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Bethlehem, PA native Laura Libricz earned a BA in German at The College of New Paltz, NY in 1991 and moved to Germany, where she resides today. When she isn’t writing she can be found sifting through city archives, picking through castle ruins or aiding the steady flood of musical instruments into the world market. A fascination with the country’s history has led her to recreate the 17th century for English speaking readers in the historical novel series Heaven’s Pond. The Master and the Maid is the first book in the series. The Soldier’s Return is the second.
Reviewed by Trudi LoPreto for Readers' Favorite
The Master and the Maid: Heaven’s Pond Trilogy Book 1 is a long, leisurely read, and is the interesting story of Katarina, a young girl living in Germany in the 1600s. Katarina is a barmaid doing most of the work while her lazy and irresponsible boyfriend, Willi, enjoys the benefits of her labors. She is given to Herr Tucher in lieu of the debts Willi owes and is taken back to her grandmother’s home to be a maid. She meets Hans Wolfgang, who gives her a baby girl to protect and care for. Ralf is the annoying bad guy. The story expands on all of the characters' adventures, falling in love, fighting, and the Catholic versus Protestant war, for a little longer than I would have liked, but the historical facts and 17th century life are well presented.
The Master and the Maid: Heaven’s Pond Trilogy Book 1 is a must-read for all readers who enjoy the German Catholic Protestant war and historical or 17th century settings in novels. Author Laura Libricz certainly knows her facts and correct information, and has combined this into a compelling novel with in-depth characters and a really good plot. Katarina is impossible not to like and I couldn’t stop myself from cheering her on and watching her evolve from a young girl to a woman in love. The last several chapters were chock full of excitement and hard to put down, and the ending made me smile so, all in all, I have to say this is a book worth reading.
