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Johanna Van Zanten is an immigrant to Canada from The Netherlands (1982). As she continued her job as a social worker, she discovered the life-altering gift of writing later in life when she began writing short stories. When some of these stories made the shortlist in contests and were published, she took courage and expanded into writing novels. Now retired from her day job, she enjoys her life writing, dividing her time between Canada and Mexico.
Because the writing and the story are so superb that you can't put The Imposter down, it is a summer book (which is also why I am not detailing the story--no spoilers.) Once you start, you will consume its 274 pages in one afternoon by the pool. But then you will do what the usual summer fluff cannot inspire you to do, think. You will be richly awarded by both the reading and the thinking.--Patrick O'Heffernan for the Lake Chapla News, Ajijic, Jalisco I can't get enough of stories with strong female characters who, when the chips are down, take risks that require them to grow, change and learn their own power. Johanna van Zanten delivers on that score in this well-researched historical fiction novel. The author clearly did her homework regarding the various locations, history and cultures. She also did a wonderful job of depicting a girl searching for how she fits into the world. Best of all, the book shows her living a brave and interesting life.--Martha Engber, author of Bliss Road amd The Falcon, The Wolf and the Hummingbird I loved this book. First, ever since Russia's latest invasion of Ukraine I've been caught up in Ukrainian history, led from there to the Palatinates, Dutchies Great and small, Poland, Prussia, Hapsburgs, Germany, and the World Wars . . . so this was a welcome slice of the history of the region, but secondly and most provocatively was the author's dive into her grandmother's psyche as a ""German.""--Carolyn Kingson, author of An Embarrassment of Riches. The Imposter by Johanna van Zanten provides a sweeping overview of the war years in Europe. Her quotidian narrative is a carefully researched novel that follows the life story of a young woman and her family during a time of political unrest and far-reaching horror and devastation. Van Zanten lays bare the tensions within families as loyalties are tested and divided and individuals make painful decisions about their own allegiances in a struggle to survive.--Lucy E.M. Black, author of Stella's Carpet, and The Brickworks. Johanna Van Zanten has created an intriguing story spanning two World Wars in Europe in her second novel The Imposter. Like her first novel ""Between a Rock and a Hard Place"" The Imposter explores the overwhelming decisions that must be made when one's true heritage can destroy family relationships and cause pain and division between a mother and her children.--Valerie Green, author of the McBride Chronicle series, for the BC Review
