Book Review: Tangled Ashes {Handlebar} –Spoilers-

A long while ago I was sent a book by the title of Tangled Ashes by Michele Phoenix. I intended to read it as soon as I got it but time just got away from me. I let my dd (16 yo) read it first. A word of caution: there is adult subject matter in this book. But I will say that I felt Phoenix covers it well; it’s not generally graphic or more detailed than it needs to be.

Before choosing to review this book I did read its description and thought it would be an interesting read.

Title: Tangled Ashes
Author: Michele Phoenix
Format: Paperback, 372 pages (for Kindle)
ISBN: 9781414368405
Publisher: Tyndale Fiction
Retail: 12.99
Genre: Fiction/General (historical fiction)

From the back of the book:

After invading Lamorlaye, France, Nazi officials don’t hesitate to take over the beautiful Meunier manor as their headquarters, hiring two young Frenchwomen, Marie and Elise, who clean and launder to help supplement their families’ meager incomes. But the girls begin to grow suspicious when medical equipment arrives, followed by an influx of pregnant women. As the Nazis’ plan for the manor become clear, the girls must decide where their loyalties truly lie.

More than fifty years later…

Architect Marshall Becker arrives in Lamorlaye to begin the massive renovation of a Renaissance-era castle. The project that was meant to provide escape for Becker instead becomes a gripping glimpse into the human drama that unfolded during the Nazi occupation and seems to live on in midnight disturbances and bizarre acts of vandalism.

Becker explores the castle’s shadowy history as he seeks to cope with the demons from his past. Only Jade, the feisty nanny of the owner’s children, is willing to stand up to him. But Becker soon discovers that every one of the chateau’s inhabitants seems to have something to hide and something to protect –and something worth fighting for.
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From that description one can get a fairly good idea of what the book is about. It starts out in the past but quickly comes to the present. At first I wasn’t sure how it would tie together but reading along for a short time, I could see how it did connect. I was not ready for the twists and turns though.

SPOILERS coming!

This book is bittersweet. The young women from the town of Lamorlaye of the past are so naïve (one much more so than the other) and taken in so quickly to the Nazis’ ‘world’ at the castle. Elise is captivated by one of the Nazi soldiers and it does prove fatal. Before she dies, however, she is admitted to the Meunier manor as a resident –to produce an Aryan child for the Fuhrer. The girls are only 16 and 17. Elise dies while giving birth to a baby girl. Marie lives but she leads such a troubled short life afterwards.

Moving onto the present: Becker. What a tragic man! He has had some terrible things happen in his past that has made him into a harsh, rude, skeptical and selfish person. His harshness is intimidating to those in the story –and infuriating to me and the characters in the book! We learn about 1/2 way (?) why he is such a torn up man. But still –I don’t think the past is a justifier for his actions and behavior throughout the story. He is also an alcoholic.

The new owner is a rich family and honestly, they don’t have much to ‘hide’ as the description portrays but they do have lots to protect. They have twin 6 year olds and another baby on the way. They also have a caring nanny, Jade.

Now Jade is ‘fiesty’ and has sparkling eyes that immediately catches Becker’s attention. He is determined to shun all emotional contact with others –especially women –so nothing happens between Becker and Jade in that sense. I think he does come to be very fond of her, bordering on love. She might also have feelings for him but she keeps them locked away because she has a secret that we learn later on. She has breast cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.

Becker can’t understand why Jade takes care of children for rich people when she is an extremely smart woman who could do so much more. What I find interesting is he is quick to judge her and her choices but when someone makes mention of his choices (the alcohol and the temper and mistreatment of people) he can’t take it. Much like some people in real life, eh?

Oh! I almost forgot to mention JoJo and Therese. JoJo is a man who has been on the castle property for as long as anyone can remember and is allowed to continue living in his shack off to the side. Therese is an interior decorator hired by the owners to help with the renovation. I think this is the biggest twist of all. I didn’t figure it out until it was fairly spelled out for me. I won’t spoil this for you

Overall, I liked the book. I didn’t enjoy the subject mater other than the fact that it is based on history. The castle at Lamorlaye really was a Lebensborn for the Germans (Fount of Life). I know enough of WWII to know that it was horrific what took place when the Germans occupied a place. This book only captures a portion of that horror –and for that I’m grateful. Phoenix could have been so much more graphic but she either chose not to or just wasn’t able.

Phoenix’s writing is well done but there is repetition of phrases throughout the book that caught my eye too often. Some times it is a phrase that one of the character uses and in those instances, I think that is fine. We all have a word or phrase that we are ‘fond’ of and use often.

As for the ending –it is so bittersweet. My dd says she didn’t like the book because “no one got better.” I liked the book because it could have been reality. It isn’t a fairy tale with a happy ending and a royal wedding (happily ever after). The more I think about how I felt about the book, I come to the conclusion that I did like the book. I am looking forward to learning more about her next book.

You can visit this website to see the castle that is the setting for Tangled Ashes. http://michelephoenix.com/novels-and-books/tangled-ashes/photo-album/ Or you can visit Behind the Story, at the same website for how Phoenix came up with this novel.

***Disclaimer: I received this book for free from Handlebar in exchange for an honest review. See Disclosure/Policies.***