"Life Under The Dark Sky is indeed as the title says--ordinary life and the
simple dreams of happiness of a young woman in a small Austrian village in a
world quickly darkened by the clouds of war. Diana Branisteanu's story follows
Heidi from her days as a rather strong willed girl through the pre-war years,
the take over of Austria by Germany, the deepening of the horror of war and then
the years that followed Nazi Germany's defeat, the occupation of Austria by the
Red Army until the day Heidi leaves the Old World for the new one. The author's
style is exactly what is needed to show the slow, subtle, almost creeping
advance of the tragedy, sorrow and loss that war brings upon a young woman and a
whole generation of young people barely out of their childhood. The story
provides beautifully the transition and phases in Heidi's life from
incomprehension, denial of reality, attempt to live in spite of it, escape in
love, pretty dresses and parties, all along living in a tunnel, isolated in the
radio room of her army unit, until all attempts to `normal' are shattered by
death and loss, and the brutality of the Nazi and then Russian occupation. Heidi
is endowed with a great gift--she's a survivor and makes the choice to survive
unlike so many others who froze in the glare of the horror. It is a story that
lingers in one's mind and heart.
Also the author shows extensive knowledge of the war years and its history, but also has an eye for details of every day life that makes the world around Heidi real to the reader. I understand that this is Branisteanu's first novel and it is a biographical one. I think we should expect from this author a second novel, perhaps this one based on her own experiences, which I think are equally interesting. "
Review by Adriana Renescu - Author of "The Wolves of Pavlava" and "The Death of Rafael" available at Amazon.com.
Also the author shows extensive knowledge of the war years and its history, but also has an eye for details of every day life that makes the world around Heidi real to the reader. I understand that this is Branisteanu's first novel and it is a biographical one. I think we should expect from this author a second novel, perhaps this one based on her own experiences, which I think are equally interesting. "
Review by Adriana Renescu - Author of "The Wolves of Pavlava" and "The Death of Rafael" available at Amazon.com.
"This is a novel based on true events that my mother went through in her youth as a young woman going through her day to day life during World War II. This novel takes you on a journey of fear, courage, love ,dedication, and survival. It’s a great story for those that want to know how life was back in those years, to go though the fears and events during a war, when you really wanted to have no part of it. It tells you the human side of war and what it does to people, and how they cope with it.
This book took my wife Diana eighteen months to complete, with hours of war time memories given to us by my mother. "
Erwin Ponepal
"This story was fantastic from beginning to end. The descriptions of the time period came alive for me and kept me interested, not wanting to put the book down. What the main character goes through is something you can really feel, truly breathtaking and heartfelt, Without reservation, I recommend this book."
Caroline Humeniuk
“Just wanted to let you know that I found the story so interesting that I could hardly put it down! Its an amazing story of times that I have never experienced and hope I never will. Thank you for sharing her story!”
Jenny Graham
"I have read Diana's novel. It was a touching story wonderfully told. It had a smooth reading style which made it easy to keep flipping the pages. It was a story that will be hard to forget. Heidi struggled with things that we all fear and she overcame them. She was and is a courageous and strong lady. Quite a survivor! Maurice, my husband, also read the book and enjoyed it. I was amazed that he actually read an English book but the story captivated his attention. He was looking forward to finding out what would happen next. Congratulations to Diana on her accomplished storytelling."
Carole Dubois
"The book is a true page turner...not in the sense of being a thriller, but more in that one just wants to know what happens next! the storyline is engaging and the characters are well defined. The reader gets thrown back to the time the book is set in and experiences the fears and anxieties of the characters. Thank you so much Diana for writing this book."
Khazeena Ashroff
"Just wanted to let you know that I received my book on Friday and finished reading it last night (Sunday). What a WONDERFUL read it was!!! Heidi was such a remarkable young woman!!! Any plans to write a sequel letting us know how Heidi and her family made out once they immigrated to Canada? When I got to the last sentence, I didn't want the book to end!!!!"
Marjorie Nadeau
"I finished the book long time ago. I finished it so quickly, like I do with all the books that I like. I liked the story line, the flow of the writing, the characters - the way they were contoured... A good book transposes you into that world, into the action and that's what I felt when I read your book: I imagined the people, the places, the nature, the actions, like in a movie. It's a simple subject, but for somebody's first book, it's more important how to compose the characters to look real, to have a personality etc, and also the way their actions are described. So I cannot wait for your next book, that you said will be a fiction."
Alina Bugeag
This book took my wife Diana eighteen months to complete, with hours of war time memories given to us by my mother. "
Erwin Ponepal
"This story was fantastic from beginning to end. The descriptions of the time period came alive for me and kept me interested, not wanting to put the book down. What the main character goes through is something you can really feel, truly breathtaking and heartfelt, Without reservation, I recommend this book."
Caroline Humeniuk
“Just wanted to let you know that I found the story so interesting that I could hardly put it down! Its an amazing story of times that I have never experienced and hope I never will. Thank you for sharing her story!”
Jenny Graham
"I have read Diana's novel. It was a touching story wonderfully told. It had a smooth reading style which made it easy to keep flipping the pages. It was a story that will be hard to forget. Heidi struggled with things that we all fear and she overcame them. She was and is a courageous and strong lady. Quite a survivor! Maurice, my husband, also read the book and enjoyed it. I was amazed that he actually read an English book but the story captivated his attention. He was looking forward to finding out what would happen next. Congratulations to Diana on her accomplished storytelling."
Carole Dubois
"The book is a true page turner...not in the sense of being a thriller, but more in that one just wants to know what happens next! the storyline is engaging and the characters are well defined. The reader gets thrown back to the time the book is set in and experiences the fears and anxieties of the characters. Thank you so much Diana for writing this book."
Khazeena Ashroff
"Just wanted to let you know that I received my book on Friday and finished reading it last night (Sunday). What a WONDERFUL read it was!!! Heidi was such a remarkable young woman!!! Any plans to write a sequel letting us know how Heidi and her family made out once they immigrated to Canada? When I got to the last sentence, I didn't want the book to end!!!!"
Marjorie Nadeau
"I finished the book long time ago. I finished it so quickly, like I do with all the books that I like. I liked the story line, the flow of the writing, the characters - the way they were contoured... A good book transposes you into that world, into the action and that's what I felt when I read your book: I imagined the people, the places, the nature, the actions, like in a movie. It's a simple subject, but for somebody's first book, it's more important how to compose the characters to look real, to have a personality etc, and also the way their actions are described. So I cannot wait for your next book, that you said will be a fiction."
Alina Bugeag
