Author: Tania Blanchard
ISBN: 978-19-2559-616-8
RRP: $29.99
Publication Date: November 2018
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Copy: Courtesy of the Publisher
We featured Tania Blanchard’s bestselling debut novel The Girl from Munich as a book club title when it released and I adored it, so when I saw the upcoming release of another novel I knew that it would be a book our readers would love. Suitcase of Dreams is the sequel that I was so looking forward to.
Suitcase of Dreams is a dramatic tale of identity, of love, of new beginnings and it’s inspired by a true story. Blanchard’s family has a multicultural heritage that is rich with stories just waiting to be told and she has a beautiful way of telling them.
Lotte Drescher and her family have endured the horrors of Nazi Germany and the postwar occupation before finally setting off for a new life. Full of hope they arrive in Australia in 1956. Lotte and her husband Erich dream of offering their children the future they always wanted in this new land of opportunity.
Years of struggle see the Dreschers finally finding their feet and creating successful businesses. The struggles and the sacrifices seem worth it, until the past reaches out them and Erich is threatened for his role in the trade union movement.
Lotte will finally discover the true meaning of home when a visitor forces her to a crossroad that will change her life forever.
Tania Blanchard can be followed on her website and Facebook.
Suitcase of Dreams is published by Simon & Schuster and available now from Angus & Robertson Bookworld, Booktopia and where all good books are sold.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster 30 of our Beauty and Lace Club members will be reading Suitcase of Dreams so please be aware there may be spoilers in the comments below.
I devour books, vampires and supernatural creatures are my genre of choice but over the past couple of years, I have broadened my horizons considerably. In a nutshell – I love to write! I love interacting with a diverse range of artists to bring you interviews. Perhaps we were perfect before – I LOVE WORDS!
Thank you to Beauty and Lace for the opportunity to read Suitcase of Dreams written by Tania Blanchard.
Lotte Drescher, her husband Erich and daughters Johanna and Greta leave Germany after the horrors of World War II and head to Australia. It’s 1956.
They begin to dream of a peaceful life and more importantly they begin planning for the future. They first set foot in the migrant camp Bonegilla in NSW then spent some time in the Villawood hostel in Sydney. before finally moving into their own property.
Erich was qualified as an engineer in Germany however his qualifications are not recognised in Australia. he is able to work as a wood carver and Lotte is able to find her dream job in photography.
Lotte and Erich struggle for years. They work long hours for little money. It’s a hard road to happiness which could all come undone when her husband Erich gets involved in the trade union.
Erich means well advocating for equality, safety and fair pay for his fellow migrants. There is a marked difference to the treatment of Australian workers and migrant workers.
Australia’s attitude towards German immigrants was still frosty given the atrocities of World War II were still fresh in people’s minds.
Notwithstanding their challenges they were determined to make a better life.
it was incredibly frustrating to read this book in a way. Every time they seemed to get somewhere either Erich would lose his job or something would happen to him which undid all their hard work. The young girls were resilient and went with the flow however it must have been incredibly difficult for Lotte. It seemed like Lotte gave her all and received nothing but hardship in return. There were even moments where she considered returning to Germany.
The resilience, determination and hard working migrants of Australia should be proud. They worked so hard for so little to achieve a dream of owning their own homes and creating a safe place for their families and children to thrive. We take this for granted now but back then it was hard fought and treasured like expensive jewellery.
This story was based on the true story of her grandparents who migrated to Australia. Its a fascinating read.
I really enjoyed this book; even though it is a sequel to The Girl From Munich, I don’t think you would have to read it to still enjoy this story.
Suitcase of Dreams spans a number of decades and gives the reader some wonderful characters who undergo all sorts of life events but the story is more than anything a reflection on society, culture and politics. It is interesting because I wonder whether we have really learnt anything from the past and the issues new immigrants to our country endure.
The Drescher family arrive in 1956 at Bonegilla, a migrant camp in Victoria after a long sea trip from Germany. Lotte, her husband Erich and daughters Greta and Johanna are excited but also very nervous about their new life and future in Australia.
Life isn’t easy for the family. Erich struggles to find a job as his qualifications as an engineer aren’t recognised in Australia. He eventually turns his hand as a wood carver just like his father. Lotte makes a career in photography a life long passion of hers. They want to give their daughters a better life no matter how difficult it is for them but Erich’s role in the trade union movement and a number of events start to causes issues for the family.
The hardships the family suffer are not dissimilar to any migrant family coming to a new country and trying to start a new life full of hope and promise.
The Suitcase of Dreams is based on true events as the author Tania Blanchard notes at the conclusion of the book. It Is her grandparents story and what a story it is.
I was sooo excited to be reading the next book by Tania Blanchard. I loved her first book, The girl from Munich.
After I read the first few chapters I think I had to stop and reflect on what I was reading and her previous book, maybe I had worked myself up to expect more, but I was kind of disappointed. It didn’t read like a story, more like a diary and breezed over some things, like a person watching what was happening rather than being in the story. But I kept reading and the more I got further into the book and the flow of the story, it made more sense. I will admit it took me a while but at the end, that style of writing actually suited it and I enjoyed it. You got to know the bones of what was happening, nothing more, it didn’t bring out my emotions like many other books that I have read. I didn’t feel frustrated at the way some family members treated Lotte, I didn’t get sad at certain events, they just happened.
I loved the ending. That Lotte found herself and realized how strong of a woman she is, that she didn’t do what was expected of her because she should, it was her time for her.
After the story finished, I read that it was based on her grandmothers true story which put it in a different light and I also understood that she ( Tania) may have felt the need to remove herself emotionally from it and tell it how it is which is why I thought it read like a diary.
I mentioned the first book, but this can be read as a standalone, even tho there are references to The girl from Munich. Tania perfectly includes explanations of these references so there was no confusion or a need to try to understand what she was mentioning if you hadn’t read it.
A good rainy day book, thank you Beauty and Lace for the chance to review it!
A Suitcase of Dreams by Tania Blanchard follows the story of Erich and Lotte Drescher and their children as they arrive in Australia in 1956 to start a new life away from the ravages of war.
They arrive full of optimism but find that life for a New Australian is not easy, their work skills and talents are not recognised, and they have to struggle to achieve a comfortable life.
I enjoyed the story, but found the writing style became a bit boring, each chapter seemed to have the same theme, with an occasional break from the pattern.
Overall, a good story, but the writing style was not to my personal taste.
Thanks to Beauty and Lace and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Beauty & Lace Book Club for the opportunity to read Suitcase of Dreams.
I was delighted to be chosen to read Tania Blanchard’s latest book. I discovered Suitcase of Dreams is in fact a sequel to The Girl From Munich which I had not read. As I’m a stickler for reading books in order, I quickly downloaded the ebook version and proceeded to read it while waiting for the sequel to arrive. Although, Tania has written the book in such a way that you could read it as a standalone, I strongly recommend you read both as they are equally as good as the other.
I found the style of writing very easy to read. Lotte, her husband Erich and their children travelled to Australia on the promise that there would be plenty of work and better opportunities for them to build a new life after leaving post war Germany.
The hardships and struggles the family faced were numerous. Coming to a foreign land where they soon discovered that life was not going to be as easy as they thought tested them in many ways.
Both Lotte and Erich were strong characters who had dealt with loss and adversity through a very difficult time in our history.
I particularly enjoyed reading the story from a migrant’s perspective especially the parts relating to Australian culture and politics at that time.
If you enjoy reading historical fiction and biographies, you will not be disappointed.
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Beauty & Lace Book Club for the opportunity to read Suitcase of Dreams.
I was delighted to be chosen to read Tania Blanchard’s latest book. I discovered Suitcase of Dreams is in fact a sequel to The Girl From Munich which I had not read. As I’m a stickler for reading books in order, I quickly downloaded the ebook version and proceeded to read it while waiting for the sequel to arrive. Although, Tania has written the book in such a way that you could read it as a standalone, I strongly recommend you read both as they are equally as good as each other.
I found the style of writing very easy to read. Lotte, her husband Erich and their children travelled to Australia on the promise that there would be plenty of work and better opportunities for them to build a new life after leaving post war Germany.
The hardships and struggles the family faced were numerous. Coming to a foreign land where they soon discovered that life was not going to be as easy as they thought tested them in many ways.
Both Lotte and Erich were strong characters who had dealt with loss and adversity through a very difficult time in our history.
I particularly enjoyed reading the story from a migrant’s perspective especially the parts relating to Australian culture and politics at that time.
If you enjoy reading historical fiction and biographies, you will not be disappointed.
I love historical fiction and this novel is up there with the best.
Suitcase of Dreams I would definitely recommend.
This is the story of Lotte and Erich who leave Post-War Germany for a new life in Australia in 1956 with many promises. They want to give their girls many opportunities in life but find that the qualifications they had in Germany are not recognised in Australia as they were lead to believe and so struggle to find their feet as new Australians facing many hardships as migrants had to face at that time.
Lotte and Erich show how their love for each other and their two daughters helps them to face many challenges.
They undergo all sorts of events and this story displays the society, culture and politics of that time which in many cases we as a nation have not learned from.
It is impossible not to get caught up in the disappointments that Lotte and Erich suffer as they try to make a life for themselves in a new country.
Then as things seem to improve, Erich’s involvement in the trade union movement threaten their ongoing prospects.
Later as their lives appear to be stabilizing things happen that turn Lotte’s world upside down.
This is such an emotional and well written story full of wonderful characters and settings based on real people and events.
My thanks to Beauty & Lace and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this wonderful story.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster, and Beauty and Lace Bookclub for the opportunity to read Suitcase of Dreams.
Suitcase of Dreams by Tania Blanchard is the sequel to The Girl from Munich. I had read The Girl from Munich last year, and thoroughly enjoyed it, so was excited to read Suitcase of Dreams. The book did not disappoint.
The story follows Lotte and Erich on their journey from Germany to Australia. It tells of the hardships they face when they arrive in Australia, and also the triumphs they experience. There are many twists and turns throughout the book, many of which are unexpected, hence why it is such a page turner.
Tania Blanchard is a master story teller. Not only did I enjoy the story, I learnt so much about the struggles new migrants faced when they came to Australia. I think we all appreciate the richness that different nationalities have brought to Australia, but that wasn’t always the sentiment. It was good for me to see what migrants went through, and also wonderful to see how much we have changed from that time. Do new migrants still experience this same prejudice? Probably, but hopefully not to the same extent. I’m hoping that all who read this book will be more accepting to new migrants/ refugees.
I thoroughly recommend this book. I hope to read many more of Tania Blanchard’s books.
This book is actually the second of two books. When I began reading I didn’t feel that it made a difference to the story and felt enough information was provided on the characters past as the story progressed. I was immediately drawn into the story and the characters and the book stands on its own in that respect.
The main characters are interesting, Lotte and Erich developed as characters and we saw the highs and lows in their life. As parents they often express their angst regarding their children in this new country but I felt this could have been explored more as ther is little on the children’s lives. Erich and Lotte have a great relationship and it is interesting to see them tackle their new life in Australia. This book has much to say about Australia back then and now. The struggles they went through then are no less relevant today for migrant families.
I do like the book being written from Lottie’s perspective. She is a bright, intelligent and kind woman; willing to work hard and prove her life in Australia is worth the hardship. In fact the language used by Lotte is rich and vibrant. I also liked seeing the friendships they developed as time went by and how everyone pitched in to help each other, even if they had nothing to give.I feel that this is very much a migrant Australian attitude, even to this day.
However, I found the first two thirds of the book the most enticing and struggled with the last part. I think it has more to do with the writers style than the plot of the story and found it disengaging when years passed between chapters. Maybe I am not used to this, but I found it challenging to stay engaged the further I got into the novel, feeling like I missed something. Particularly at the end, it felt rushed and quickly wrapped up.
One thing that I loved reading in this novel was the locations where the family spent much of their lives. I loved reading how the Western Sydney area grew and how Liverpool and Villawood existed in that time period.
I believe the story is strong but I am not a fan of the writing style. But if you are interested in migrant stories and learning about the lives of migrants this is an interesting read.
Thank you Simon and Schuster and Beauty and Lace for the chance to read this book.
Thank you Beauty and Lace and Simon and Schuster for giving me the opportunity to read and review this amazing book loaded with adversity.
Definitely my kind of book even though I didn’t read “The Girl from Munich”, ‘‘Suitcase of Dreams” wasn’t compromised. Tania Blanchard told the story so well I found myself deeply moved and very difficult to put the book down. I was even more touched when I read the ‘Authors Note’ was based on the true life stories of her Grandmother to her granddaughter….. Well done Tania Blanchard