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A review by lavanda4
Daughters of Warsaw by Maria Frances
5.0
Daughters of Warsaw by Maria Frances is an evocative dual timeline Historical Fiction novel set during WWII in Warsaw and Now in Seattle. Courage, sorrow, perseverance, (dis)loyalty and unfailing love are some of the themes. Many characters are admirable and historical details captured me. There's just something about the writing which drew me in right away. But it's the spirit of the characters, real and fictional, which pulled at my heart.
In 1942, the Warsaw Ghetto is home to many Jews who are forced by the Nazis to live in deplorable conditions.. Children are starving and orphaned. Social worker Irena Sendler with the Social Welfare Department sees the need for transporting children to safety and many nights are spent rescuing them. (In real life Irena was one of the Righteous Among the Nations for her humanitarian work.) Fictional character Zofia also works as a social worker at the same place and, posing as a nurse, secretly helps Irena and others in the Resistance. Her day job begins to suffer as her nights are full of stress and risk taking. But her heart is full of compassion.
In the present in Seattle, Lizzie is suffering terribly but in a different way. Her marriage is strained as she has endured several miscarriages. She finds her great grandmother's photo and is intrigued by what she sees so she begins a research project of her own. She takes a literal and figurative journey and discovers far more than she would have imagined. Her life beautifully intertwines with Zofia's.
I have read hundreds of Historical Fiction novels, many set in the Warsaw Ghetto, but this perspective is fresh and different. Do add it to your list if you seek a novel a notch above many others. Though sad, the story is also a hopeful and very rewarding read. Women like Irena are true heroines. I cannot begin to fathom her selflessness!
My sincere thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this phenomenal novel, one I thoroughly enjoyed.
In 1942, the Warsaw Ghetto is home to many Jews who are forced by the Nazis to live in deplorable conditions.. Children are starving and orphaned. Social worker Irena Sendler with the Social Welfare Department sees the need for transporting children to safety and many nights are spent rescuing them. (In real life Irena was one of the Righteous Among the Nations for her humanitarian work.) Fictional character Zofia also works as a social worker at the same place and, posing as a nurse, secretly helps Irena and others in the Resistance. Her day job begins to suffer as her nights are full of stress and risk taking. But her heart is full of compassion.
In the present in Seattle, Lizzie is suffering terribly but in a different way. Her marriage is strained as she has endured several miscarriages. She finds her great grandmother's photo and is intrigued by what she sees so she begins a research project of her own. She takes a literal and figurative journey and discovers far more than she would have imagined. Her life beautifully intertwines with Zofia's.
I have read hundreds of Historical Fiction novels, many set in the Warsaw Ghetto, but this perspective is fresh and different. Do add it to your list if you seek a novel a notch above many others. Though sad, the story is also a hopeful and very rewarding read. Women like Irena are true heroines. I cannot begin to fathom her selflessness!
My sincere thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this phenomenal novel, one I thoroughly enjoyed.