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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
informative
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book is based on the real life of Nesta James and Norah Chambers, along with 500 hundred other women who were kept in POW camps in the jungle. When the Japanese entered the war in 1942, many evacuees tried to get out of Singapore. Some were luckier than others. One merchant ship, Vyner Brooke, attempting to get people out, was hit sending terrified people into the ocean.Some managed to make it to safety on an island only to be captured and held hostage for 3 years 7 months.
This was a story of brave sisters. Holy ones; biological ones; and ones who became like sisters. It’s about formidable women who had much strength during a time of captivity, and about friendships developing in the midst of trauma. Listened to this one on audio and really enjoyed it!
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, War
Actual chest pain whilst reading this book, it just HURT. The suffering and the sacrifices of those women is something I will literally carry with me forever. This was equal parts beauty and horror, the strength of character shown in this story and by being able to write this story is immense. Incredible. Read in one sitting.
dark
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
#audiobook Well written, though I’m probably not the target audience. But can see how moving and rousing their stories are. Not sure how well I would fare if put in their position. Certainly not surr I would be able to be that selfless. This is one of those books that is probably better on audiobook than written copy due to the musical recording.
Enlightening and moving. I had been completely unaware of the experience POW had during WWII. This book was very emotional and hard to put down.
Only hard part is keeping track of everyone in the book.
Only hard part is keeping track of everyone in the book.
Sisters Under The Rising Sun is Morris' latest historical fiction, about the experiences of a group of women evacuating from Singapore in the wake of the Japanese invasion of the island. Told from the perspectives of Sister Nesta James, a Welsh Australian nurse, and Norah Chambers, a English civilian escaping Singapore with her ill husband after sending her young daughter ahead of her on an earlier ship. After Nesta and the other Allied nurses board the ship to safety along with hundreds of civilians, tragedy strikes and the ship is sunk by the Japanese. Surviving a brutal 24 hours adrift at sea Nesta and Norah along with a group of female survivors are sent to Japanese POW camps deep in the jungle. Years of starvation, disease, torture, and desperation to survive follow and the women must stick together to help each other survive captivity.
Overall, I rated this 3.5/5. I like Morris' writing, it truly feels like you're alongside the characters navigating every tragedy. I did find that there were a lot of characters to keep track of which made following the plot difficult at times. Nesta was definitely the stronger lead character from my perspective and I almost felt like she could have led the book herself.
Overall, I rated this 3.5/5. I like Morris' writing, it truly feels like you're alongside the characters navigating every tragedy. I did find that there were a lot of characters to keep track of which made following the plot difficult at times. Nesta was definitely the stronger lead character from my perspective and I almost felt like she could have led the book herself.
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Very poorly written. No description of how the characters felt or thought, so I couldn’t get in to the story or care about the characters. A very disappointing back slide in the author’s writing ability.