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rubyslippersreads
The Exiles Return: A Novel | Elisabeth de Waal
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Like most of you, I enjoyed Professor Adler‘s story most, and was glad he and Nina had a happy ending. Resi‘s story was sad, and both Bimbo and Lucas were creeps. Krieger made my blood run cold. And Father Jahoda certainly had his finger in every pie.

#PersephoneClub

13 likes5 comments
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kspenmoll
The Exiles Return: A Novel | Elisabeth de Waal
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Mid-morning coffee. Slept in late; rare for me! #coffeeandbooks

IriDas Good to get some extra rest. 😊 4w
LeahBergen How are you enjoying this? It‘s our current #PersephoneClub read! 👏 4w
kspenmoll @LeahBergen I am only on page 25 where he is still on the train going into Vienna. But I am intrigued and anxious to see his response to everything. 3w
59 likes2 stack adds3 comments
review
andrew61
The Exiles Return: A Novel | Elisabeth de Waal
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Pickpick

This excellent story centres on 3 people returning to Vienna Post ww2 for a new life. Pr Adler confronts nazi suspicion in his old lab in a brilliant scene. Kanakis is a rich exile who wants to buy property + surround himself in admirers. Resi is a beautiful teenager sent to family. Compelling read.
@quietjenn @Tamra @CarolynM @sisilia @Caryl @daena @elkeOriginal @Gissy @Aimeesue @Bookbuyingaddict @julieclair @willaful @LeahBergen #persephoneclub

Tamra Adler‘s story was compelling and I felt drawn into his quest to create a new life post exile. (edited) 1mo
Itchyfeetreader Oh - this sounds like something I would like but am trying so hard to clear the years of stress book buying trolley this year ! 1mo
LeahBergen Great review, Andrew! And I like to see your shelf of Persephones peeping out from the background. 😄 1mo
Cathythoughts Great review… I‘m finding it compelling too. 4w
andrew61 @Tamra @Itchyfeetreader @Cathythoughts @LeahBergen I'd hesitate to say this wasvon my favourites of our persephone reads, but it is definitely up there. Despite the ending, Adler and Nina left me feeling very satisfied. 4w
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Cathythoughts
The Exiles Return: A Novel | Elisabeth de Waal
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Finally started on train trip to Dublin. Also Kuno Adler is on his train to Vienna. Loving it so far , beautiful writing and story. #Persephoneclub

kspenmoll This sounds like a wonderful compliment to a book I just finished 1mo
Cathythoughts @kspenmoll It surely does 😁❤️ 1mo
andrew61 Enjoy your trip Cathy, and the book. I enjoyed it immensely. 1mo
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CarolynM Enjoy the book, and Dublin😘 1mo
sarahbarnes Enjoy! 💕 1mo
Lesliereadsalot Have the best time. My two best friends and I went to Dublin a few years ago to go on the Game of Thrones tour. So much fun! 1mo
Tamra Have a wonderful trip - sounds perfect, book on a train! 😘 1mo
marleed Barry‘s tea always makes me smile. My sister (RIP) sold Barry‘s tea in her Irish store in Butte, Montana and sung its praises. Same sister reused a single tea bag (of any variety) all day long and I teased her she did not drink tea so much as tea infused water. I brought a large box of Barry‘s home with me. I drink my tea very strong so I loved Barry‘s but I‘m pretty sure she must have reused the same tea bag for a week🤣 1mo
Cathythoughts @Lesliereadsalot sounds great ! Thankyou x 1mo
Cathythoughts @sarahbarnes Thanks Sarah x 1mo
Cathythoughts @Tamra Book on train is my very favorite 🥰📚 1mo
Cathythoughts @marleed I love Barry‘s tea. It has to be Barry‘s , nothing else will do. Reusing the tea bag is a very good idea, I‘m just too lazy 😁 1mo
Cathythoughts @andrew61 Thanks Andrew. I‘m really enjoying the book. 1mo
Cathythoughts @CarolynM Thanks Carolyn , I am x 1mo
LeahBergen Have fun in Dublin, Cathy, and I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did. 😘 1mo
AnnCrystal Dublin 💖💖💖. 1mo
Cathythoughts @AnnCrystal ❤️❤️❤️ 1mo
Cathythoughts @LeahBergen Thanks Leah, I have a feeling I will enjoy it immensely ❤️ 1mo
kspenmoll I just started this book. Thought it a perfect accompaniment to 4w
MemoirsForMe Enjoy your vacation! 💚 3w
Cathythoughts @kspenmoll Oh great ❤️ 3w
Cathythoughts @MemoirsForMe Thankyou ❤️ 3w
58 likes22 comments
review
CarolynM
The Exiles Return: A Novel | Elisabeth de Waal
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Pickpick

From the very start, this book told me where it was going. Even so, I was surprised when it got there. I knew nothing about life in post WWII Vienna and found this aspect of it fascinating. I enjoyed Resi‘s story, but she was such an ephemeral character I didn‘t feel a lot for her. I felt much more connected to Professor Adler & his efforts to make a new life in his old home. #PersephoneClub

LeahBergen That was exactly how I felt about the characters, too, and found I was much more interested in Resi‘s family and friends. On a side note, I really love this bookmark and endpapers. 😆 1mo
Cathythoughts Great review Carolyn, I‘m hoping to start tomorrow 👍🏻♥️ 1mo
Tamra I too really enjoyed Adler‘s character. 😊 1mo
62 likes3 comments
review
LeahBergen
The Exiles Return: A Novel | Elisabeth de Waal
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Pickpick

This was a fascinating look at post-WWII Austria, a time of which I knew very little about before reading this novel. We follow three exiles on their return to Vienna from America and try to figure out how their lives will intersect to explain the “accidental” death described in the prologue. So good!

#PersephoneClub

andrew61 I finished it last night and would love to be having a discussion about it. Pr Alder and Nina was an outcome which was very moving but as for poor Resi , what can I say. Another great persephone read. 1mo
LeahBergen @andrew61 I was very happy with the Alder and Nina outcome (and that little peek into their future together!) but poor Resi is right! What do you think of Kanakis‘ grief at the end? I was moved enough to think he really felt for her and she wasn‘t a complete “marriage of convenience”. I hope? 1mo
andrew61 Yes, it was curious. Kanakis seemed to want Resi as a trophy, a beautiful curio like the shepherdess, and that would allow him to then hide his attraction to young men like Bimbo. I think he may have been upset in the way he would have been if the shepherdess had been dropped at the loss of a beautiful object. The book continually emphasises Resi's beauty. 1mo
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andrew61 I thought the confrontation between Adler and Krieger was particularly dramatic. Krieger's admission of his activities in the war was shocking and Adler was remarkable in his response. I also liked the three sisters who were princesses. I will add Vienna to my list of places to visit. 1mo
Cathythoughts Great review Leah. I must start soon , then I can read the spoiler too 👍🏻😁 1mo
CarolynM Great review. It‘s not something I know anything about either. I‘m just about to start Part 2. I‘ll come back to your spoiler comment when I finish🙂 1mo
LeahBergen @andrew61 I definitely think you‘re right about the trophy aspect of his affection for her (look at how excited he was to think of dressing her). And that whole Adler/Krieger confrontation was so powerful! 1mo
LeahBergen @andrew61 I kind of wish I had three Austrian princess aunts 😆😆 1mo
LeahBergen @Cathythoughts @CarolynM I tried to not give too much of the plot away in my review 😆 1mo
Bookbuyingaddict Hi 👋 all great reviews and loving 🥰 following along however I‘m giving this particular one a miss but will join back in with the next 😀happy reading 📖 folks ❤️ 1mo
LeahBergen @Bookbuyingaddict No worries! We‘ll see you for the next one! 😘 1mo
CarolynM @LeahBergen @andrew61 I agree with you about why Kanakis wanted Resi but I think he would have been kind to her & they would have had a life that suited them both. I think he was grieving what might have been as well as the loss of beauty. I would have liked more about Professor Adler & how he felt about the changes in the people & the city. The circumstances of the fading aristocracy as represented by the 3 princesses interested me too. 1mo
LeahBergen @CarolynM I thought the same thing about Kanakis and was (weirdly!) rooting for them. 1mo
rubyslippersreads @andrew61 I think that‘s it exactly. 3w
72 likes5 stack adds14 comments
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andrew61
The Exiles Return: A Novel | Elisabeth de Waal
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I am enjoying our latest foray into the persephone catalogue + so far this is an interesting tale of several individuals returning to Vienna post ww2. This was a very powerful scene in which Pr Adler is confronted by Dr Krieger + ends up justifying himself. Very powerful+ required a reflective pause
@quietjenn @Tamra @CarolynM @sisilia @Caryl @daena @elkeOriginal @Gissy @Aimeesue @Bookbuyingaddict @julieclair @willaful @LeahBergen #persephoneclub

LeahBergen That passage stopped me in my tracks, too! 1mo
13 likes1 comment
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Cathythoughts
The Names: A Novel | Florence Knapp
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I need to catch up on my reading. The Names is for IRL Bookclub, and it‘s very good, nearly finished. 👍🏻 Then it‘s onto #PersephoneClub and The Exiles Return.

Tamra I have the tagged TBR - long wait list at the library for the audio! 1mo
Cathythoughts @Tamra Oh very good. I‘ll look forward to your thoughts one day x 1mo
Tamra @Cathythoughts how was your trip? 1mo
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Cathythoughts @Tamra It was lovely Thankyou ! We travelled up the country to Maynooth, Ballybofey, Carlingford, Derry, Rostrevor… we got around 😁. We had some gorgeous walks , lovely meals , it was a great success. Batteries are recharged. ( for now 😂) ❤️❤️❤️ 1mo
squirrelbrain I bought The Names a few weeks ago - I hear it‘s a tough read. 1mo
Cathythoughts @squirrelbrain I think it‘s really good so far. I don‘t find it ‘too‘ tough … it‘s a serious book. I think it will be an interesting Bookclub book … I‘ll look forward to your thoughts x 1mo
LeahBergen Your holiday sounds lovely! I‘m not very far into The Exiles Return myself. 1mo
Cathythoughts @LeahBergen Hi Leah, I hope all is well with you. I havnt started Exiles yet … but will soon x 1mo
Tamra @Cathythoughts oh, I looked at images and they have such scenic/iconic architecture & streets! 😍 (edited) 1mo
Cathythoughts @Tamra You‘ll have to come visit some day ❤️ 1mo
70 likes10 comments
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Tamra
The Exiles Return: A Novel | Elisabeth de Waal
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My favorite paragraph & single line in the whole novel! Pg. 168
#PersephoneClub

LeahBergen This whole interaction was so powerful! 1mo
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review
Tamra
The Exiles Return: A Novel | Elisabeth de Waal
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Pickpick

I‘m so glad the de Waals family allowed her novels to be published posthumously. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and circumstance of this one, which were unique enough to keep me engaged. It also went off in surprising directions! Makes me wonder whether this could have been published in the 1950‘s. 🤔 #PersephoneClub

Tamra There were a couple of too abrupt transitions and sadly the Adler - Grein thread was too hastily tied. I wanted more on that storyline, it just ended rather early on! 1mo
LeahBergen I‘m just about to start it so I‘ll come back to comment! 😄 1mo
andrew61 Great review. I'll probably start next week. Will be interesting, it's a while since I read hare with the Amber eyes which focused a lot on lost lives from war. 1mo
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Tamra @LeahBergen 👏🏾 1mo
Tamra @andrew61 I will have to add that to the TBR! 1mo
CarolynM I‘m hoping to get started on this one in the next day or two. I‘ll come back for your spoiler comment when I‘ve finished. 1mo
Tamra @CarolynM 😁 It‘s my favorite paragraph of the novel. 1mo
Cathythoughts I need to start this. Finishing off my IRL bookclub book first …. 1mo
Tamra @Cathythoughts I hope you like it! It‘s not flawless, but I was invested in the characters and didn‘t want it to end actually. 1mo
LeahBergen I was surprised at some of the content, too! And I agree, more on Adler would have been great. I knew so little about this time period and found myself fascinated by Vienna (I must visit one day!) 1mo
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