(Bright One Series, Book #2)
By Lisajoy Sachs
Publisher: Historium Press
Print Length: 554 Pages
Genre: Biographical Historical Fiction
In 1933, as antisemitism spreads across Europe, fifteen-year-old Berta leaves Czernowitz on a journey that will change her life forever.
Married to a man three times her age, Berta is forced to surrender childhood overnight, stepping into the role of wife before she has fully learned who she is. Marriage was meant to secure her future. Instead, it carries her across borders just as hostility toward Jews intensifies and the ground beneath her people begins to shift.
What was meant to be a quick and safe departure becomes a desperate migration as anti-Jewish persecution grows and escape routes narrow. By 1935, Berta and her husband Solomon are stranded in Istanbul, suspended between continents and consequences. Months pass in suffocating uncertainty. Promised departures collapse without explanation. Funds diminish. Friendships disappear into another ship's wake.
And within the confines of marriage, Berta begins to understand that protection does not always resemble love, and that survival may demand more maturity than she was ever meant to possess. When passage to Palestine is finally secured, relief does not come easily. She has learned how quickly certainty dissolves. Ahead lies open water and the fragile hope of safety.
Behind her, a Europe turning its back on Jews and closing its doors. Between those two realities stands a young woman who must decide which parts of herself she is willing to sacrifice to endure.
Set against the tightening grip of pre-war Europe, this sweeping and intimate second installment of the Bright One series traces Berta's forced coming of age amid exile, identity loss, and the quiet, often invisible costs of survival.
There is something incredibly special about knowing that 'Golden Flight' by Lisajoy Sachs is based on the true story of the author's grandmother. That personal connection gives the novel an emotional depth that is difficult to put into words, and as Berta's story unfolds, it becomes impossible not to become invested in her life.
Berta is the heart of this novel. She begins the story as an innocent, wealthy young lady whose sheltered upbringing leaves her completely unprepared for the hardships that lie ahead. One of the moments that really stood out was when her feet become so badly blistered that she is unable to continue travelling. The specially made boots Solomon eventually buys for her become far more than a practical necessity. They allow Berta to keep moving forward, both physically and emotionally, and quietly symbolise the resilience she gradually discovers within herself. Watching her grow into a stronger, more determined young woman is one of the most rewarding aspects of the novel. Every obstacle she faces helps shape the person she is becoming, making her story both believable and deeply moving.
One of the most interesting aspects of the novel is the relationship between Berta and Solomon. The reader gradually comes to understand Solomon far better than Berta ever can because Sachs allows glimpses into his thoughts, his grief, and the burdens he carries. That doesn't excuse some of the choices he makes, but it does help explain them. Berta doesn't have that advantage. She has to discover who her own husband really is through his actions alone, never knowing what is going on inside his mind. Watching her slowly piece together the truth about the man she has married adds another emotional dimension to the story and makes their relationship feel remarkably authentic.
Although Berta spends much of the novel separated from her family, her mother's influence is felt throughout. At first, Berta struggles to understand why her mama made so many difficult decisions on her behalf. As her experiences grow harder, she gradually begins to realise that every lesson she was taught, every carefully packed possession, and every sacrifice was an act of love designed to keep her safe. It is a touching realisation and one of the novel's most emotional threads. Anka's loyalty and kindness also provide comfort during the darkest moments, while Rachael later brings friendship, warmth, and hope into Berta's life. Although the novel never reveals what eventually becomes of Rachael, Berta's hope that she is still somewhere close by gives their friendship an especially poignant quality.
As Berta's life changes, she goes from being a sheltered young lady to a refugee searching for safety in an increasingly uncertain world. Her path is filled with fear, loss, and impossible choices, yet Sachs never allows hope to disappear completely. Alongside the hardships are moments of discovery, friendship, and genuine happiness that remind both Berta and the reader what is worth holding onto. From experiencing the colourful celebrations of the Kurban Bayramı festival in Istanbul to being chased from the Galata Tower by an angry guard before collapsing into fits of laughter with Rachael, these lighter moments bring warmth to an otherwise uncertain future. They also allow Berta to simply be a young woman discovering the world around her, making the darker moments all the more poignant.
Perhaps what lingers most after the final page is Berta herself. She isn't memorable because she performs extraordinary feats, but because she refuses to let life's hardships define her. Even when everything familiar has been taken away, she continues moving forward with quiet courage and determination. By the end of the novel, she no longer feels like a fictional character but someone whose story genuinely deserves to be remembered.
Beautifully researched, emotionally engaging, and inspired by the author's own family history, 'Golden Flight' is a heartfelt story about love, sacrifice, friendship, resilience, and hope. Filled with memorable characters, unforgettable moments, and a heroine whose courage quietly grows with every challenge she faces, it is a wonderful work of historical fiction that comes highly recommended.
Yarde Book Promotions
Lisajoy Sachs
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