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Echoes (Abridged) Audiobook
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(3.01) - 3,452 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Against a vivid backdrop of history, Danielle Steel tells a compelling story of love and war, acts of faith and acts of betrayal…and of three generations of women as they journey though years of loss and survival, linked by an indomitable devotion that echoes across time. For the Wittgenstein family, the summer of 1915 was a time of both prosperity and unease, as the guns of war sound in the distance. But for eldest daughter Beata, it was also a summer of awakening. By the glimmering waters of Lake Geneva, the quiet Jewish beauty met a young French officer and fell in love. Knowing that her parents would never accept her marriage to a Catholic, Beata followed her heart anyway. And as the two built a new life together, Beata’s past would stay with her in ways she could never have predicted. For as the years pass, and Europe is once again engulfed in war, Beata must watch in horror as Hitler’s terror threatens her life and family—even her eighteen-year-old daughter Amadea, who has taken on the vows of a Carmelite nun. For Amadea, the convent is no refuge. As family and friends are swept away without a trace, Amadea is forced into hiding. Thus begins a harrowing journey of survival, as she escapes into the heart of the French Resistance. Here Amadea will find a renewed sense of purpose, taking on the most daring missions behind enemy lines. And it is here, in the darkest moments of fear, that Amadea will feel her mother’s loving strength—and that of her mother’s mother before her–as the voices of lost loved ones echo powerfully in her heart. And here, amid the fires of war, Amadea will meet an extraordinary man, British secret agent Rupert Montgomery. In Colonel Montgomery, Amadea finds a man who will help her discover her place in an unbreakable chain between generations…and between her lost family and her dreams for the future—a future she is only just beginning to imagine: a future of hope rooted in the rich soil of the past. With the grace of a master storyteller, Danielle Steel breathes life into history, creating a bold, sweeping tale filled with unforgettable characters and breathtaking images—from the elegant rituals of Europe’s prewar aristocracy to the brutal desperation of Germany’s death camps. Drawing us into a vanished world, Echoes weaves an intricate tapestry of a mother’s love, a daughter’s courage…and the unwavering faith that sustained them—even in history’s darkest hour.
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"I was surprised how well I liked this book. I am not a Danielle Steele fan, and only read it cause it was on a pile of books loaned to me by a friend. This book felt more like a 'family history' read...In fact I kept looking to see if maybe I misunderstood and this was nonfiction. I thought the characters were interesting and likable. I actually enjoyed reading about the mother and then the daughter.... I would have liked to have known what happened to Beata and Daphne, but, I also felt like not knowing was typical for the times."
— Verlee (4 out of 5 stars)
Echoes Listener Reviews
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" I love all of Danielle Steele's books...but this one was, by far, my favorite. It is haunting and really takes you to a place in time where horrible things were happening and makes you feel the fear that many people faced during those times and how no one was really safe from hatred. "
— Cathi, 2/4/2014 -
" This book suprised me....in that I actually really liked it. I completely forgot I was reading a book by one of the leading romance novelists as Steel really put the lovey stuff on the back burner in this book and brought the WWII era to life. I don't normally read Danielle Steel books. They are not my style (really). But I have found if you pick wisely she has some pearls among the swine. This is one. "
— Susie, 1/26/2014 -
" I thought this was a really good book. "
— Shauna, 1/5/2014 -
" I liked the story line, and how it actually stretched across both world wars...but I was not a big fan of her writing style. "
— Jessica, 1/3/2014 -
" It has been a while since I read this book, but I remember liking it. "
— Katie, 12/26/2013 -
" loved this book I just love danielle steel "
— Patricia, 12/22/2013 -
" Amazing book. I could not believe she was able to fit so much into one book. "
— Blanca, 12/18/2013 -
" This is a good book-- pretty predictable, but another perspective of the concentrations camps in world war 2. "
— Tammy, 12/16/2013 -
" I'm not going to read anymore Danielle Steele books. Some stories are good but characters are plastic. "
— Mary, 12/1/2013 -
" I love this book so much it was really um real lol. I read this when I was 14 and still love think about some of the scenes in the book in my mind today. "
— David, 11/29/2013 -
" Great book on WWII "
— ~DIAMOND~, 11/5/2013 -
" I normally would not pick up a Danielle Steel book but this was about the Holocaust and I needed a book for the plane. It was an interesting story about a Jewish family during WWII. One of the daughters gets "drafted" into being a spy. I don't remember much about the story but it I enjoyed it. "
— Leslie, 6/24/2013 -
" Ok frankly I loved this book, well at least I would have except for one thing. There was no mention of what happened to beta or daphne, which I thought was needed. Otherwise what was the point in most of the first half of the book? "
— Rachael, 2/6/2013 -
" I love this book. The plot is so good that I read it twice. "
— Martha, 10/31/2012 -
" Another good one to read. "
— Dottie, 5/17/2012 -
" The Best Danielle Steel book I have ever read! It's a heartbreaking novel. Just couldn't put it down. "
— Khatera, 12/4/2011 -
" I do not read too much of Danielle Steel, however, I greatly enjoyed this historical fiction story spanning two world wars, relationships between mothers and daughters, French resistance in WWII as well as a good love story. "
— Carol, 11/29/2011 -
" This is one of my favorite Danielle Steel books. "
— Audrey, 9/2/2011 -
" book was good except i didnt care for all the war/jewish/concentration camp stuff.. i didnt know thats what the book was about or I might have skipped it. "
— Tara, 7/30/2011 -
" Amazing book. I could not believe she was able to fit so much into one book. "
— Blanca, 2/9/2011 -
" A very good read that gives a fictional glimpse into a historical hell from a personal perspective. "
— Kaylam, 1/17/2011 -
" Absolutely amazing! The first book I ever cried from. "
— Marlee, 1/7/2011 -
" I thought this was a really good book. "
— Shauna, 1/5/2011 -
" an excellent book, couldn't sleep till i finished it "
— Heba, 12/13/2010 -
" Hard to put down. Kinda sad but interesting time period "
— Christine, 10/12/2010
About Danielle Steel
Danielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world’s most popular authors, with almost a billion copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include many acclaimed novels. She is also author of His Bright Light, the story of her son Nick Traina’s life and death; A Gift of Hope, a memoir of her work with the homeless; Pure Joy, about the dogs she and her family have loved; and the children’s books Pretty Minnie in Paris and Pretty Minnie in Hollywood.
About Simon Prebble
Simon Prebble, a British-born performer, is a stage and television actor and veteran narrator of some three hundred audiobooks. As one of AudioFile’s Golden Voices, he has received thirty-seven Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie in 2010. He lives in New York.