Tragedy of the Violin

The Sapphire Violin Trilogy, Book 1

By: E. C. White

Narrated by: Trudi Knoedler

Katarina’s world of music, love, and laughter is shattered when the Nazis invade Austria. Because of her Jewish background, she must sever relationships to protect those she loves. Fear and anxiety become her constant companions. Time is running out for her and her family, and they know that at any moment they could be arrested, never to be heard from again. When an opportunity to escape the Nazis presents itself, a daring plan is suggested. Will Katarina have the courage to play her part? Will she escape before the Gestapo uncovers the plot?

©2019 Emma White (P)2019 Emma White

A surprisingly entertaining listen...

Tragedy of the Violin, which is Book 1 of The Sapphire Violin trilogy by E.C. White was captivating from the very beginning. Though the entire Nazi situation and what they did to the Jews (and others) is an atrocity and many stories focusing on this point in time aren't happy ones, Tragedy of the Violin is written well and tells the story of Katarina and her family, Jews in the midst of the Nazi rising in Germany in 1938. Katarina and her family are gifted musicians and artists. Life is good and they are happy. Then the Nazi's came. They ruined everything. Tore her family apart. This is her story. It's not a happy ending, and there is a bit of a cliffhanger, but it still reads well as a fully developed standalone story. I can't wait to listen to part 2!

Trudi Knoedler narrated this novella beautifully. She read with emotion and gave life to the characters. She added German accents which I found easy to listen to as well. I'd happily listen to more books narrated by her, as she really added to the story. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher for an honest review.

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The Nazis tried to kill music, too.

This is a short, sad tale, based on a true story, of a young Jewish violinist in Austria at the wrong time in history. We meet Katarina and her family, we learn of their reverence for classical music and instrument making, and we get our hearts broken because . . . well, because the story takes place in the late 30s and early 40s in Vienna. The book is narrated beautifully and includes snippets of the music mentioned in the story. This volume is the first in a trilogy, so my guess is that the story of some characters mentioned in this volume goes on, although my understanding is that the actual violin is no longer intact at the end of this volume. I requested and received a complimentary copy of this audiobook from the narrator. The author is young but has done a remarkable job of bringing historical information to life.