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A review by kristabooksandjams
Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
5.0
4.5/5
Whew! This was an emotional read. I didn't actually cry, but I felt so many things while reading it! It's the story of three women set around the time of WWII. Caroline Farraday was a socialite in New York, Kasia a young girl from Poland who is sent to Ravensbruk, and Herta Oberheuser a German doctor who works at the camp. Lilac Girls is based on real life events and people. Like most WWII historical fiction it's always hard to imagine how people could treat other people in such horrific ways. This book doesn't shy away from the horrors of the war, but I was struck by the resiliency, love, strength and determination of these incredible women.
The only reason I didn't give it a full 5 stars is that I really hated Caroline's romantic relationship, which was actually not based on facts and could have been left out completely. She was an incredible woman and used her social standing to make a huge impact in the lives of so many. The romance was unnecessary and frustrating.
Overall I would highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction and those who enjoy stories about strength of character in the midst of awful situations. It was a beautifully written debut novel and I look forward to more from Martha Hall Kelly.
Whew! This was an emotional read. I didn't actually cry, but I felt so many things while reading it! It's the story of three women set around the time of WWII. Caroline Farraday was a socialite in New York, Kasia a young girl from Poland who is sent to Ravensbruk, and Herta Oberheuser a German doctor who works at the camp. Lilac Girls is based on real life events and people. Like most WWII historical fiction it's always hard to imagine how people could treat other people in such horrific ways. This book doesn't shy away from the horrors of the war, but I was struck by the resiliency, love, strength and determination of these incredible women.
The only reason I didn't give it a full 5 stars is that I really hated Caroline's romantic relationship, which was actually not based on facts and could have been left out completely. She was an incredible woman and used her social standing to make a huge impact in the lives of so many. The romance was unnecessary and frustrating.
Overall I would highly recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction and those who enjoy stories about strength of character in the midst of awful situations. It was a beautifully written debut novel and I look forward to more from Martha Hall Kelly.