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The Weight of Loyalty

By Mike H. Mizrahi Genre: Historical Fiction / Romance Reviewed by Samantha Hui

A moving historical novel about the humanizing power of love

“She is the first person to draw me out of my self-imposed exile, to make me want to forgive the people who hurt me and to make amends with those I’ve wronged.”

Love is a far greater motivator for strength and bravery than fear will ever be. Inspired by the real-life events of the community in Kefalonia, who risked their lives to hide and protect a British naval officer during World War II, Mike Mizrahi’s historical novel The Weight of Loyalty explores themes of redemption, forgiveness, and compassion.

Set against the dehumanizing backdrop of wartime operations, the novel shows how empathy and love offer a powerful antidote to fear and hatred. Deeply romantic, the story almost lulls readers into a false sense of security, but with the harsh realities of war looming, readers are left fearing the outcome of the couple’s fate.

“Despite my bravado, the image of killing any man at close range, watching his essence pour from the wound you inflicted until his eyes turn vacant, is abhorrent. The very reason I chose to engage the enemy under water.”

Oliver Graham, burdened by his father’s resentment and the loss of his mother and brother, drowns his pain in alcohol and womanizing. Caught between his desire for his father’s approval and his fear of confronting the enemy, he serves as the Lead Stoker on a British Royal Navy submarine, fighting against the Axis Powers from the muffled haze of the sea. After an explosion forces Oliver to make a desperate escape to the surface, he washes up on the Greek island of Kefalonia, which is under Italian occupation, with civilians’ every move closely monitored.

“I don’t want to destroy my ability to love the way God teaches us. Something about loving your neighbor as yourself. But that will take some work. Italy is our neighbor on the map, but precious blood has been spilled between us.”

There, he is discovered by Natalia Giannatos, a determined woman who refuses to bow to the Italian forces. Natalia, along with her family and close friends, offers refuge to Oliver, hiding him and keeping him safe. While Oliver’s goal is to return home, Natalia is committed to joining the resistance, much to her father’s dismay, as he wants her to remain safe and out of danger. As these characters from opposite worlds work together to achieve their goals and as they continue to grow fonder of each other, they both learn the invaluable lesson of fighting for something, not just against it.

“Values like compassion and fidelity are being sacrificed in the chaos of hostilities between nations.”

Mizrahi tells this story through both Oliver and Natalia’s perspectives, offering readers insight into their respective fears and anxieties. Some chapters focus entirely on one character’s point of view, while others shift back and forth between the two within a single chapter as their relationship develops.

Their initial distrust of each other makes their blossoming romance all the more rewarding. Natalia is stubborn, courageous, and cunning, going so far as using the Italian colonel’s attraction to her as leverage. However, her courage is initially fueled by a fear of losing more loved ones. Her love for Oliver strengthens her resolve, giving her something worth fighting for. Similarly, while Oliver is brave in his service with the Royal Navy, his insecurity and fear of disappointing his father hold him back. Through his love for Natalia, he finds the strength to fight for more than just his reputation.

“What if the people I call villains are more like us than I care to admit, innocents caught in the jaws of war?”

The Weight of Loyalty raises important questions of what there is to lose and what there is to gain in forming connections with those we are inexplicably bound to. The novel is a poignant exploration of what is within our power and what is left to chance. Is all fair in love and war, or is compassion the lens we need to truly see people for both their faults and the beauty of who they are? The Weight of Loyalty is a tragic historical romance that finds hope in its tragedy.