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Under the Same Blue Sky: A Novel Kindle Edition

by Pamela Schoenewaldt (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 109 ratings
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From the USA Today bestselling author of When We Were Strangers and Swimming in the Moon comes a lush, exquisitely drawn novel set against the turmoil of the Great War, as a young German-American woman explores the secrets of her past.

A shopkeeper’s daughter, Hazel Renner lives in the shadows of the Pittsburgh steel mills. She dreams of adventure, even as her immigrant parents push her toward a staid career. But in 1914, war seizes Europe and all their ambitions crumble. German-Americans are suddenly the enemy, “the Huns.” Hazel herself is an outsider in her own home when she learns the truth of her birth.

Desperate for escape, Hazel takes a teaching job in a seemingly tranquil farming community. But the idyll is cracked when she acquires a mysterious healing power—a gift that becomes a curse as the locals’ relentless demand for “miracles” leads to tragedy.

Hazel, determined to find answers, traces her own history back to a modern-day castle that could hold the truth about her past. There Hazel befriends the exiled, enigmatic German baron and forges a bond with the young gardener, Tom. But as America is shattered by war and Tom returns battered by shell-shock, Hazel’s healing talents alone will not be enough to protect those close to her, or to safeguard her dreams of love and belonging. She must reach inside to discover that sometimes the truth is not so far away, that the simplest of things can lead to the extraordinary.  

Filled with rich historical details and intriguing, fully realized characters, Under the Same Blue Sky is the captivating story of one woman’s emergence into adulthood amid the tumult of war. 

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  1. Print length
    350 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    William Morrow Paperbacks
  5. Publication date
    May 5, 2015
  6. File size
    4333 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“The strength of the novel is its portrayal of the power of human connection, as reflected in one woman’s search for making herself whole in a world divided by war.” (Booklist)

“From the smoke-filled streets of Pittsburgh to the war-ravaged landscape of Europe, UNDER THE SAME BLUE SKY is the story of one woman’s wonderfully determined journey through a world at the edge of war to seek her family’s past and her own future.” (Jessica Brockmole, author of Letters from Skye)

“Schoenewaldt has done it again - crafted a rich and refreshing tale that not only sweeps us back to the American landscape of 1914 but keeps us bound to the page as young German-American Hazel Renner fights for her dreams while war rages on abroad.” (Susan Gregg Gilmore, author of The Funeral Dress and Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen)

“Absorbing and layered with rich historical details, Schoenewaldt weaves a tender and at times, heartbreaking story about German-Americans during World War I. With remarkable compassion, the author skillfully portrays conflicted loyalties, the search for belonging, the cruelty of war, and the resilience of the human spirit.” (Ann Weisgarber, author of The Personal History of Rachel Dupree and The Promise)

From the Back Cover

1914. In the coal-dusted shadows of Pittsburgh's steel mills, shopkeeper's daughter Hazel Renner dreams of adventure under blue skies and escape from her German-American parents' ambitions for a respectable career. But war in Europe shatters her plans and community, pitting neighbors and friends against each other and shaking free a family secret. Seeking peace in the countryside, Hazel is visited by a mysterious healing power—a gift that swiftly leads to tragedy.

Resolved to discover who she is and where she belongs, Hazel follows her past to an exiled German baron fighting private demons in an American castle. There she meets Tom, a gardener who shares the freedom of flight, but their powerful bonds will be tested by the chaos and voids of war. Betrayed by her healing powers, struggling to protect those close to her while keeping her own heart safe, Hazel must reconcile youthful dreams with the devastating realities around her. She discovers that escape is closer than we think, and true healing can take unimaginable forms in a world after war.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00O7XELJM
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow Paperbacks (May 5, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 5, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4333 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 350 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 109 ratings

About the author

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Pamela Schoenewaldt

Pamela Schoenewaldt

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Pamela Schoenewaldt's first historical novel of immigration, USAToday Bestseller, When We Were Strangers (2011), was a Barnes & Noble Great Discovery. Her second, Swimming in the Moon, was short-listed for the Langum Prize in American Historical Fiction. Under the Same Blue Sky (May 2015) tells of a young woman whose mysterious healing powers confront the devastation of World War I. Pamela lived for ten years outside Naples, Italy, an experience which inspired her first two novels. She lives in Knoxville, Tennessee with her husband, Maurizio Conti, a physicist and Jesse, their philosopher-dog.

Read excerpts, reviews, check out the photo gallery, or get in touch at www.PamelaSchoenewaldt.com

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
109 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Larry C.
5.0 out of 5 stars A remarkable stroy by a terrific writer
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2022
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There is a great deal to like in this novel set at the onset of WW I. The characters are artfully drawn, with a richness of development that allows the reader to truly feel the breadth and depth of emotions experienced by the characters. We also gain a powerful insight to the challenges, prejudices and dilemmas confronted by those who sought a better life in America at the early part of the 20th century. It can certainly inform our understanding of the immigrant experience now. Ms. Schoenewaldt's ability to take the reader through these elements, as well as to expose us to the beauty that can be found in relationships, makes the reading of this, and her other novels, very rewarding.
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Sarah L. Gruwell
4.0 out of 5 stars a woman's journey through one of America's harshest time periods
Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2016
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A jaw-dropping portrayal of life on the home front during WWI, this book surprised me. I had braced myself after reading a few lukewarm reviews. However, I was sucked in by Hazel herself, the amazing atmospheric writing, and an engrossing story of a woman finding herself in a world gone mad. While not perfect, this book still stands as an outstanding example of historical fiction done right.

Hazel herself was a great POV to tell the story through. She started out an idealistic dreamer, facing the world with rose-tinted glasses as she started her teaching career. This was a mirror for the world, pre-WWI, where man could conquer anything and everything was possible.

As the story progresses, Hazel faces tragedy, war, illness, and death. Everything shapes her into a mature woman, equipped to face the trails of life with proficiency. I adored growing with her. Her journey and shaping was the heart of the story, connecting with the reader on a basic level.

If Hazel’s journey is the heart of the book, then its portrayal and tale of German-Americans plight during the war years are the soul. Never have I come across a book that goes this in-depth on the subject. I’ve seen it touched on and used as background before. Yet, this book had something special. The visceral reality of prejudice, violence, and cruelty that became the everyday life of German-Americans comes to vivid life. The author doesn’t scrimp; we get to see the gritty details with no holds barred.

The addition of a healing touch added a nice element to the story at first; in fact, it’s one of the things that attracted me to the book. A little fantasy is always welcome in my historical fiction. Yet, as the story went along, it became more of a burden than a blessing to the story.

I felt like the healing took the story into a different direction than expected; as the second half of the book started, we went in a different direction that didn’t have much to do with healing touch at all. That element of the story was dropped to the wayside and seemed to take precious story time in the beginning that went nowhere.

Despite that one little bump in the road, this book stands as an excellent piece of fiction. Telling an astounding tale of growth and perseverance through adversity, it can’t be paralleled. Even the healing touch aspect added to Hazel’s growth as a person and shaped how she approached the rest of her life decisions. Recommended for its unapologetic look at a dark time in our history and how it shaped the people that experienced it. It’s a tale that will suck you in!
3 people found this helpful
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Elizabeth Duckworth
5.0 out of 5 stars An outstandingly good read.
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2015
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Ms. Schoenewaldt makes history so interesting, I wish I could have had her for a teacher growing up, I certainly would have enjoyed the subject more. The story begins in 1905 with the first recollections of a young teenage girl Hazel who dreams about a past that her parents said she never had. Until one day a name is mentioned and a story begins to unfold. Her story tells of the sadness and fears of the German ex-pats some who have lived in America for decades or even a generation and are trying to live through the WW1, the predudices of their neighbors, the returning young men, so changed from when they marched off, and the thousands who never did come home or who came home only to be struck by the 1918 influenza, some even to perish before they got off the ship. This is a beautifully written story, the history is factual, the story of Hazel is fiction but fascinating. Ms.Schoenewaldt stays true to the time of the century, a simpler time but also a time where children grow up quickly and face harsh realities even in America where the land remained undamaged but it's sons not always so lucky. I could not put this book down, once started I became so involved with the many characters, cried, cheered them on and prayed for them.
One person found this helpful
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Mary
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Historical Fiction!
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2015
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The universal themes of war, immigration, and PTSD are are as current today as the WW1 setting of this book. Characters are easy to identify with. This is a "good read".
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Pat C. Hoy
5.0 out of 5 stars Unusual War Novel
Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2018
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A beautifully written saga about WWI on the home front, with one excursion to the war zone. Beautifully written, thoroughly researched, and imaginatively conceived, this satisfying novel is full of rewarding surprises, start to finish.
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Coliefly
3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable historical fiction - German Americans during WWI
Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2015
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The book opens in Pittsburgh, which drew me in. I appreciated the characters and settings- I love a good immigrant story. Hazel was likeable character and I enjoyed her journey to find herself. The impacts of WWI on the German American community were woven into the story seamlessly. The theme of healing powers was somewhat interesting, however it seemed to just drop out of the story somewhat awkwardly.
I found the subject of "shell shock" was handled beautifully within the the characters of Ben and Tom and the variation in the community's response to each man believable.

Overall an enjoyable read.
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roper
2.0 out of 5 stars Was disappointing
Reviewed in the United States on October 6, 2015
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Tried to read all three of the books from the same author and just gets bogged down in the reading.
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Jean Cole
4.0 out of 5 stars Not perfect - but pretty good.
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2015
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All in all a good read. I did not know much about U.S. Involvement in WWI and this book offered a unique perspective to the years prior to the U.S. Entry to the war in 1917 from German -Americans. Very enlightening.
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Top reviews from other countries

Kate Hopkins
4.0 out of 5 stars At its Best Very Beautiful and Unusual
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 7, 2017
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This rather unusual novel deals with the experiences of German immigrants in America during World War I. Hazel Renner (born Hilde) lives in Pittsburgh, where her father Johannes runs a hardware store and is a metal-work artist in his spare time. The family still feel ambivalent about having left their native Heidelberg, and are not wealthy, but lead a fairly good life. As an adolescent, Hazel develops a passion for art - but the family don't have sufficient funds for her to train as an artist and she takes a job as a schoolteacher in the small town of Galway. Shortly before she goes, she learns that her parents are in fact her uncle and aunt - her mother Margit gave her to them when she left her to take a job in New York (and died shortly after). Hazel throws herself into her work in Galway to distract her from thoughts of this. But events soon take a strange turn when Hazel appears to have developed a mysterious healing gift. Unfortunately, this disappears as quickly as it arrived, with disastrous consequences, and Hazel decides to resign and return home. She doesn't stay long, however - after a few months (and an illness) she sets off again, this time to the small town of Dogwood and the castle owned by a mysterious German aristocrat and art dealer where she once lived with her mother. Soon, Hazel appears to have found her metier, helping Baron's Georg von Richthofen (the aristocrat) with his art dealing business, and developing a close friendship, even a romance, with Tom, the Baron's gardener. But as America enters World War I the attitude towards Germans becomes ever more hostile, Hazel's father - her parents are now living with her - suffers terribly, and Tom enlists. Is America tolerant enough to continue to shelter Hazel and her family, and the Baron? And what will happen to Tom?

This was a book that I felt required a tough editor - not because it was bad but because it was potentially so good that the weaknesses in the story felt a bit jarring. Schoenewaldt seemed to be trying to do too many things at once, which led to plot strands and subjects being randomly dropped or fizzling out. For example, Hazel's healing gift didn't seem to fit in with the rest of the story at all, and I wasn't sure why the novelist introduced it or exactly what point she was trying to make (that the blue paint on Hazel's house was magic? That God had temporarily blessed Hazel?) or why the healing gift vanished. That whole Galway section felt like an odd diversion, and the book would have been perfectly strong without it. The story of Hazel's mother, which began well, just fizzled out too - Hazel appeared to forget all about it as soon as she met Tom at the castle. The Hazel/Tom relationship wasn't given enough time to develop and I wasn't sure what their main mutual attraction was (this was something that Jessica Brockmole, a writer not entirely dissimilar to Schoenewaldt in some ways, did well with 'Letters from Skye' by showing how the couple were drawn to each other by similar interests). And I couldn't believe (SPOILER ALERT) that Hazel would want to go back to Galway! What happened to her art interest? Why did she suddenly go from being such an interesting individual to someone much more everyday? It felt too easy a way to end the book - surely with her passion for art Hazel would have been bored stiff long-term in such a tiny town?

On the other hand, the good bits of the book are beautiful and unusual. Hazel's fascination with art is well described (as are virtually all the places she visits) and I loved her relationship with the Baron, and all the bits about the difficulties he had suffered in Germany. Novels about German immigrants in America aren't that common, and I felt that Schoenewaldt handled this topic very well. The experiences of Hazel's 'father' were very moving, and her mother was a loveable character - and all the German baking sounded mouth-watering. I also enjoyed the description of Hazel and the Baron's trip to Germany, and was glad Schoenewaldt made the point about how dire the situation was there after World War II. And whatever I felt about the whole Hazel/Tom relationship, the depiction of Tom's relationship with his dog Lilli, and his craving for a home were very beautiful.

On the whole a very interesting and vivid book with lots to enjoy - even if I felt a further edit could have made it even better. Will definitely look out for more by this author, and re-read this at some stage.
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petunia
3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
Reviewed in Canada on June 16, 2015
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good story.
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