The Warsaw Sisters

Do you ever have anxiety reading a book? Sometimes, when I’m reading historical fiction and I know from history what is going to happen, I can get really nervous about what is going to happen to the characters.

So, when I started reading The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barratt, I got really nervous because my husband and I had watched a long documentary about the Holocaust that included a large segment of the ghettos in Poland as well as walked through the Auschwitz traveling museum a couple years ago.

And yet, I had to know what happened to Helena and Antonina in occupied Warsaw. Their story is not one of flirtations or meet-cutes or witty dialogue. But it is one of a hardened reality. One that people fought desperately to survive many years ago. And their voices, though fictional, call us to remember all those who lived through the terrors of this war and to be vigilant in ensuring such horrors will never be allowed again.

About the Book:

Title: The Warsaw Sisters

Author: Amanda Barratt

Publisher: Revell

Publishing Date: November 7, 2023

The Blurb:

A richly rendered portrait of courage, sacrifice, and resilience

On a golden August morning in 1939, sisters Antonina and Helena Dąbrowska send their father off to defend Poland against the looming threat of German invasion. The next day, the first bombs fall on Warsaw, decimating their beloved city and shattering the world of their youth.

When Antonina’s beloved Marek is forced behind ghetto walls, along with the rest of Warsaw’s Jewish population, Antonina knows she cannot stand by and soon becomes a key figure in a daring network of women risking their lives to shelter Jewish children. Meanwhile, Helena finds herself drawn into the ranks of Poland’s secret army, joining the fight to free her homeland from occupation.

But the secrets both are forced to keep threaten to tear them apart–and the cost of resistance may prove greater than either ever imagined.

Buy your copy here.

My Thoughts:

The Warsaw Sisters by Amanda Barratt is my first novel by this author. And within a few chapters, it became apparent that she has a special talent for bringing history to life. Some stories you read from a distance, but this book pulls you into a different time–a harrowing time in history. Antonina and Helena’s experience in Warsaw during German occupation brings to light the many atrocities done to the people of Poland, especially the Jewish population. It is not a read for the faint of heart, as the author exposes the wickedness of the German regime and holds nothing back. But stories like Atonina’s and Helena’s are important because they make us remember what happened and make us determined to see those evil acts never be allowed to happen again. 

Overall, I found Amanda Barratt to be an exceptionally talented historical fiction author. She immerses you in the time and give you a clear glimpse into the past–what it was like physically, emotionally, and spiritually to live in such a frightening and unpredictable time.The emotionally heavy topics of the book and a few descriptive scenes of war may not be for everyone, but I found the novel beautifully written with such respect for the people and the places that were ravaged by hate. 

If you enjoy authentic historical fiction, then The Warsaw Sisters will satisfy. 

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Do you enjoy reading an emotionally difficult story? Let me know down in the comments!

Happy reading and God bless!