The Women At Hitlers Table by Rosella Postorino

Author : Rosella Postorino
Title : The Women At Hitlers Table
Published : 2019
Publisher : Harper Collins
Pages : 352
Genre : Historical Fiction

     Inspired by the powerful true story of Margot Woelk, East Prussia, 1943. Hitler hides away in the Wolfsshanze - his hidden headquarters. The tide is turning in the war and his enemies circle ever closer. Ten women are chosen. Ten women to taste his food and protect him from poison. Twenty-six-year-old Rosa has lost everything to this war. Her parents are dead. Her husband is fighting on the front line. Alone and scared, she faces the SS with nothing but the knowledge every bite might be her last. Caught on the wrong side of history, how far is Rosa willing to go to survive?

     Very often books about world war two follow a couple of narratives. I myself have read a great deal of them and will continue to do so. But every once in awhile one comes along and takes you by surprise. As is the case with The women At Hitlers Table. There are certain jobs that would probably never cross your mind. Let's be honest why would you ever give thought to Hitler's food tasters. These women, who did not choose to do this job but where selected and given no choice in the matter. What would any of us do in this situation? I can say with any certainty what I would have done but I would think the urge to survive would be a great one. 

     Rosa is an interesting character to get to learn about. No in part due to her being based on a real person. She is someone who is by no means a believer in the cause. Swept up in a situation she has no control over she is simply trying to make it from day today. She is for me someone who I could easily get into step with. She felt very real and as time went on I kept feeling such sympathy for. No matter how good her intentions where something all ways seemed to step in her path. She is pushed from one bad place to another. I think that the only thing that kept her going was the love of a few good friends. this band of women each looking out for one another. It was an interesting take on the subject. It is not too often we see the plight of for the most part ordinary Germans. 

     From the first page, you can tell that the author put a great deal of time into researching her book. For me, I don't think this is a book that you could have a hundred percent made up. She goes to great length to show the in's and out's of what it meant to be Hitler's food taster. But this is also done with a light touch. While it would appear that she aims to educate the reader it is also a very human story. This is a book that brings about a very raw narrative. It is about the way these women came together. But that is not to say that it was all happy times between them. Locking them up will always cause friction. It is human nature, spend enough time around the same group of people and conflict will arise. 

     It is safe to say I was left impressed by the time I spent with this book. The author has crafted a book that shines a light on aspects of the war that we would not otherwise have given a second thought to. She also shows that not all Germans where loyal to the cause and for many it was a struggle to deal with. What can you do when your options are to do as told or face death. It is a book that I am happy to recommend to you.