Annelies

A Novel

By: David R. Gillham

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld, David R. Gillham

“Gillham is a powerful storyteller, and Annelies is marbled with spare eloquence that captures the absurdity of life after the camps.... A novel that reminds the world to remember Anne Frank is most welcome.” (USA Today)

“A haunting what-if.” (Georgia Hunter, New York Times best-selling author of We Were the Lucky Ones)

“Not only a poignant reminder of all that was lost during the war, but a vivid, searching exploration of what it meant to exist in the aftermath.” (Jessica Shattuck, New York Times best-selling author of The Women in the Castle)

From the author of City of Women, a powerful new novel that asks the question: What if Anne Frank survived the Holocaust?

Anne Frank is a cultural icon whose diary painted a vivid picture of the Holocaust and made her an image of humanity in one of history’s darkest moments. But she was also a person - a precocious young girl with a rich inner life and tremendous skill as a writer. In this masterful new novel, David R. Gillham explores with breathtaking empathy the woman - and the writer - she might have become.

©2019 David R. Gillham (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“In this haunting what-if, David Gillham asks us to reflect on the quandary of how one learns—in the unimaginable wake of the Holocaust—to live again, shedding a powerful, human light on the tragedy of lost potential.” Georgia Hunter, New York Times bestselling author of We Were the Lucky Ones

“To imagine the could-have-been life of Anne Frank, one of the real-life pillars of our understanding of the Holocaust, is a risky undertaking, but David Gilham delivers his story with sensitivity and grace. The result is not only a poignant reminder of all that was lost during the war, but a vivid, searching exploration of what it meant to exist in the aftermath.” Jessica Shattuck, New York Times bestselling author of The Women in the Castle

“Gillham has given Annelies Marie Frank the life so brutally taken from her, in the process honoring all the ‘Annes’ who were lost in the Holocaust. . . . Gillham’s beautifully crafted novel is a respectful tribute to the creative and passionate writer who died so young. . . . Frank’s life thereafter is so vividly realized that readers will have to keep reminding themselves this is fiction. Highly recommended for admirers of literary historical fiction such as Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale and Martha Hall Kelley’s Lilac Girls.” Library Journal

A bit too long..

A good but not great alternate history based on Anne Frank surviving her imprisonment at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Parts of the storyline where excellent but other parts not so much. I give the author kudos for tackling such a well beloved historical figure. I’m sure it was not an easy or comfortable task.

Wow!

I think this book is a great example of what it must be like to have “survivors guilt”. I truly didn’t like the Anne Frank portrayed once she returned to Amsterdam. I thought she was so terrible towards her father but understand how she could feel. One changes during war and when you come home, your life will never be same but people at home don’t know you’ve changed...only you know it so I can totally relate. All in all, great book, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

totally ridiculous

I did not read half through, this was a total misleading story and I hated it. I would not recommend it to anyone. The portrayal of Anne Frank as a oversexed youth appalled me intensely.