Magda, Standing

By: Christine Fallert Kessides

Narrated by: Heidi Housh

Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

When her father pulls her out of high school to care for her invalid mother and little brother, 16-year-old Magda is devastated—but the greater challenge is saving her family in the face of a war and pandemic.

In 1916, the world is at war, even if America has not yet joined the effort. But for Magda, the growing hostility her German immigrant family faces hits close to home. Despite her domestic obligations, Magda persists with her education, determined to find an independent role for herself. Faced with the mounting crises of the war and the Spanish flu, Magda seeks the knowledge and strength to try to protect those she loves most.

Standing up to a war, pandemic, traditions, and expectations, Magda embarks on a journey of self-discovery and resilience that leads her back to embracing her family and caring for a wider community.

©2023 Christine Fallert Kessides (P)2023 Christine Fallert Kessides

Engaging, Rich, and Endearing

Although America had not yet joined in the war, they were close. Priorities were shifting and making ends meet was becoming harder with each passing day. For Magda, a brilliant and highly engaged woman being pulled from school to care for her family barely slowed her down. When the war and Spanish flu pandemic hit home, she met the challenges head-on, trying to overcome each while also maintaining familial tradition.

The author, Christine Fallerty Kessides, crafts an engaging fictional story based on historical facts, beliefs, and culture of the early 1900s. Her descriptive writing style combined with engaging and authentic dialogue kept the story engaging and moving forward. Her writing style is concise yet vividly descriptive. Although the point of view is from Madga’s perspective, the audience feels the conflicting emotions of the other characters as well.

The narrator, Heidi Housh, delivers a captivating performance. Her delivery and cadence were deliberate, and her voice was smooth with rich tones. She communicated easily the essence of each character and each emotion being experienced. Her technique further enhanced the story.

I was surprised by the richness and strength of the character especially for the time era this was written around. The author and narrator worked well together to tell the story of Magda richly and engagingly.

There were no issues with the quality or production of this audiobook.

Great Historical Fiction! Loved the narrator!

I really like historical fiction and this was a great story that gave insight to German immigrants during the First World War in the United States. I really loved the narrator, Heidi Housh, and the cadence she used to tell the story. She really became Magda’s voice in this wonderful story that captured the love and hardships families endured during wartime and a global pandemic.