The Fortunate Ones cover art

The Fortunate Ones

Beautiful and Heartbreaking World War 2 Historical Fiction

Preview

Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The Fortunate Ones

By: Catherine Hokin
Narrated by: Jasmine Blackborow
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $27.99

Buy Now for $27.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.
Cancel

About this listen

Every day, he stood exactly where he was directed. He listened for his number, shouted his answer in the freezing cold. He was ragged, and he was starving, but he was alive. He was one of the fortunate ones whom fate had left standing. And he needed to stay that way. For Hannah.

Berlin, 1941. Felix Thalberg, a printer’s apprentice, has the weight of the world on his shoulders. His beloved city is changing under Nazi rule, and at home things are no better - Felix’s father hasn’t left the house since he was forced to wear a yellow star, and his mother grows thinner every day.

Then one night, Felix meets a mysterious young woman in a crowded dance hall, and his life is changed forever. Hannah is like a rush of fresh air into his gloomy, stagnant life, and Felix finds himself instantly, powerfully infatuated with her. But when he tries to find her again, she’s vanished without a trace.

Was Hannah taken away by the Gestapo and held prisoner...or worse? When Felix himself is imprisoned in Sachsenhausen concentration camp, his thoughts are only for her safety. And when a life-threatening injury lands him on the ward of Dr. Max Eichel - a Nazi medical officer with a sadistic reputation - his love for his lost Hannah sees him through the pain.

Until one day, Dr. Eichel brings his pretty, young wife to tour the camp, and Felix’s world is thrown off-kilter. Framed in the hospital window, he sees - impossibly - the same girl he met that fateful night...her wrist in the vice-like grip of the deathly calm SS Officer. And it’s clear Hannah recognizes him at once - there is no mistaking her expression, she has been dreaming of him too....

A gripping and beautiful wartime love story about two people facing impossible odds - heartbreaking, moving, and unforgettable. Perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, We Were the Lucky Ones, and The Alice Network.

©2020 Catherine Hokin (P)2020 Bookouture
Fiction World War II Emotionally Gripping Prisoners of War Holocaust

What listeners say about The Fortunate Ones

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    34
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    32
  • 4 Stars
    2
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    31
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A very Good listen was Hooked

Well narrated and the narration allowed you to get into each character and feel like you could invisage how they looked and the facial expressions used.... A story that was not coated in "Hollywood" Beautiful and heartbreaking but totally believable .

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Heartbreaking

Heartbreakingly tragic and powerful story. The emotions come across beautifully in the story and performance. Highly recommend but be prepared for this story to not be exactly as you expect.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful story

Been listening to this at work, and it's been wonderful to listen and learn about their story.

At the beginning I was confused on the names and such so I impulsed bought the book, to better understand it... I just had to relisten to the start and then I got it.

The story is beautifully written, and I do recommend this book to anyone wants a fictional ww2 book, I did a little "Woow" when I heard the use of Mathusen, as many don't know about that camp so it was lovely to hear about it.

The ending does seemed rushed, but I liked the outcome im glad they didn't get together, and patched things up and went their separate ways.

excited to see what else Catherine has up her sleeve.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Exceptional had me to the end

I couldn't stop listening to this book, many different threads, portrayed courage and hope amidst awful times.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Original Historical Romance

I liked that this was a little different to most holocaust stories. The hero and heroine were believable, and the ending good. What spoiled this book for me was the narration - a number of mispronunciations and inconsistencies of pronunciation eg Edelweiss. Also I had trouble with the English accent. I don't know why I expect my German characters to speak English with a German accent, but it's more authentic to me. Also, when the guards were shouting, it sounded like a bored train guard asking to look at tickets - no barking orders as you would expect.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.