Book Review: The Butterfly and the Violin

**This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for a review.  All opinions are my own.**




And then came war . . .
Today. Sera James spends most of her time arranging auctions for the art world’s elite clientele. When her search to uncover an original portrait of an unknown Holocaust victim leads her to William Hanover III, they learn that this painting is much more than it seems.
Vienna, 1942. Adele Von Bron has always known what was expected of her. As a prodigy of Vienna’s vast musical heritage, this concert violinist intends to carry on her family's tradition and play with the Vienna Philharmonic. But when the Nazis learn that she helped smuggle Jews out of the city, Adele is taken from her promising future and thrust into the horrifying world of Auschwitz.
The veil of innocence is lifted to expose a shuddering presence of evil, and Adele realizes that her God-given gift is her only advantage; she must play. Becoming a member of the Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz, she fights for survival. Adele’s barbed-wire walls begin to kill her hope as the months drag into nearly two years in the camp. With surprising courage against the backdrop of murder and despair, Adele finally confronts a question that has been tugging at her heart: Even in the midst of evil, can she find hope in worshiping God with her gift?
As Sera and William learn more about the subject of the mysterious portrait—Adele—they are reminded that whatever horrors one might face, God’s faithfulness never falters.
 Adele finds herself in Auschwitz, a place she never knew existed.  She is forced to live a life in Auschwitz that she had never dreamed of before.  Adele came from an elite family surrounded by money, furs and pearls.  She now finds herself in a moldy room wearing clothing that does not fit and shoes that are several sizes too large.


Sera finds herself on the search of an original painting, of Adele.  Her search takes her to California where she finds that not only is this painting going to be very hard to find but is also surrounded by a scandal and possible lawsuits containing millions of dollars.
The story is wonderful as historical fiction.  The one complaint I have is that it seems as though the writing was completed and then the author decided to add God into the story.  Many of the prayers and thoughts that our leading ladies say and think seem as an afterthought.  Many of them are not cohesive to the story.  That being said, it really is a wonderful story of love.

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