Next to him, Adeline gazed into passing yards, seeing the ghosts of relationships past, of children playing, and parents singing at harvest, their entire way of life tied to and celebrating the seasons. Caught between two warring forces and overcoming horrific trials to pursue their hope of immigrating to the West, the Martels’ story is a brutal, complex, and ultimately triumphant tale that illuminates the extraordinary power of love, faith, and one family’s incredible will to survive and see their dreams realized. I found Mark Sullivan to be engaging and sympathetic in how he conveyed the situations and choices faced by Emil and Adeline. It would have been easy to veer into sentimentality and cliche but the story remained engaging throughout and you were left caring about what happened to the family. this is an inspiring true story — during the dark days at end of World War II …….with diligent research.

Review: The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan | Authorlink Review: The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan | Authorlink

The Last Green Valley is my first Mark Sullivan book and a long-time-coming foray into the world of WWII fiction, a subgenre I’ve only slightly dipped my toes into over the years. I’m glad I started here though, as this book really got me interested in it. The book is based on a true story and tells the story of the Martel family—ethnic Germans who have lived in Ukraine for a few generations, and their amazing story of attempting to flee west to the Western Allies’ lines as the Red Army rolls over Eastern Europe—the story starts with the Nazis already retreating west. They are essentially fleeing both the Soviets and the Nazis - this was their experience with The Long Trek, and I knew shamefully little of it before reading this book. What I did know, and what is confirmed in this book, is how utterly brutal the warfare was on the Eastern Front of WWII, and anyone who knows anything about it knows that for every horrifying story you hear, there’s bound to be one that’s even worse. Forever and a day, child,” he said. “Unless, of course, the stinking Bolsheviks have their way, and we’re thrown to the wind and the wolves.” In late March 1944, as Stalin’s forces push into Ukraine, young Emil and Adeline Martel must make a terrible decision: Do they wait for the Soviet bear’s intrusion and risk being sent to Siberia? Or do they reluctantly follow the wolves—murderous Nazi officers who have pledged to protect “pure-blood��� Germans? Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own. He paused to study the house he’d built single-handedly, fighting all thoughts of pity or remorse. A house was a house. There would be others. Emil had learned the hard way to detach from the idea of possessing anything for long in his life. But he stared at the roof for a moment, seeing himself two and a half years before, loading tin roofing sheets and trusses into his wagon in a town called Dubossary, some thirty kilometers to the west.All it took to have a good life was a cheerful, grateful mood, a clearly envisioned heartfelt dream, and the willingness to chase it with an unwavering belief in its eventual realization." I have read many books about war, and this horrific time in history, and still find it eye opening and alarming. The instant Bill began to speak, Mark was captivated. Within a couple of hours, Mark knew he had to write the story of Bill’s parents and their remarkable quest for freedom. Not only was their story inherently moving and inspiring, but he found the characters of Emil and Adeline Martel to be complex and surprising. At the end of their first discussion, Mark sensed that the story of the Martels’ could be both healing and potentially transformational for readers. The family faces hardship, separation and physical deprivation as they attempt to forge a better life for themselves. No choices are easy and not everyone can be trusted. The Last Green Valley lived up to my hopes which were built from Beneath A Scarlett Sky; a book I read several years ago and still heartily recommend.

Bozeman Author Sets the Stage with Absolutely Riveting Story

The Martel family - down home folks, farmers, were resilient to say the least. They were good, kind loving people: characters any reader would enjoy spending time with. Mark Sullivan is the acclaimed author of eighteen novels, including the #1 New York Times bestselling Private series, which he writes with James Patterson. Mark has received numerous awards for his writing, including the WHSmith Fresh Talent Award, and his works have been named a New York Times Notable Book and a Los Angeles Times Book of the Year. He grew up in Medfield, Massachusetts, and graduated from Hamilton College with a BA in English before working as a volunteer in the Peace Corps in Niger, West Africa. Upon his return to the United States, he earned a graduate degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and began a career in investigative journalism. An avid skier and adventurer, he lives with his wife in Bozeman, Montana, where he remains grateful for the miracle of every moment. I have heard great things about Mark Sullivan’s previous novel Beneath a scarlet sky so, I couldn’t wait to delve into his latest offering The Last Green Valley. Rese almost dies after suffering through a horrific accident. Emil almost starved to death and faced an unforgivable ultimatum at gunpoint. The family endures unimaginable peril on their journey and at the hands of the Nazis. What does it mean to be brave in the face of death?After his triumphant novel Beneath a Scarlet Sky, Mark Sullivan delivers another stunning tour de force. Based on interviews and careful research, The Last Green Valley is the novelization of an inspirational true story featuring human strength, faith, and endurance against all odds.” — Authorlink This one by Mr. Sullivan was not an easy read. In a lot of ways it highlights how cruel humans can be to each other under the guise of war. It also shows how being courageous, having faith and looking for the light can get you through even when you think you can't go any farther. What Emil and Adeline have endured under Stalin is horrid but what they will endure on their trek West will truly test them.

The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan - Fantastic Fiction The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan - Fantastic Fiction

After loving Beneath a Scarlet Sky (5 stars) on audiobook, I knew that I also wanted to listen to this one. When Russia brazenly and brutally declared war on Ukraine on February 24, 2022, I knew I had to make it a priority. Listening to this fictionalized account based on a true story and knowing it was happening all over again, was heartbreaking. The Martel's story of courage and resiliency was remarkable, inspiring, and powerful. Throughout all of the hardships, they continuously followed this advice from a friend: It is during this point in the journey that Haussmann recalls who Emil really is, and while not revealing what he knows, he does everything he can to heap more pressure onto the Martels. The end of the train ride brings them to a camp in Wieluń, Poland. There they are handed new clothes and set up in apartments. Adeline and Emil soon become aware that both the clothes and the apartments had belonged to Jewish families who were dragged away from their homes and sent to concentration camps.Just as they have decided to try and break away and travel west Emil is arrested by Polish policemen and held for the Soviets and sent to a prison camp in Poltava Ukraine. Adeline and the boys kept traveling west and made it to Berlin. The lives they both had to live Emil in the camp and Adeline under Nazi rule for the next five years is a story of great strength, courage and faith. It is a testimony of their love for each other and their will to someday be free. The things they see and are forced to do will haunt you long after you finish this book. Have you or your family members lived through World War II? Have you or your family immigrated to the US? How do your memories or family stories reflect the emotions in this book? As the Soviet armies advance, the refugees’ Long Trek westward across Europe becomes a nightmare. Swept up by battle, death, and disease, the Martels plod grimly onward, fueled by the thought that one day they will settle in a fertile green valley surrounded by mountains where they can live their lives in peace. Away from the battlefront, the clan find themselves unwanted and sometimes even a hated burden on the local peoples. As the war grinds to a close the Soviets occupy eastern Germany and begin exacting terrible revenge on the Germans . Adeline and Emil tread carefully, trying to protect and feed their family as best they can, but shifts in fortunes lead to family members becoming separated. The Martels encounter the best and the worst of humanity. Only their enduring faith and belief in each other can see them through.