goings. She has distrust for everyone, but establishes an unexpected connection with Dirk, who is not a particularly likeable character in the beginning of the story.
Dirk does develop throughout the story, befriending Agathe, though be it for personal reasons to be able to borrow her car. However, what he does while borrowing her car brings a whole new depth to Dirk that we don't realize until very close to the end of the story.
Dirk's neighbor across the hall, Ivo Van Cauter is not only a city official, but also a Nazi sympathizer. His actions as such, puts him in a position to put most of his neighbors more ill at ease. It's his demands on Mr. Everard that almost brings down Colonel Warlemont and results in Francois Sauvin being detained by the Nazi's.
Each chapter is told from the perspective of the various characters, interweaving their stories in a way that depicts the level of distrust amongst neighbors during a time when no one is safe from scrutiny by the Nazis. From writing notes to each other while they are in the same apartment and burning them afterward to being watchful of each other and the interest the others are showing in themselves.
As a fan of historical fiction, I found the story line to be intuitive in the lives of those living in countries under German occupation. The difficulties just to survive on substandard rationing and having to be constantly vigilant of everything around you must have been exhausting. It makes it all so much clearer something my grandmother told us when she was alive. Having come to the United States in 1916 from Norway she escaped the German occupation of her home country. Her brother who stayed in Norway did tell her that during WWII the walls had ears and you had to be careful of what you said.
If you are looking for a story that depicts how the residents of occupied countries survived during WWII survived, I highly recommend 33 Place Brugmann.
September 18, 2024
ome stories are so much about the setting that it is like a main character. This is the case for 33 Place Brugman, an apartment building in Brussels whose residents are adjusting to life during World War II. As we know, German forces invaded Belgium in 1940 and began an occupation that would last another four years. In this novel, we are treated to a glimpse of normal life before that, and how that changed with the Occupation. The fear and the pressure to conform, to dob people in or risk your life, or else to take courage and resist - to say nothing of food shortages and loss of work.
On the fourth floor of Number 33 are two families: Francois Sauvin, an architect and his daughter Charlotte, and their neighbours the Raphaëls. Leo Raphaël is an art dealer who lives with his wife Sophia, and their children, Esther and Julian. Losing his wife in childbirth, has left Francois to raise his daughter alone, but he's been lucky to have support from the Raphaëls, particularly Sophia, who has her nanny help out with Charlotte's care so that Francois can work and sleep.
The children all grow up together, and the two families dine together regularly. So when the Raphaëls disappear one night, without word to anybody, it's a bolt from the blue. They are a Jewish family, and with stories about Nazi atrocities and the likelihood of another war, the Raphaëls have been lucky to get out when they could.
The novel follows the first years of the war and how it affects both the Raphaëls and those that remain at Number 33 - not just Francois and Charlotte, but also Masha, the Russian emigré who lives in the attic, making a living as a seamstress. There's an elderly widowed Colonel with his dog Zipper, and nosy and unlikeable Miss Hobert - both live below the Sauvins. Next floor down are the DeBaerres whose son Dirk is an old school friend of Julian's. Each has a part to play in the story as each has to examine their conscience and decide what is the right thing to do.
And this is what the story is so good at. It throws unheard of challenges at its characters, who are complex enough for their decisions to be difficult ones. To keep in the good books of your oppressor, to look out for your neighbour, or to fight back? How to feed your family and to keep them safe.
The novel is also a love story. Firstly, there's Charlotte, who meets Philippe at art school, where she's talented and able to see the world in a different way, being quite colourblind. But then there's Julian, who has always loved Charlotte, which worries his mother. The story also brings in the work of the French Resistance in Paris, through the nefarious Harry, a friend of the Colonel, as well as the war in the air, with Julian signing up for the RAF. This gives the novel plenty of strands, and adds some excitement to balance out the quietly tense periods of the plot, as pressure slowly builds.
For me, 33 Place Brugman was an engaging novel and I was soon swept up in the lives of Charlotte, Julian and their families. It's quite nail-biting at times, when the reader knows more about the danger around the corner than the characters. The story is also threaded with philosophy, particularly that of Wittgenstein, who is discussed quite a lot - but not knowing a lot about him, I found these references somewhat beguiling. The writing is beautiful though; the characters come to life on the page, as do the settings.
I would have loved to learn what happens to the characters by the end of the war, as the story finishes even before D-Day. An epilogue, maybe? But overall I really enjoyed this original view of the war, and its splendidly evoked setting - so it's four-stars from me. 33 Place Brugman is to be published on 11 March, 2025 . This advance copy was provided by Netgalley in return for an honest review.
On the fourth floor of Number 33 are two families: Francois Sauvin, an architect and his daughter Charlotte, and their neighbours the Raphaëls. Leo Raphaël is an art dealer who lives with his wife Sophia, and their children, Esther and Julian. Losing his wife in childbirth, has left Francois to raise his daughter alone, but he's been lucky to have support from the Raphaëls, particularly Sophia, who has her nanny help out with Charlotte's care so that Francois can work and sleep.
The children all grow up together, and the two families dine together regularly. So when the Raphaëls disappear one night, without word to anybody, it's a bolt from the blue. They are a Jewish family, and with stories about Nazi atrocities and the likelihood of another war, the Raphaëls have been lucky to get out when they could.
The novel follows the first years of the war and how it affects both the Raphaëls and those that remain at Number 33 - not just Francois and Charlotte, but also Masha, the Russian emigré who lives in the attic, making a living as a seamstress. There's an elderly widowed Colonel with his dog Zipper, and nosy and unlikeable Miss Hobert - both live below the Sauvins. Next floor down are the DeBaerres whose son Dirk is an old school friend of Julian's. Each has a part to play in the story as each has to examine their conscience and decide what is the right thing to do.
And this is what the story is so good at. It throws unheard of challenges at its characters, who are complex enough for their decisions to be difficult ones. To keep in the good books of your oppressor, to look out for your neighbour, or to fight back? How to feed your family and to keep them safe.
The novel is also a love story. Firstly, there's Charlotte, who meets Philippe at art school, where she's talented and able to see the world in a different way, being quite colourblind. But then there's Julian, who has always loved Charlotte, which worries his mother. The story also brings in the work of the French Resistance in Paris, through the nefarious Harry, a friend of the Colonel, as well as the war in the air, with Julian signing up for the RAF. This gives the novel plenty of strands, and adds some excitement to balance out the quietly tense periods of the plot, as pressure slowly builds.
For me, 33 Place Brugman was an engaging novel and I was soon swept up in the lives of Charlotte, Julian and their families. It's quite nail-biting at times, when the reader knows more about the danger around the corner than the characters. The story is also threaded with philosophy, particularly that of Wittgenstein, who is discussed quite a lot - but not knowing a lot about him, I found these references somewhat beguiling. The writing is beautiful though; the characters come to life on the page, as do the settings.
I would have loved to learn what happens to the characters by the end of the war, as the story finishes even before D-Day. An epilogue, maybe? But overall I really enjoyed this original view of the war, and its splendidly evoked setting - so it's four-stars from me. 33 Place Brugman is to be published on 11 March, 2025 . This advance copy was provided by Netgalley in return for an honest review.
July 13, 2024
33 Place Brugmann. Brussels, Belgium. “A modest and confident building…brick facade, stone balconies, and thick exterior walls give it the feel of a fortress that’s impervious to anything beyond…two identical apartments on each of three upper floors, an apartment on the ground floor…and the maid’s room at the center of the fifth level at the top…a world unto herself.”
2 April 1939. The residents will soon turn into ghosts and strangers. Daily, the building manager occupying the ground floor apartment, blasts his German radio station. The busybody Agathe, on the third floor, bakes and delivers butter cakes to her neighbor across the hall, a retired soldier from the Belgian Armed Forces. “I know everything because I hear everything-and not because I’m listening.” To avoid Agathe, art dealer Leo Raphael and family must tiptoe in stocking feet down the staircase, in the dead of night, to disappear.
Charlotte Sauvin and Esther Raphael’s fourth floor apartments are architectural mirror images. The seventeen year olds are besties. Esther dreams of being a nurse. Charlotte is a student attending the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. “The art world has gone underground. Everyone is aware of Hitler’s artistic aspirations and his failures and this is why artists who have not already been disappeared by the regime are disappearing themselves.”
Charlotte “feels the world as she sees it…There are no vivid bursts of color. Everything, even her emotion is in gray scale.” Her vision is achromatic. Francois Sauvin, Charlotte’s father, describes the trenches of WWI. “Color is no saving grace. It was a war in sepia-the trenches, the dirt, the uniforms, the faces…” History will repeat itself. “No one sees anything the same way…We stop trying to understand how others see the world,...we lose our compassion, our empathy…”.
Masha, a refugee, is the seamstress living in the attic apartment. She has always been the keeper of Charlotte’s secrets and comforter to the motherless girl. Suddenly, Masha has left. “How I missed [Charlotte] when my life took an unexpected turn and my absences from the building became more and more frequent". Madly in love with Harry, she reluctantly became part of spy and resistance operations.
Leaving art school after French and German students on both sides of the conflict joined up, Charlotte returned home putting her artistic talent to work at a hat shop. The proprietor employed both Jewish and non-Jewish workers. The compassionate boss did not require the Jewish employees to wear their mandated yellow stars during work hours. Suddenly, the building was condemned due to so called architectural concerns. The business was forced to close.
At 33 Place Burgmann, the citizens who were registered to live there would experience many life changing events during the years 1939-1942. “...one must be vigilant in these times. The world is closing in; we're oranges in a juicer. Fate hinges on comings and goings.”
This reader was totally invested in the lives of the building occupants. “Did strolling people walking among the chestnut trees in the Parc de Bruxelles know what was coming? Or were they holding on to a past they didn’t realize was gone and never coming back?”
A highly recommended read of historical fiction
Thank you Grove Atlantic Press and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
2 April 1939. The residents will soon turn into ghosts and strangers. Daily, the building manager occupying the ground floor apartment, blasts his German radio station. The busybody Agathe, on the third floor, bakes and delivers butter cakes to her neighbor across the hall, a retired soldier from the Belgian Armed Forces. “I know everything because I hear everything-and not because I’m listening.” To avoid Agathe, art dealer Leo Raphael and family must tiptoe in stocking feet down the staircase, in the dead of night, to disappear.
Charlotte Sauvin and Esther Raphael’s fourth floor apartments are architectural mirror images. The seventeen year olds are besties. Esther dreams of being a nurse. Charlotte is a student attending the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. “The art world has gone underground. Everyone is aware of Hitler’s artistic aspirations and his failures and this is why artists who have not already been disappeared by the regime are disappearing themselves.”
Charlotte “feels the world as she sees it…There are no vivid bursts of color. Everything, even her emotion is in gray scale.” Her vision is achromatic. Francois Sauvin, Charlotte’s father, describes the trenches of WWI. “Color is no saving grace. It was a war in sepia-the trenches, the dirt, the uniforms, the faces…” History will repeat itself. “No one sees anything the same way…We stop trying to understand how others see the world,...we lose our compassion, our empathy…”.
Masha, a refugee, is the seamstress living in the attic apartment. She has always been the keeper of Charlotte’s secrets and comforter to the motherless girl. Suddenly, Masha has left. “How I missed [Charlotte] when my life took an unexpected turn and my absences from the building became more and more frequent". Madly in love with Harry, she reluctantly became part of spy and resistance operations.
Leaving art school after French and German students on both sides of the conflict joined up, Charlotte returned home putting her artistic talent to work at a hat shop. The proprietor employed both Jewish and non-Jewish workers. The compassionate boss did not require the Jewish employees to wear their mandated yellow stars during work hours. Suddenly, the building was condemned due to so called architectural concerns. The business was forced to close.
At 33 Place Burgmann, the citizens who were registered to live there would experience many life changing events during the years 1939-1942. “...one must be vigilant in these times. The world is closing in; we're oranges in a juicer. Fate hinges on comings and goings.”
This reader was totally invested in the lives of the building occupants. “Did strolling people walking among the chestnut trees in the Parc de Bruxelles know what was coming? Or were they holding on to a past they didn’t realize was gone and never coming back?”
A highly recommended read of historical fiction
Thank you Grove Atlantic Press and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 18, 2024
There are some genuinely engrossing and even riveting moments, both small and large, in Alice Austen’s “33 Place Brugmann,” which individualizes the Nazi occupation of Brussels through the lives of the occupants of the street address of the title.
A particularly compelling small incident for me, for instance, comes when a color-blind girl ends up in trouble at school after a boy who hadn't known of her condition swaps her pencils, which had been labeled to accommodate her condition, and she ends up drawing something in a color other than what the teacher had requested, prompting the teacher to punish her for her “impertinence.” A small incident, as I say, in the context of the novel’s larger historical concern, but compelling for me nevertheless.
More in the novel’s larger sweep is the moment when a woman who’s been working as a spy is wounded by the Gestapo as she tries to help a downed RAF flier and she thinks she has reached safety only to have the situation turn on her in a distinctly unforeseen way. Or there’s the time when another flier who has been shot down makes his way to some farmers who vote on whether to help him or kill him.
Not just compelling in its story lines, though, the novel is also vivid in its descriptiveness, with a particularly dramatic instance coming when a female occupant of the house helps out at a clinic where she tends to soldiers with their “pocked, seared, torn flesh, bits and pieces of limbs missing.” Also particularly arresting for me was the depiction of another house occupant, “the Colonel,” who recalls how he “lost his youth to the Congo,” where he took in “unspeakable sights” such as baskets of cut-off hands, hands that in the Congo’s damp didn't dry out, but rotted and smelled. Reminiscent his account was for me, with how it both perplexed and horrified me, of how I was similarly bewildered and fascinated as a college freshman coming for the first time upon Hemingway’s “On the Quai at Smyrna.”
Riveting, though, as such moments in the novel were for me -- the pages fairly flew by for me in those moments – the novel’s overall effect was diminished somewhat for me by its conceit of the house serving as a framing device for the various stories of its inhabitants. But that nit on my part may have less to do with anything really problematic with the device than simply my strong personal preference for single-narrator presentation. Also, and again this may simply be an indication of my own personal preferences, I found the novel in spots waxing a bit too literary, particularly with its numerous references to Wittgenstein which no doubt amplified the novel’s concerns but left me somewhat cool, even with my having been a philosophy minor.
All in all, though, an estimable read, Austen’s novel, and to my mind particularly relevant in these increasingly scary times of ours in America where I felt that I couldn’t have been the only one to find in the veritable rapture I was seeing at the RNC convention parallels to the Nazi rallies of the ‘30s. And indeed no less an authoritarianism expert than Ruth Ben-Ghiat also expressed concern over the convention, though along with her concern she sounded a cautiously optimistic message if America would only heed it: “You know what to do, Americans. We can avoid this nightmare. Never become resigned or fatalistic. That’s what they want.”
A particularly compelling small incident for me, for instance, comes when a color-blind girl ends up in trouble at school after a boy who hadn't known of her condition swaps her pencils, which had been labeled to accommodate her condition, and she ends up drawing something in a color other than what the teacher had requested, prompting the teacher to punish her for her “impertinence.” A small incident, as I say, in the context of the novel’s larger historical concern, but compelling for me nevertheless.
More in the novel’s larger sweep is the moment when a woman who’s been working as a spy is wounded by the Gestapo as she tries to help a downed RAF flier and she thinks she has reached safety only to have the situation turn on her in a distinctly unforeseen way. Or there’s the time when another flier who has been shot down makes his way to some farmers who vote on whether to help him or kill him.
Not just compelling in its story lines, though, the novel is also vivid in its descriptiveness, with a particularly dramatic instance coming when a female occupant of the house helps out at a clinic where she tends to soldiers with their “pocked, seared, torn flesh, bits and pieces of limbs missing.” Also particularly arresting for me was the depiction of another house occupant, “the Colonel,” who recalls how he “lost his youth to the Congo,” where he took in “unspeakable sights” such as baskets of cut-off hands, hands that in the Congo’s damp didn't dry out, but rotted and smelled. Reminiscent his account was for me, with how it both perplexed and horrified me, of how I was similarly bewildered and fascinated as a college freshman coming for the first time upon Hemingway’s “On the Quai at Smyrna.”
Riveting, though, as such moments in the novel were for me -- the pages fairly flew by for me in those moments – the novel’s overall effect was diminished somewhat for me by its conceit of the house serving as a framing device for the various stories of its inhabitants. But that nit on my part may have less to do with anything really problematic with the device than simply my strong personal preference for single-narrator presentation. Also, and again this may simply be an indication of my own personal preferences, I found the novel in spots waxing a bit too literary, particularly with its numerous references to Wittgenstein which no doubt amplified the novel’s concerns but left me somewhat cool, even with my having been a philosophy minor.
All in all, though, an estimable read, Austen’s novel, and to my mind particularly relevant in these increasingly scary times of ours in America where I felt that I couldn’t have been the only one to find in the veritable rapture I was seeing at the RNC convention parallels to the Nazi rallies of the ‘30s. And indeed no less an authoritarianism expert than Ruth Ben-Ghiat also expressed concern over the convention, though along with her concern she sounded a cautiously optimistic message if America would only heed it: “You know what to do, Americans. We can avoid this nightmare. Never become resigned or fatalistic. That’s what they want.”
August 28, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley and Grove/Atlantic, Inc. for this advance reader’s copy, in exchange for an honest review. “33 Place Brugmann” is scheduled for publication on March 11, 2025.
And check out all of my reviews on my blog site, Raised on Reading (www.raisedonreading.com). New reviews are posted weekly.
The opening promo for Alice Austen’s debut novel “33 Place Brugmann” details that, “On the eve of the Nazi occupation, in the heart of Brussels, life for the residents of eight apartments at 33 Place Brugmann is about to change forever.”
Sounds intriguing, right?
It drew me in. And then almost immediately let me down.
I slugged through the first third of the novel and never got a sense of impending doom or life-altering events. Sure, there was an occasional mention of the Nazis plotting with Russia to divvy up Poland and such. But there was way too much time spent providing backstory on way too many characters.
More importantly, I never felt connected to any of them. And the novel is certainly not plot driven, because were it not for that opening promo I recalled reading, I would have had no idea what was going on.
I also felt there was a general lack of continuity to the writing. For example, one of the characters, Martin, asks Francois (another apparently main character) for a favor. Francois agrees to provide the favor. But we are never told what the favor is. Instead, the narrative transgresses into a lengthy discussion of Francois’s daughter, Charlotte. Huh?
In one scene, Mr. Raphael describes a particular book he and another character are discussing as “Unreadable.”
He could very well have been talking about “33 Place Brugmann.”
I hate to hang the DNF label on any book, but I just could not make it through this one. If you can, you’re a better person than I am.
One lonely star out of five for “33 Place Brugmann.”
And check out all of my reviews on my blog site, Raised on Reading (www.raisedonreading.com). New reviews are posted weekly.
The opening promo for Alice Austen’s debut novel “33 Place Brugmann” details that, “On the eve of the Nazi occupation, in the heart of Brussels, life for the residents of eight apartments at 33 Place Brugmann is about to change forever.”
Sounds intriguing, right?
It drew me in. And then almost immediately let me down.
I slugged through the first third of the novel and never got a sense of impending doom or life-altering events. Sure, there was an occasional mention of the Nazis plotting with Russia to divvy up Poland and such. But there was way too much time spent providing backstory on way too many characters.
More importantly, I never felt connected to any of them. And the novel is certainly not plot driven, because were it not for that opening promo I recalled reading, I would have had no idea what was going on.
I also felt there was a general lack of continuity to the writing. For example, one of the characters, Martin, asks Francois (another apparently main character) for a favor. Francois agrees to provide the favor. But we are never told what the favor is. Instead, the narrative transgresses into a lengthy discussion of Francois’s daughter, Charlotte. Huh?
In one scene, Mr. Raphael describes a particular book he and another character are discussing as “Unreadable.”
He could very well have been talking about “33 Place Brugmann.”
I hate to hang the DNF label on any book, but I just could not make it through this one. If you can, you’re a better person than I am.
One lonely star out of five for “33 Place Brugmann.”
September 14, 2024
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
33 Place Brugmann by Alice Austen is an extraordinarily accomplished debut novel that masterfully intertwines love, mystery, and philosophical musings. Set in a Beaux Arts apartment building in Brussels on the eve of the Nazi occupation in 1939, the story captures the lives of its residents as they face the impending threat and the choices it forces upon them.
The narrative is told through the singular voices of the building’s inhabitants, each chapter offering a unique perspective that enriches the overall tapestry of the story. At the heart of the novel is Charlotte Sauvin, an art student and daughter of a prominent architect, whose keen observations of her neighbors and the building itself provide a poignant lens through which the unfolding drama is viewed.
Austen’s writing is lyrical and precise, capturing the essence of each character and their internal struggles. The residents of 33 Place Brugmann are vividly drawn, from the enigmatic Julian Raphaël, the eldest son of an art collector, to Masha, the seamstress entangled in a dangerous affair. Each character’s journey is marked by the tension between submission and resistance, revealing their true selves in the face of adversity.
The setting of pre-occupation Brussels is brought to life with rich detail, creating an atmospheric backdrop that heightens the sense of urgency and danger. Austen’s exploration of themes such as courage, love, and the role of art in times of crisis adds depth to the narrative, making it not just a historical novel but a profound reflection on human resilience.
For readers who appreciate historical fiction with a strong emotional core and complex characters, 33 Place Brugmann is a must-read. This debut novel is a testament to her storytelling prowess and promises great things for her future works.
33 Place Brugmann by Alice Austen is an extraordinarily accomplished debut novel that masterfully intertwines love, mystery, and philosophical musings. Set in a Beaux Arts apartment building in Brussels on the eve of the Nazi occupation in 1939, the story captures the lives of its residents as they face the impending threat and the choices it forces upon them.
The narrative is told through the singular voices of the building’s inhabitants, each chapter offering a unique perspective that enriches the overall tapestry of the story. At the heart of the novel is Charlotte Sauvin, an art student and daughter of a prominent architect, whose keen observations of her neighbors and the building itself provide a poignant lens through which the unfolding drama is viewed.
Austen’s writing is lyrical and precise, capturing the essence of each character and their internal struggles. The residents of 33 Place Brugmann are vividly drawn, from the enigmatic Julian Raphaël, the eldest son of an art collector, to Masha, the seamstress entangled in a dangerous affair. Each character’s journey is marked by the tension between submission and resistance, revealing their true selves in the face of adversity.
The setting of pre-occupation Brussels is brought to life with rich detail, creating an atmospheric backdrop that heightens the sense of urgency and danger. Austen’s exploration of themes such as courage, love, and the role of art in times of crisis adds depth to the narrative, making it not just a historical novel but a profound reflection on human resilience.
For readers who appreciate historical fiction with a strong emotional core and complex characters, 33 Place Brugmann is a must-read. This debut novel is a testament to her storytelling prowess and promises great things for her future works.
July 9, 2024
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me an unedited advanced copy in exchange for an Honest Review. This is probably the clearest ⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’ve read so far. This is admittedly my first time reading what I take to be historical and possibly literary fiction (?) due to it being so character driven and numerous perspectives both before and after The Raphael’s mysteriously left 33 Brugmann Place.
At points the almost prose-like writing was a bit hard to follow especially in the beginning. I can understand why the initial reviewer DNF’d it after 20% in, I did contemplate it but I was already so far in that I decided to stick it out and once the underlying thread of an imminent Nazi invasion began that’s where this book started to turn in a positive light, when the shadows of some of the characters began to present themselves. I am glad I stuck it out. Initially I was not a fan of Charlotte until halfway through, and to me she’s who alot of this story is centered around, between her getting married rather quickly but still thinking of another guy practically the whole time, her inner thoughts were frazzled and all over the place which I do think after reviewing my notes that it makes sense to who she is and what she experiences throughout. Masha’s story was one I did appreciate and her love for Harry and the eventual road that leads down.
A rough and sluggish start but if you’re patient and get pushing through it wraps up quite nicely for someone new to this genre. My feedback would be to be more descriptive of who Charlotte is and why I should care about her. I felt that only until Masha’s first POV chapter was where Masha detailed her. Perhaps that’s just me.
At points the almost prose-like writing was a bit hard to follow especially in the beginning. I can understand why the initial reviewer DNF’d it after 20% in, I did contemplate it but I was already so far in that I decided to stick it out and once the underlying thread of an imminent Nazi invasion began that’s where this book started to turn in a positive light, when the shadows of some of the characters began to present themselves. I am glad I stuck it out. Initially I was not a fan of Charlotte until halfway through, and to me she’s who alot of this story is centered around, between her getting married rather quickly but still thinking of another guy practically the whole time, her inner thoughts were frazzled and all over the place which I do think after reviewing my notes that it makes sense to who she is and what she experiences throughout. Masha’s story was one I did appreciate and her love for Harry and the eventual road that leads down.
A rough and sluggish start but if you’re patient and get pushing through it wraps up quite nicely for someone new to this genre. My feedback would be to be more descriptive of who Charlotte is and why I should care about her. I felt that only until Masha’s first POV chapter was where Masha detailed her. Perhaps that’s just me.
August 28, 2024
As suggested by the title, Alice Austen’s book centers on the residents of an apartment house, 33 Place Brugmann, Brussels, beginning in 1939 and onwards through the early 1940’s. Political dynamics in Europe were shifting dramatically and quickly as Nazi influence and local regulations on Jewish residents in Belgium and Brussels specifically increased.
To be honest, what I learned in US high school about Nazi repression and actions against the Jewish populace in Belgium was virtually nil, as was Nazi suppression of unapproved newspapers. So the book was an eye-opener in so many ways. I had never even heard of the VNV, the Flemish National Union, which supported the Nazis, and I’m pretty sure most readers had not either. That several characters were identified as Flemish and Flemish attitudes were addressed was illuminating.
What I loved about this book was the exquisite writing, an almost-impressionist wartime portrait of Brussels and how residents of the apartment house achieved daily errands such as buying bread with ration cards. What I felt was less than optimal was the lack of a cohesive story line, odd daydream and dream sequences by Charlotte and others, and the loose ends of the story at the book’s end.
I found the book interesting but not an easy flowing read, was tempted to abandon the effort a few times despite the author’s undoubted writing talent.
To be honest, what I learned in US high school about Nazi repression and actions against the Jewish populace in Belgium was virtually nil, as was Nazi suppression of unapproved newspapers. So the book was an eye-opener in so many ways. I had never even heard of the VNV, the Flemish National Union, which supported the Nazis, and I’m pretty sure most readers had not either. That several characters were identified as Flemish and Flemish attitudes were addressed was illuminating.
What I loved about this book was the exquisite writing, an almost-impressionist wartime portrait of Brussels and how residents of the apartment house achieved daily errands such as buying bread with ration cards. What I felt was less than optimal was the lack of a cohesive story line, odd daydream and dream sequences by Charlotte and others, and the loose ends of the story at the book’s end.
I found the book interesting but not an easy flowing read, was tempted to abandon the effort a few times despite the author’s undoubted writing talent.
September 14, 2024
This is the story of the residents of 33 Place Brugmann starting pre-Nazi occupation and moves through to about half way through WWII. It is such a unique way to approach WWII because it is told from the perspective of a diverse group of people that live in the same building. While some readers may find the change in perspective is disruptive to the plot line, I think like it added to it. I felt like I was always moving and catching up with everyone, and I enjoyed that. It was like I was traveling the continent and seeing the effects of the war through different perspectives. I think it kept the story from getting too stale. The end was a bit abrupt. While the fate of some characters was made clear, the ending of others was a bit muddled. I really wanted to know more so I hope that a prologue will be included to fix that. I also think that there's a couple of characters included in the story that by the end became "obsolete". They didn't seem to drive the plot line one way or another.
Overall I enjoyed the reading. I enjoyed the different perspectives, I think that kept me coming back. I was also happy to see the author make use of the word "pusillanimous" I feel like the word just isn't used enough.
Thank you NetGalley & Grove Press for this ARC.
#netgalley #33PlaceBrugmann
Overall I enjoyed the reading. I enjoyed the different perspectives, I think that kept me coming back. I was also happy to see the author make use of the word "pusillanimous" I feel like the word just isn't used enough.
Thank you NetGalley & Grove Press for this ARC.
#netgalley #33PlaceBrugmann
August 27, 2024
This book was a tough one to rate. This story follows the longtime residents of an apartment building in Belgium. The story begins pre-occupation and references pre-war times as well, but spans well into WWII. The story is told through varying points of view with each chapter belonging to a different character. The unique perspectives of each resident really work well to show a rounded picture of how that time in history could have felt and how people might have behaved, or more realistically did behave. I’m always interested to read historical fiction that shows the lives of people who were just trying to live their lives and doing what they thought was right. I also appreciated how the author showed in real time the shifting views of Jewish people, particularly with comments made about things often attributed to the Jewish population. (Whether accurate or not.) The book at times felt a little choppy and there were aspects I feel could have been removed. And there are some interesting visions that happen and I don’t know if I understood those. I kind of felt like the ending was a little rushed and wished I could have seen a little more of the story, particularly for Charlotte and maybe even Dirk as he seemed to be on a new path.
Overall I say grab this book and give it a shot. This was an advanced copy from the NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my review. Having said that the kindle version was a hot mess formatting wise, but I would anticipate that would be fixed by publishing date.
Overall I say grab this book and give it a shot. This was an advanced copy from the NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my review. Having said that the kindle version was a hot mess formatting wise, but I would anticipate that would be fixed by publishing date.
August 29, 2024
33 Place Brugmann was an interesting read. I was expecting more mystery and love story going solely on the description of the book, and was quite disappointed that the mystery and love story only revealed itself in the last few chapters of the book. However, on reflection, Charlotte had a love story of her own with art, photography, painting, architecture, nature, storytelling, and of course a love story with her father.
The entire book and all of the characters and their narratives read entirely as a philosophical and poetic form of writing which kept the book interesting and vivid enough to keep reading, but the total lack of mystery and thrill that is expected in this setting and time period counteracted what would have and could have been an extraordinary book.
For the plot of the book and the overall storyline, I wouldn’t give this book any stars for rating. The 3 star rating I have given is for the excellent writing style, captivating characters and narratives that were kept consistent throughout.
The entire book and all of the characters and their narratives read entirely as a philosophical and poetic form of writing which kept the book interesting and vivid enough to keep reading, but the total lack of mystery and thrill that is expected in this setting and time period counteracted what would have and could have been an extraordinary book.
For the plot of the book and the overall storyline, I wouldn’t give this book any stars for rating. The 3 star rating I have given is for the excellent writing style, captivating characters and narratives that were kept consistent throughout.
August 2, 2024
In a society where narcissism is commonplace with war and video games such as Grand Theft Auto are glamorized, it's a shock to the system to read a touch of reality. Today, it is hard to imagine the hardships hatred causes people to endure, 33 PLACE BRUGMAN manages to give us a glimpse.
Reminiscent of THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, 33 PLACE BRUGMAN tells the story of the families living in an apartment building before and during the German occupation. It tells of the struggles people endure just to survive another day. Along the way, some people will disappear as others are killed. Most will starve, as some take advantage making a profit. People you think will help do not, as those you think will not help you. It tells of people in an impossible situation, doing what they can to help, as they themselves just try to pull through another day. In the end, they realize the reason they fight back to stay alive.
Reminiscent of THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, 33 PLACE BRUGMAN tells the story of the families living in an apartment building before and during the German occupation. It tells of the struggles people endure just to survive another day. Along the way, some people will disappear as others are killed. Most will starve, as some take advantage making a profit. People you think will help do not, as those you think will not help you. It tells of people in an impossible situation, doing what they can to help, as they themselves just try to pull through another day. In the end, they realize the reason they fight back to stay alive.
August 13, 2024
This was a thought provoking premise to view and experience WWII through the POV of the long time residents of an apartment building in Belgium. Starting pre-war with the signs of the spread of Naziism in neighboring countries and the possible invasion, the difficulties of navigating the rations and losses, and to those who chose to do small but important things to fight back, while some gave all. The different viewpoints offer a glimpse of life with children who grew up with an extended family of neighbors, to now being of age to decide their futures, to the adults that discuss philosophies, design, and color, art and beauty, and the importance of recognizing and preserving them. Not all is color, as there are infinite shades of gray. Very much enjoyed the POV of the different residents and redefining what is family and love.
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC edition. A couple of glitches with the kindle version (page and paragraph breaks)
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC edition. A couple of glitches with the kindle version (page and paragraph breaks)
September 1, 2024
I liked the premise of this debut novel: the focus on an apartment building in Brussels on the eve of WWII creates an intriguing backdrop to a story involving a varied cast of characters. However, I found it a bit of a slog and it took me weeks to get through this book. Perhaps I may have not been in the right frame of mind at the time, it just seemed to take a long time before anything really happened. I did like many of the characters and enjoyed reading about their relationships with one another. There are a lot of them but I was able to keep them straight in my mind. This is a tumultuous period in history and that creates a lot of drama in this building. The book is beautifully written and I think that many readers will find it captures the spirit of the time—both the challenges that ordinary people faced and the ways they fought against their oppressors. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to provide an honest review.
September 1, 2024
The structure of this wartime novel is built around the personalities and foibles of an apartment house in Brussels. The characters include an older single woman who is an unrepentant busybody, members of a wealthy Jewish family, a wounded veteran of the Great War aand his colorblind artist daughter. Also included is an undocumented Jewish woman who is genius with a sewing needle.
The plot starts out strong, just prior to the Nazi invasion of Belgium, with several of the characters being brought into focus over a relatively few pages.. Unfortunately , the author does not spend much time with any one character and spreads them out geographically so that she has a difficult time creating a cohesive plot that fully gives each character their due. People meet, fall in love but the reader isn't fully aware of why this comes about. To put it bluntly , the plot would have been better had it been located entirely in Brussels with fewer main characters
The plot starts out strong, just prior to the Nazi invasion of Belgium, with several of the characters being brought into focus over a relatively few pages.. Unfortunately , the author does not spend much time with any one character and spreads them out geographically so that she has a difficult time creating a cohesive plot that fully gives each character their due. People meet, fall in love but the reader isn't fully aware of why this comes about. To put it bluntly , the plot would have been better had it been located entirely in Brussels with fewer main characters
September 23, 2024
During the occupancy of Brussels by Nazi Germany, we are introduced to the various tenants of 33 Place Brugmann, whose stories intertwine and connect while trying to survive the regime. While each narrator details what they are currently facing, whether it is famine, illegal art dealings, or in the midst of war, the plot remains tragic and heartbreaking. Unfortunately, the book was hard to get through, both in its context and pace. I appreciate the telling of each narrative, but I found it very difficult to keep reading and wanted to give up on several occasions. I wish the author would've shared each characters' perspective longer than 10-15 pages at a time so that the plot would follow more seamlessly. 2/5 for this one, as I do believe the subject matter is of great importance but the read overall wasn't enough to keep me wanting to read more.
Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for allowing me to preview this ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for allowing me to preview this ARC.
July 30, 2024
Hmmmm, this book was interesting to say the least. It starts choppy and slow but does pick up about halfway through.
Usually I enjoy when each chapter is told in a different POV, this time, by a different resident living in the building. For me, this time it was confusing. There is lots going on and it was hard to stay with it. I almost gave up a few times.
It's a story that feels real and takes us into the turmoil, fear and mess when times are chaotic and so scary. I don't regret reading it but I do wish I enjoyed it more and was not so confused.
You know what I always say ....read it for yourself, you may love it!
Look for 33 Brugmann Place in March 2025.
Thank you to Grove Press and Netgalley for providing the book. This is my voluntary, honest review.
Usually I enjoy when each chapter is told in a different POV, this time, by a different resident living in the building. For me, this time it was confusing. There is lots going on and it was hard to stay with it. I almost gave up a few times.
It's a story that feels real and takes us into the turmoil, fear and mess when times are chaotic and so scary. I don't regret reading it but I do wish I enjoyed it more and was not so confused.
You know what I always say ....read it for yourself, you may love it!
Look for 33 Brugmann Place in March 2025.
Thank you to Grove Press and Netgalley for providing the book. This is my voluntary, honest review.
August 20, 2024
33 Place Brugmann offers a new perspective than many books based on World War Two. The book describes the experiences of the inhabitants of 33 Place Brugmann as the war develops in the heart of Brussels.
There are many points of view within this story, which make it an interesting read. However, because there are so many, I did find it difficult to connect to the characters as well as I have done in previous similar novels.
It is well written and showcases the importance of resilience, hope and art.
ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
There are many points of view within this story, which make it an interesting read. However, because there are so many, I did find it difficult to connect to the characters as well as I have done in previous similar novels.
It is well written and showcases the importance of resilience, hope and art.
ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 25, 2024
Thank you Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for my digital copy. I really enjoyed the story. I’m not a fan of historic fantasy but this book felt like a warm hug. The plot is taking place during the WWII and it follows the life of the residents of 33 place Brugman. There are many beautiful moments and some sad ones as betrayal and lies between the characters. I totally recommend this to everyone, it’s a very fast paced story.
Can’t wait to see the book published.
Can’t wait to see the book published.
July 31, 2024
Thought this seemed like an interesting historical fiction book about Belgium in WW II. Unfortunately, I found it extremely difficult to follow - the story follows residents in an apartment complex in Brussels during the war. The story switches viewpoints (telling you whose story you are now in) - honestly, interesting idea but I found the execution disorienting and tough to follow. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2024
Do you like thrillers - this book is for you. Do you prefer historical fiction - do not search any longer. Are you interested in some philosophy - grab this book and don’t let go. This is a complete package of romance and suspense and WWII events and some mystical moments that will amaze and surprise and enthrall you. The only problem with this book is that it is impossible to put down, so be forewarned - a full night of sleep is not in your future. Five stars is not enough to give this one!
August 23, 2024
Story starts out with the voice of young Charlotte who lives in a stately apartment building with her father, on a "place" or square in Brussels, Belgium, just before WWII.
I am immediately drawn in by her life and relationship with the Raphael kids, teenagers like herself, who live in the apt. opposite them. The story continues with the points of view of the other tenants of the building, and I was charmed.
I am immediately drawn in by her life and relationship with the Raphael kids, teenagers like herself, who live in the apt. opposite them. The story continues with the points of view of the other tenants of the building, and I was charmed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews