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The Silver Music Box  By  cover art

The Silver Music Box

By: Mina Baites, Alison Layland - translator
Narrated by: Jane Oppenheimer
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Publisher's summary

A captivating cross-generational novel from German author Mina Baites about a Jewish family divided by World War II and an inheritance with the power to bring them back together.

1914. For Paul, with love. Jewish silversmith Johann Blumenthal engraved those words on his most exquisite creation, a singing filigree bird inside a tiny ornamented box. He crafted this treasure for his young son before leaving to fight in a terrible war to honor his beloved country - a country that would soon turn against his own family.

A half century later, Londoner Lilian Morrison inherits the box after the death of her parents. Though the silver is tarnished and dented, this much-loved treasure is also a link to an astonishing past. With the keepsake is a letter from Lilian's mother, telling her daughter for the first time that she was adopted. Too young to remember, Lilian was rescued from a Germany in the grips of the Holocaust. Now only she can trace what happened to a family who scattered to the reaches of the world, a family forced to choose between their heritage and their dreams for the future.

©2017 Mina Baites (P)2017 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Translation © 2017 by Alison Layland.

What listeners say about The Silver Music Box

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Mixed Thoughts

The first three fourths of this book was very well written with wonderfully crafted sentence structure combined with an intriguing story of a Jewish family struggling to survive the Nazi take over.
When the story jump to the 1969's, this well crafted book turned into a Lifetime story with two friends suddenly falling in love and immediately planning to marry. It was almost like one person began the book, then turn it over and had someone else finish it.

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15 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Terrible writing

Beginning of story was interesting but by the end the writing was so bad and repetitive I just wanted to give up. The author could have given a lot more thought into character building

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10 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Highly recommend

Loved this book! So well written. I highly recommend it. Also it so very well narrated.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A Beautiful, Haunting Story of Love & Family

While it started slow the backstory was crucial to understand the next turn of events and what lead to the u folding if this plot. This story was difficult to take in at times but so full of family and heartbreak and sacrifice and ultimately a happy ending full of love. This Narrator did a wonderful job with the German language. I highly recommend.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A fascinating historical fiction!

Story follows account of one Jewish Family from World War I through to the 1980’s. Narrator excellent! The German people throughout the narrative really came to life!

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • TD
  • 01-27-18

What a beautiful story!

I listened each morning to The Silver Music Box while exercising on my “dreadmill” as I lovingly call it. I could not wait to begin each day as this story is so very moving and beautiful. It made a not so enjoyable task quite easy. It is very well performed and paced. I had tears in my eyes when the narration ended. I recommend this book highly!

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful book

I loved this book! I couldn’t put it down. I think it would make a great movie.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Educational

This story encompasses the rise of Hilter, different options that the Jews choose during that time and what was the outcome. It came around full circle. Nicely done story.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Both heartbreaking and inspirational. Loved it.

Didn't realize how attached I had become to this novel until it was finished. Beautifully written and narrated.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great

I really enjoyed reading this story, very heart breaking yet has a good ending! I love the history where so many during that time suffered.

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3 people found this helpful