Wow. I won't write a book description for this one because it's impossible to do it justice with a blurb. Instead I will tell you why I loved it so much. This is definitely more than another WWII book. It's a long one, but it wouldn't have been the same reading experience if it had been cut down. One thing that I loved was that the reader gets to know the characters well before the war really takes over their lives. Although there were a lot of people in this book, the character development is wonderful and I didn't lose track of the individual stories. If someone was there, they were there for a reason. This author doesn't leave you hanging wondering why so-and-so came along.
There is a real sense of what life was like for Jewish people in Hungary and in Paris prior to the war. I saw their false sense of safety and wanted to warn them to do this or that. I would talk to my book and say, "Are you crazy? That will get you into trouble! Don't you understand?" I loved these people. I wanted to protect them.
The epilogue wasn't necessary for me, but I think it was good that she added it for readers that need a more definite sense of closure. Your questions get answered in the story itself, but the epilogue does give a final peek into the futures of the survivors. Overall this was an excellent book. I can't imagine how she could have done better. I look forward to more from this author. I give it a very strong 5/5.