Daughters of Warsaw by Maria Frances
An emotional and inspiring World War Two time-slip novel of danger and courage. This is a story inspired by true events and stories of Irena Sendler and the women of the Polish Żegota.
It's the worst time in humanity and yet there is still light in the darkness…
1942, Warsaw
Young Zofia finds herself leading a double life when she is enlisted to help the fearless Irena Sendler save hundreds of Jewish children from the Warsaw Ghetto.
Every night, Zofia risks her life to shepherd the children to safety. But when the worst happens, she is forced to make her riskiest journey yet to keep Irena’s mission alive.
Now, Seattle
After yet another miscarriage, heartbroken Lizzie returns to the comfort of her childhood home, where she stumbles upon a hidden photograph of her great-grandmother among a mysterious group of people.
On a quest to discover more, Lizzie uncovers a buried past darker and more dangerous than she could ever have imagined…
A sweeping and heartbreaking story of two remarkable women, generations apart, each finding courage when all hope is gone. Perfect for fans of The Midwife of Auschwitz and The Woman Outside the Walls.
About the author
Maria Frances was born in London and grew up in the UK and Germany. She holds an MA in Creative Writing from Lancaster University and a PhD in Psychology from the University of Durham. She works as a writer and translator and lives with her husband and four children in Berlin. She is the author of five novels which she writes under her real name, Juliet Conlin. Her first German-language novel is also publishing in 2023. Daughters of Warsaw is her first book with Avon.
Review
‘Daughters of Warsaw’ is a deeply poignant and moving book that takes inspiration from the real-life figures of the Polish resistance in Warsaw during the Second World War. This was an area of history that I didn't know too much about - the French resistance is much more known but I found this to be just as fascinating but horrific at the same time. It's one of those books which takes a well-known figure - this time Irena Sendler and constructs a narrative around them. I would have liked an ‘Author’s Note’ of some sort explaining more about Irena and where you could read some nonfiction sources about her. But that's just the history nerd in me as I just always end up wanting to know more about the person!
Told in dual timelines we meet Lizzie in the present day who is struggling after a series of miscarriages and has returned to her paternal home for the summer. Whilst emptying the attic she comes across some photographs of her great-grandmother, Zofia who lived in Poland during the war. She becomes obsessed with finding out more about her family. We also hear from Zofia in the past timeline, her life in Warsaw, her role in the resistance and the dreadful conditions in the Jewish Ghetto.
This is an empathetic and clearly well-researched piece of historical fiction. It was moving and I even shed a tear as it was heartbreaking to read. Thankfully, this was also a story of hope, a symbol of solidarity in humanity and this showed in both timelines but especially so with Zofia’s. The ending was especially moving.
Let me know if you pick this up!
