NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • One million copies sold! Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, this remarkable debut novel reveals the power of unsung women to change history in their quest for love, freedom, and second chances. “Extremely moving and memorable . . . This impressive debut should appeal strongly to historical fiction readers and to book clubs that adored Kristin Hannah’s that adored Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale and Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See.” —Library Journal (starred review)
New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939—and then sets its sights on France.
An ocean away from Caroline, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her carefree youth disappearing as she is drawn deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. In a tense atmosphere of watchful eyes and suspecting neighbors, one false move can have dire consequences.
For the ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. Once hired, though, she finds herself trapped in a male-dominated realm of Nazi secrets and power.
The lives of these three women are set on a collision course when the unthinkable happens and Kasia is sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women. Their stories cross continents—from New York to Paris, Germany, and Poland—as Caroline and Kasia strive to bring justice to those whom history has forgotten.
USA Today “New and Noteworthy” Book • LibraryReads Top Ten Pick
“Harrowing . . . Lilac illuminates.”—People
“A compelling, page-turning narrative . . . Lilac Girls falls squarely into the groundbreaking category of fiction that re-examines history from a fresh, female point of view. It’s smart, thoughtful and also just an old-fashioned good read.”—Fort Worth Star-Telegram
“A powerful story for readers everywhere . . . Martha Hall Kelly has brought readers a firsthand glimpse into one of history’s most frightening memories. A novel that brings to life what these women and many others suffered. . . . I was moved to tears.”—San Francisco Book Review
“[A] compelling first novel . . . This is a page-turner demonstrating the tests and triumphs civilians faced during war, complemented by Kelly’s vivid depiction of history and excellent characters.”—Publishers Weekly
“Kelly vividly re-creates the world of Ravensbrück.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Inspired by actual events and real people, Martha Hall Kelly has woven together the stories of three women during World War II that reveal the bravery, cowardice, and cruelty of those days. This is a part of history—women’s history—that should never be forgotten.”—Lisa See, New York Times bestselling author of China Dolls
“Profound, unsettling, and thoroughly . . . the best book I’ve read all year.”—Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
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While the author wrote this after real people, I found it to be very depressing considering the times in which we are living. It was a page turner but made me very nervous the whole time I was reading it. I couldn’t wait to finish it.
Decades later we examine the roles of women and find we have deep worth to mankind.
Great storyline
Loved the story of these women and how their horrific experiences intertwined.
Loved the book. It takes place during WW11. The story follows several ladies/girls who end up Ravensbrück concentration camp as well as Caroline in New York. Caroline raised money and donations of needed items to be sent to France. What the females in Ravensbrück endured was heartbreaking. What a horrific time to be in Europe. All of the ladies paths cross at the end of the war. The story is based on real people and what they went through.
Amazing historic novel about the nightmare women suffered in WWII Poland. It is truly historical with a bit of added romance. Told by three women in totally different situations and economic class and how their lives eventually intertwine. One of the best of all novels.
Love the story. Based on facts
This is a story about WW II from the eyes of several people involved. One woman is in New York City and volunteers at the French embassy. One gal is in Europe and works against the Germans and is sent to an ugly camp. The women connect in interesting ways. It’s about their friendship and the connection of their circumstances
Very well written. I felt like I knew these characters.
Great story especially since it is based on real people
Inspiring book about women helping women during and after WWII.
I had no expectations of this book beyond my sister’s, “This is a really good one!” She knows I very much enjoy reading WWII stories – whether fictional or real or somewhere in between – and this novel does not disappoint. The author explains in her afterward the many years of research she did before she finished this first novel, having been inspired by a real-life American, Caroline Ferriday, and the Lublin “Polish Rabbits,” survivors of horrible experimentation at the hands of Nazi doctors at the infamous Ravensbruk concentration camp for women.
The novel is framed around real individuals, both victims and perpetrators, and is told through the first-person voices of three women who paths eventually cross in expected and unanticipated ways.
Their stories are so well told that the reader cannot help but be fully caught up in their lives, but it is not simply a novel of pain and survival; it is also a novel about love and hatred, about devotion and despair, about loyalty and treachery, and about strength and weakness of character – among sisters both biological and ideological, between parents and children, between lovers, and within the self.
I learned of people I knew nothing about and found myself equally satisfied and saddened by their experiences.
My sister did not exaggerate: “This is a really good one!”
Thought provoking.
Hard to put this book down! The writer tells the story of these three women and how their lives eventually entertwine. But, I warn you, this book is NOT an easy read. The tradgity and hardships are difficult to take. It is based on facts and although an historical fiction, the so called “Rabbits” were very real women. I never knew their story and I am so glad someone took the time and work to tell about these very real heroines.
I was not aware until the end that this story was based on real people and some who were not real. This author wove the real with the fiction and made a wonderful book.
I thoroughly enjoyed the three strands of the story representing the three main characters and how their stories converged toward the end of the book. The German concentration camp for women reminded me of a book I read earlier, A Train in Winter about women from the French Underground who were sent to a women’s concentration camp. Historical fiction always fascinates me.
Historical story about women during Wolf War 2. Reading this book I didn’t want to put it down. Very sad but this is what happened.
This book was hard to read because of the content of the atrocities of WWII. However, it was so well written and researched and this story will stay with me for a long time. The author started out researching and felt this story needed to be told. Two of the characters were actual people and two represented a group of people. This book was amazing!!
Hard to put down. Haunting because the information was very real and thought provoking. Felt distress when thinking about how cruel people can be to one another, but found heart warming how wonderful others can be at the same time. Everyone needs to know and remember what happened during World War II.
Extremely moving. Educational as had never heard of Caroline Ferriday. Interesting & disturbing to see inside head of female German physician.