Book Review: Generation After Generation

Reviewed by Samantha Hui

A moving story about how a family tree can weather any storm as long as its roots are nurtured

“In one day, just like that, Naomi, Ana, and Johan, the first generation, was gone.”

Generation After Generation by Heather Gafkay is a historical novel that explores themes of love, loss, and survival during unprecedented times.

The novel traces the lives of multiple generations, showing how the decisions, traumas, and triumphs of one generation reverberate through the next. Themes of resilience, identity, and the moral complexities of human relationships are central to the story, highlighting the ways people cope with unimaginable horrors while still seeking connection and hope.

The novel follows the thorn-ridden, intertwined family tree of the Folsom and Stein families across more than a century. From their origins in Jerusalem and Germany, through the atrocities of World War II and the Holocaust, and into the present day, readers witness families torn apart by war, daring escapes from death camps, and the painstaking process of rebuilding shattered lives in the aftermath of tragedy. At its core, the story shows how secrets, sacrifices, and acts of courage shape both family legacies and individual identities, while emphasizing the unbreakable bonds of love and the resilience of the human spirit.

Gafkay structures the book across multiple generations, with chapters alternating between key characters and time periods from the first generation’s early struggles, to the post-war experiences of the second generation, and eventually to the present-day consequences for the later generations. This structure allows readers to see how historical events ripple across time and influence personal decisions.

The book succeeds in portraying not just the external horrors of war, but also the psychological effects on survivors, including survivor’s guilt, isolation, and the messy, sometimes morally complicated ways characters cope with trauma. The relationships are deeply human, fraught with infidelity, dishonesty, and complex emotions, but these elements feel authentic given the extreme circumstances the characters endure.

“‘That is the pathway that will lead you to your last steps for those that had to take it.’”

While the novel is compelling overall, the graphic depictions of violence and explicit sexual content can make it difficult to read at times. The scenes that bluntly depict the gruesome abuse and deaths during the Holocaust are blunt, intense, and may be unsettling for some readers. Additionally, the narrative occasionally relies too much on exposition, and the passive voice can slow the pacing, making certain sections feel more like a historical recounting than immersive storytelling.

“At first Conrad felt guilty helping the enemy. He felt like a betrayer. But then helping the Americans became easier when Conrad realized that you can’t betray your country if your country has already betrayed you.”

Generation After Generation is recommended for readers who appreciate earnest historical fiction that does not shy away from the harsh realities of human experience. This is a moving and ambitious novel that successfully blends historical drama with rich, character-driven storytelling. Exploring family, resilience, and the legacy of trauma, this novel is sure to leave a lasting impression, reminding readers that the past continues to shape the present and that hope and love can endure even in dark times.

Thank you for reading Samantha Hui’s book review of Generation After Generation by Heather Gafkay! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.

The post Book Review: Generation After Generation appeared first on Independent Book Review.