I read this book in 2017. It was, again, a dauntingly large book that I was putting off. Participating in different types of reading challenges, it never seemed to quite fit in. It sat on the shelf for awhile and then I heard there was a movie. I know, I know - that is a terrible reason to read a book. But sometimes it takes a certain type of motivation to get things off the shelf and into my hands.
Again - I had errored in putting this off for so long. This is one of the best books I have EVER read. Ever. Have I said that before? Of course I have. But it is true here as well. Just fantastic.
As for Germany - it is another beautiful country that you must put on your list to visit. Growing up and starting to think about travel, Germany was never on my list. The language seemed unbearable, and the WWII history is hard to look past. They eat a lot of meat. A lot. But when we moved to Basel, and were only 10 minutes from the border, I snuck in. It is actually where I do my grocery shopping eahc week. And we have visited many beautiful German cities since we moved here. Frankfurt, Freiburg, Rotweil, Munich, Neuschwanstein, Lorrach....just to name a few. The country is gorgeous. The people, generous. I am looking forward to exploring more of northern Germany while we live here.