Red Anemones
By Paula Dáil
Moving among generations of a German-Jewish-American family, "Red Anemones" is a poignant exploration of the intricate bonds, untold secrets, and unspoken legacies our ancestors bestow upon us.
Natalie Barlow's journey of self-discovery begins when her estranged mother's sudden death releases a storm of unrevealed family secrets reaching back to pre-WWI Germany.
As Natalie navigates the complexities of her newly discovered Jewish identity and her ancestral heritage, she comes face-to-face with the early 20th-century German immigrant experience, which included strong anti-German sentiment and deep antisemitism that prevailed across America.
Through diaries and letters her mother saved, Natalie learns of the personal costs this ugly reality extracted from generations of her own family. Ultimately, she must confront the question of her own identity.
Like Israel's red anemones carpeting the western Negev and Dvira Forest of the Judean foothills year after year, Natalie is determined, no matter the personal costs, to find the courage, resiliency, and passion to embrace the changes that bring new beginnings. Inspired by a true story.
Publication Date: October 17th, 2025
Publisher: Historium Press
Pages: 449
Genre: Historical Fiction
Praise
“"Red Anemones" by Paula Dáil weaves a powerful narrative inspired by a gripping true story, infusing the text with authenticity and emotional resonance. This book is an absolute must-read for fans of the genre, as it expertly blends enthralling storytelling with fully realised characters and a rich plot.”
Yarde Book Promotion, Editorial 5* Review
“Poignant, disturbing, and historically and dramatically riveting.”
Kirkus Reviews
“As I read, I found myself utterly taken by Dáil’s writing. Her prose has rhythm and patience, tight, deliberate, and quietly powerful. She writes with tenderness but never sentimentality, allowing emotion to rise naturally from her characters’ choices. I could almost feel the weight of Nathalie’s conflict between family duty and self-determination, between love and freedom. The language is lived-in, grounded, and full of quiet heat.”
Literary Titan, 5* Review
Excerpt
“What would my friends think of me if they found out I was living a lie… had been lying to them about who I really am? I could never explain this dishonestly to my sisterhood. It’s a Christian organization and none of the members would knowingly befriend a Jew. They would be horrified and never believe anything I said ever again, not that it would matter, because I’d be expelled.” Saying this, my aunt puts her head in her hands and sobs.
“Then I guess we don’t tell them,” I say, patting her arm.
“Just how is that going to work, Natalie? You, my niece, are suddenly Jewish by birth, but I’m not? Jewish identity passes through the mother, and since your mother is my sister – we’re either both Jewish or neither of us is Jewish. There’s no half-in-half-out. If you embrace your Jewish heritage, it casts a wide net that includes me and Emily and both Emily’s children.”
“It might not be as bad as you think,” I quietly suggest.
“That’s true. It might be a lot worse than either you or I can imagine.”
“Emily knows about the diaries and hasn’t asked a single question about what they contain. She can’t be that curious,” I reassure my aunt.
“She’s smart enough to have figured out she doesn’t want anything to do with any of this. Joe’s a Muslim and while he doesn’t especially like that Emily is a Christian, she’s not religious, so he can live with it. If he finds out his wife is a Jew, all hell will break loose. He’ll nullify the marriage, claim the children under Muslim law, then take off for the Middle East. She’d never get them back – probably never see them again.”
“Jesus…” I whisper.
“If Jesus could fix this, I guarantee you we wouldn’t be having this conversation,” Sally grimaces, rolling her eyes. “I’m not saying any of this will happen, but you need to understand that it could and understand precisely how great the risks involved in this possible scenario are. The stakes are higher than you can possibly imagine,” my aunt cautions me, looking hard into my eyes.
“Emily must’ve said something to you?” I ask.
“She mentioned finding Charlotte’s diaries and casually wondered what might be in them. I told her to ask you. If she hasn’t done that, then she doesn’t want to know.”
“But denying our Jewish heritage is failing to honor our ancestors, most of who were probably exterminated in German death camps. Don’t you feel any responsibility to honor their legacy, especially since we might be their only bloodline survivors?”
“I try very hard not think about that.”
“You’re comfortable ignoring our family history entirely?”
“I didn’t say that, Natalie. There’s a difference between ignoring something and broadcasting it.”
“But what you’re claiming is that if I continue the pattern of denial and bury all this, everything stays the same and everyone goes on living a false life as someone other than who they really are. If I decide to live my life authentically, as the Jew I was born to be, and am, the ripple effect could be devastating. Is that what you’re really saying?” I ask, my voice quavering as the enormous cost of claiming a life that increasingly means so much to me begins enveloping me like a thick, heavy fog.
“Unfortunately, that’s exactly what I’m saying, sweetheart. A lot of people could be badly – irreparably – hurt. Lives would be ruined forever, with no chance of repair.”
“Then I guess I have a decision to make,” I say, standing up.
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A native Californian, Paula Dáil is an emerita research professor of social welfare and public policy and award-winning author. Widely published in the social sciences, she has also been recognized for her non-fiction and fiction writing, both under her own name and her pen name, Avery Michael.
She is the recipient of first or second place Readers Favorite, Reader’s Choice, Independent Publisher, Bookfest and Literary Titan awards, a Booklist Starred Review and several other five-star reviews, including Goodreads, The Book Commentary, and Independent Book Review. Two of her books received the Non-fiction Book of the Year Award from the Council for Wisconsin Writers.
She holds a PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and lives with her husband and dog in the Great Lakes Region of the Upper Midwest.
Red Anemones is her tenth book.
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