For fans of Lilac Girls, the next powerful novel from the author of Goodreads Choice Awards semifinalist The Two-Family House about two sisters working in a WWII armory, each with a deep secret. “Loigman’s strong voice and artful prose earn her a place in the company of Alice Hoffman and Anita Diamant, whose readers should flock to this wondrous new book.” –Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling … –Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan’s Tale
“The Wartime Sisters shows the strength of women on the home front: to endure, to fight, and to help each other survive.” –Jenna Blum, New York Times and international bestselling author of The Lost Family and Those Who Save Us
Two estranged sisters, raised in Brooklyn and each burdened with her own shocking secret, are reunited at the Springfield Armory in the early days of WWII. While one sister lives in relative ease on the bucolic Armory campus as an officer’s wife, the other arrives as a war widow and takes a position in the Armory factories as a “soldier of production.” Resentment festers between the two, and secrets are shattered when a mysterious figure from the past reemerges in their lives.
“One of my favorite books of the year.” –Fiona Davis, national bestselling author of The Dollhouse and The Masterpiece
“A stirring tale of loyalty, betrayal, and the consequences of long-buried secrets.” –Kristina McMorris, New York Times bestselling author of The Edge of Lost and Sold on a Monday
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What a beautifully nuanced story of two sisters, Ruth and Millie, who both work at the Springfield Armory during WWII. This is a wartime story, but the battles waged on the pages are the ones between the two sisters coming to terms with each other.
The story weaves the perspectives of the two sisters—plus two other women who are at the Armory—whose relationship has been made fragile by a lifetime of slights and rivalries. With each chapter, my sympathies switched, as both Ruth and Millie were so thoroughly developed. The history of the Armory was new to me and absolutely fascinating, yet it was so intertwined with the story, the history was never intrusive.
The secrets and twists of this book make this such a compelling read that I ended up losing an entire day’s work as I kept thinking, “Just one more chapter.” I honestly read this book in a single day. I’m so happy I had a chance to read an advanced copy. This is a gorgeous book and I highly recommend it.
Fresh off her stunning debut The Two Family House, Lynda Cohen Loigman returns with The Wartime Sisters, an evocative home front tale set against the backdrop of the Springfield Armory during World War II. Through stoic, stubborn Ruth and her beautiful younger sister Millie, Loigman skillfully chronicles the complex sibling bonds and rivalries, the secrets we keep and truths that set us free. Loigman’s strong voice and artful prose earn her a place in the company of Alice Hoffman and Anita Diamant, whose readers should flock to this wondrous new book.
I’ve waited two years for Loigman to write another book, having loved her debut, The Two-Family House. This one did not disappoint! I was immediately engaged in the lives and challenges of Ruth and Millie. But I came to understand that “sisters” is not only about our blood relatives, but the community of women that surround us. I learned much, was greatly invested, and I hope she comes out with another one soon.
In her latest novel, Loigman once again deftly explores the complexities, heartbreaks, and fierce endurance of family bonds. Even amid the great tension and fears of the Second World War, The Wartime Sisters reminds the reader that the harshest battles are often fought here at home, with those we love and are meant to trust most. A stirring tale of loyalty, betrayal, and the consequences of long-buried secrets.
This is my second novel by Loigman and let me tell you, I was just as invested in this one as I was the last (The Two Family House. Check it out). Lynda Cohen Loigman writes family amazingly well, especially the sometimes tumultuous relationships between siblings. Her latest, The Wartime Sisters, had me caring from page one.
A WWII historical fiction book it is, though this one takes place right here at home. While the war is about to hit its height, Millie comes to stay with her sister, Ruth, in Springfield. A long way from Brooklyn, the sisters tip toe around each other as old grievances fight to come to the surface. Alternating their stories and timelines so you get a true sense of the resentment and rivalry, The Wartime Sisters is an expert read in family drama.
An unexpected visitor brings everything to a head, the truths come out, and you are now officially, completely transfixed until the story comes to a close. Supporting characters Lillian and Arietta are an absolute pleasure, while Grace Peabody is a force to be…dealt with.
The Wartime Sisters was my first read of 2019 and I’ll say this right now, it’s already at the top of my list of favorite books of the year. Highly recommend a cozy chair for this one. It’s got “binge read” written all over it.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine alone.
Another beautiful read by Lynda Loigman. The Wartime Sisters got me through college weekend move-out. The story of estranged sisters Ruth and Millie spans from Brooklyn to the Springfield Armory where the pair land during the early WWII years. Loigman expertly weaves the relationship between the girls through past and present and captures the essence of the most delicate sibling relationships. A sprinkling of characters brought the Armory to life and illustrated the tender way in which those who resided and worked there took care of one another. Loigman writes of rich history and the power of secrets and forgiveness. Brava!
I loved this book. It really hit home for me with the setting being the Springfield Armory in Springfield MA, the town over from where I grew up and currently live. I loved the story of two sisters and theirs struggles with each other all throughout their lives. From their youth, there was always a rivalry between Ruth and Millie, Ruth being the brains and Millie being the beauty. Ruth blamed Millie for many failed relationships in her youth and brought this jealousy into their adulthood, she wanted nothing more that to leave Millie behind in Brooklyn. Their Mother’s influence did not help matters. Once the parents are lost to them, the bonds of sisterhood are tested throughout the book. As an only child, it is fascinating to see how two siblings cut from the same cloth could be so different.
I loved learning more about the Armory at wartime and what a powerful presence it had in Springfield. How important it was for women to step up and take these manufacturing jobs to support our soldiers on the front. The characters are developed wonderfully and the author switches back and forth between two time periods in Brooklyn and Springfield. Secrets are revealed and we are drawn in to see what will happen next to the two sisters. Additional characters, such as Arietta the singing cook at the Armory, also add so much to the story. As well as familiar places from my youth like Johnson’s Bookstore, Steigers Tea Room and Mercolino’s Bakery!
The author’s note at the end explains how much research she did and how true to life this book was at this time in our history, changing only a few timelines to keep her book flowing. I enjoyed every minute of it and learning more about the historic gem that is right in my own backyard.
Sisters who didn’t get along because of jealousy.
Sisters who didn’t get along because of different ways of looking at things.
Sisters who just didn’t get along or agree about anything.
Ruth and Millie were sisters who fit into those categories. Ruth was older and more reliable. Millie just couldn’t focus on anything and was not reliable but earned the favor of their mother and could do no wrong in her eyes.
THE WARTIME SISTERS focuses on relationships between the sisters, between a mother and her daughters, between other women, and on how everything affected their daily lives.
We follow Ruth and Millie from their childhood to the Springfield Armory in Massachusetts during WWII. We see the friction between the sisters during both time periods in their lives. Nothing had changed over the years for them.
THE WARTIME SISTERS held my interest because of the well developed characters. Each one had something interesting about themselves and something that truly added to the story line.
Lillian was a favorite character for me. She was very nurturing. Ruth was likeable, but a bit too strict and unforgiving. Millie was a bit pitiful because she knew she had made a bad mistake by marrying Lenny, but I liked her. Arietta was the best…I just loved her singing and her cooking.
Ms. Loigman’s writing is very detailed and pulls you in with the beautiful way she has the words simply grab you.
When a small comment was slyly dropped in one of the chapters about a truth Ruth kept from Millie and then a truth Millie had kept from Ruth, the interest definitely was upped.
THE WARTIME SISTERS is a beautiful, warm, marvelously researched read.
A truly enjoyable book. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this book and did not want it to end. Loigman is masterful at her ability to build characters and create a plot with great tension. I was fascinated by the history of the Armory and it’s clear that Loigman did a great deal of research to bring that particular part of history to life – I felt like I could see Armory Square and the shops and it was so interesting to know that some of the events that occurred in her plot were based on actual events. I loved every minute that I was reading about these two sisters with such a complicated relationship. I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the next novel by Loigman. Just so very well done!!!
If you are a fan of WWII fiction or books about sisters or just love a well written well researched historical fiction novel, this is the book for you. Not only was this novel well written but it was real re-searched and based on work that was going on in the US during WWII. I knew that a lot of women went to work during the war but had never heard of the Springfield Armory or been aware of the number of workers that were employed there.
Ruth is three years older than Millie. When they are growing up in Brooklyn in the 1930s, Ruth is seen as dependable and trustworthy and boring. Millie is seen as cute and needy for attention so everyone pays attention to her – she even gets preferential treatment from their mother. The different way that the girls are treated causes a big rift between them on Ruth’s part. In later years, when Ruth is married to an Army scientist and has twin daughters and Ruth’s husband has disappeared and left her with a small son, they end up living in the same house and working at the Armory in Springfield. As the sisters struggle to maintain a relationship, secrets are revealed that may drive them even further apart. Will the rift between them cause them to remain estranged or will they find the way to truly become sisters??
I loved both of the sisters – they were so well written that it was impossible to take sides and assign blame for their estrangement because both of them had valid reasons for the way they acted toward each other. I loved the location of the Armory and learning more about the women that worked in American to support the men away at war. i highly recommend this book.
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
The Wartime Sisters is a heartfelt and poignant portrait of the complex bond between sisters, how our childhood roles define us as adults, and what dire consequences that can have, especially in times of war. The Wartime Sisters shows the strength of women on the home front: to endure, to fight, and to help each other survive.
The Two Family House was one of my favorite books of the last few years so when I heard about The Wartime Sisters, I knew I had to read it. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy through NetGalley.
I love when historical fiction teaches me something. I knew nothing of the Springfield Armory during WWII and this book taught me so much in an interesting and engaging way. The main characters, sisters Ruth and Millie, are both complex, well developed characters and I rooted for them both. By the time the war hits, they are partially estranged and each is guarding a secret that threatens to end their relationship completely. When Millie comes to live with Ruth in Springfield, their relationship changes and they each must decide how and when to reveal her secret.
I enjoyed this book. The writing is lovely and the subject matter is thoroughly researched (I wasn’t surprised to learn on the author’s website that this story was culled from her mother’s background). It felt just that personal. The chapters from Lillian and Arietta, two other Springfield residents, were readable and interesting, but I would have preferred to stay with the sisters and delve deeper into their flawed relationship and how they came to where they are today.
For fans of WWII fiction, put the Wartime Sisters on your list immediately. I remain a super fan of this author and will read anything she writes as soon as it’s available.
As a WWII farn, I looked forward to reading this book. However, this was more than a historical fiction story. This was as much, if not more than, a tale of family drama. The characters are well developed and it was interesting to see how the way the sisters were treated by their parents helped them grow into the adults they became. The history of the Armory in Springfield in the 1940s was a bonus to the story of Ruth and Milllie.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/MacMillan for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
A riveting tale of sibling rivalry and the magnetic dissonance of family, filled with heart-stopping truths that are both tender and wise. One of my favorite books of the year.
Complex and intricately woven, The Wartime Sisters is truly everything I love in a novel. Beautifully written, rich in historical detail, and anchored by two strong women who must reconcile their past ― and their secrets ― in order to survive. Loigman is a master storyteller and this novel had me from its very first page.
A story of two sisters from childhood to WWII. Their personalities are like night and day. The story mainly takes place at the Springfield Armory during World War II. I could not put the book down.
A great read into the Springfield Armory, and the history of Springfield, Ma, during that period when the importance of women during wartime was stressed, and a whole different respect for the importance Springfield made in the manufacturing of arms during wartime. Loved the characters and interaction between characters in this interesting read.
loved it
I don’t know if this book just flew under my own personal radar, or everyone’s, because I haven’t seen much about it at all. And what a shame that is, because it is wonderful! Am definitely adding to my favorite books read in 2019 list.
I actually delayed reading it because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to read a war story, but WWII is really not the main focus of the story. Yes, it occurred during that time period, but the setting is stateside, and the main focus is on the relationship between two sisters, their parents, their husbands, and their friends.
I loved this book, I highly recommend this book, and I award this book 5 stars.
The Wartime Sisters is a traditional story about two sisters who fail to get along (sounds like me and my sister). It is more a women’s fiction novel than a historical book. The focus of the book is the two sisters and their rivalry. The author accurately captured the dynamics between the sisters along with the feelings (resentment, bitterness, jealousy, the feeling of inadequacy). Ruth was jealous of Millie from the moment she was born. The more people admired Millie, the more Ruth’s resentment grew. Matters are not helped by the mother doting on Millie and her insistence that Millie will marry well one day. When Ruth starts dating and the men are more captivated by Millie, it causes the rift between the sisters to grow to the size of the grand canyon. Each sister has a secret and you know they will eventually find a way to come out. I liked the setting of the Springfield Armory in Massachusetts, but we are not told enough about it. I wanted more about the facility, the war, and the less about the animosity between the sisters. Rivalry also exists between women in such a close atmosphere as the armory. The ending felt rushed. I thought it lacked emotion and realism. It seemed that this story could have been set in any place or any time period and it would still play out the same way. I found The Wartime Sisters to be lacking (at least for me). I thought it was a predictable story. My rating for The Wartime Sisters is 3 out of 5 stars. While The Wartime Sisters was not my cup of tea, those who enjoy feel-good stories (like those on Lifetime or Hallmark Channel) will enjoy the happy ending.