[A] compelling and heartbreaking debut novel. At once well told and ineffably sad. Read it but keep your tissues handy. —Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“The Umbrella Maker’s Son is a brilliant, gut-wrenching story of love and family in war-torn Poland. The author’s sensational depiction of all the situations, emotions, and gut-wrenching events included in this saga are well done. A good producer could make it into a riveting movie.” —New York Journal of Books

Lending’s decision to tell the story from Reuven’s perspective is a brilliant narrative choice. Instead of being a long series of detached dates, events, and names, history becomes a personal story of a boy whose world is turned upside down. —Adina Bernstein, The Jewish Book Council

“The Umbrella Maker’s Son is a fascinating and memorable read!” —Nancy Eaton, Bestsellersworld.com

A wrenching story of love and displacement in Poland after the 1939 Nazi invasion. Lending eschews the sentimentality common to much recent Holocaust fiction, instead bringing the horrors of the period to visceral life...It’s not for the faint of heart. —Publishers Weekly

Fans of Heather Morris and Lisa Barr will be captivated by Lending’s story of resilience and romance, a must-have for historical fiction sections. —Library Journal

Intense, well-written novel . . .This is one of the best WWII novels I have read this year, and I’ve read a lot. It’s a love story and a war horror story at the same time. This is one you will not want to put down. Have tissues handy, you will need them. This is one of the best debut novels I have read in a long time. —RedCarpetCrash.com

A strikingly intense and superbly produced novel. This is one of the most absolutely memorable books I’ve ever read. Strongly recommended. —Thomas J. Howley, Historical Novel Society

Tod Lending’s novel, The Umbrella Maker’s Son, is an important addition to modern Holocaust literature. Lending brings his incredible talents – a sharp eye, research skills, and the ability to put a human face on historical events – to the story of one young man trying to save himself, his family, and the woman he loves from the horrific German onslaught. —Charlene Giannetti, Woman Around Town

Lending gives his story a real authenticity with his attention to detail, transporting readers to the heart of Krakow to capture the essence of a community torn apart by war. This is a work that stands out not only for its historical accuracy, but its deeply personal exploration of family dynamics amidst chaos. —Jason Schott, Brooklyn Digest

The Umbrella Maker’s Son is an outstanding work of fiction portraying hope, love, resilience and survival against the most formidable of odds that partially incorporates the author’s own family history. —Linda Hitchcock, BookTrib

Here is no better example of a novel that shows us where autocracy leads and how people have struggled mightily to survive the dictates of a murderous regime than “The Umbrella Maker’s Son.” —Bob Kustra, Idaho Statesman