Fun Friday A View Across the Rooftops by Suzanne Kelman

 

Part one

This book has a good in depth, yet sorrowful start to it. The story is really well written that it is thought provoking in that on the surface it is just a man getting on with his life but underneath there is a desire to go unnoticed and have a quiet life.

It is so lovely to read about young love. It is sad that it is at a time of war and with the attitudes towards the Jewish of the era.

It is intriguing as to the idea that was inspired by just a bike ‘Pedal’. It is nice to read this part amongst all the underlying sadness.

It is shockingly sad to read of the outcome to the ‘Careless talk’. It highlights how important it was to not divulge any information at all to anyone. Now it seems the loss of an object is the least of his worries as they say.

After a sad, tragic and action packed day/evening for both Josef and Michael. It is now lovely to read that after a very clever and small but safe hiding place and a useful bottle of vinegar, the, or one tragedy that day is avoided. Also we all know that what Michael says to Josef isn’t going to be true, and we can only hope what Josef says back to Michael is true/comes true. I didn’t want to put this book down whilst reading this part.

The book shows things in perspective in that a loss of a ‘Wireless’ against the tragedy is nothing. I cannot believe who arrived at Josef’s home, I felt paranoid as this part is well written. Also, yes, it is good that a ‘Cat’ can be basically blamed for any noise. Now surely Michael should be told or have it explained more as to why he is staying. However, Josef is a man of few words, so it would be out of character. His character is well written and consistent in nature. Although we do see the beginning of a character development and it looks like it is going to be a long slow process. Which is again in his character/nature from what I have established from what I have read so far about Josef.

Part two

I like the interaction between Michael and Josef at the beginning of this part. The communication technique is a good one. The part where Michael has renamed Josef’s cat from just the name ‘Kat’ to another name reminds me of the book and film ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote with Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly where Holly just calls her cat ‘Cat’ as well. It is also nice to read that Josef smiled at the now flyable maths assignment. Yes, this is amusing to read.

As I read this part it is sad and tiring to realise that every conversation, visit and interaction has to be carefully thought out as to not giving anything away. It now is lovely to see someone helped and also to see that yes, a card can mean so much. This book highlights that when you have so little, small gestures of anything can mean so much. It shows that it doesn’t have to be big fancy gestures, it can be just the simplest of things to make an impression on someone.

Part three

It was so nice to read of a lovely evening, however, it ended wasn’t good at all. All I can say to what happens next is what now? And I hope it will all work out ok. It is sad to think of this part having come to an end. To some, may be the repetitive nature of this book could become boring, but to me it was a lovely read and I thought that the conversations were in depth and heartwarming to read.

It is a sad twist as it wasn’t who I hoped it would be at this point. This part reminds me of the film Endless Love with Brooke Shields. I hate when someone gets the wrong idea in any situation, so close yet so far away. So this part, for me, is not nice to read.

Although I don’t agree with what Ingrid is doing or who she is with, I do now feel feel that it is nice that she does now have a friend at least, that is for now.

I am so glad to read of what happens in chapter 32. It was a nice surprise and I can safely say that the character development in Josef, I have mentioned previously has progressed as I thought it would. This is another lovely part to read.

What Josef did was incredibly dangerous and yet brave. As I was reading this part about the medical books, my thoughts were that it is well known that you shouldn’t self diagnose . In this case when it happened you and I have to remember that this is a fictional story so the author can make anything come believably right through just writing the words on the page. So for this part I would say/give the well know warning, self diagnosis, ‘Don’t try this at home’.

It is an ‘Edge of you seat’ read, not only about the hospital stay but what he finds when he gets home. I am so glad now that everything's out in the open now. Now along with Josef we can ‘Hope’. Even sadly with so much tragedy happening around them.

Part four

In this part I thought the mission was going too smoothly. From what I have read previously and what I continue to read all I can say is ‘Hope’ plays a very strong part within this ending to the story. I also along with Josef, feel the relief as well after a tense part that made me, I found, hold my breath whilst reading it. I had a feeling something was off with her. I hate that Ingrid suffered because of it, however, I am glad she is seeing things clearer now. It also turns out, it seems that ‘Cuckoos’ are very clever.

I didn’t like how Ingrid was portrayed as a naive and brainwashed character, that is until she realised all the evil that was surrounding her. I don't think her story is over yet, I feel there is, shall we say, more growth in her character to come.

With so much hanging in the balance by the end of chapter 54, I don’t want to put this book down now. It is now lovely to read of an unexpected, and I agree, ‘Miracle’. I just got to hope for more miracles.

So many heartwarming miracles, I love the ending to this book, the only way I can describe it is heroically, mathematically, musically beautiful and more.

This book to me is a cross between the film The Lady in the Van by Alan Bennett and the book The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank. In that a man that wants a quiet life but ends up helping another through their circumstances.

Thank you for reading

Sandra