The Light After The War by Anita Abriel

 Based on a true story of two friends growing up together in Budapest before WWII, surviving the war and after the war emigrating to Italy, then Americas – this novel shows what a true friendship means. A friendship tested through the hardest of possible times.

Naples, 1946. Nazis were defeated and the war was over. Now, the life is beaming with “the outdoor cafes overflowed with customers,” neighbors stop and talk to each other without any fear. “Neapolitans treat every day like a celebration.”

Vera Frankel and her best friend Edith Ban arrive in a vibrant city of Naples. Refugees from Hungary, who escaped a train heading for Auschwitz and survived the war on an Austrian farm. Now, they start their new lives abroad. They’ve been close friends since childhood. But Edith’s spirit is broken and Vera is the one who propels them forward. Edith’s way of dealing with her pain is to just fall in love and have fun. The more sober and responsible Vera gets a secretary position at American embassy.

At the end, they both find loves, but those loves have unexpected twists.

Edith wants to be a fashion designer and Vera aspires to be a playwright. And all that may come true in the land of opportunity. They receive a chance of sailing to New York. But at Ellis Island, they are forced to detour. They sail farther to Caracas, Venezuela.

The story moves quickly with simple prose.

It has some atmospheric descriptions giving the time period engaging dimensions. The description of vibrant Naples and welcoming Caracas are very distinctive.

The story brings flashes of the past when girls were growing up in Budapest, giving the characters dimensions to better understand them what made them who they are and what drives them forward.

It was also interesting to read about Caribia “ship that left Vienna in 1939 as the borders of Austria were closing. It set sail for Trinidad,” but the Jews were not welcomed there or at any British colony, and finally Venezuela welcomed them. It’s uplifting to read about such places, which make a difference in humanity.

It is an easy read, but what is striking about the story is how after their escape, their lives seem to fall onto the right path very easily. If it weren’t based on a true story, I’d have a bit difficult time believing the events. Despite this and the very simple prose, the story is engaging and kept me engrossed as I wanted to find out how and where they settled and how their friendship endured.

Release date: 4 February 2020

Source: Atria, Simon & Schuster