Customer Reviews

This Shining Land

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Rosalind Laker's This Shining Land is a book that encompasses a story of love and pride during the struggling and trying times of german-occupied Norway in WWII. Unlike other books set during wartime, the author uses her husband's experiences in the Norwegian resistance movement to create a realistic and desparate love story that draws the reader to grasp her every word.
Young Johanna Ryen's life is forever changed when the Germans invade her city, Oslo, Norway. During the early days of occupation as Johanna struggles to live a normal existence, she crosses paths with Steffen Larsen, who later becomes a resistance fighter and the love of her life. As everything around her morphs into Nazi occupied territory, Johanna is forced to pack her few belongings and flee to her family home Ryendal, in the fjord countryside of western Norway. It is while she is there that she once again meets Steffen and is influenced to join the underground resistance movement. This Shining Land chronicles Johanna's emotional and often dangerous experiences and strifes of living and fighting for a country under seige. While Laker describes in great detail the pains of war, she creates an addictive romance between Johanna and Steffen, who's love seems to only survive in the dark shadows of the underground movement.
A book that is thrilling and even enchanting, This Shining Land is perfect for anyone who has an interest in wartime history, Northern Europe and romantic storylines. This Shining Land is a far cry from a romance novel, but instead is a non-traditional love story that will entangle every reader in its double-sided storyline of love and war. A definite must-read for those who are soft at heart and are looking for something exciting and different!

This Shining Land begins in April 1940 as German troops invade and occupy Norway. During one of the initial bombing raids secretary Johanna Ryen gets a quick introduction to her landlord's other tenant Steffen Larsen, as they barely make it to the basement shelter in time. Sparks fly (of course) and as the Germans continue to take control of the country and its people Steffen and Johanna become involved in the Norwegian Resistance Movement in a dangerous game of cat and mouse -- doing anything and everything to subvert the Germans and gain intelligence for the Allied Forces.

Sounds simple enough, but I found this quite interesting as Laker details not only the politics of the time, but the effects of the occupation by even the smallest details on the populace, as all the basic necessities (food, clothing, etc) were sent to Germany, travel without passes is restricted, radios become secret contraband along with the absolute terror of the constant presence of the Gestapo and SS.

Much of the book is based upon Laker's husband's experiences working in the resistance movement and Laker herself came to Norway as a young bride after the liberation. Laker takes the reader on quite a journey from the first bombing of Oslo to hair raising escapes and nail biting close calls, secret rooms, torture at the hands of the Gestapo to a the horrific details of life in a concentration camp, as Steffen and Johanna try to keep themselves and their love alive. While this story is very different from Laker's usual formula and some of her fans might not care for it, I was quite fascinated and learned much about Norway, its history and customs and how they fought the Nazi occupation. 4.5/5 stars.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially because my relatives were living there during that time! I felt I learned so much about what went on while the Nazi's were there. Now I want my kids to read it to learn more about their heritage!

I really enjoy Rosalind Laker's books, but this one has a nice charm about it, considering that it is partly a true story, based on her husband. Very interesting spy/love story.