INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • FEATURING AN EXCLUSIVE NEW CHAPTERGoodReads Choice Awards Semifinalist “Moving . . . a plot that surprises and devastates.”—New York Times Book Review“A masterful epic.”—People magazine“Mesmerizing . . . The Women in the Castle stands tall among the literature that reveals new truths about one of history’s most tragic eras.”—USA TodayThree women, haunted by … magazine
“Mesmerizing . . . The Women in the Castle stands tall among the literature that reveals new truths about one of history’s most tragic eras.”—USA Today
Three women, haunted by the past and the secrets they hold
Set at the end of World War II, in a crumbling Bavarian castle that once played host to all of German high society, a powerful and propulsive story of three widows whose lives and fates become intertwined—an affecting, shocking, and ultimately redemptive novel from the author of the New York Times Notable Book The Hazards of Good Breeding.
Amid the ashes of Nazi Germany’s defeat, Marianne von Lingenfels returns to the once-grand castle of her husband’s ancestors, an imposing stone fortress now fallen into ruin following years of war. The widow of a resister murdered in the failed July 20, 1944, plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Marianne plans to uphold the promise she made to her husband’s brave conspirators: to find and protect their wives, her fellow resistance widows.
First Marianne rescues six-year-old Martin, the son of her dearest childhood friend, from a Nazi reeducation home. Together, they make their way across the smoldering wreckage of their homeland to Berlin, where Martin’s mother, the beautiful and naive Benita, has fallen into the hands of occupying Red Army soldiers. Then she locates Ania, another resister’s wife, and her two boys, now refugees languishing in one of the many camps that house the millions displaced by the war.
As Marianne assembles this makeshift family from the ruins of her husband’s resistance movement, she is certain their shared pain and circumstances will hold them together. But she quickly discovers that the black-and-white, highly principled world of her privileged past has become infinitely more complicated, filled with secrets and dark passions that threaten to tear them apart. Eventually, all three women must come to terms with the choices that have defined their lives before, during, and after the war—each with their own unique share of challenges.
Written with the devastating emotional power of The Nightingale, Sarah’s Key, and The Light Between Oceans, Jessica Shattuck’s evocative and utterly enthralling novel offers a fresh perspective on one of the most tumultuous periods in history. Combining piercing social insight and vivid historical atmosphere, The Women in the Castle is a dramatic yet nuanced portrait of war and its repercussions that explores what it means to survive, love, and, ultimately, to forgive in the wake of unimaginable hardship.
more
So different than other WW11 stories. Four women’s after the war story.
I loved the plot and the three main characters are unforgettable. I could not put this book down.
A good look at World War II from the German citizen point of view.
I thought this book was great right from the beginning. It takes place mainly in Germany before, during & after WWII. It follows three women and gives you an idea on what it was like to live during a war.
I found the way this was written to be excellent. I would recommend this book.
This is a great book, inspired by true events. I love historical fiction and especially during this time period. Highly recommend it!
Great book about real people and how their lives together helped them survive the aftermath of Germany in WWII, sometimes without even knowing it.
Well written book about a difficult period during the Holocaust.
Been reading a lot of books about the women in WWII lately – this didn’t disappoint
Excellent writing with a compelling story to tell
I liked the different perspective on the Germans in WWII.
This book was filled with a lot of history, which I really enjoyed. It also had some twists and turns, holding my interest! Good, interesting characters.
Is a very interesting fiction based on history.
Just when you think how could there be anything new or different written about World War II, a book like this comes along. These characters reflected the viewpoints and feelings of the German people in smaller towns or villages, and of differing social classes. The war took its toll on everyone. How they survived, how they dealt with aftermath and each other is touched upon in this story of three strong women.
I enjoy WWII stories, however, this was more tragic than entertaining. Strong characters
Slow start trying to get into characters. Once I did I liked the characters. What I liked about the book is it dealt with WWII and after from the viewpoint of ordinary Germans some of whom were resisters.
Worth reading for the history value, not as engrossing as The Nightingale or Jackdaws, but still held my interest.
It was a thoughtful depiction of aspects of WWII not usually covered
Couldn’t put it down.
This was a moving and original perspective on WWII and the women of Germany, While it is “unforgiving” on a social political level, it examines the actions and repercussions of individuals who have little or no impact on the decisions made by men in power.
Very good story from a different perspective. Historically informative. Enjoyed it and recommend it.