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A review by okiecozyreader
The Goddess of Warsaw by Lisa Barr
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Wow!! Lisa Barr writes such action-packed, passionate novels that feel so real. I loved WOMAN ON FIRE — and this one just as much. In the author’s note, she talks about her research - finding these things that happened relating to the Warsaw Ghetto that were new to her. The way she wove them into such a powerful novel with a femme fatale who was involved in so many of the events felt so real.
From the Prologue, we see that this story is no joke and that Lena Browning is a woman in control, and that her life is not what it seems (as a famous movie actress). She agrees to tell her story to a young “it girl” who wants to direct and act in a biopic of her life - with one caveat - she will perform the end of the last segment of the film live. Then we go back to Warsaw 1943, where Jewish elite Bana Blonski tells her story of how she survived the Warsaw Ghetto.
It was at times, impossible to put down. I had to get through Book I before I could go to bed last night. This story is so captivating and jaw dropping.
In the author’s note, she says she was “determined to explore the various questions relating to Holocaust history: What is the fine line between the pursuit of justice and the hunt for revenge? Is there an expiration date for avenging those you loved and lost? What is the price tag for survival?”
This book makes you question all of that and more.
Operation Paperclip! I had no idea!
“Survival is about secrets, about extraordinary measures taken to stay alive. The equation is absolute: If you survived, it meant others did not. The trauma of a second chance at life, a second act, is at once miraculous and unendurable.” P319
From the Prologue, we see that this story is no joke and that Lena Browning is a woman in control, and that her life is not what it seems (as a famous movie actress). She agrees to tell her story to a young “it girl” who wants to direct and act in a biopic of her life - with one caveat - she will perform the end of the last segment of the film live. Then we go back to Warsaw 1943, where Jewish elite Bana Blonski tells her story of how she survived the Warsaw Ghetto.
It was at times, impossible to put down. I had to get through Book I before I could go to bed last night. This story is so captivating and jaw dropping.
In the author’s note, she says she was “determined to explore the various questions relating to Holocaust history: What is the fine line between the pursuit of justice and the hunt for revenge? Is there an expiration date for avenging those you loved and lost? What is the price tag for survival?”
This book makes you question all of that and more.
Operation Paperclip! I had no idea!
“Survival is about secrets, about extraordinary measures taken to stay alive. The equation is absolute: If you survived, it meant others did not. The trauma of a second chance at life, a second act, is at once miraculous and unendurable.” P319
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Violence, and War
Moderate: Child death, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, and Death of parent