Night Angels

I've debated on what star review to give this book. While the story is excellent (although I felt it went a bit weak at the end), I've wrestled with it containing real life people in falsified situations. For some reason, it just sits a bit icky to make up a life about someone who actually lived that life. I think I would have felt better after reading it, had the author made up the character names entirely, then add her addendum at the end about Dr. Ho being the real-life inspiration for her story. I feel when someone reads a historical book about a real person, the fact and fiction tend to blur too much when creative liberty is taken to the extent it was in this book. Without getting into spoilers, one of the main characters wasn't even present in Vienna during the time the story takes place. I get it is labeled as fiction, but the use of real names just feels off to me. Make it fiction with fictional names, then share the inspiration for the story so there is no blurring.

TL:DR - Great story, but I wish she would have used false names if she is going to bend the true history as much as she did.

Bought this book knowing nothing more than its brief description. The story of Dr. Ho Fengshan brings to life a piece of WW2 and the horrific experience of the Jewish people of Vienna faced most, myself included, may not have known. This book has inspired me to learn more about China during WW2.

Weina Dai Randel has written such a wonderfully well written novel and I look forward to reading her other works.