Skeletons at the Feast is about a group of refugees from Warsaw who head west on foot during the final days of World War II to seek peace and safety behind British and American lines.
Anna Emmerich is an 18-year-old German refugee and aristocrat, traveling with her family and her lover—a Scottish POW named Callum Finella. On their journey west, the group meets up with Manfred—an escaped Jewish soldier named Uri who’s impersonating a German captain.
Together, this group of refugees face the trials and tribulations that come with traveling on foot to safer ground. There’s also another character named Cecile, who shares her own story from behind the fence at a nearby concentration camp.
Warning: Skeletons at the Feast features very explicit violence during the first few pages of this novel. Maybe it’s the author’s way of preparing readers for what’s to come, because lots more violence comes after that. Either way, this book is not for the faint of heart.
The story in Skeletons at the Feast is told from each major characters’ point of view. Uri is my favorite character, because he’s heroic and goes rogue to exact revenge on the German soldiers.
This book is incredibly sad and will make you cry. Definitely make sure you have a box of tissues on hand.
Chris Bohjalian has also written these books:
- The Princess of Las Vegas (2024)
- The Jackal’s Mistress (2025)
- The Amateur (2026)
What did you think about Skeletons at the Feast? What other books by this author are worth reading?
Last Updated on February 20, 2026 by Sarah Ann
Affiliate Disclosure: There may be affiliate links in this content. This means I earn a small commission if you buy anything from those links. This comes at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support.
Leave a Reply