Review: Sisters of War by Lana Kortchik

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Summary

Can their bond survive under the shadow of occupation?

For fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and The German Midwife comes this unforgettable tale of love, loss, family, and the power of hope.

Kiev, 1941: Watching the Red Army withdraw from Ukraine in the face of Hitler’s relentless advance, sisters Natasha and Lisa Smirnova realise their lives are about to change forever.

As the German army occupies their beloved city, the sisters are tested in ways they never thought possible. Lisa’s fiancé Alexei is taken by the invading army, whilst Natasha falls in love with Mark – a Hungarian soldier, enlisted against all his principles on the side of the Nazis.

But as Natasha and Lisa fight to protect the friends and family they hold dear, they must face up to the dark horrors of war and the pain of betrayal. Will they be strong enough to overcome the forces which threaten to tear their family apart? 

Review

This was one of the gems that you get swept into and just absorb the narrative. This is such a sensitive time period in history and I often cringe reading about HItler, the Nazis and what they did to harm so many people. Despite that being an underlying theme, we get swept away with two sisters and their family trying to survive love, loss and the test of faith through insurmountable circumstances.

The setting of the book is in Kiev. We experience the occupation from the Germans through the perspective of these two sisters, Natasha and Lisa. We experience their family’s plight through the worst they could possibly experience.Through heartache and loss we see a family fight to hold on to what they know and love through the uncertainty of what faces them in the future. 

The magnitude of the occupation and how it affected them truly at moments grab at heart and break it.The historical detail captures the depths of their suffering and translates that into a book that I couldn’t book down.The author creates a narrative that in the worst of circumstances, brings these characters from the dark into the light. You experience the angst, fear, love and loss that brings their storylines together. 

Overall, I thought this was well written and the historical detail was wonderful.The storylines within the book really appeal to your heart and you will find yourself emotionally invested in. Not only the sisters but the familial bond despite their suffering was heartwarming seeing them not give up. If you get a chance, check this one out.