I was torn between loving the historical aspects and feeling uncomfortable with some of the content. The story was rich in culture and history, and the book was well-written, but the casual way a sensitive topic was discussed almost made me want to skip the rest of the novel. Peter’s sister, who only plays a minor role in the story, is autistic. Of course, no one knew what autism was back then, so it makes sense that people aren’t sure what to do with her. But the real issue I have is that she is sexually assaulted at the beginning of the book.

The act isn’t described, and there is no graphic content, but to have such a horrible thing happen to Effie was not necessary. I think that if the author really wanted to discuss the horrors citizens face during war, they should have leaned in and made Effie’s story a bigger part of the plot. It comes off as just a plot device for Peter’s character development, but Effie deserved more than that.

Aside from my issue with Effie’s story, the book did a good job of immersing me in Peter’s and Lioba’s lives. Peter isn’t a very likable character at first. He’s selfish and self-absorbed, but that begins to change when he travels through time and meets Lioba. He grows up and matures as he tries to think of ways to help Lioba find her family and escape the Nazis. These moments in the future, particularly when he and Lioba hide while a death march passes by, help him learn how to better handle the problems he’s dealing with at home. The magic of the amber is subtle, apart from the time travel, in that Peter himself is changed. He opens his eyes and sees, for the first time, possibilities and hope for the future.

I suppose I could still recommend the book for its story, with a large content warning. If you are sensitive to such topics as sexual assault and suicide, you might want to skip it. But the novel does a good job with the message of perseverance through hardships, and that helping people is the best means of survival for everyone.