I’m thrilled to be one of today’s stops on the blog tour for ‘The Collaborator’s Daughter.’
In 1944 in war-torn Dubrovnik Branko Milisic holds his newborn daughter Safranka and wishes her a better future. But while the Nazis are finally retreating, the arrival of the partisans brings new
dangers for Branko, his wife Dragica and their baby…
As older sister to two half-siblings, Fran has always known she has to fit in. But now, at sixty-five years old and finally free of caring responsibilities, for the first time in her life Fran is facing questions
about who she is and where she comes from.
All Fran knows about her real father is that he was a hero, and her mother had to flee Dubrovnik after the war. But when she travels to the city of her birth to uncover the truth, she is devastated to discover her father was executed by the partisans in 1944, accused of being a collaborator.
But the past isn’t always what it seems… And neither is the future.
Purchase Links
https://mybook.to/CollaboratorsDaughter
For Amazon it’s https://mybook.to/CollaboratorsDaughter
And for all other retailers it’s https://harpercollins.co.uk/products/the-collaborators-daughter-eva-glyn
Author Bio –
Eva Glyn writes escapist relationship-driven fiction with a kernel of truth at its heart. She loves to travel and finds inspiration in beautiful places and the stories they hide.
Her last holiday before lockdown was a trip to Croatia, and the country’s haunting histories and gorgeous scenery have proved fertile ground, driven by her friendship with a tour guide she met there. His wartime story provided the inspiration for The Olive Grove and his help in creating a realistic portrayal of Croatian life has proved invaluable.
Her second novel set in the country, An Island of Secrets is a dual timeline looking back to World War 2, and although a contemporary
romance featuring mature main characters her third, The Collaborator’s Daughter, has its roots in that conflict too.
Eva lives in Cornwall, although she considers herself Welsh, and has been lucky enough to have been married to the love of her life for more than twenty-five years. She also writes as Jane Cable.
Social Media Links –
Twitter @JaneCable
Instagram @evaglynauthor
Bookbub @EvaGlyn https://www.bookbub.com/authors/eva-glyn
Facebook @EvaGlynAuthor https://www.facebook.com/EvaGlynAuthor
Review-
Poignant, atmospheric and utterly enthralling, this is another resounding triumph from Eva Glyn!
Not quite a dual timeline because of the scarcity of information available about World War II in Dubrovnik, as explained in the author’s notes at the end of the book, the narrative is nevertheless spilt over two time periods; 1944 and 2009/10.
There are so many strengths to this story. Eva Glyn has a wonderful way of creating not only vivid, authentic characters, but also depicts her settings with such descriptive clarity, you can picture the scenes in your mind. Dubrovnik and its’ islands, both during wartime and in the present day come alive in the pages.
The central character Fran, or Safranka as she was named when she was born, is a complex but extremely likeable protagonist. She has spent her life needing to be needed by others and her journey of self-discovery as she seeks to uncover her past is thoughtfully portrayed. It is also an interesting angle to have a more mature lead female.
Particularly heartwarming is the development of her relationship with Jadran, who similarly has his own demons to overcome. It is a joy to follow their rediscovery of romance later in life after both have endured such heartache.
The secondary characters within the plot all play a vital role, with Fran’s long term friend Parisa being the perfect antidote to her fretting. I also love the description of the traditional women sellers at the market who befriend Fran and welcome her with open arms. Even Eli, despite their unfortunate first encounter, ends up being a pivotal player in Fran’s discoveries.
It is also testament to the author, that although the content is harrowing and graphic in places, the historical aspect has clearly been thoroughly researched and fits authentically into the plot.
A truly wonderful read and one which I cannot recommend highly enough!
With thanks to the author, Rachel at Random Resources and One More Chapter for the opportunity to participate in the tour.
Further stops can be found here:
Pickled Thoughts and Pinot 