The Note Through the Wire by Doug Gold is a great novel for readers who like WWII history. It is a fictionalized telling of the experiences of two people in Nazi-occupied Europe. Their story seems impossible, but it is documented through letters and press releases of the time. (Doug Gold, the author, is actually the son-in-law of the two main characters, and tells their story very eloquently.)
Bruce Murray is an Allied soldier from New Zealand. He and his buddies enlist in the military to defeat the Nazis and end up fighting in Greece. In a very short time, Bruce finds himself in a Stalag prison camp in Slovenia. Josefine Lobnik is a young Slovenian woman who joins the partisans in her area to fight the Germans. She doesn’t actually fight, but delivers information and helps to hide/save escaped prisoners and other resistance fighters. Bruce and Josefine meet when she passes a note through the wire at the prison camp. This simple act is the beginning of a long journey toward love for the pair. They are separated multiple times and somehow meet again and their romance develops despite the horrible circumstances.
I really liked the details of this story and I loved the characters of Bruce and Josefine. I think anyone who loves WWII history would enjoy this novel. It does read like a non-fiction story, but it still kept my interest. The courage and resilience of the resistance fighters was really amazing and I loved that the author emphasized Bruce’s and Josefine’s characters individually before he told the complete story of their romance. I’m glad I checked this book out!
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