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Leaving Fatherland
Oskar Bachmann always imagined that giving his first lecture would be the defining moment of his life.
It was, but not in the way he expected…
Growing up a misfit in Nazi Germany, a victim of his father’s beatings, Oskar’s love of books is a constant comfort in a world turned upside-down by violence.
As a student, as a pilot in the brutal Luftwaffe during the Second World War, in an unhappy marriage to an English bride, he finds himself returning over and over to the circumstances of his childhood. What was the source and cause of his father’s abuse? Could there have been more to it than he had once believed?
Little did Oskar know that his first lecture at the University of Tübingen would ultimately lead to the end of a lifetime of searching… and finally reveal the figure who had been controlling his life from a distance.
It was, but not in the way he expected…
Growing up a misfit in Nazi Germany, a victim of his father’s beatings, Oskar’s love of books is a constant comfort in a world turned upside-down by violence.
As a student, as a pilot in the brutal Luftwaffe during the Second World War, in an unhappy marriage to an English bride, he finds himself returning over and over to the circumstances of his childhood. What was the source and cause of his father’s abuse? Could there have been more to it than he had once believed?
Little did Oskar know that his first lecture at the University of Tübingen would ultimately lead to the end of a lifetime of searching… and finally reveal the figure who had been controlling his life from a distance.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 20, 2024
About the author
Matt Graydon
1 book6 followersMatt Graydon has always written stories, first as a schoolboy, then as a journalist and PR and now, as a writer of striking historical fiction. He likes to explore offbeat perspectives, inspired by true stories, especially in his tales of life in wartime. Now, in his first novel, Leaving Fatherland, inspired by a true story, he tells the tale of a liberal German who returns home from his life as a New York university student to fight for the Nazis. He lives in Surrey with his family and loves astrophotography, gardening and music.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
May 13, 2024
Leaving Fatherland is a fascinating and accomplished debut novel that reads like a memoir. Spanning almost fifty years, at its heart is a family mystery which the reader unravels in step with the protagonist. It is a novel that explores, with compassion and without judgement, complex issues around psychology, identity, loyalty, and how knowing where we come from shapes who we are. A thoroughly well researched and intriguing account of the psyche of pre-war, wartime and post-war Germany.
July 13, 2024
A Poignant Journey of Self-Discovery Amid the Horrors of War
Matt Graydon's debut novel Leaving Fatherland is a haunting and deeply moving work of historical fiction that follows one man's lifelong quest to understand the source of his childhood trauma against the tumultuous backdrop of Nazi Germany and World War II. Through vivid, emotionally resonant prose, Graydon takes the reader on an intimate journey into the mind and memories of Oskar Bachmann as he desperately seeks to unravel the mystery behind his father's cruelty. The result is a poignant meditation on identity, family secrets, and the insidious legacy of violence that showcases Graydon's skill at crafting nuanced, psychologically complex characters.
A Childhood Marred by Violence
We first meet Oskar as a sensitive, bookish boy growing up in 1920s Halbe, where he routinely endures savage beatings at the hands of his mercurial father Karl. From the opening pages, Graydon plunges us into the harsh reality of Oskar's youth in Nazi-era Germany. The author's vivid prose brings to life the fear and confusion of a sensitive child grappling with his father's inexplicable cruelty:
"Eating in front of Papa had always made me nervous. It often made him mad, so mad that he would curse out loud and slap me across the face. Sometimes it seemed he wanted to kill me."
Oskar's only respite is the countless hours he spends reading, dreaming of one day becoming a pilot like his WWI veteran father, and studying the emerging field of psychology—partly as a survival mechanism to help anticipate his father's volatile moods. Graydon does a masterful job conveying the suffocating tension and dread that permeates the Bachmann household, as well as the bewilderment of a child who cannot comprehend why his father seems to reserve his worst rages for him while favoring Oskar's brother Emil.
Graydon skillfully portrays the suffocating atmosphere of Nazi Germany, where even the simple act of reading becomes an act of rebellion. Oskar finds solace in books, particularly those banned by the regime. His friendship with Timo, another bookish outsider, provides a touching counterpoint to the darkness surrounding them.
The destruction of Timo's secret library by Nazi zealots is a gut-wrenching scene, symbolizing the broader assault on knowledge and culture:
"I had to stop them. Pushing through the bystanders determined to reach the water, I shouted as loud as I could. 'No! Stop. Why are you doing this?'"
A Scholar in Search of Answers
As the Nazis rise to power and another war looms on the horizon, Oskar briefly escapes to study psychology in America, enjoying a blissful period of intellectual and personal growth in late 1930s New York. Here he falls under the mentorship of the charismatic Professor Aleksander Stanislaw, a fellow German expat with whom he develops an almost filial bond. But Oskar's American idyll is shattered when he accidentally causes Stanislaw's death and, facing a lengthy prison sentence, reluctantly returns to Germany to serve in the Luftwaffe in exchange for commutation.
Into the Skies of War
The harrowing chapters detailing Oskar's experience as a reconnaissance pilot vividly convey both the adrenaline rush of aerial combat and the sheer terror of being shot down behind enemy lines. Graydon pulls no punches in depicting the physical and psychological toll of war, from the grisly death of Oskar's crewmates during a mission over Yugoslavia to his own agonizing ordeal stranded in the North African desert.
The scene where Oskar's Junkers 88 is shot down over the North African desert is particularly harrowing:
"Complete focus, despite the hum of conversation around me. This would be my sixth flight in a Ju 88. Enough experience, I told myself. But this was no game anymore."
The author's vivid prose puts us right in the cockpit with Oskar, feeling the terror and disorientation of the crash. The subsequent scenes of survival in the desert are equally compelling, highlighting the fragility of life in wartime. Tellingly, it is thoughts of his mother Aneta, not his father, that sustain Oskar through his darkest hours.
Love and Loss in the Aftermath
But even as he survives being captured by the British and endures years in a POW camp, Oskar cannot escape the lingering shadow of his father's abuse. Plagued by nightmares and a crushing sense of inferiority, he nonetheless finds solace in the love of his English bride Miriam. The depiction of their tumultuous marriage is one of the novel's most affecting storylines, as two damaged souls struggle to build a life together while burdened by the traumas of their respective pasts.
Becoming a father himself only deepens Oskar's need to understand what drove Karl Bachmann's cruelty. Why did he seem to derive such sadistic pleasure from beating his bookish, sensitive younger son while doting on the more traditionally masculine Emil? What happened to him during WWI to make him so full of rage? Was it simply his disappointment in Oskar for failing to live up to some twisted masculine ideal, or was there something more sinister at play?
These questions continue to gnaw at Oskar even as he finally achieves his dream of becoming a professor of psychology after the war. Oskar's inability to fully open up to his wife and children creates a painful echo of his own father's emotional distance:
"I had not been much more attentive to my own children but had never beaten them. Mine was more of a long-term, casual lack of interest."
A Web of Secrets Unraveled
In a powerful set piece, Oskar scandalizes his students and risks his career by delivering a searing confessional lecture about his upbringing entitled "Leaving Fatherland"—a bold declaration of his intent to break free from his father's toxic influence once and for all.
But the truth, it turns out, is more shocking than Oskar could have imagined. Through a series of deathbed revelations orchestrated by the mysterious private investigator Huber, he learns that Karl Bachmann was not his biological father at all. Instead, Oskar was the product of a secret affair between his mother Aneta and none other than Professor Stanislaw—or rather, Stanislaw's father Eryk, a wealthy Polish businessman with shadowy ties to the Nazis.
In a devastating twist, it emerges that Eryk used his vast resources and web of connections to covertly shape the course of Oskar's entire life, engineering everything from his acceptance to university in New York to his fortuitous rescue after being shot down in the desert. The man Oskar accidentally killed, it transpires, was his own half-brother. Most horrifyingly of all, Oskar finally understands the real reason for Karl's unhinged brutality: he knew all along that Aneta's child was not his own.
The final chapters see Oskar grappling with newfound knowledge about his family's Jewish heritage, adding yet another layer to his complex sense of self:
"I suddenly felt an acute awareness of every sound, movement and smell on the ward. A sense of great shame came over me. Despite all the evidence, I had never connected the dots and come to terms with the fact that Mother was a Jew."
This series of bombshell revelations unfolds with the sickening momentum of a waking nightmare as the dying Oskar processes the extent to which his life has been a lie. And yet, in Graydon's sensitive handling, this potentially melodramatic material lands with authentic emotional force, reading less like mere plot twists than the long-delayed reckoning of a man determined to excavate the secrets buried in his family's past.
Themes of Identity and Belonging
Indeed, it is the richness and specificity of Graydon's characterizations that ground the novel's more shocking moments in recognizable human behavior. From the warm but haunted Aneta to the roguishly charming Aleksander, these feel like real people shaped by the complex tides of history rather than authorial puppets. Oskar himself emerges as an utterly convincing creation, his decency and compassion coexisting with a streak of prickliness born of deep-rooted insecurity. Watching him slowly learn to extend empathy and forgiveness to himself and those who've wronged him is one of the novel's most affecting pleasures.
Leaving Fatherland is also enriched by an impressive attention to historical detail, with Graydon weaving in everything from popular songs and slang to period-specific military hardware. Oskar's enthusiasm for books and psychology adds another layer of verisimilitude, allowing Graydon to deftly incorporate exposition about contemporaneous developments like behaviorism and aversion therapy. At times the density of information can obscure the forward momentum of the narrative, but for the most part Graydon maintains a skillful balance between edification and storytelling.
A Haunting Exploration of War's Long Shadow
The novel's bittersweet conclusion feels earned and true to the complex tapestry of Oskar's life. While he may not find all the answers he seeks, there's a sense of hard-won peace in his final moments that's genuinely touching:
"I hadn't bought her that house in the Karkonosze Mountains, like I had promised. She forgave me though. I knew she did. I rocked ever so gently in my bed. To and fro. A little less movement every time. Not, this time, to soothe my fear of Father, but to bring me nearer to Mother's love. And then, I moved no more."
In the end, Leaving Fatherland's greatest accomplishment may be its nuanced exploration of the myriad ways that violence deforms both victim and perpetrator. Through the intersecting stories of Oskar, his parents, and the extended Stanislaw/Bachmann clan, Graydon traces the insidious ripple effects of personal and historical trauma across generations. At the same time, he pays moving tribute to the redemptive power of love, literature, and self-knowledge. I will not soon forget the image of Oskar, eyes fluttering shut for the last time, finally rocking himself to sleep with a remembered snippet of the Yiddish lullabies his mother would sing him as a boy.
While it grapples with some of the darkest chapters of the 20th century, Leaving Fatherland is ultimately a hopeful, even inspiring story about one man's dogged quest to break free from the cycle of abuse and secrecy that has warped his family's existence. In his determination to confront the truth of his own past, Oskar Bachmann stands as a quietly heroic exemplar of the examined life. Matt Graydon's powerful debut novel heralds the arrival of a bold and empathetic new voice in historical fiction. I look forward to following this promising writer's career.
Matt Graydon's debut novel Leaving Fatherland is a haunting and deeply moving work of historical fiction that follows one man's lifelong quest to understand the source of his childhood trauma against the tumultuous backdrop of Nazi Germany and World War II. Through vivid, emotionally resonant prose, Graydon takes the reader on an intimate journey into the mind and memories of Oskar Bachmann as he desperately seeks to unravel the mystery behind his father's cruelty. The result is a poignant meditation on identity, family secrets, and the insidious legacy of violence that showcases Graydon's skill at crafting nuanced, psychologically complex characters.
A Childhood Marred by Violence
We first meet Oskar as a sensitive, bookish boy growing up in 1920s Halbe, where he routinely endures savage beatings at the hands of his mercurial father Karl. From the opening pages, Graydon plunges us into the harsh reality of Oskar's youth in Nazi-era Germany. The author's vivid prose brings to life the fear and confusion of a sensitive child grappling with his father's inexplicable cruelty:
"Eating in front of Papa had always made me nervous. It often made him mad, so mad that he would curse out loud and slap me across the face. Sometimes it seemed he wanted to kill me."
Oskar's only respite is the countless hours he spends reading, dreaming of one day becoming a pilot like his WWI veteran father, and studying the emerging field of psychology—partly as a survival mechanism to help anticipate his father's volatile moods. Graydon does a masterful job conveying the suffocating tension and dread that permeates the Bachmann household, as well as the bewilderment of a child who cannot comprehend why his father seems to reserve his worst rages for him while favoring Oskar's brother Emil.
Graydon skillfully portrays the suffocating atmosphere of Nazi Germany, where even the simple act of reading becomes an act of rebellion. Oskar finds solace in books, particularly those banned by the regime. His friendship with Timo, another bookish outsider, provides a touching counterpoint to the darkness surrounding them.
The destruction of Timo's secret library by Nazi zealots is a gut-wrenching scene, symbolizing the broader assault on knowledge and culture:
"I had to stop them. Pushing through the bystanders determined to reach the water, I shouted as loud as I could. 'No! Stop. Why are you doing this?'"
A Scholar in Search of Answers
As the Nazis rise to power and another war looms on the horizon, Oskar briefly escapes to study psychology in America, enjoying a blissful period of intellectual and personal growth in late 1930s New York. Here he falls under the mentorship of the charismatic Professor Aleksander Stanislaw, a fellow German expat with whom he develops an almost filial bond. But Oskar's American idyll is shattered when he accidentally causes Stanislaw's death and, facing a lengthy prison sentence, reluctantly returns to Germany to serve in the Luftwaffe in exchange for commutation.
Into the Skies of War
The harrowing chapters detailing Oskar's experience as a reconnaissance pilot vividly convey both the adrenaline rush of aerial combat and the sheer terror of being shot down behind enemy lines. Graydon pulls no punches in depicting the physical and psychological toll of war, from the grisly death of Oskar's crewmates during a mission over Yugoslavia to his own agonizing ordeal stranded in the North African desert.
The scene where Oskar's Junkers 88 is shot down over the North African desert is particularly harrowing:
"Complete focus, despite the hum of conversation around me. This would be my sixth flight in a Ju 88. Enough experience, I told myself. But this was no game anymore."
The author's vivid prose puts us right in the cockpit with Oskar, feeling the terror and disorientation of the crash. The subsequent scenes of survival in the desert are equally compelling, highlighting the fragility of life in wartime. Tellingly, it is thoughts of his mother Aneta, not his father, that sustain Oskar through his darkest hours.
Love and Loss in the Aftermath
But even as he survives being captured by the British and endures years in a POW camp, Oskar cannot escape the lingering shadow of his father's abuse. Plagued by nightmares and a crushing sense of inferiority, he nonetheless finds solace in the love of his English bride Miriam. The depiction of their tumultuous marriage is one of the novel's most affecting storylines, as two damaged souls struggle to build a life together while burdened by the traumas of their respective pasts.
Becoming a father himself only deepens Oskar's need to understand what drove Karl Bachmann's cruelty. Why did he seem to derive such sadistic pleasure from beating his bookish, sensitive younger son while doting on the more traditionally masculine Emil? What happened to him during WWI to make him so full of rage? Was it simply his disappointment in Oskar for failing to live up to some twisted masculine ideal, or was there something more sinister at play?
These questions continue to gnaw at Oskar even as he finally achieves his dream of becoming a professor of psychology after the war. Oskar's inability to fully open up to his wife and children creates a painful echo of his own father's emotional distance:
"I had not been much more attentive to my own children but had never beaten them. Mine was more of a long-term, casual lack of interest."
A Web of Secrets Unraveled
In a powerful set piece, Oskar scandalizes his students and risks his career by delivering a searing confessional lecture about his upbringing entitled "Leaving Fatherland"—a bold declaration of his intent to break free from his father's toxic influence once and for all.
But the truth, it turns out, is more shocking than Oskar could have imagined. Through a series of deathbed revelations orchestrated by the mysterious private investigator Huber, he learns that Karl Bachmann was not his biological father at all. Instead, Oskar was the product of a secret affair between his mother Aneta and none other than Professor Stanislaw—or rather, Stanislaw's father Eryk, a wealthy Polish businessman with shadowy ties to the Nazis.
In a devastating twist, it emerges that Eryk used his vast resources and web of connections to covertly shape the course of Oskar's entire life, engineering everything from his acceptance to university in New York to his fortuitous rescue after being shot down in the desert. The man Oskar accidentally killed, it transpires, was his own half-brother. Most horrifyingly of all, Oskar finally understands the real reason for Karl's unhinged brutality: he knew all along that Aneta's child was not his own.
The final chapters see Oskar grappling with newfound knowledge about his family's Jewish heritage, adding yet another layer to his complex sense of self:
"I suddenly felt an acute awareness of every sound, movement and smell on the ward. A sense of great shame came over me. Despite all the evidence, I had never connected the dots and come to terms with the fact that Mother was a Jew."
This series of bombshell revelations unfolds with the sickening momentum of a waking nightmare as the dying Oskar processes the extent to which his life has been a lie. And yet, in Graydon's sensitive handling, this potentially melodramatic material lands with authentic emotional force, reading less like mere plot twists than the long-delayed reckoning of a man determined to excavate the secrets buried in his family's past.
Themes of Identity and Belonging
Indeed, it is the richness and specificity of Graydon's characterizations that ground the novel's more shocking moments in recognizable human behavior. From the warm but haunted Aneta to the roguishly charming Aleksander, these feel like real people shaped by the complex tides of history rather than authorial puppets. Oskar himself emerges as an utterly convincing creation, his decency and compassion coexisting with a streak of prickliness born of deep-rooted insecurity. Watching him slowly learn to extend empathy and forgiveness to himself and those who've wronged him is one of the novel's most affecting pleasures.
Leaving Fatherland is also enriched by an impressive attention to historical detail, with Graydon weaving in everything from popular songs and slang to period-specific military hardware. Oskar's enthusiasm for books and psychology adds another layer of verisimilitude, allowing Graydon to deftly incorporate exposition about contemporaneous developments like behaviorism and aversion therapy. At times the density of information can obscure the forward momentum of the narrative, but for the most part Graydon maintains a skillful balance between edification and storytelling.
A Haunting Exploration of War's Long Shadow
The novel's bittersweet conclusion feels earned and true to the complex tapestry of Oskar's life. While he may not find all the answers he seeks, there's a sense of hard-won peace in his final moments that's genuinely touching:
"I hadn't bought her that house in the Karkonosze Mountains, like I had promised. She forgave me though. I knew she did. I rocked ever so gently in my bed. To and fro. A little less movement every time. Not, this time, to soothe my fear of Father, but to bring me nearer to Mother's love. And then, I moved no more."
In the end, Leaving Fatherland's greatest accomplishment may be its nuanced exploration of the myriad ways that violence deforms both victim and perpetrator. Through the intersecting stories of Oskar, his parents, and the extended Stanislaw/Bachmann clan, Graydon traces the insidious ripple effects of personal and historical trauma across generations. At the same time, he pays moving tribute to the redemptive power of love, literature, and self-knowledge. I will not soon forget the image of Oskar, eyes fluttering shut for the last time, finally rocking himself to sleep with a remembered snippet of the Yiddish lullabies his mother would sing him as a boy.
While it grapples with some of the darkest chapters of the 20th century, Leaving Fatherland is ultimately a hopeful, even inspiring story about one man's dogged quest to break free from the cycle of abuse and secrecy that has warped his family's existence. In his determination to confront the truth of his own past, Oskar Bachmann stands as a quietly heroic exemplar of the examined life. Matt Graydon's powerful debut novel heralds the arrival of a bold and empathetic new voice in historical fiction. I look forward to following this promising writer's career.
Read
May 13, 2024When we talk about a book being “cinematic,” it is because the reader can easily imagine the story as a film. After working in the independent film industry for twenty years, I began teaching film, both from a practical and academic perspective and upon reading Leaving Fatherland it is clear the author has an ear for dialogue and an impressive skill for writing sharp descriptions, suggesting an implicit understanding of movies. I truly hope to see this story on screen before long.
August 20, 2024
Oskar Bachmann does not know why his father, Karl, dislikes him. Despite Oskar’s sincere desire to gain his father’s respect, his efforts only exacerbate his father’s animosity. And so, he must suffer the brutal punishments and the constant mental abuse. His mother is the only person he can turn to for comfort.
Due to the growing popularity of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party and Karl’s escalating violence towards Oskar, Aneta realizes she must get her son out of the country to ensure his safety. Thankfully, Oskar is blessed with a quick mind and a deep thirst for knowledge. He secures himself a place at the University of New York, but even in New York, he finds himself unwillingly drawn back into the folds of the Fatherland.
Matt Graydon’s gripping historical fiction novel, Leaving Fatherland, captivates readers with its compelling storytelling and unforgettable characters. Keep some tissues nearby when you read this book, as it’s quite an emotional journey. The way Graydon comprehends and expresses the complexities of human existence, including its frailty and strength, is a testament to his greatness as a novelist. Moreover, Graydon possesses a sharp intuition for what makes a book engaging and compels readers to continue reading.
Oskar’s moral and psychological development takes centre stage in this novel. Fate has a way of drawing Oskar back to the Fatherland. Although he wishes to stay in New York, the circumstances have rendered that choice impossible, forcing him to join the Luftwaffe and engage in combat against the Allied Forces. He does not want to fight, nor does he want to die, and his fear of death is palatable. Although some pilots enjoy the excitement of battle and brag about killing civilians, Oskar is deeply disgusted by the notion of taking someone’s life. Oskar finds himself in some very sticky situations when in combat, but somehow, he manages to survive while others do not, causing further emotional strain on his already fragile mental health. When reading, it’s impossible not to wonder why he survives and how he manages to land on his feet every time. Oskar is clueless about the identity of this influential friend who looks out for him, and he avoids thinking about it too much - he is too busy living in the moment to wonder how his mother paid for his passage to America and why he always seems to land on his feet. He certainly doesn’t find any answers with his nose buried in books; it’s only later in the novel that he reflects on his experiences and starts questioning why. Why him? External forces constantly influence his life, right up until the end, and the emotional upheaval caused by others leaves a lasting impact, making his story a tragedy. As a result, readers can genuinely empathize with him and acknowledge his inherent goodness.
The author investigates the exploration of the dynamics within parent-child relationships. Oskar endures ongoing physical and mental abuse from his father, and this significantly impacts Oskar’s role in the family, and of course his life. The portrayal of him being beaten is extremely distressing, and his efforts to conceal the bruises with his mother’s makeup are heartbreaking. Oskar often compares himself to his brother, Emil, who can do no wrong in his father’s eyes. Emil is completely different to him, he follows in his father’s footsteps, he is a member of the Hitler Youth, and he is everything Oskar is not and could never be. Oskar isn’t a bully like his father and sibling. The author also conveys a sense of comparison between Oskar’s father and the Nazi Regime. His mother, in stark contrast to her husband, is a compassionate and kind woman who strives to protect Oskar despite her inability to confront her husband. She encourages his love for reading and she knows that for him the only way out of this situation is a decent education away from Germany. So, she sends him to New York and hopes that he has a better future than the one she is facing. He is driven to study psychology because he wants to know why his father treats him as he does, but without really knowing him, he can only guess the reason. The abuse he suffers as a child stays with him throughout his life, he never truly recovers from it. Ironically, in later life, Oskar finds it hard to connect with his own children, and thus generation trauma continues to the next generation.
While the story primarily centres around Oskar’s life, the author briefly shifts focus to Oskar’s father, Karl. The Reich highly values the work of Karl and Herr Weigl, but Karl’s vulnerability to material temptations leads him into a situation he cannot handle. He promptly recognizes he’s in over his head, but his situation spirals out of control and he quickly finds himself in deep trouble. Karl serves as a reminder of the Nazi’s human experimentation program, specifically targeting what they considered “sub-humans.” The extent of suffering faced by those who were considered racially inferior (most notably the Jews) in the quest for medical progress is highly disturbing, serving as a stark reminder of the utter cruelty of the Nazi regime. It’s ironic that Oskar and Karl, with opposing views on the Nazi party, both find themselves considering leaving the Fatherland.
This book should be praised for its meticulous historical detailing. Graydon has skilfully portrayed not only one but multiple eras - it is, after all, the narrative of Oskar’s life. Graydon has a novelist eye for detail, not only with regard to the history of the eras, in which it is very obvious that he has spent many hours researching, but also in the study of human fallibility. Graydon has created characters that are very real in the telling and has crafted an utterly compelling plot.
Leaving Fatherland by Matt Graydon is a gripping novel that compels readers to keep turning those pages. Once you start reading, it becomes nearly impossible to put down this book. For readers who appreciate well-crafted Historical Fiction that immerses them in the World War II era and beyond, this book is an essential addition to their collection. It is a narrative that will leave an indelible mark on readers’ minds.
Yarde Book Reviews & Book Promotion
Due to the growing popularity of the National Socialist German Workers’ Party and Karl’s escalating violence towards Oskar, Aneta realizes she must get her son out of the country to ensure his safety. Thankfully, Oskar is blessed with a quick mind and a deep thirst for knowledge. He secures himself a place at the University of New York, but even in New York, he finds himself unwillingly drawn back into the folds of the Fatherland.
Matt Graydon’s gripping historical fiction novel, Leaving Fatherland, captivates readers with its compelling storytelling and unforgettable characters. Keep some tissues nearby when you read this book, as it’s quite an emotional journey. The way Graydon comprehends and expresses the complexities of human existence, including its frailty and strength, is a testament to his greatness as a novelist. Moreover, Graydon possesses a sharp intuition for what makes a book engaging and compels readers to continue reading.
Oskar’s moral and psychological development takes centre stage in this novel. Fate has a way of drawing Oskar back to the Fatherland. Although he wishes to stay in New York, the circumstances have rendered that choice impossible, forcing him to join the Luftwaffe and engage in combat against the Allied Forces. He does not want to fight, nor does he want to die, and his fear of death is palatable. Although some pilots enjoy the excitement of battle and brag about killing civilians, Oskar is deeply disgusted by the notion of taking someone’s life. Oskar finds himself in some very sticky situations when in combat, but somehow, he manages to survive while others do not, causing further emotional strain on his already fragile mental health. When reading, it’s impossible not to wonder why he survives and how he manages to land on his feet every time. Oskar is clueless about the identity of this influential friend who looks out for him, and he avoids thinking about it too much - he is too busy living in the moment to wonder how his mother paid for his passage to America and why he always seems to land on his feet. He certainly doesn’t find any answers with his nose buried in books; it’s only later in the novel that he reflects on his experiences and starts questioning why. Why him? External forces constantly influence his life, right up until the end, and the emotional upheaval caused by others leaves a lasting impact, making his story a tragedy. As a result, readers can genuinely empathize with him and acknowledge his inherent goodness.
The author investigates the exploration of the dynamics within parent-child relationships. Oskar endures ongoing physical and mental abuse from his father, and this significantly impacts Oskar’s role in the family, and of course his life. The portrayal of him being beaten is extremely distressing, and his efforts to conceal the bruises with his mother’s makeup are heartbreaking. Oskar often compares himself to his brother, Emil, who can do no wrong in his father’s eyes. Emil is completely different to him, he follows in his father’s footsteps, he is a member of the Hitler Youth, and he is everything Oskar is not and could never be. Oskar isn’t a bully like his father and sibling. The author also conveys a sense of comparison between Oskar’s father and the Nazi Regime. His mother, in stark contrast to her husband, is a compassionate and kind woman who strives to protect Oskar despite her inability to confront her husband. She encourages his love for reading and she knows that for him the only way out of this situation is a decent education away from Germany. So, she sends him to New York and hopes that he has a better future than the one she is facing. He is driven to study psychology because he wants to know why his father treats him as he does, but without really knowing him, he can only guess the reason. The abuse he suffers as a child stays with him throughout his life, he never truly recovers from it. Ironically, in later life, Oskar finds it hard to connect with his own children, and thus generation trauma continues to the next generation.
While the story primarily centres around Oskar’s life, the author briefly shifts focus to Oskar’s father, Karl. The Reich highly values the work of Karl and Herr Weigl, but Karl’s vulnerability to material temptations leads him into a situation he cannot handle. He promptly recognizes he’s in over his head, but his situation spirals out of control and he quickly finds himself in deep trouble. Karl serves as a reminder of the Nazi’s human experimentation program, specifically targeting what they considered “sub-humans.” The extent of suffering faced by those who were considered racially inferior (most notably the Jews) in the quest for medical progress is highly disturbing, serving as a stark reminder of the utter cruelty of the Nazi regime. It’s ironic that Oskar and Karl, with opposing views on the Nazi party, both find themselves considering leaving the Fatherland.
This book should be praised for its meticulous historical detailing. Graydon has skilfully portrayed not only one but multiple eras - it is, after all, the narrative of Oskar’s life. Graydon has a novelist eye for detail, not only with regard to the history of the eras, in which it is very obvious that he has spent many hours researching, but also in the study of human fallibility. Graydon has created characters that are very real in the telling and has crafted an utterly compelling plot.
Leaving Fatherland by Matt Graydon is a gripping novel that compels readers to keep turning those pages. Once you start reading, it becomes nearly impossible to put down this book. For readers who appreciate well-crafted Historical Fiction that immerses them in the World War II era and beyond, this book is an essential addition to their collection. It is a narrative that will leave an indelible mark on readers’ minds.
Yarde Book Reviews & Book Promotion
September 8, 2024
A novel tackling family loyalty and broader ethics.
Rudolf Stefan Jan Weigl (2 September 1883–11 August 1957) was a Polish biologist, physician, and inventor known for creating the first effective vaccine against epidemic typhus.He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Medicine during the 1930s.Weigl worked during the Holocaust to save the lives of countless Jews by developing the vaccine for typhus and providing shelter to protect those suffering under the Nazi Germans in occupied Poland.
Przemyśl is a city in southeastern Poland.The Battle of Przemyśl took place between 11 and 14 September 1939, during the German Invasion of Poland.The Polish Army garrison of the former Austrian fortress of Przemyśl managed to halt the advance of the Wehrmacht until 14 September.The vast majority of the city's Jewish population was deported across the San River into the portion of Poland that was occupied by the Soviet Union.
Pingley POW camp was used to house mainly Italian prisoners of war, though Germans were also held there.After the war, the camp was used as an emergency sheltered housing called Pingley Farm Hostel.
Halbe is a municipality in the Dahme-Spreewald district of Brandenburg, Germany. Halbe was the site of the Battle of Halbe during the final days of WWII. Tübingen and Gottingen are university cities Germany. Wuppertal is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.From 5 July 1933 to 19 January 1934 the Kemna concentration camp was established in Wuppertal.
Derna is a port city in eastern Libya.On 6 April 1941, German forces retook the city from the British, and on 15 November 1942, British forces recaptured it.Mersa Matruh is a port in Egypt.The Battle of Mersa Matruh was fought from 26 to 29 June 1942.
Blind loyalty can lead to familial dysfunction.Unfortunately, blind family loyalties typically occur unconsciously, unbeknownst to the follower, and done in an effort to maintain peace and homeostasis within the family. Loyalty usually begins in early childhood to win parental love, approval, and acceptance.Ongoing contradiction to who we are or failing to be true to ourselves can lead to resentment, depression, animosity, and guilt.
Rudolf Stefan Jan Weigl (2 September 1883–11 August 1957) was a Polish biologist, physician, and inventor known for creating the first effective vaccine against epidemic typhus.He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Medicine during the 1930s.Weigl worked during the Holocaust to save the lives of countless Jews by developing the vaccine for typhus and providing shelter to protect those suffering under the Nazi Germans in occupied Poland.
Przemyśl is a city in southeastern Poland.The Battle of Przemyśl took place between 11 and 14 September 1939, during the German Invasion of Poland.The Polish Army garrison of the former Austrian fortress of Przemyśl managed to halt the advance of the Wehrmacht until 14 September.The vast majority of the city's Jewish population was deported across the San River into the portion of Poland that was occupied by the Soviet Union.
Pingley POW camp was used to house mainly Italian prisoners of war, though Germans were also held there.After the war, the camp was used as an emergency sheltered housing called Pingley Farm Hostel.
Halbe is a municipality in the Dahme-Spreewald district of Brandenburg, Germany. Halbe was the site of the Battle of Halbe during the final days of WWII. Tübingen and Gottingen are university cities Germany. Wuppertal is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.From 5 July 1933 to 19 January 1934 the Kemna concentration camp was established in Wuppertal.
Derna is a port city in eastern Libya.On 6 April 1941, German forces retook the city from the British, and on 15 November 1942, British forces recaptured it.Mersa Matruh is a port in Egypt.The Battle of Mersa Matruh was fought from 26 to 29 June 1942.
Blind loyalty can lead to familial dysfunction.Unfortunately, blind family loyalties typically occur unconsciously, unbeknownst to the follower, and done in an effort to maintain peace and homeostasis within the family. Loyalty usually begins in early childhood to win parental love, approval, and acceptance.Ongoing contradiction to who we are or failing to be true to ourselves can lead to resentment, depression, animosity, and guilt.
September 15, 2024
An immersive historical novel following the life of Oskar Bachmann who grows up in Nazi Germany.
Oskar is a sensitive, bookish boy so it's easy for the reader to sympathise with him when this love of books and learning appears to be one of the things that sets his father off in dishing out another beating.
Oskar's mum protects him as much as she can but despite the fear of physical violence Oskar loves his dad and hopes their shared love of aircraft will bring them closer together.
The need to understand his father becomes Oskar's obsession throughout the novel.
What happened to his father in the Great War? Is there unresolved trauma that led to his violence at home? Why is it only Oskar that gets targeted and not his older brother Emil?
Emil enlists in the Hitler youth but Oskar dreams of a teaching career and his mother helps him to go to America to study so he can get away from the worsening situation at home.
The novel is well researched and it's an interesting perspective to see the war through the eyes of German families.
As war looms and the persecution of Jews increases it's the book burnings that have particularly traumatic consequences for Oskar.
Taking place in Germany, America, Africa & England, Oskar has an eventful life including the study of psychology in the hope of understanding his father & learning to fly sees him coerced into becoming a Luftwaffe pilot.
It's a novel about the effects of war & also about identity and family secrets.
One big secret is easily guessed partway through the novel but Oskar is clueless until near the end.
I found him frustrating at times. He wants answers but he's the sort to put an important letter in his pocket to read later. Read it now Oskar! As an inquisitive reader I need to know what it says.
It's a great plot & very realistic. It's the drawing out of secrets that needing speeding up. Between Oskar saving letters & characters having important information but not having time right now so will tell you later, my patience was sorely tried. Otherwise, an excellent book.
Thank you very much to the publisher for the advance copy.
Oskar is a sensitive, bookish boy so it's easy for the reader to sympathise with him when this love of books and learning appears to be one of the things that sets his father off in dishing out another beating.
Oskar's mum protects him as much as she can but despite the fear of physical violence Oskar loves his dad and hopes their shared love of aircraft will bring them closer together.
The need to understand his father becomes Oskar's obsession throughout the novel.
What happened to his father in the Great War? Is there unresolved trauma that led to his violence at home? Why is it only Oskar that gets targeted and not his older brother Emil?
Emil enlists in the Hitler youth but Oskar dreams of a teaching career and his mother helps him to go to America to study so he can get away from the worsening situation at home.
The novel is well researched and it's an interesting perspective to see the war through the eyes of German families.
As war looms and the persecution of Jews increases it's the book burnings that have particularly traumatic consequences for Oskar.
Taking place in Germany, America, Africa & England, Oskar has an eventful life including the study of psychology in the hope of understanding his father & learning to fly sees him coerced into becoming a Luftwaffe pilot.
It's a novel about the effects of war & also about identity and family secrets.
One big secret is easily guessed partway through the novel but Oskar is clueless until near the end.
I found him frustrating at times. He wants answers but he's the sort to put an important letter in his pocket to read later. Read it now Oskar! As an inquisitive reader I need to know what it says.
It's a great plot & very realistic. It's the drawing out of secrets that needing speeding up. Between Oskar saving letters & characters having important information but not having time right now so will tell you later, my patience was sorely tried. Otherwise, an excellent book.
Thank you very much to the publisher for the advance copy.
September 3, 2024
Where most World War Two books tell the stories of the victims, survivors and allies, Leaving fatherland gives you a compelling account of the experiences of a German soldier forced to fight for The Fatherland.
Starting the story when Oskar is a young boy, dealing with an abusive and angry father scarred by his own WW1 war trauma, the writer takes you on a journey from Germany to America, Africa, Britain and eventually back to Germany. Oskar is a studious boy, who is desperate to please his father and get his approval and love. It doesn't seem to matter what he does though, his father treats him differently from his older brother and raises him with violence and hatred. Oskar decides that the only way to understand his father's behaviour, is by studying psychotherapy. It needs to be a secret though, as father would not approve of this ambition. Father wants him to become a pilot and like his older brother, enlist and fight for Hitler.
Initially Oskar seems to escape that fate, when his mother arranges for him to go to America whilst father is away. There, Oskar is befriended by his jovial landlord and all seems to go well. Until it doesn't, and Oskar realises that the people around him keep dangerous secrets. A run in with the authorities sees him shipped back to Germany, and enlisted in the army against his will. Soon, Oskar is flying high above enemy territory, spying on Allied troops.
This is totally against his character, beliefs and wishes, and Oskar does not cope well. A disastrous event sees him taken prisoner and shipped to England as a POW. There he remains well past the end of the war, until he is finally released.
Now a teacher, and married to an English girl, Oskar cannot forget about his fatherland, and especially his mother. Last he heard she had gone to Czechoslovakia and that's where the trail ends. The only solution is to move back to Germany, and find out what happened to her.
But back in Germany, the past comes knocking again and more secrets are threatening to disrupt the happy life he has finally build for himself.
It isn't till the end of his life that all is revealed, and Oskar finally has the answers to the question why his father simply could not love him the way he loved Oskar's older brother.
Being Dutch, I have grown up with stories about World War Two. At High School, I read dozens of books on the subject for my studies. But never have I read a story like Leaving Fatherland, where the central figure is a German soldier, telling his side of history.
I was really gripped by it. It took a little while to get into the book as it's a very descriptive narrative and that takes getting used to. But once I had passed the first quarter, I was so invested in finding out what would happen that I just couldn't put it down. The characters are complex and the writing draws you in, trying to understand their motivations, behaviour and justifications.
I absolutely loved this book.
Starting the story when Oskar is a young boy, dealing with an abusive and angry father scarred by his own WW1 war trauma, the writer takes you on a journey from Germany to America, Africa, Britain and eventually back to Germany. Oskar is a studious boy, who is desperate to please his father and get his approval and love. It doesn't seem to matter what he does though, his father treats him differently from his older brother and raises him with violence and hatred. Oskar decides that the only way to understand his father's behaviour, is by studying psychotherapy. It needs to be a secret though, as father would not approve of this ambition. Father wants him to become a pilot and like his older brother, enlist and fight for Hitler.
Initially Oskar seems to escape that fate, when his mother arranges for him to go to America whilst father is away. There, Oskar is befriended by his jovial landlord and all seems to go well. Until it doesn't, and Oskar realises that the people around him keep dangerous secrets. A run in with the authorities sees him shipped back to Germany, and enlisted in the army against his will. Soon, Oskar is flying high above enemy territory, spying on Allied troops.
This is totally against his character, beliefs and wishes, and Oskar does not cope well. A disastrous event sees him taken prisoner and shipped to England as a POW. There he remains well past the end of the war, until he is finally released.
Now a teacher, and married to an English girl, Oskar cannot forget about his fatherland, and especially his mother. Last he heard she had gone to Czechoslovakia and that's where the trail ends. The only solution is to move back to Germany, and find out what happened to her.
But back in Germany, the past comes knocking again and more secrets are threatening to disrupt the happy life he has finally build for himself.
It isn't till the end of his life that all is revealed, and Oskar finally has the answers to the question why his father simply could not love him the way he loved Oskar's older brother.
Being Dutch, I have grown up with stories about World War Two. At High School, I read dozens of books on the subject for my studies. But never have I read a story like Leaving Fatherland, where the central figure is a German soldier, telling his side of history.
I was really gripped by it. It took a little while to get into the book as it's a very descriptive narrative and that takes getting used to. But once I had passed the first quarter, I was so invested in finding out what would happen that I just couldn't put it down. The characters are complex and the writing draws you in, trying to understand their motivations, behaviour and justifications.
I absolutely loved this book.
July 26, 2024
Based upon true family history, Leaving Fatherland, although historical fiction, rings so real, true and crammed with facts, that it reads much like a memoir. The story follows the life of Oskar Bachmann, a German boy , and how he experiences the rise of Nazi power juxtaposed against the beatings he took at home being the victim of his father’s inner rage and alcoholism. Oskar the child, was academically inclined ,and a voracious reader with dreams of studying psychology in order to unravel the forces behind his father’s cruelty.
Oskar leaves Germany to study in New York where he struggles to fit in, always feeling that he is being followed. When a horrible accident occurs and Oskar is blamed, his life goes into a downward spiral where his only salvation is to return to Germany and become a Luftwaffe pilot.
As the years progress and Oskar faces his old age and his own death, he longs for answers to the unsolved mysteries in his life. . Matt Graydon does a yeoman’s job of bringing Oskar and all the supporting characters to life with descriptive language so detailed and realistic that I eagerly read on waiting for the revelations that finally brought closure. This debut novel had me in its grasp from the very beginning. It’s not your ordinary war story, nor is it focused only on Nazi Germany. Four brilliant stars for an immersive read and an author I will follow carefully. Many thanks to NetGalley and Cranthorpe Milner Publishers for gifting me an advance readers copy in exchange for my review. It will be available on August 20, 2024. You can order it now.
Oskar leaves Germany to study in New York where he struggles to fit in, always feeling that he is being followed. When a horrible accident occurs and Oskar is blamed, his life goes into a downward spiral where his only salvation is to return to Germany and become a Luftwaffe pilot.
As the years progress and Oskar faces his old age and his own death, he longs for answers to the unsolved mysteries in his life. . Matt Graydon does a yeoman’s job of bringing Oskar and all the supporting characters to life with descriptive language so detailed and realistic that I eagerly read on waiting for the revelations that finally brought closure. This debut novel had me in its grasp from the very beginning. It’s not your ordinary war story, nor is it focused only on Nazi Germany. Four brilliant stars for an immersive read and an author I will follow carefully. Many thanks to NetGalley and Cranthorpe Milner Publishers for gifting me an advance readers copy in exchange for my review. It will be available on August 20, 2024. You can order it now.
September 1, 2024
I absolutely loved this debut novel. A work of historical fiction brilliantly interwoven with the author’s recollections of family history discussed around the dinner table when he was growing up. This included a Luftwaffe pilot who crashed in the desert in North Africa and became a prisoner of war in Lincolnshire, a World War I gunner and conscientious objector, a naval officer and a former reconnaissance crew member on a Luftwaffe Junkers 88.
The attention to detail as the story of Oskar Bachmann’s lifelong search for the reason(s) he endured such brutal beatings from his father unfolds there is evidence of Matt Graydon’s extensive and meticulous research on life in Nazi German, the Luftwaffe, psychology and the development of the typhus vaccine.
The reader is taken through bookworm Oskar’s life as a child, a student in America, a Luftwaffe reconnaissance pilot, a prisoner-of-war, a husband, a father and a university lecturer. It is only in the last few pages that Oskar (and the reader) finally discover the answers to his life’s mission, his own identity and the reason that he and his children felt they were being followed all their lives.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I was as desperate as Oskar to find answers but very disappointed that I had reached the end of such an amazing novel.
I received a free copy of this book via The Niche Reader.
The attention to detail as the story of Oskar Bachmann’s lifelong search for the reason(s) he endured such brutal beatings from his father unfolds there is evidence of Matt Graydon’s extensive and meticulous research on life in Nazi German, the Luftwaffe, psychology and the development of the typhus vaccine.
The reader is taken through bookworm Oskar’s life as a child, a student in America, a Luftwaffe reconnaissance pilot, a prisoner-of-war, a husband, a father and a university lecturer. It is only in the last few pages that Oskar (and the reader) finally discover the answers to his life’s mission, his own identity and the reason that he and his children felt they were being followed all their lives.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I was as desperate as Oskar to find answers but very disappointed that I had reached the end of such an amazing novel.
I received a free copy of this book via The Niche Reader.
September 3, 2024
Leaving Fatherland is a story that spans nearly 50 years from pre-war Germany, wartime Germany, and post-war Germany.
We follow Oskar, who was brutally beaten as a child by his Father, went on to become a pilot in the Luftwaffe during World War II and married an English woman. But the married was not a happy one, and Oskar's mind is constantly going back to his childhood. Why was his Father so abusive to him?
A lecture Oskar gives at a University in Germany leads to the answers to his questions and all is revealed.
Want to know more? Be sure to pick your copy up.
So overall, I found Leaving Fatherland to be a throughly interesting read. Obviously very well researched, as you read along, you feel as though you are in wartime Germany, so good are the descriptions of the time and place.
It's mysterious, it's intriguing, it's poignant.
It's a story of self-discovery and is deeply moving and haunting at times.
It's gripping and complelling, and Is certainly an impressive debut novel.
I read this in two sittings.
5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
We follow Oskar, who was brutally beaten as a child by his Father, went on to become a pilot in the Luftwaffe during World War II and married an English woman. But the married was not a happy one, and Oskar's mind is constantly going back to his childhood. Why was his Father so abusive to him?
A lecture Oskar gives at a University in Germany leads to the answers to his questions and all is revealed.
Want to know more? Be sure to pick your copy up.
So overall, I found Leaving Fatherland to be a throughly interesting read. Obviously very well researched, as you read along, you feel as though you are in wartime Germany, so good are the descriptions of the time and place.
It's mysterious, it's intriguing, it's poignant.
It's a story of self-discovery and is deeply moving and haunting at times.
It's gripping and complelling, and Is certainly an impressive debut novel.
I read this in two sittings.
5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
August 30, 2024
Leaving Fatherland is a biographical story of a young German boy and the influences in his life that lead him to question his loyalty to the Nazi way of life. Oskar wants to have a relationship with his father but his father beats him and makes it difficult. Oskar is a reader and dreams to learn about psychology and how the brain works so he can understand his father. Oskar finds support and love from his mother who ultimately helps him to get to America to study and leave the war behind him. Oskar’s life takes many twists and turns and ultimately back to Germany. I was excited to continue reading and see how Oskar begins to understand his father’s and his own life.
FYI: I received a free copy of this book via The Niche Reader
FYI: I received a free copy of this book via The Niche Reader
August 31, 2024
This is an interesting novel that manages seamlessly to blend fact and fiction. It has interesting, believable characters and a plot that kept me reading to the last page. If it has a flaw it’s in not making clear when the chapters are written by the the imaginary author. Is he writing it as he lives it? Or does he write it entirely at the end of his life?
Also. Are we to think that this is a translation from his native German or is his English good enough to write it all in English?
It did lead to some confusion in me and it’s why I am giving it 4 rather than 5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book via The Niche Reader.
Also. Are we to think that this is a translation from his native German or is his English good enough to write it all in English?
It did lead to some confusion in me and it’s why I am giving it 4 rather than 5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book via The Niche Reader.
September 28, 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
What can I say about this book other than it was the most brilliant of reads from beginning to end. I found myself drawn into the story and the hours simply flew by as I read this book. The characters are beautifully portrayed, especially Oskar whose life is a constant struggle.
Leaving Fatherland is a very emotional read and deals with many issues, not just war. There are some scenes that are very upsetting as Oskar endures years of abuse by his father, and they leave a legacy of devastation.
This is a book that you certainly need some tissues close at hand, and it is also one that once read you will never forget.
What can I say about this book other than it was the most brilliant of reads from beginning to end. I found myself drawn into the story and the hours simply flew by as I read this book. The characters are beautifully portrayed, especially Oskar whose life is a constant struggle.
Leaving Fatherland is a very emotional read and deals with many issues, not just war. There are some scenes that are very upsetting as Oskar endures years of abuse by his father, and they leave a legacy of devastation.
This is a book that you certainly need some tissues close at hand, and it is also one that once read you will never forget.
August 24, 2024
Leaving Fatherland is a compelling and beautifully crafted novel that hooked me from the first pages.
Vivid descriptions paint a variety of vistas worldwide and bring each location to life. I agree with other reviewers that it is easy to visualise the narrative and the book would make a stunning film.
Superbly researched historical and technical details thread through the narrative as material counterpoints to the psychological effects of childhood abuse, loss, displacement, and war.
The book’s themes of migration, loss, and identity could not be more relevant for today’s reader.
Vivid descriptions paint a variety of vistas worldwide and bring each location to life. I agree with other reviewers that it is easy to visualise the narrative and the book would make a stunning film.
Superbly researched historical and technical details thread through the narrative as material counterpoints to the psychological effects of childhood abuse, loss, displacement, and war.
The book’s themes of migration, loss, and identity could not be more relevant for today’s reader.
September 2, 2024
The story of Oskars life before and after World War II as a German. It also gives the reader an insight to the plight of German nationals who were forced to choose their destiny in order to survive. The book is an emotional story where Oskars relationship with his father is the main theme in his life. He spends his whole life searching for the answers. Although he tries to carve his own path in life while he ends up following a path his father had laid out for him. I received a free copy of this book via The Niche Reader.
August 24, 2024
Hard to believe this is Graydon’s first novel: a crafted tale so precise in detail, transporting and immersing the reader in the reality, the psychology, the zeitgeist of the emotional chaos and complexity of the second world war and it’s fragmented loyalties. Written so skilfully, pulling you in and out of empathy with his protagonist, his dreams, his failures and finally his redemption. Compelling, superlative, read it.
June 25, 2024
Matt Graydon’s debut novel is a captivating and intimate look at Oskar’s life spanning several decades and two continents before, during, and after WWII. The family drama and the father-son conflict add a moving dimension throughout this excellent historical novel.
I look forward to his next book.
I look forward to his next book.
August 19, 2024
This was pretty good. The story was super interesting, all the different facets of Oskar's life, from Germany, to the US, and back again. I loved how all the threads tied up in the end.
However, I did feel like it moved so fast at times that I missed things. The frequent time jumps also felt a little like whiplash.
But overall, a decent read.
However, I did feel like it moved so fast at times that I missed things. The frequent time jumps also felt a little like whiplash.
But overall, a decent read.
August 31, 2024
The novel "Leaving Fatherland" is a beautifully crafted story that captivated me from the very beginning.
The vivid descriptions painted a variety of landscapes around the world, bringing each location to life. The psychological effects of childhood abuse, loss, displacement, and war are brilliantly portrayed.
The research of historical and technical details is superb.
The vivid descriptions painted a variety of landscapes around the world, bringing each location to life. The psychological effects of childhood abuse, loss, displacement, and war are brilliantly portrayed.
The research of historical and technical details is superb.
Read
September 10, 2024A very emotional and enjoyable read. From the onset your heart goes out to the main character, Oskar, as a child. The pages keep turning as you are compelled to keep returning to track the events of his life. It is also a very well researched historical fiction novel, with events and themes of the period woven into an intriguing plot, to great effect. Absolutely recommended.
September 23, 2024
This is a wonderful account of a true story that has been fictionalised. I was gripped from chapter one and became fully immersed in the story and the characters. I was left wanting more. I started reading the book and finished it on Audible on a long car journey. The latter was a really good production. A great first novel - just hoping I don’t have to wait too long for the next one.
September 18, 2024
WOW
As with any book that is written about this horrible time in history it has a lot of tragedy and this book is no different, with that being said I is well written and the ending is mind blowing. Really enjoyed reading it
As with any book that is written about this horrible time in history it has a lot of tragedy and this book is no different, with that being said I is well written and the ending is mind blowing. Really enjoyed reading it
September 2, 2024
Intriguing - harrowing - poignant.
Well researched and well written.
A heartfelt journey of discovery.
Well researched and well written.
A heartfelt journey of discovery.
September 3, 2024
Thank you, Goodreads, for this book. Hard to put down. Compelling, sad story.
September 7, 2024
Leaving Fatherland is a compelling historical narrative which follows one man’s struggle to remain true to his ideals in a world he is often powerless to control.
Young Oskar Bachman longs for love from his violent, unpredictable father but things only worsen as he grows older. Threats at home are mirrored by the political situation: as the Nazis tighten their grip on Germany, everything Oskar values is destroyed.
The twists and turns of Oskar’s story take the reader on a vivid journey across three continents and five decades. But this is more than just a page-turner: Graydon’s careful evocation of place and character pulls us into the complexities of Oskar’s world and the dangerous tightrope he walks between integrity and survival. An original and very enjoyable read.
Young Oskar Bachman longs for love from his violent, unpredictable father but things only worsen as he grows older. Threats at home are mirrored by the political situation: as the Nazis tighten their grip on Germany, everything Oskar values is destroyed.
The twists and turns of Oskar’s story take the reader on a vivid journey across three continents and five decades. But this is more than just a page-turner: Graydon’s careful evocation of place and character pulls us into the complexities of Oskar’s world and the dangerous tightrope he walks between integrity and survival. An original and very enjoyable read.
September 1, 2024
If you are looking for a book about world war II from a German view, this is the book to read. Fast paced and very well researched and written, it takes you into what and why the average citizen fought for their country. It wasn't on the main characters agenda to be in the military, he wanted to be a scholar, but strange twists of fate brought him back to the fatherland. The book describes the war from his point of view and how it affected him and the many secrets that were kept by his family. I received a free copy of this book to read via "The Niche Reader".
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