The Helsingør Sewing Club by Ella Gyland
Helsingør, Denmark, 1943
In the midst of the German occupation during World War Two, Inger Bredahl joins the underground resistance and risks her life to save members of Denmark’s Jewish community and help them escape to Sweden.
Copenhagen, 2018
Inger’s granddaughter, Cecilie Lund, is mourning her death when a mysterious discovery while cleaning out Inger’s flat leads past and present to intersect. As long-held secrets finally see the light of day, Cecilie learns the story of her grandmother’s courage and bravery, and of the power of friendship, love, and standing for what’s right…even when you have everything to lose.
An inspiring tale of the resilience of the human spirit and the power of community.
In
1943, Inger Brehdal leaves Copenhagen to live with her aunt and uncle
near Helsingør and takes a job as an assistant to a bookbinder. With
tensions rising in German-occupied Denmark, it isn't long before she
realises the people she knows are involved in resistance work to
protect and assist the Jewish people trying to flee to Sweden.
In
2018, after Inger's death, her granddaughter, Cecilie Lund goes
through some of her belongings and finds jewellery in an old cigar
box belonging to someone called Mrs. Nathan. In addition, letters
from David Nathan in Tel Aviv prompt her to contact him so she can
return his mother's belongings. When the two meet up,
wheelchair-bound David is accompanied by his great-grandson, Rafi,
who is also his carer. After exchanging the cigar box, a hidden diary
is found inside, and as they read each entry, surprising answers and
closure to events in the past are found as well as a path to the
future.
Most
of the time when I read a dual timeline novel, it's the modern story
that grabs my attention the most, so it surprised me, that with this
novel, it's the historical events that kept me turning the pages. I'd
have preferred the whole narrative to focus solely on the events of
1943 and the heroic work of the Danish resistance and what they
achieved. While the narrative focuses on the parallels between Inger
and Cecilie's lives as well as Inger's role in helping David; It's
the subplots about Gudrun, Inger's cousin, and her friend, Bodil
which piqued my interest the most. Their plights highlight the
realities of normal people trying to live during difficult times and
the challenges they faced and endured. Therefore, because my focus
lay with the drama in 1943, I don't feel it's spoilt my enjoyment in
any way. For me, the implied romantic thoughts, both historical and
contemporary were a bonus.
The
written words shock, triggering an emotional response from the
reader, but only from the events as they happen and not from the
characters themselves. Yet the author still manages to surprise, when
she not only tells of reactions from the Danish, we also get to see a
scenario from a German's perspective too. It's a pause for thought as
you learn that enemies are vulnerable too as intense feelings and
actions temporarily blur the lines of what they should or shouldn't
do… often with dire consequences.
Overall,
The Helsingør Sewing Club is a fascinating insight into the
essential role played by the Danish people and how they bravely
helped
their most vulnerable citizens during WWII. The romance was secondary
to me, but it still provided a satisfying and thought-provoking
ending.
***arc
generously received courtesy of One More Chapter via NetGalley***
Twitter: Ella/Henriette Gyland, @henrigyland
Website: https://henriettegyland.wordpress.com/
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