Carly Schabowski

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About Carly Schabowski
Carly is the USA Today bestseller of historical fiction novels The Ringmaster's Daughter, The Watchmaker of Dachau, The Rainbow and The Note.
She lives in a tiny cottage in Oxfordshire, with barely enough room to swing a cat. Yet, she has managed to dwell in such a hobbit-type abode for some years with her two dogs, who keep her company as she reads, writes, eats chips, and drinks the occasional gin.
Her interest in WWII history spans from a familial connection, and inspired her to complete a PhD regarding the author's responsibility to historical fiction. Whilst an achievement, she gained 20 lbs, and became a hermit.
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Titles By Carly Schabowski
Inspired by an incredible true story. Fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, We Were the Lucky Ones and The Choice will love this heartbreaking novel of love, betrayal and a secret passed down through a family.
Nazi-occupied Poland, 1940. When soldiers drag Tomasz back to his family’s farm, they put a gun to his head and tell him he must join the German army, or see his loved ones forced into the camps. Staring into the wide blue eyes of his childhood sweetheart Zofia, Tomasz does the only thing he can. Over the course of the war, he will risk his life, love and the respect of his own people, to secretly fight for good against evil. All the while, he longs to be reunited with Zofia… but will his brave choices tear them apart forever?
London, present day. Isla has grown up wearing her grandfather’s rainbow scarf, a beloved memento from the Second World War, and hearing his stories about his time as a young soldier bravely fighting the Germans to protect his people. But as she is collecting photos for his 95th birthday celebration, she finds an old photograph of two men standing in Nazi uniforms, next to a folded piece of paper… a newspaper article, written in German. She knows that name.
Her grandfather is too weak to answer questions, so Isla begins her hunt for the truth.
There is so much she doesn’t know. And what she learns about a love story and a secret from seventy years ago will change her own life forever…
Readers absolutely love The Rainbow:
‘Wow!! Just wow!!… This book is brilliant! More than brilliant, amazing!!!… Absolutely gripping, addictive and captivating… I was absolutely hooked from the first page to the last. Everybody should put The Rainbow on their reading list for 2021!!’ NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Phenomenal… it is truly a must-read. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end, it is an amazing, unputdownable must-read. I wish I could give it more than five stars.’ Page Turners, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Will rip your heart out… It has heartache, pain, loss, joy, and sorrow. It’s a great WWII historical fiction… heartbreaking.’ Books Read By Prairie Girl
‘Beautiful, heartfelt book! It’s seriously the best book I've read all month! The writing was brilliant. Captivating… Simply heart-breaking… I loved everything about this book! So beautifully done!’ @oh.happy.reading, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Wow! This book was absolutely amazing. I could not quit reading it.
Snow falls and a woman prepares for a funeral she has long expected, yet hoped would never come. As she pats her hair and straightens her skirt, she tells herself this isn’t the first time she’s lost someone. Lifting a delicate, battered wristwatch from a little box on her dresser, she presses it to her cheek. Suddenly, she’s lost in memory…
January 1945, Dachau, Germany. As the train rattles through the bright, snowy Bavarian countryside, the still beauty outside the window hides the terrible scenes inside the train, where men and women are packed together, cold and terrified. Jewish watchmaker Isaac Schüller can’t understand how he came to be here, and is certain he won’t be leaving alive.
When the prisoners arrive at Dachau concentration camp, Isaac is unexpectedly pulled from the crowd and installed in the nearby household of Senior Officer Becher and his young, pretty, spoiled wife. With his talent for watchmaking, Isaac can be of use to Becher, but he knows his life is only worth something here as long as Becher needs his skills.
Anna Reznick waits table and washes linens for the Bechers, who dine and socialise and carry on as if they don’t constantly have death all around them. When she meets Isaac she knows she’s found a true friend, and maybe more. But Dachau is a dangerous place where you can never take love for granted, and when Isaac discovers a heartbreaking secret hidden in the depths of Becher’s workshop, it will put Anna and Issac in terrible danger…
A gorgeously emotional and tear-jerking read set during World War Two. Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, We Were the Lucky Ones and The Alice Network.
What readers are saying about The Watchmaker of Dachau:
‘Beautiful and heartbreaking… pulls at the heartstrings… breathtaking in its beauty… Nothing I can say in my review can possibly do the justice this book deserves. I can only say to grab yourself a copy and experience it for yourself. A definite 5 star read.’ Confessions of a Bookaholic, 5 stars
‘Affecting, heart-breaking and powerful tale… haunting, atmospheric and intensely dramatic tale that will shock, devastate, enthral and captivate readers… a superb novel I won’t forget in a hurry.’ Bookish Jottings
‘A book that put me through the emotional wringer… a beautiful and emotional read, a powerful story that begs to be read… so thought-provoking that it lingers after you have put it down.’ Sharon Beyond the Books
‘I haven't read anything as touching or heartfelt as The Watchmaker of Dachau in years… incredible… made me smile & shed happy tears.’ @bookworm.britt
‘Powerful… an epic, moving story… a must-read.
Auschwitz, 1942. Adeline and Jozef cling to each other as they are directed off the train and pulled apart by Nazi guards at the gates of Auschwitz. Stripped of their belongings, their arms are inked with prison numbers. In the death camp, their days are numbered––will they ever see each other again?
South Carolina, ten years later. As a summer storm sweeps in, shocked townspeople gather at the edge of a forest lake. The body of a local girl had been found on the bank that morning. As thirteen-year-old Alice stands in the crowd, she catches sight of a figure, hidden in the trees, watching. She knows who he is—a newcomer in town, a German refugee named Jozef. Her neighbors whisper that he can’t be trusted—that he saw terrible things in the war. But what, Alice wonders, is he doing here now? And could he possibly be connected to what has just happened?
When Alice confronts the man, Jozef opens ups about his painful past. Hearing about the desperate choices people were forced to make in Auschwitz, and the hunt for freedom amongst so much heartbreak, Alice starts to see her own life—and the death of her friend—in a new light. And, as their bond deepens, Alice finally uncovers why Jozef was at the lake that day. When the long-awaited storm breaks the suffocating heatwave, the terrible truth finally comes out, and Alice’s life will never be the same again…
An incredibly gripping and tearjerking page-turner perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, When We Were Yours and We Were the Lucky Ones.
What readers are saying about The Note:
“OH MY GOSH this book BROKE me… So beautifully heartbreaking, I found myself crying tears, and I mean ugly tears several times… Completely devastating but in a really good way. It has a very strong place in my heart and will be there for a long time.” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Beautifully heartbreaking… This book shattered my heart and picked up the pieces at the same time. Absolutely beautiful. A must-read for all historical fiction fans!” @thesubstitutelibrarian, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“It will warm your heart, yet breaks your heart as well… I was in tears… A MUST-READ!” Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Emotional and heartbreaking… Tear jerking.” Tropical Girl Reads Books, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I couldn’t put it down… I am still thinking about this book a few days after finishing it… A gripping read… An easy five stars.” NetGalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Wow… An absolutely amazing book… I can’t put into words how much this book has truly moved me
A heartbreaking and beautiful love story set in the darkest hours of World War Two – perfect for fans of The Nightingale and The Tattooist of Auschwitz.
Paris, 1940. Twenty-year-old Michel Bonnet lives on the edge of the law, finding work where he can at the horse fairs on the outskirts of the city. But when Paris falls to the Nazis, Michel escapes as a stowaway on a secret midnight train bound for the south. It’s a journey that will change his life forever.
It’s there Michel first sees Frieda – dark-haired, mysterious and also fleeing the Germans. Homeless and hungry, Michel would do anything for a safe place to sleep… and the chance to spend one more hour with her.
But there’s something Frieda isn’t telling him, a secret she has sworn to carry to her grave. As Michel leaves Paris behind for the lavender fields and hillside villages of the rural south, he’s in more danger than he could ever know…
What readers are saying about The Ringmaster’s Daughter:
‘This is the best book I have read this year, it is beautiful and atmospheric. The story really draws you in and you find yourself really caring about all of the characters and their battle for survival as outsiders in occupied France.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘I felt the heartache, fear and desperation of the characters living in France at this time… The place descriptions, particularly of Paris, were phenomenal… I read it in twenty-four hours and just could not put it down. A moving, captivating read.’ Goodreads reviewer
‘Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Beyond amazing. I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. Could not put it down nor did I want to. This is going to be a must read for many many readers.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
‘The author of this book weaves a marvellous story together… It is both a thought provoking and, at times, emotionally punching read. I'm hooked. I devoured The Ringmaster's Daughter in two sessions. Brilliant story.’ Goodreads reviewer, 5 stars
‘The Ringmaster's Daughter was a true delight to read. From the very first page, the writing was absolutely gorgeous and painted such a beautiful picture with its imagery.’ Goodreads reviewer
‘Schabowski's debut novel, The Ringmaster's Daughter, is impressive in both expanse and execution. If I had to describe this novel in 3 words they would be: poignant, earnest, and undaunted. Schabowski is a gifted wordsmith… overall this novel is an affecting, entertaining, and intriguing read.’ NetGalley reviewer
‘The world of The Ringmaster's Daughter is well-crafted and wonderfully vivid – especially that of circus… The story is captivating.’ Goodreads reviewer
‘This is a truly sensational debut novel. Carly Schabowski is definitely one to watch out for, I certainly will be.
Parigi, 1940. La città delle luci è diventata buia.
Una commovente storia d’amore
Parigi, 1940. Michel Bonnet ha solo vent’anni e vive arrangiandosi con lavoretti rimediati alle fiere di cavalli alla periferia della città. Ma quando Parigi cade in mano ai nazisti, Michel sale clandestinamente sul primo treno diretto verso sud. È un viaggio che gli cambierà la vita per sempre.
Quando Michel vede per la prima volta Frieda – una bellissima ragazza dai capelli scuri e dagli occhi enigmatici e misteriosi – ne rimane affascinato. Anche Frieda è in fuga dai nazisti e Michel, senza un tetto e affamato, decide di unire il suo destino a quello della ragazza e di seguirla nella compagnia circense di cui fa parte.
Ma c’è qualcosa che Frieda non gli dice, un segreto che ha giurato di portare nella tomba. E così Michel, ignaro del pericolo che si avvicina, si mette al seguito della compagnia circense itinerante, addentrandosi nella campagna francese, con il suo indimenticabile profumo di lavanda.
Commovente come Il maestro di Auschwitz
Indimenticabile come Storia di una ladra di libri
«Fin dalla prima pagina, la scrittura mi ha catturato. È come se l’autrice, con le sue descrizioni vivide, riuscisse a dipingere un quadro.»
«Carly Schabowski ha un talento eccezionale! Il suo romanzo è una lettura coinvolgente, indimenticabile e poetica.»
«Il miglior libro che ho letto quest’anno: è bello e profondo. La storia coinvolge e ti ritrovi a partecipare alle vicende dei personaggi e alla loro battaglia per la sopravvivenza nella Francia occupata.»
«Sentivo il dolore, la paura e la disperazione dei personaggi… Le descrizioni dei luoghi, in particolare di Parigi, sono fenomenali. L’ho letto in ventiquattr’ore e non riuscivo a metterlo giù.»
Carly Schabowski
È inglese; ha lavorato come giornalista a Cipro e in Australia prima di tornare a Oxford, dove insegna Scrittura Creativa presso la Oxford Brookes University. Appassionata studiosa della storia della seconda guerra mondiale, ha inoltre conseguito un dottorato sul tema della responsabilità degli autori di romanzi storici.