About the Book

Book: The Medallion
Author: Cathy Gohlke
Genre: Historical Fiction (World War II)
Release date: June 4, 2019

For fans of bestselling World War II fiction like Sarah’s Key and The Nightingale comes an illuminating tale of courage, sacrifice, and survival, about two couples whose lives are ravaged by Hitler’s mad war yet eventually redeemed through the fate of one little girl.

Seemingly overnight, the German blitzkrieg of Warsaw in 1939 turns its streets to a war zone and shatters the life of each citizen—Polish, Jewish, or otherwise. Sophie Kumiega, a British bride working in the city’s library, awaits news of her husband, Janek, recently deployed with the Polish Air Force. Though Sophie is determined that she and the baby in her womb will stay safe, the days ahead will draw her into the plight of those around her, compelling her to help, whatever the danger.

Rosa and Itzhak Dunovich never imagined they would welcome their longed-for first child in the Jewish ghetto, or that they would let anything tear their family apart. But as daily atrocities intensify, Rosa soon faces a terrifying reality: to save their daughter’s life, she must send her into hiding. Her only hope of finding her after the war—if any of them survive—is a medallion she cuts in half and places around her neck.

Inspired by true events of Poland’s darkest days and brightest heroes, The Medallion paints a stunning portrait of war and its aftermath, daring us to believe that when all seems lost, God can make a way forward.

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My Thoughts:

The Medallion is a story that takes the reader into the midst of Poland during the occupation of the Germans during WW2. This is a heartbreaking read, one that shows the treatment of the Jewish people and even of the Poles who helped them. We are given glimpses of the horrors and mistreatments of the people by the Nazi regime, and wonder along with those losing hope where their help is?

Author Gohlke can certainly write and she pulls her readers right down into the very streets and ghettos her characters are either trying to get to or escape from. This is a story of two women, two families, who are on the same side and are dealing with the same demons in their own best way. One is a Jewish family and the other is Polish.

Sophie is actually from England and she is now stuck in war torn Poland waiting for her husband’s return as he fights with the resistance. She is a woman on her own with a few faithful friends who must pull herself together before the horrors of the war put her in her grave. She finds resilience and a reason for living as she decides to take on dangerous undertaking and help all those that she can.

The other family is Rosa and Itzhak who are Jewish and they are trying to do their best to live in this awful new regime that does not see them as human anymore, only as something to eliminate. Their story was one full of love and sacrifice. I was not particularly happy with some of the decisions that Itzhak made, I felt they were mistakes but I do realize he thought he was doing the best at the time.

As with a lot of books that deal with this war, we again see the abject cruelty when the Creator is taken out of the picture and man begins his assault on his fellow man.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Three-time Christy and two-time Carol and INSPY Award–winning and bestselling author Cathy Gohlke writes novels steeped with inspirational lessons, speaking of world and life events through the lens of history. She champions the battle against oppression, celebrating the freedom found only in Christ. Cathy has worked as a school librarian, drama director, and director of children’s and education ministries. When not traveling to historic sites for research, she, her husband, and their dog, Reilly, divide their time between northern Virginia and the Jersey Shore, enjoying time with their grown children and grandchildren. Visit her website at www.cathygohlke.com and find her on Facebook at CathyGohlkeBooks.

More from Cathy

Every story begins with a journey. Sharing that journey is twice the joy.

The Medallion was inspired by two true stories—the first was the WWII account of Itzhak Dugin and his Jewish family, persecuted in Lithuania. Their heart-wrenching story made world news when the tunnel from which Itzhak escaped the Nazis was discovered using modern technology.

The second was the story of Irena Sendler, a Polish Catholic social worker within Żegota (an underground Polish Council to Aid Jews), who developed a network to rescue children. Despite terrible risks, they smuggled 2500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto and certain death at the hands of the Nazis, then hid them in Polish homes, convents, churches and hospitals until the end of the war. Approximately 2,000 of those children were found after the war. Theories abound regarding the whereabouts of those missing. I couldn’t help but wonder, and imagine: What became of those 400 to 500 missing children? What became of one?

Set in WWII Poland and post-war England, The Medallion is a story of courage, sacrifice, love, forgiveness and redemption.