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4.24 AVERAGE
4.24 AVERAGE
dark
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book had me hooked from page 1 and was full of twists and turns right up until the very end. This book was full of badass women set against the backdrop of the Holocaust, Golden Age Hollywood, and a more modern timeline. Lisa is a fantastic writer and does a great job tying up every single plot point. Absolutely riveting and full of great Jewish rep too. Thank you Goodreads and Harper for the ARC giveaway.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor to write this review. 🤯
ALL OF THE STARS for this phenomenal, timely, horrifying, and empowering story. This book had me in such a chokehold, I inhaled it and it BLEW ME AWAY. The character building and details paint such a vivid picture, but it's written in a way that's so propulsive and easily readable. This Jewish story is so, so important and will stick with me forever. I think I finally understand the phrase crying/screaming/throwing up. I don’t want to give too much away, so I’ll just say that this book is fully cemented on my all time favorites shelf and I cannot wait for everyone I know to read this.
And in a time where Jewish authors are being put on lists and review bombed, I truly beg of you to read and support this book along with other Jewish authors and stories.
adventurous
Legend Hollywood actress Lena Browning was once known as Bina Blonski, a Polish Jew who fought to survive the Nazis. Because she is Aryan-looking, she can help from outside the ghetto, where her husband and his brother are. She sacrifices everything to get out. Will she even kill?
I want this to be a movie, even though the book would be better than the movie..this story would translate to the silver screen beautifully!
Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks, for an advanced copy. This book was on my 20 in 24 list because Lisa Barr never disappoints.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-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:
Yes
What an amazing book! This is seriously one of the best books I've ever read about World War II and the Holocaust specifically -- and one of the most unique as it focuses on one woman's will to survive in the Warsaw Ghetto, and then on her life after the war. The book shifts between time periods, beginning in 2005 with Lena Browning, a famous actress, working with a younger (yet still famous) actress on a movie about her life. Lena goes back in time and tells of her survival in the Warsaw Ghetto which mainly takes place through her work fighting against the Nazis. Some of her story was so painful and difficult to read. It was dark and depressing, but so were those times. Sometimes people ask me why I read about these sort of things, and I feel that it is important to so that we don't forget what happened in the recent past, so it is not repeated, and so the humanity and memory of those who were lost is not erased.
Lena (born Bina Blonski) was fierce, dedicated to saving herself and her people, and stopped at nothing. During the war she made hard choices about who to save, how to protect herself, and dealt with many ethical questions along the way. To her surprise, some of that continued after the war. And this is where my ethical questions come in. Were Lena's actions once she emigrated to the United States, erased her history, and started over justified? Her reinvention certainly was -- but was her vow for justice? I understand her desire (as much as possible, given that I've never lost my family and everything I have in such an evil manner), but I question the outcome.
That being said, this was a remarkable book and definitely worth the read. It is so well written -- the tension just flows off the page. It is hard to put down, and will keep you thinking about the story whenever you have to go back to reality. This excellent book touches on every human emotion. It is a lovely book, a tough read, and well worth your time. I'll have to read more of Lisa Barr's work.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.
Lena (born Bina Blonski) was fierce, dedicated to saving herself and her people, and stopped at nothing. During the war she made hard choices about who to save, how to protect herself, and dealt with many ethical questions along the way. To her surprise, some of that continued after the war. And this is where my ethical questions come in. Were Lena's actions once she emigrated to the United States, erased her history, and started over justified? Her reinvention certainly was -- but was her vow for justice? I understand her desire (as much as possible, given that I've never lost my family and everything I have in such an evil manner), but I question the outcome.
That being said, this was a remarkable book and definitely worth the read. It is so well written -- the tension just flows off the page. It is hard to put down, and will keep you thinking about the story whenever you have to go back to reality. This excellent book touches on every human emotion. It is a lovely book, a tough read, and well worth your time. I'll have to read more of Lisa Barr's work.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC. All opinions are my own.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Antisemitism, Death of parent, War
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
sad
tense
slow-paced
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
Bina Blonski is by far the most annoying character I've ever encountered in a book, the plot is just lazy and full of cliches. I decided not to dnf it, just to see how far this will go and omg it sure went. :D
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
Words can not express how much I LOVED The Goddess of Warsaw! Within the first few pages, I was utterly captivated by Lena Browning, aka Bina Blonski, and her compelling life story. Lena was an incredible character, whose resilience shone through every page. I found her strength and power inspiring, and I was cheering for her success every step of the way.
Lisa Barr's writing skillfully weaves a captivating narrative exploring resilience and the enduring strength of the human spirit. Through her vivid storytelling, she draws readers into a journey filled with anxiety, hope, and eventual triumph, delving into the scars left by war. This beautifully crafted story is both enthralling and profound, leaving a lasting impact long after the final page.
This book is not just an engaging read but an important one. It offers a powerful reflection on themes that resonate deeply in today's world. The Goddess of Warsaw is a must-read, standing out as a significant piece of historical fiction and one of the most impactful books of the year. It is a novel that not only entertains but enlightens, reminding us of the power of literature's ability to illuminate the complexities of human history and the unyielding nature of the human spirit.
****
The Goddess of Warsaw is a gripping work of historical fiction, that follows the life of Lena Browning, also known as Bina Blonski, a Polish Jew who rose to Hollywood fame. Set against the backdrop of the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939, the story spans from the onset of the war to 1943, capturing the perseverance and challenges of Jewish survivors who make their way to America in the 1950s. The story then jumps to the early 2000s where it offers insight into the lasting effects of history on those who lived through it.
THANK YOU Harper Paperbacks for an advanced copy!
Lisa Barr's writing skillfully weaves a captivating narrative exploring resilience and the enduring strength of the human spirit. Through her vivid storytelling, she draws readers into a journey filled with anxiety, hope, and eventual triumph, delving into the scars left by war. This beautifully crafted story is both enthralling and profound, leaving a lasting impact long after the final page.
This book is not just an engaging read but an important one. It offers a powerful reflection on themes that resonate deeply in today's world. The Goddess of Warsaw is a must-read, standing out as a significant piece of historical fiction and one of the most impactful books of the year. It is a novel that not only entertains but enlightens, reminding us of the power of literature's ability to illuminate the complexities of human history and the unyielding nature of the human spirit.
****
The Goddess of Warsaw is a gripping work of historical fiction, that follows the life of Lena Browning, also known as Bina Blonski, a Polish Jew who rose to Hollywood fame. Set against the backdrop of the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939, the story spans from the onset of the war to 1943, capturing the perseverance and challenges of Jewish survivors who make their way to America in the 1950s. The story then jumps to the early 2000s where it offers insight into the lasting effects of history on those who lived through it.
THANK YOU Harper Paperbacks for an advanced copy!
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No