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A review by rrickman33
Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
5.0
This is my favorite WWII book to date. Lilac Girls spans two decades from 1939, when Hitler invaded Poland, to 1959 through the eyes of 3 women. Caroline Ferriday, a socialite in NYC famed for her charity work; Kasia, a Polish woman who ends up at Ravensbrück Concentration Camp; and Dr. Herta Oberhauser from Düsseldorf, Germany. While Caroline and Herta were real, Kasia and her sister Kuzanna are loosely based on Nina Ivanska and her sister.
I really enjoyed the chapters from Caroline and Kasia and how they eventually intertwined. Herta, who was obviously brainwashed and desensitized by the Third Reich, served as a doctor at the Ravensbrück Concentration Camp. Her perspective, while sometimes difficult to read, was very well done and probably close to how she really rationalized everything.
Herta was one of the doctors to experiment on Kasia and Kuzanna, who became known as the Ravensbrück rabbits. Herta faced her fate at the Nuremberg trials, something I've read about many times in my research ethics courses. I ended up doing a deep dive, as usual, into her and the experiments she did on the prisoners using sulfonamide.
Highly, can't say that enough, recommend this book to all. It was very historically accurate and educational while also being warm and sweet. This book tells the tale of love, family, and overcoming trauma.
I really enjoyed the chapters from Caroline and Kasia and how they eventually intertwined. Herta, who was obviously brainwashed and desensitized by the Third Reich, served as a doctor at the Ravensbrück Concentration Camp. Her perspective, while sometimes difficult to read, was very well done and probably close to how she really rationalized everything.
Herta was one of the doctors to experiment on Kasia and Kuzanna, who became known as the Ravensbrück rabbits. Herta faced her fate at the Nuremberg trials, something I've read about many times in my research ethics courses. I ended up doing a deep dive, as usual, into her and the experiments she did on the prisoners using sulfonamide.
Highly, can't say that enough, recommend this book to all. It was very historically accurate and educational while also being warm and sweet. This book tells the tale of love, family, and overcoming trauma.