Lilac Girls

Its Monday!  I'm sorry, but, unless you can do a great fake sick call, you have to get up (or if you are really sick)!  My mother can do a really good fake sick voice.  Did you know that . . . in 1976 the Apple I is created by Steve Wozniak,  the city of Tel Aviv is founded is 1909, Apollo 13 is launched in 1970, and William III and Mary II are crowned the joint sovereigns of Great Britain in 1689.

Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly is a historical novel set during World War II.  We get to see how the lives of three women in three different countries are affected by the war.  Caroline Ferriday in New York City, Kasia Kuzmerick in Lublin, Poland, and Dr. Herta Oberheuser in Germany.  This war will forever change their lives (if they make it alive to the end).  Each one will experience the war differently.  Come see how these three woman survive the war and what happens to them afterward. 

Lilac Girls is a long novel with some extreme details (the violence).  This book is not for the faint of heart.  There are many gruesome details about what happens at Ravensbruck (originally listed as rehabilitation camp for women).  Ravensbruck was actually a concentration camp.  Many women were experimented on at this camp by the doctors.  These women became known as The Rabbits.  It is very hard to read the details in this book.  Lilac Girls contains good writing and interesting characters.  The book starts out slow (making it hard to get into), but it does get much better.  It is also confusing at first because it starts with Caroline (a New York socialite who devotes her time to the French Consulate), then goes to Kasia, then Herta.  It then starts over again.  The majority of the book is devoted to the what happens to the characters during the war and then the last section to how the war affects the rest of these women’s lives.  I give Lilac Girls 3.75 out of 5 stars.  This novel will stick with you long after you finish it (because of the details).  The book is based on real people (like Caroline) and incidents.  While the novel is good, I read books as an escape.  I just found it very disconcerting.

This was Ms. Kelly's debut novel.  She is currently working on a prequel to Lilac Girls.  You can follow Ms. Kelly on Amazon to get notified on her book releases.  I received a complimentary copy of Lilac Girls from the publisher in exchange for an honest review of the novel.

I am currently reading Most Wanted by Lisa Scottoline (do not buy it). I am off to finish reading it (since I really must) and enjoy my shows. Supergirl and Castle are on tonight.  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris
The Avid Reader

P.S.--anyone have a good idea on how to get rid of wasps?  I have tried every spray on the market (and any ideas I found online).  I am a desperate person!  Thanks.