The Winter Orphans Published by Berkley Books by Kristin Beck
on September 13, 2022
Genres: Adult, War, WW II, Historical
Pages: 416
Source: Netgalley
Format: ARC, eBook
Find the Author: Goodreads
Find the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
ISBN: 0593101588
Rating:
A poignant and ultimately triumphant novel based on the incredible true story of children who braved the formidable danger of guarded, wintry mountain passes in France to escape the Nazis, from the acclaimed author of Courage, My Love.
In a remote corner of France, Jewish refugee Ella Rosenthal has finally reached safety. It has been three years since she and her little sister, Hanni, left their parents to flee Nazi Germany, and they have been pursued and adrift in the chaos of war ever since. Now they shelter among one hundred other young refugees in a derelict castle overseen by the Swiss Red Cross.
Swiss volunteers Rösli Näf and Anne-Marie Piguet uphold a common mission: to protect children in peril. Rösli, a stubborn and resourceful nurse, directs the colony of Château de la Hille, and has created a thriving community against all odds. Anne-Marie, raised by Swiss foresters, becomes both caretaker and friend to the children, and she vows to do whatever is necessary to keep them safe.
However, when Germany invades southern France, safeguarding Jewish refugees becomes impossible. Château de la Hille faces unrelenting danger, and Rösli and Anne-Marie realize that the only way to protect the eldest of their charges is to smuggle them out of France. Relying on Rösli's fierce will and Anne-Marie's knowledge of secret mountain paths, they plot escape routes through vast Nazi-occupied territory to the distant border. Amid staggering risk, Ella and Hanni embark on a journey that, if successful, could change the course of their lives and grant them a future.
In the vein of other WWII/Holocaust reads, this one was pretty heartbreaking. And there’s just something devastating about what Jewish children had to endure during the 1940s in Europe, especially.
This is a great story that encapsulates what a few people were willing to go through to help those that couldn’t help themselves. And this story truly did tug on the heartstrings.
Swiss Red Cross workers, Rösli Näf and Anne-Marie Piguet both risk their lives to help refugee Jewish children. The lengths they go to to get the children to safety when France suddenly becomes unsafe for these children. The strength that these women had to have–was just inspiring. And while this isn’t a true story, there are many stories out there of those that willingly did risk their lives in a similar manner.
This book was inspiring, haunting, and a great fictional read on a devastating time in history.
About Kristin Beck
Kristin Beck first learned about World War II from her grandmother, who served as a Canadian army nurse, fell in love with an American soldier in Belgium, and married him shortly after VE Day. Kristin thus grew up hearing stories about the war, and has been captivated by the often unsung roles of women in history ever since. A former teacher, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Washington and a Master’s in Teaching from Western Washington University. Kristin lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and children.
This sounds like a really harsh story but one that should be read nontheless. I can’t imagine how hard the lives of Jewish children had to be in that time. It breaks my heart!