Skip to main content

The Melody of the Soul by Liz Tolsma


The Melody of the Soul
 
A Nazi officer. A Jewish Czech violinist. Her music haunts him. When he's faced with losing it, he'll go through any length to save it. And her.

It's 1943 and Anna Zadok, a Jewish Christian living in Prague, has lost nearly everything. Most of her family has been deported, and the Nazi occupation ended her career as a concert violinist. Now Anna is left to care for her grandmother, and she'll do anything to keep her safe-a job that gets much harder when Nazi officer Horst Engel is quartered in the flat below them.

Though musical instruments have been declared illegal, Anna defiantly continues to play the violin. But Horst, dissatisfied with German ideology, enjoys her soothing music. When Anna and her grandmother face deportation, Horst risks everything to protect them. 
Anna finds herself falling in love with the handsome officer and his brave heart. But what he reveals might stop the music forever.

Watch the trailer for The Melody of the Soul!


Learn more about Liz and her new release here.


Here is my review of this enchanting read:


First, I would like to extend a heartfelt “Thank you” to Liz Tolsma and her publisher for sending me a copy of "Melody of the Soul" to review for them. I am truly grateful for this generosity. I really appreciate the time, effort and expense it takes to make a reviewer copy available to me.

“Melody of the Soul” by Liz Tolsma is a gripping story about a period of history we cannot forget.  Deportation to a concentration camp separates Anna and her Grandmother from her parents and siblings.  Spared by a friend of her brother who didn’t think their Grandmother would survive the camp, Anna cares for her and continues to play her violin even though musical instruments are banned by the Nazis.  But the love of music is what draws these people from different world together.  And just like many of the Jews didn’t recognize their Messiah, Anna learns that salvation comes from an unconventional place.
This beautiful story is so engaging for many reasons.  First, God plays a major part.  The characters frequently refer to the Lord and God’s plan and God’s blessings.  It is especially encouraging in troubling circumstances.  Second, the family relationships and the development of the relationship between Anna and Horst are sweet and multi-faceted.  It wouldn’t surprise me if these characters stepped off the page into my living room.  Third, this time in history is especially tender for me.  I find it difficult to believe that there are people alive today who deny the existence of the holocaust, but I’ve met some.  I’ve also met people with numbers tattooed on their arms and believe their stories must be told.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Homiletics Training: Content

Homiletics .   By definition, “homiletic” is the art of preaching or writing sermons.   I think we would all agree that our pastors study the Bible thoroughly to deliver sermons every Sunday to their congregations.   The beautiful news is that every child of God can use this discipline to study the Bible for themselves. As a member of Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) Leadership, part of my required preparation each week is to prepare homiletics for the passage we are studying.   BSF offers an engaging seminar on how to use this method to study the Scriptures.   I’ve taken the seminar several times under two different leaders and I’ve learned something new every time I’ve attended.   I’ve also been doing the process of homiletics for over ten years and I can say that there is no better teacher than the Holy Spirit in this process!   So keep practicing.   Keep sharing and discussing.   I’ve been posting my homiletics on this blog for quite a while, now.   And I would like to share wit

Homiletics: John 7

Contents ( not sentence, direct verbiage from Scripture ):   Where?                                                                 Who? 1 1-2 After, J went Gal, not Judea bec Jew ldrs look to kill; Jew fest of tabernacles near 2 3-5 J bros: go Judea so disc see works, show self to world; bros not believe 3 6-8 J: my time not here; world h8 me bec I testify works evil; you go festival, my time not cm 4 9-10 He stay Gal; bros left for fest, He went in secret 5 11-12 @ fest, Jew ldrs watch 4 J: where He?   Widespr whisp: He good man/He deceives ppl 6 13-14 No one say publicly for fear of ldrs; not till ½ way thru fest did J beg to teach 7 15-16 Jews amazed: how man get learning w/o been taught; J: my teaching cm frm who sent 8 17-18 Who choose do will of G find

Homiletics: John 10

Contents ( not sentence, direct verbiage from Scripture ): 1 1-2 VT ITY Phar, any1 enter shp pn by gate=thief/robbr; 1 enters by gate=shepherd 2 3-4 Gatekpr opns gate 4 hm/shp listn/he calls shp by name/leads out/shp follo bec kno voce 3 5-6 They nvr follo stranger, run away bec recog voce; J used fig o spch, Phar understd 4 7-8 Thrfr J: VT ITY I gate 4 shp; all who cm b4 me=thievs/robbrs, shp listn them 5 9-10a I gate, whoevr entr thru me savd/they cm/go/find pasture; thief cm only steal/kill/destry 6 10b-12 I gd shepd, lay dn life 4 shp; Hird hd shepd/own shp, see wolf/abandn shp/wlf attck/scattr 7 13-15a Man run bec care nthg 4 sheep; I gd shep; kno sheep/sheep kno me as Fr kno me/I kno Fr 8 15b-16 I lay dn life 4 sheep; have othr sheep of this pen