1939: Australian-born Carl Smith loves his country and despises fascism, but he never meant to go to war. He is training to be a doctor and wants to protect lives, not take them. But if enlisting is the only way he can save his German-born father, Dr Louis Schmidt, from an internment camp, he will.
1941: Athena Papandrakis has grown up on the island of Crete, swimming in jewelled waters and exploring ancient ruins. Now her home is under threat and she is ready to fight to defend it from the hated Nazi invaders, just as her ancestors sought to protect their island home in the past.
When Carl arrives in Crete with Allied Forces soldiers evacuated from the Greek mainland, he and Athena are intoxicated by each other. Carl is not the man her traditional parents would have chosen for their daughter, however, and hiding the secret of his German heritage from Athena could further threaten their love.
Decisions must be made when they find themselves in an intense final stand against the Nazis as the Allied Forces retreat and the Cretan peasants are forced into guerrilla warfare. For Carl and Athena, it becomes a desperate quest for survival… and love, loyalty and trust will fight a battle to the last.
Mary-Anne O’Connor is a much-loved, bestselling Australian author who delivers fabulous, richly imagined historical fiction novels that are consistent hits here at Better Reading. Her novels In a Great Southern Land, Gallipoli Street and Worth Fighting have all made their way onto our Top 100 lists, while her last novel, Sisters of Freedom, delighted readers with its meticulously researched, and thought-provoking storytelling.
Now, O’Connor returns with Never to Surrender, a passionate tale of a young German-Australian soldier and a Cretan girl, who together are caught up in guerrilla warfare during the brutal Nazi invasion of Crete. It’s a fantastic novel that’s based on facts combined with O’Connor’s captivating fiction.
There are many complementing contrasts that stand out in this tale: love and war, strength and emotion, privilege and sacrifice. You’ll be instantly swept up in Carl and Athena’s individual lives and how they merge together. Their time with each other is fleeting, yet it’s what makes the story all the more compelling. Despite the many hurdles they go through, they don’t give up – on their circumstances, or each other. It’s honourable and enthralling.
You’ll be immersed in the Cretan island landscapes, the tragedy and beauty of the location on full display here. The characters are well-drawn, and O’Connor doesn’t shy away from touching on the heavy realities of war – betrayal, battles and danger. Also fascinating are O’Connor’s author notes, which offer insight into the inspiration and truth behind the novel’s events.
Never to Surrender is a heartfelt, sweeping World War II saga, from the peaceful farmlands of NSW to the Mediterranean’s glittering, dangerous shores. I highly recommend it for readers of Fiona McIntosh, Nicole Alexander and Natasha Lester.
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