The Warsaw Sisters: (Women's Fiction about Courage, Bravery, the Power of Sisterhood, and the Heroines of WWII)
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 turns her worry into action and becomes a key figure in a daring network of women risking their lives to shelter Jewish children. 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 the sisters apart--and the cost of resistance proves greater than either ever imagined.
Shining a light on the oft-forgotten history of Poland during WWII and inspired by true stories of ordinary individuals who fought to preserve freedom and humanity in the darkest of times, The Warsaw Sisters is a richly rendered portrait of courage, sacrifice, and the resilience of our deepest ties.
***
"Barratt is a superb researcher, making readers feel as if they are living in World War II Poland fighting for freedom, for life, and for love of family. This is a hard but important read that will tug on heartstrings."--Library Journal starred review
"Captivating, heartbreaking, and beautifully necessary."--Booklist starred review
When Antonina's beloved Marek is forced behind ghetto walls along with the rest of Warsaw's Jewish population, Antonina turns her worry into action and becomes a key figure in a daring network of women risking their lives to shelter Jewish children. 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 the sisters apart--and the cost of resistance proves greater than either ever imagined.
Shining a light on the oft-forgotten history of Poland during WWII and inspired by true stories of ordinary individuals who fought to preserve freedom and humanity in the darkest of times, The Warsaw Sisters is a richly rendered portrait of courage, sacrifice, and the resilience of our deepest ties.
***
"Barratt is a superb researcher, making readers feel as if they are living in World War II Poland fighting for freedom, for life, and for love of family. This is a hard but important read that will tug on heartstrings."--Library Journal starred review
"Captivating, heartbreaking, and beautifully necessary."--Booklist starred review
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Community Reviews
he American Writer Amanda Barratt’s novel, The Warsaw Sisters, is about two adult sisters who joined the Polish resistance during World War II. The two sisters, Antonia and Helene Dabrowska follow different paths to joining the Polish resistance. The Dabrowska sisters are Roman Catholic. Antonia is romantically interested in a violinist named Marek Eisenberg, who helps to be Jewish. Antonia’s quest to help the family of Marek Eisenberg led her to be part of the network organized by Irene Sendler, a real-life historical figure whose work rescued around 2,500 Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto (Barratt 373). I read the book on my Kindle. Sendler was a non-Jewish social worker. Sendler’s network used the law courts of Warsaw to have these children have their Jewish identity hidden while the children lived in safe locations. The real Jewish parents of the children gave Sender’s network permission to carry through this transformation of the child’s identity (Barratt 372). Barrett writes, “In time, the children would be placed in orphanages, religious institutions, or foster families” (Barratt 372). Helene finds herself on the path to join the Polish resistance army. Amanda Barratt’s novel, The Warsaw Sisters, is a readable story about how World War II affected the lives of the Dabrowska sisters.
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