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The Night Sparrow
In 1941, Elena Bruskina, an ambitious university student, sees her world collapse when the Nazis invade the Soviet Union. She and her Jewish family are forced into the Minsk ghetto, where thousands are immediately murdered, including her father and her brother. When her younger sister is hanged because of false charges and her mother is shot, Elena escapes the ghetto, determined to avenge the killing of her family members.
In 1942, the Central Women’s Sniper Training School opens in Moscow. Seeing it as the perfect opportunity to retaliate, Elena is one of the first to enroll. She becomes part of an all-female sniper platoon, a community of young women who are ready to fight for their country, despite the appalling conditions and high risks.
Eight months later, Elena is stationed at the Eastern Front, her dreams of revenge unfulfilled. Ashamed of her inferior tally of kills, she finds herself undone by grief as she watches her fellow snipers fall from enemy bullets. After being injured in a firefight, she is reluctantly redeployed as a German interpreter. Elena quickly embraces her new role when she realizes she is part of a secret mission to capture the most evil fascist of all.
Inspired by real female snipers and interpreters who worked in the Red Army during World War II, The Night Sparrow is a portrait of friendship, resilience and courage under extraordinary circumstances.
In 1942, the Central Women’s Sniper Training School opens in Moscow. Seeing it as the perfect opportunity to retaliate, Elena is one of the first to enroll. She becomes part of an all-female sniper platoon, a community of young women who are ready to fight for their country, despite the appalling conditions and high risks.
Eight months later, Elena is stationed at the Eastern Front, her dreams of revenge unfulfilled. Ashamed of her inferior tally of kills, she finds herself undone by grief as she watches her fellow snipers fall from enemy bullets. After being injured in a firefight, she is reluctantly redeployed as a German interpreter. Elena quickly embraces her new role when she realizes she is part of a secret mission to capture the most evil fascist of all.
Inspired by real female snipers and interpreters who worked in the Red Army during World War II, The Night Sparrow is a portrait of friendship, resilience and courage under extraordinary circumstances.
368 pages, Paperback
Published July 1, 2025
71 people are currently reading
9538 people want to read
About the author
Shelly Sanders
6 books196 followersTHE NIGHT SPARROW April 1 2025/Canada
July 1 2025/UK, Australia, New Zealand
For fans of Kate Quinn and The Nightingale, a gripping story of a young Jewish girl who joins an elite Russian sniper unit and embarks on a mission targeting the highest prize of World War II: Adolph Hitler.
The Night Sparrow is a tense, engrossing tale of WW2. Based on true events, this is an improbably beautiful novel about a brutal episode in history."
— Janie Chang, author of The Phoenix Crown
https://www.harpercollins.com/product...
Daughters of the Occupation, HarperCollins, 2022, is a Canadian Bestseller, and received a Starred Review from Kirkus: “A gripping historical saga that skilfully addresses the trauma of the Holocaust.”
This historical fiction explores intergenerational trauma from the Latvian Holocaust, and was spurred by ancestors, as well as the discovery of my Jewish roots as an adult.
The Washington Post says, “The title of this haunting novel refers not only to the victims of Latvia’s Holocaust but also to their descendants, who carry the trauma of their ancestors.”
“…this is a read that will stay in the minds of those lucky enough to read it.”—New York Journal of Books
Here's a review from New York Times bestselling author Lucy Adlington (The Dressmakers of Auschwitz):
"Daughters of the Occupation is a neatly crafted saga of personal and national trauma, a story of tentative hope in a world of menace, as three generations of women strive to understand who they are, where they came from and how they can feel free."
My first three novels, Rachel’s Secret, Rachel’s Promise, and Rachel’s Hope (Second Story Press) were inspired by my grandmother’s escape from a Russian pogrom and subsequent journey to Shanghai. They received starred reviews, including Booklist and VOYA, and two were named Notable Books by the Sydney Taylor Book Awards announced by the Association of Jewish Libraries.
Before I started weaving my family through historical narratives, I was a journalist, writing about everything from green architecture to Tourette’s Syndrome for the Toronto Star, National Post, Canadian Jewish News, Maclean’s magazine, Canadian Living, and Reader’s Digest. (I did write about family in a few pieces; it was impossible to resist when all three of my children got lice at the same time, or when we hosted a Chernobyl child.)
July 1 2025/UK, Australia, New Zealand
For fans of Kate Quinn and The Nightingale, a gripping story of a young Jewish girl who joins an elite Russian sniper unit and embarks on a mission targeting the highest prize of World War II: Adolph Hitler.
The Night Sparrow is a tense, engrossing tale of WW2. Based on true events, this is an improbably beautiful novel about a brutal episode in history."
— Janie Chang, author of The Phoenix Crown
https://www.harpercollins.com/product...
Daughters of the Occupation, HarperCollins, 2022, is a Canadian Bestseller, and received a Starred Review from Kirkus: “A gripping historical saga that skilfully addresses the trauma of the Holocaust.”
This historical fiction explores intergenerational trauma from the Latvian Holocaust, and was spurred by ancestors, as well as the discovery of my Jewish roots as an adult.
The Washington Post says, “The title of this haunting novel refers not only to the victims of Latvia’s Holocaust but also to their descendants, who carry the trauma of their ancestors.”
“…this is a read that will stay in the minds of those lucky enough to read it.”—New York Journal of Books
Here's a review from New York Times bestselling author Lucy Adlington (The Dressmakers of Auschwitz):
"Daughters of the Occupation is a neatly crafted saga of personal and national trauma, a story of tentative hope in a world of menace, as three generations of women strive to understand who they are, where they came from and how they can feel free."
My first three novels, Rachel’s Secret, Rachel’s Promise, and Rachel’s Hope (Second Story Press) were inspired by my grandmother’s escape from a Russian pogrom and subsequent journey to Shanghai. They received starred reviews, including Booklist and VOYA, and two were named Notable Books by the Sydney Taylor Book Awards announced by the Association of Jewish Libraries.
Before I started weaving my family through historical narratives, I was a journalist, writing about everything from green architecture to Tourette’s Syndrome for the Toronto Star, National Post, Canadian Jewish News, Maclean’s magazine, Canadian Living, and Reader’s Digest. (I did write about family in a few pieces; it was impossible to resist when all three of my children got lice at the same time, or when we hosted a Chernobyl child.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
July 8, 2025
1941: When the German’s invade the Soviet Union, Elena Bruskina is a Jewish university student and what’s left of her family are forced to live and work in the Minsk ghetto and after her sister and mother are killed and she escapes.
Elena joins the Red Army's Central Women's Sniper Training School in Moscow, she becomes a member of a female platoon, and a group of young women for various reasons want to fight for their country.
1942: Eight months later Elena is stationed near the Eastern Front, daily the women endure the terrible conditions, risk and danger, cold and mud, lice and sexual harassment from their male colleagues and Elena feels like she hasn’t done as well as others in her unit, less kills and she’s injured.
Elena can speak German and she transferred to be an interpreter, as they make their way towards Berlin, interrogating prisoners, she realises she’s part of a secret mission and to find and capture the fascist leader Adolf Hitler.
I received a copy of The Night Sparrow by Shelly Sanders from Edelweiss Plus and HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. The author uses facts about real life Red Army women snipers as inspiration for her narrative such as Lyudmila Pavlichenko and it’s a brutal and violent story about war and revenge, and how ordinary women became killers and some found it easier than others.
Four stars from me, I did find the plot jumped around a lot, this made it a little confusing at times and hard to follow. My guess is Ms Sanders was laying the foundations for what was to come and war has ebbs and flows.
Elena joins the Red Army's Central Women's Sniper Training School in Moscow, she becomes a member of a female platoon, and a group of young women for various reasons want to fight for their country.
1942: Eight months later Elena is stationed near the Eastern Front, daily the women endure the terrible conditions, risk and danger, cold and mud, lice and sexual harassment from their male colleagues and Elena feels like she hasn’t done as well as others in her unit, less kills and she’s injured.
Elena can speak German and she transferred to be an interpreter, as they make their way towards Berlin, interrogating prisoners, she realises she’s part of a secret mission and to find and capture the fascist leader Adolf Hitler.
I received a copy of The Night Sparrow by Shelly Sanders from Edelweiss Plus and HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. The author uses facts about real life Red Army women snipers as inspiration for her narrative such as Lyudmila Pavlichenko and it’s a brutal and violent story about war and revenge, and how ordinary women became killers and some found it easier than others.
Four stars from me, I did find the plot jumped around a lot, this made it a little confusing at times and hard to follow. My guess is Ms Sanders was laying the foundations for what was to come and war has ebbs and flows.
August 14, 2025
This is the most interesting book I’ve read in 2025. It was the 208th book I completed. I devour historical fiction set during WWII. This is the first book I’ve read during this time period from the perspective of a Jewish woman, Russian sniper. It is based upon true stories. All of this made the novel quite unique. definitely listen to the author’s notes. I learned quite a bit. The story moves at a nice pace. This author was new to me and I will read more of her novels. Outstanding narration. Highly recommend.
I was blessed with an ARC and the opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
I was blessed with an ARC and the opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
December 13, 2024
This book was not a cozy read. It was uncomfortable many times. The author gives you an idea what it was like for young ladies during the war as Soviet Citizens. You also saw the battle between personal identities as Jewish AND being a loyal citizen of the Motherland (Soviet Union). If you tried to call attention to the atrocities against JEWS, you could get in trouble for pointing out that specific instead of calling them Soviet Citizens. The soviet women were called FrontLine Wives and forced to have sexual relations with the soldiers--and if they survived the war, they were called War Whores by the women at home. Many of them entered simply for survival purposes. They were told they were "as good as a man" but then not recognized for their equal contributions.
This focused on the challenges of seeing your comrades blown to bits right next to you. The emotional trauma of killing. Learning how to numb yourself.
It simply showed how terrible war was and is to the soul. Also showed the Jewish persecution for all Jews regardless of citizenship. Also the anti-Semitic towards the Jews by the Soviets. Dooming them to repeats of what Hitler inflicted--but by their own country.
It's not a gentle read. There is swearing. Violence. And the mention of rape. It's not pretty. But it's done with just enough of a sideline view to not be completely in your face.
The book also went back and forth to the lead characters experiences at the beginning of her war time then jumps to "current" which is near the end of her war experience. It uses the past to bring her to where she currently is.
4Stars for the way the topic was presented.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARc of this book. All opinions are 100% my own.
This focused on the challenges of seeing your comrades blown to bits right next to you. The emotional trauma of killing. Learning how to numb yourself.
It simply showed how terrible war was and is to the soul. Also showed the Jewish persecution for all Jews regardless of citizenship. Also the anti-Semitic towards the Jews by the Soviets. Dooming them to repeats of what Hitler inflicted--but by their own country.
It's not a gentle read. There is swearing. Violence. And the mention of rape. It's not pretty. But it's done with just enough of a sideline view to not be completely in your face.
The book also went back and forth to the lead characters experiences at the beginning of her war time then jumps to "current" which is near the end of her war experience. It uses the past to bring her to where she currently is.
4Stars for the way the topic was presented.
*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARc of this book. All opinions are 100% my own.
March 25, 2025
Thank you @netgalley for the advanced digital copy.
Shelly Sanders' forthcoming novel, The Night Sparrow, is a compelling portrayal of resilience and courage. Set against the backdrop of World War II, it follows Elena Bruskina, a Jewish university student from Minsk, whose life is shattered by Nazi atrocities.
Driven by a desire for vengeance, Elena joins the Red Army's Central Women's Sniper Training School, becoming part of an all-female sniper platoon.
Sanders masterfully depicts Elena's transformation from grief-stricken survivor to determined warrior, highlighting the strength of female camaraderie amid the horrors of war.
This gripping narrative not only honors the real-life contributions of Soviet female snipers but also offers an intimate look into one woman's fight against tyranny.
A must-read for lovers of historical fiction.
Shelly Sanders' forthcoming novel, The Night Sparrow, is a compelling portrayal of resilience and courage. Set against the backdrop of World War II, it follows Elena Bruskina, a Jewish university student from Minsk, whose life is shattered by Nazi atrocities.
Driven by a desire for vengeance, Elena joins the Red Army's Central Women's Sniper Training School, becoming part of an all-female sniper platoon.
Sanders masterfully depicts Elena's transformation from grief-stricken survivor to determined warrior, highlighting the strength of female camaraderie amid the horrors of war.
This gripping narrative not only honors the real-life contributions of Soviet female snipers but also offers an intimate look into one woman's fight against tyranny.
A must-read for lovers of historical fiction.
June 21, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
**Minor Spoilers** in terms of general references to content discussed in the book.
This book is inspired by the true stories of female snipers and interpreters that fought for the Soviet Union in WWII.
This book was really well done. It told a very raw and honest story of what it was like for Soviet women in the war and the additional difficulties they faced because they were women. The female snipers were not always awarded medals, even if they had the same or better tallies than men, they were often forced into sexual relationships with soldiers and referred to as “Frontline Wives,” and were then taunted for being whores when they returned from the war.
I also had not previously considered that people were not able to speak out against the persecution of the Jewish people during WWII, because in communist USSR every person was just a citizen of the Motherland and there were not supposed to be distinctions or other “groups” within society.
I enjoy a book that makes me think and reflect, and this book definitely did that. I am always in awe of the strength of people during difficult times, but particularly the strength of women. I’d definitely recommend this book for any WWII historical fiction fan. But do check your trigger warnings.
**Minor Spoilers** in terms of general references to content discussed in the book.
This book is inspired by the true stories of female snipers and interpreters that fought for the Soviet Union in WWII.
This book was really well done. It told a very raw and honest story of what it was like for Soviet women in the war and the additional difficulties they faced because they were women. The female snipers were not always awarded medals, even if they had the same or better tallies than men, they were often forced into sexual relationships with soldiers and referred to as “Frontline Wives,” and were then taunted for being whores when they returned from the war.
I also had not previously considered that people were not able to speak out against the persecution of the Jewish people during WWII, because in communist USSR every person was just a citizen of the Motherland and there were not supposed to be distinctions or other “groups” within society.
I enjoy a book that makes me think and reflect, and this book definitely did that. I am always in awe of the strength of people during difficult times, but particularly the strength of women. I’d definitely recommend this book for any WWII historical fiction fan. But do check your trigger warnings.
Want to read
January 10, 2025"Inspired by real female snipers and interpreters who worked in the Red Army during World War II, The Night Sparrow is a portrait of friendship, resilience and courage under extraordinary circumstances. "
May 4, 2025
This book is inspired by well-researched accounts of real female snipers and interpreters who worked in the Red Army of the Soviet Union during WWII. The author’s note cannot be missed, but save it to the end. Each chapter begins with a real quote from journals, articles, and accounts that really put the events in the book into perspective. The main character, Elena Burskina, is a Jewish young woman living in Belarus when the Nazis invade. Her family is forced into a ghetto in Minsk and her brother and father are murdered immediately. She watches the atrocities and indignities forced upon her people and when her sister is hanged before her eyes, she escapes the ghetto and vows revenge. She enrolls in a women’s sniper training school in Moscow and becomes part of the first all-female sniper team. This book doesn’t glorify or make perfect martyrs out of the characters. I found the complexities of war, especially one fueled with propaganda by the Nazis and the communists, were depicted very honestly. What was perfectly written was the unique experience of women training and fighting in the war while still having to navigate misogyny and gendered violence even while they laid their lives on the line to fight for their country, a country that would starve them and abuse them in the name of communist ideology. This book is heavy. There is no glory in it. There is so much pain and anger. That’s what makes it realistic. Even though the Soviets persevered in the war, the fate of its people, especially the Jews, was not one of freedom and harmony. And the fate of the women who fought for it was not one of heroism and grandeur as evidenced by the fact that they were almost entirely erased from history. This is a must read novel that faces the realities of war and doesn’t sugar coat a thing.
May 7, 2025
I really enjoyed this WWII historical fiction book about a Jewish woman sniper in the Soviet Army. Great on audio and full of strong women showing courage, strength and an incredible will to survive. Content warning for those sensitive to rape, the women snipers in this story have to deal with sexual abuse and rape from their fellow soldiers and hatred from civilian women countrymen. Recommended for fans of books like Diamond eye by Kate Quinn. This was my first by Canadian author Shelly Sanders and definitely won't be my last.
August 29, 2025
Every so often I come across a WWII novel that offers a perspective I haven't read before, and The Night Sparrow was one of those books. Told through the eyes of a female Soviet Jewish sniper, it dives into a part of history that is often overlooked, giving space to stories that deserve to be remembered. It feels as though historical fiction has only recently begun to highlight women's experiences in wartime, and it's also less common to see the Eastern Front from this angle, which made the novel stand out to me.
In her author's note, Sanders points out that the history of (Soviet) women in combat isn't spoken about enough, and I couldn't agree more. As a female veteran myself, I know firsthand that women's military accomplishments are still not fully acknowledged today—and in some cases, deliberately erased, as seen during the current American administration when pages honoring women's service were taken down. That connection between past erasure and present reality made the book resonate all the more.
This is not a soft read. It's raw, honest, and grounded in the brutal realities of war. Content warnings apply here: genocide, murder, war, torture, and sexual assault. I appreciated how the novel examined the complicated tensions of the time—especially the contrast between Jewish identity and loyalty to the Soviet Union. Even if Elena herself came across more as angry and driven by vengeance for what happened to her family, those around her embodied the pull between belonging to the state and being persecuted by it. That complexity gave the story depth.
I'll admit, at times the pacing felt uneven, and I wasn't always sure what the central climax of the story was meant to be. But in a way, that almost mirrors real history—war and its aftermath rarely follow a neat arc. Despite that, I valued this book for its perspective, its honesty, and its insistence on remembering women whose stories too often get lost in the margins.
Thank you to Harper Perennial for the gifted copy for review!
Website | Bookstagram | BookTok
In her author's note, Sanders points out that the history of (Soviet) women in combat isn't spoken about enough, and I couldn't agree more. As a female veteran myself, I know firsthand that women's military accomplishments are still not fully acknowledged today—and in some cases, deliberately erased, as seen during the current American administration when pages honoring women's service were taken down. That connection between past erasure and present reality made the book resonate all the more.
This is not a soft read. It's raw, honest, and grounded in the brutal realities of war. Content warnings apply here: genocide, murder, war, torture, and sexual assault. I appreciated how the novel examined the complicated tensions of the time—especially the contrast between Jewish identity and loyalty to the Soviet Union. Even if Elena herself came across more as angry and driven by vengeance for what happened to her family, those around her embodied the pull between belonging to the state and being persecuted by it. That complexity gave the story depth.
I'll admit, at times the pacing felt uneven, and I wasn't always sure what the central climax of the story was meant to be. But in a way, that almost mirrors real history—war and its aftermath rarely follow a neat arc. Despite that, I valued this book for its perspective, its honesty, and its insistence on remembering women whose stories too often get lost in the margins.
Thank you to Harper Perennial for the gifted copy for review!
Website | Bookstagram | BookTok
February 1, 2025
I feel like this was a Red Army, female POV version of Kristin Hannah’s, The Women.
Another telling of how women have constantly been taken advantage of and used for the male benefit, but never given the credit they deserve.
Parts of this book were atrocious, horrific and unfortunately known facts of this era. The most unfortunate part though is I feel this isn’t a “common knowledge” topic.
At times, this book felt one-note and a bit flat, though overall, I truly believe it’s an important POV and story to tell. The quotes at the beginnings of the chapters were also an eye-opening touch.
There’s parts of this book that should make you wretch. They may not be the most gruesome, but definitely the most haunting and raw:
“For every Jew killed, they receive forty pounds of salt, a liter of kerosene, and twenty boxes of matches.”
“Marsha’s absence was a presence.”
“It only takes a second to die.”
Another telling of how women have constantly been taken advantage of and used for the male benefit, but never given the credit they deserve.
Parts of this book were atrocious, horrific and unfortunately known facts of this era. The most unfortunate part though is I feel this isn’t a “common knowledge” topic.
At times, this book felt one-note and a bit flat, though overall, I truly believe it’s an important POV and story to tell. The quotes at the beginnings of the chapters were also an eye-opening touch.
There’s parts of this book that should make you wretch. They may not be the most gruesome, but definitely the most haunting and raw:
“For every Jew killed, they receive forty pounds of salt, a liter of kerosene, and twenty boxes of matches.”
“Marsha’s absence was a presence.”
“It only takes a second to die.”
June 3, 2025
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC! Shelly Sanders’ The Night Sparrow is a powerful and inspiring story set against the brutal backdrop of World War II. Following Elena Bruskina’s harrowing journey from the Minsk ghetto to the front lines of battle, the novel vividly captures her transformation from a grieving daughter into a fierce sniper fighting for justice and vengeance. Sanders masterfully portrays Elena’s emotional turmoil, her unwavering determination, and the camaraderie among the all-female sniper platoon. The plot is fast-paced and filled with tense, adrenaline-fueled moments, especially when Elena takes on her daring secret mission. The book beautifully highlights the resilience, friendship, and sacrifices of these brave young women, inspired by real-life heroines of the war. While the story contains many intense scenes, it also offers poignant reflections on loss, hope, and the human spirit's ability to endure even the darkest times. Overall, The Night Sparrow is an engaging and heartfelt tribute to the courageous women who fought during one of history’s most tumultuous eras.
June 6, 2025
The Night Sparrow is an intense novel focused on the Second World War and follows the story of a young Jewis woman from Russia who will take great risks in order to stop the Nazi's and Hitler. I will admit that this was a very good novel as it is very fast paced an the details of the environment and the characters are so intriguing. I will admit there are some scenes that are a little bit graphic so proceed with caution. Despite that it is a very good story.
Our main heroine of the story is a young woman named Elena Bruskina who journey's from her home to become a sniper to take out the Nazi's. I would have to say that she is brave for the work she has to do as I would never be able to stomach it. Although she puts on a brave face for the majority of the time she does have moments of weakness such as vomiting at some of the heartbreaking images that she witnesses.
Overall I was very impressed with how the female snipers came about and were portrayed. There are some similarities with The Nightingale which by the way is also an amazing story but overall both books are very different.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.
Our main heroine of the story is a young woman named Elena Bruskina who journey's from her home to become a sniper to take out the Nazi's. I would have to say that she is brave for the work she has to do as I would never be able to stomach it. Although she puts on a brave face for the majority of the time she does have moments of weakness such as vomiting at some of the heartbreaking images that she witnesses.
Overall I was very impressed with how the female snipers came about and were portrayed. There are some similarities with The Nightingale which by the way is also an amazing story but overall both books are very different.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.
June 30, 2025
The Night Sparrow by Shelly Sanders is one of those historical fiction reads that grabs your heart early and doesn’t let go. Based on real diaries of Soviet women snipers in WWII, this novel follows Elena Bruskina, a Jewish university student who loses everything when the Nazis invade Minsk. From surviving the ghetto to becoming a sniper, and eventually going undercover to help hunt Hitler, yes, that Hitler, Elena’s story is intense, heartbreaking, and full of grit.
What makes this book stand out is how personal it feels. Elena isn’t just a strong female lead. She’s brave, yes, but also vulnerable, haunted, and totally human. The friendships she forms with her fellow women soldiers are raw and real, and the moral weight of war especially as a Jewish woman is something the book doesn’t shy away from.
The action is gripping, the emotions hit hard, and the history feels lived-in. It’s dark in parts, fair warning: there are some gut-wrenching scenes, but it’s also a powerful tribute to resilience and resistance. It's powerful, emotional, and unforgettable.
⚡️Thank you Bibliolifestyle, Harper Perennial and Shelly Sanders for sharing this book with me!
What makes this book stand out is how personal it feels. Elena isn’t just a strong female lead. She’s brave, yes, but also vulnerable, haunted, and totally human. The friendships she forms with her fellow women soldiers are raw and real, and the moral weight of war especially as a Jewish woman is something the book doesn’t shy away from.
The action is gripping, the emotions hit hard, and the history feels lived-in. It’s dark in parts, fair warning: there are some gut-wrenching scenes, but it’s also a powerful tribute to resilience and resistance. It's powerful, emotional, and unforgettable.
⚡️Thank you Bibliolifestyle, Harper Perennial and Shelly Sanders for sharing this book with me!
November 6, 2025
History truly repeats itself. Crazy how a story set 80 years ago is still very relevant in our day and age. WWII aside, this novel gives the honest truth of how women (even those fighting for their country) are constantly treated as less than in a world ran by men.
July 8, 2025
Interesting content! Full review is up on http://instagram.com/chelseahudsonreads
July 21, 2025
3.5
I found this book difficult to get into.
It took me almost halfway through to begin wanting to keep reading.
I found the back and forth chapters of 1943 and 1945 a bit difficult to keep track of, especially if I had put the book down for a day or two.
The quotes at the beginning of each chapter were inspiring, informative, as well as pertinent to the story, of that chapter.
Knowing most of what this story was based on is true, made it that much more powerful. I was already aware of the female snipers in the Red Army as I had read a book about one of the top snipers. However this book went into much more detail.
I was also not as knowledgeable about Stalin's involvement in WWII and this book definitely informed me.
War is hell and I am so indebted to the courage, tenacity and strength of those who fought for the freedoms we have today. I am unsure people today would be as selfless and faithful to their country.
I found this book difficult to get into.
It took me almost halfway through to begin wanting to keep reading.
I found the back and forth chapters of 1943 and 1945 a bit difficult to keep track of, especially if I had put the book down for a day or two.
The quotes at the beginning of each chapter were inspiring, informative, as well as pertinent to the story, of that chapter.
Knowing most of what this story was based on is true, made it that much more powerful. I was already aware of the female snipers in the Red Army as I had read a book about one of the top snipers. However this book went into much more detail.
I was also not as knowledgeable about Stalin's involvement in WWII and this book definitely informed me.
War is hell and I am so indebted to the courage, tenacity and strength of those who fought for the freedoms we have today. I am unsure people today would be as selfless and faithful to their country.
April 17, 2025
I don’t normally write reviews but….
While the gravity of the subject matter and the concept of the story are astounding, devastating and well thought out, the jumping around of the timeline flat out ruined this one for me, hence the 2 (lets say 2.5) stars only. I felt like I was reading the beginning jumping to the end, back to the middle and back and forth the whole time, personally, this book would have had a bigger impact for me if the timeline was start to finish.
I did, however really appreciate the real quotes that the author inserted into the book.
While the gravity of the subject matter and the concept of the story are astounding, devastating and well thought out, the jumping around of the timeline flat out ruined this one for me, hence the 2 (lets say 2.5) stars only. I felt like I was reading the beginning jumping to the end, back to the middle and back and forth the whole time, personally, this book would have had a bigger impact for me if the timeline was start to finish.
I did, however really appreciate the real quotes that the author inserted into the book.
July 2, 2025
An important but relatively unknown piece of wartime history
Elena Bruskina was a university student in Minsk. when the Germans invaded her city in 1941. While her family was not particularly devout (not surprising, given that people in the Soviet Union were expected to revere the Party, not their God) they were Jewish and as such quickly rounded up and placed in a Ghetto by the Nazis, forced to wear the yellow star and work in menial jobs. First her father and brother were taken, presumably killed although her mother refuses to acknowledge that likelihood, then her younger sister who joined the partisans was publicly executed. Before she could secure false identity papers so that she and her mother could escape from the ghetto and avoid the increasing killings there, her mother and the families with whom they shared living quarters were also rounded up and killed in the street. Elena was able to escape to the surrounding forests by an old friend and there she would work with the partisans. Desperately wanting to revenge the deaths of her loved ones, Elena wanted to be given a gun and join a fighting unit, but was relegated to more womanly tasks like cooking and stealing food. A sympathetic superior hands her a newspaper containing an appeal for Russian women to join the newly formed Central Women's Sniper Training School and she immediately submits her application. After months of training, she and other women like her are sent to the Eastern Front, where brutal weather and risky conditions are worsened by the misogyny and abuse they will endure from many of the Russian men with whom they serve. She loses several of the women snipers in her platoon in the heat of battle and severely injures her arm, rendering her useless in the task for which she was trained. She is instead recruited to work as an interpreter for SMERSH (the counterintelligence division within the Red Army) given her fluency in German, and will be tasked with an unimaginable assignment in the final weeks of the war...to help interrogate captured Germans and use that information to hunt down Hitler himself.
The contributions of women who served in the Red Army as snipers and as interpreters are not well-known, and in this novel author Shelly Sanders combines real historical figures with fictional ones to bring their stories into wider circulation. Women were generally presumed to not be capable of serving in frontline roles in active combat until very recently, yet there were thousands of these Soviet women who were willing to sacrifice everything in the name of patriotism (only one in five would survive the war). Many regardless of their rank or position were forced to become "frontline wives" to Russian officers, becoming their sexual partners whether they agreed to the situation or not, and would be regarded as little more than whores by other female soldiers and particularly by women civilians if they were lucky enough to return home alive. The government thanked them for their service and "suggested" that they not talk about their actual achievements, and the military kept a lid on the egregious abuses for years. The journey and experiences of the fictional Elena are taken from or inspired by the memoirs left behind of real life Soviet women who served during the war, and the brutality and carnage they saw is devastating. The pacing was a bit uneven at times, and the timeline bounced back and forth, but I was fascinated by the peek into a forgotten corner of history, Fans of Ariel Lawhon, Martha Hall Kelly and Kate Quinn as well as readers who enjoy historical fiction (particularly of this time period) will find The Night Sparrow well worth exploring. My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for allowing me access to this well-researched story of women whose contributions were minimized during the war and shunted to the side when it was over in exchange for my honest review.
Elena Bruskina was a university student in Minsk. when the Germans invaded her city in 1941. While her family was not particularly devout (not surprising, given that people in the Soviet Union were expected to revere the Party, not their God) they were Jewish and as such quickly rounded up and placed in a Ghetto by the Nazis, forced to wear the yellow star and work in menial jobs. First her father and brother were taken, presumably killed although her mother refuses to acknowledge that likelihood, then her younger sister who joined the partisans was publicly executed. Before she could secure false identity papers so that she and her mother could escape from the ghetto and avoid the increasing killings there, her mother and the families with whom they shared living quarters were also rounded up and killed in the street. Elena was able to escape to the surrounding forests by an old friend and there she would work with the partisans. Desperately wanting to revenge the deaths of her loved ones, Elena wanted to be given a gun and join a fighting unit, but was relegated to more womanly tasks like cooking and stealing food. A sympathetic superior hands her a newspaper containing an appeal for Russian women to join the newly formed Central Women's Sniper Training School and she immediately submits her application. After months of training, she and other women like her are sent to the Eastern Front, where brutal weather and risky conditions are worsened by the misogyny and abuse they will endure from many of the Russian men with whom they serve. She loses several of the women snipers in her platoon in the heat of battle and severely injures her arm, rendering her useless in the task for which she was trained. She is instead recruited to work as an interpreter for SMERSH (the counterintelligence division within the Red Army) given her fluency in German, and will be tasked with an unimaginable assignment in the final weeks of the war...to help interrogate captured Germans and use that information to hunt down Hitler himself.
The contributions of women who served in the Red Army as snipers and as interpreters are not well-known, and in this novel author Shelly Sanders combines real historical figures with fictional ones to bring their stories into wider circulation. Women were generally presumed to not be capable of serving in frontline roles in active combat until very recently, yet there were thousands of these Soviet women who were willing to sacrifice everything in the name of patriotism (only one in five would survive the war). Many regardless of their rank or position were forced to become "frontline wives" to Russian officers, becoming their sexual partners whether they agreed to the situation or not, and would be regarded as little more than whores by other female soldiers and particularly by women civilians if they were lucky enough to return home alive. The government thanked them for their service and "suggested" that they not talk about their actual achievements, and the military kept a lid on the egregious abuses for years. The journey and experiences of the fictional Elena are taken from or inspired by the memoirs left behind of real life Soviet women who served during the war, and the brutality and carnage they saw is devastating. The pacing was a bit uneven at times, and the timeline bounced back and forth, but I was fascinated by the peek into a forgotten corner of history, Fans of Ariel Lawhon, Martha Hall Kelly and Kate Quinn as well as readers who enjoy historical fiction (particularly of this time period) will find The Night Sparrow well worth exploring. My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for allowing me access to this well-researched story of women whose contributions were minimized during the war and shunted to the side when it was over in exchange for my honest review.
July 16, 2025
Title: The Night Sparrow
Author: Shelly Sanders
Narrated by: Gilli Messer
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Length: Approximately10 hours and 26 minutes
Source: Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @harperperennial for the review copy of physical book copy of The Night Sparrow by Shelly Sanders. Thank-you to NetGalley for the audiobook and e-book review copies.
What genres that you are looking forward to reading this year? I am enjoying reading lots of historical fiction.
Elena Bruskina is a university student studying German in the Soviet Union when it is invaded by Nazis. She is Jewish and she and her family are forced into the Minsk ghetto. After her family is killed, she escapes and vows to get revenge. She joins an all-female sniper unit in Moscow. She eventually also becomes redeployed as German translator searching for Hitler. Will Elena make it through the war, and will she make a difference?
My thoughts on this novel:
• Author Shelly Sanders used facts from real life Soviet women snipers and interpreters to write the story. Each chapter starts with a real quote from the women that served.
• This story really showed the horrors of war.
• It was disturbing to learn about “front line wives” where Soviet soldiers would pick a woman to be their front-line wife even if they didn’t want to be. These women were ostracized when they returned home.
• Soviets were the first to discover the Eagle’s Nest. Elena is there to witness the horrors and to help prove that Hitler is indeed dead.
• There were unique difficulties as Elena is Jewish and witnesses the murder of her family and other Jews because of their Jewish heritage. The Soviets didn’t identify groups there were as denial that the Nazis were targeting and killing Jews.
• The book tries to walk a fine line to say that Elena understands that the actions that the Soviet government takes towards its people and that Soviet soldiers take on German citizens are not ethical or good.
• I’m not sure about the time shifts in this novel. The narrative centered on one person, Elena, but it told the story through showing different points of time during the war. It would flash from the ending of the war to the beginning when Elena was first training. I don’t think this added to the story. It made things more confusing. I would have liked it better if the story was just told straight through from the beginning of the war to the end. To be honest, it made me not care as much about some of the other characters as I knew they would die. This may have been more confusing listening to the audiobook versus reading the physical book.
• There is a great detailed author’s note at the end of the novel as well as a very thorough bibliography.
• The audiobook narrator was engaging.
Overall, The Night Sparrow by Shelly Sanders is an intriguing historical fiction novel that focuses on the little-known story of female Soviet snippers and interpreters.
This review was first posted on my blog at:https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2025...
Author: Shelly Sanders
Narrated by: Gilli Messer
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Length: Approximately10 hours and 26 minutes
Source: Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @harperperennial for the review copy of physical book copy of The Night Sparrow by Shelly Sanders. Thank-you to NetGalley for the audiobook and e-book review copies.
What genres that you are looking forward to reading this year? I am enjoying reading lots of historical fiction.
Elena Bruskina is a university student studying German in the Soviet Union when it is invaded by Nazis. She is Jewish and she and her family are forced into the Minsk ghetto. After her family is killed, she escapes and vows to get revenge. She joins an all-female sniper unit in Moscow. She eventually also becomes redeployed as German translator searching for Hitler. Will Elena make it through the war, and will she make a difference?
My thoughts on this novel:
• Author Shelly Sanders used facts from real life Soviet women snipers and interpreters to write the story. Each chapter starts with a real quote from the women that served.
• This story really showed the horrors of war.
• It was disturbing to learn about “front line wives” where Soviet soldiers would pick a woman to be their front-line wife even if they didn’t want to be. These women were ostracized when they returned home.
• Soviets were the first to discover the Eagle’s Nest. Elena is there to witness the horrors and to help prove that Hitler is indeed dead.
• There were unique difficulties as Elena is Jewish and witnesses the murder of her family and other Jews because of their Jewish heritage. The Soviets didn’t identify groups there were as denial that the Nazis were targeting and killing Jews.
• The book tries to walk a fine line to say that Elena understands that the actions that the Soviet government takes towards its people and that Soviet soldiers take on German citizens are not ethical or good.
• I’m not sure about the time shifts in this novel. The narrative centered on one person, Elena, but it told the story through showing different points of time during the war. It would flash from the ending of the war to the beginning when Elena was first training. I don’t think this added to the story. It made things more confusing. I would have liked it better if the story was just told straight through from the beginning of the war to the end. To be honest, it made me not care as much about some of the other characters as I knew they would die. This may have been more confusing listening to the audiobook versus reading the physical book.
• There is a great detailed author’s note at the end of the novel as well as a very thorough bibliography.
• The audiobook narrator was engaging.
Overall, The Night Sparrow by Shelly Sanders is an intriguing historical fiction novel that focuses on the little-known story of female Soviet snippers and interpreters.
This review was first posted on my blog at:https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2025...
June 29, 2025
I read a lot of WWII historical fiction but The Night Sparrow looked at the war from a different direction. Instead of the normal Allies vs. Germany story, this one looked at the war from a Russian perspective. I found it to be very interesting and thanks to the intensive research that went into this book, it was very informative.
In 1941 Elena and her family were sent to the ghetto in Minsk. Her entire family was soon dead and she knew that she was next unless she was able to escape. Her main goal was to avenge the deaths of her family. In 1942, the Central Women’s Sniper Training School opened in Moscow and Elena decided that getting trained as a sniper and killing a lot of the enemy was a perfect way to avenge her family. She became part of an all female sniper platoon and became friends with several other women in the group and saw many of them killed. After she in injured, she is deployed as an interpreter to try to get information from German prisoners. Though she wanted to continue her war efforts as a sniper, she soon became interested in her new role when she found that her ultimate goal was to help on a mission to find and destroy Hitler.
I found this book to be a very interesting look at war from a female point of view. Even though being a sniper in the Russian army at this time was very dangerous role and only 20% of the graduates of the sniper school were alive at the end of the war, the women fighters continued to take abuse from the male soldiers including sexual abuse from the officers. This book offers a riveting look t war from a female point of view.
I had a few problems with the book. At times the story moved slowly but I guess we needed the background to add to the story line. Also, it jumped back and forth in time throughout the book and at times it was confusing. Plus be prepared for a book about war that is violent and heartbreaking. Not only were the women snipers fighting the Germans but they were also degraded by their own officers for being women and especially for being Jewish.
Be sure to read the Author's Notes at the end of the book where she gives additional information about the Russian female snipers and identifies the characters in the book who were based on real women who put their lives on the line to help their country defeat the Germans.
In 1941 Elena and her family were sent to the ghetto in Minsk. Her entire family was soon dead and she knew that she was next unless she was able to escape. Her main goal was to avenge the deaths of her family. In 1942, the Central Women’s Sniper Training School opened in Moscow and Elena decided that getting trained as a sniper and killing a lot of the enemy was a perfect way to avenge her family. She became part of an all female sniper platoon and became friends with several other women in the group and saw many of them killed. After she in injured, she is deployed as an interpreter to try to get information from German prisoners. Though she wanted to continue her war efforts as a sniper, she soon became interested in her new role when she found that her ultimate goal was to help on a mission to find and destroy Hitler.
I found this book to be a very interesting look at war from a female point of view. Even though being a sniper in the Russian army at this time was very dangerous role and only 20% of the graduates of the sniper school were alive at the end of the war, the women fighters continued to take abuse from the male soldiers including sexual abuse from the officers. This book offers a riveting look t war from a female point of view.
I had a few problems with the book. At times the story moved slowly but I guess we needed the background to add to the story line. Also, it jumped back and forth in time throughout the book and at times it was confusing. Plus be prepared for a book about war that is violent and heartbreaking. Not only were the women snipers fighting the Germans but they were also degraded by their own officers for being women and especially for being Jewish.
Be sure to read the Author's Notes at the end of the book where she gives additional information about the Russian female snipers and identifies the characters in the book who were based on real women who put their lives on the line to help their country defeat the Germans.
July 20, 2025
The Night Sparrow was inspired by the diaries of real female snipers and interpreters who served as part of the Red Army in WWII.
Elena Burskina is a young Jewish woman attending university. When the Nazis invade, she and her family are forced into the ghetto in Belarus where her father and brother are murdered, her sister is hung in front of her, and her mother is shot. Vowing revenge, she escapes the ghetto and goes to Moscow where she enrolls in a sniper training school. Upon completing the training program, she is stationed at the Eastern Front, but when she suffers and injury, she is transferred and becomes a German translator for the Red Army, soon finding herself to be a part of one of the biggest secret missions of all time!
This story is not butterflies and rainbows. With its very true to life depictions of the front lines, this book is a realistic look at what it was like for women involved in the war. The author does not hold back, and the reader is forced to take a hard look at the atrocities of war and the violence and vile tactics used including at one point, the admission of what reward was given to people for every Jew killed.
Author Shelly Sanders highlights the strength and courage of the female soldiers, not just in the face of danger but in the way they are treated by their male counterparts being called “front line wives,” the sexual abuse they endured and the cruelty from civilians calling them “war whores.”
Despite the harsh realities and loss depicted on the pages, this book is also about hope, strength, resilience and the ability to persevere through the hardest of times.
For those who require trigger warnings, there is violence and the mention of rape.
A big thank you to Harper Perennial for the physical copy of this book and to Harper Audio for the audio version. It was such a special opportunity to be able to both read and listen to the book. Both were equally well done. The narrator Gilli Messer and the audio production team did a wonderful job bringing this important story to life.
Elena Burskina is a young Jewish woman attending university. When the Nazis invade, she and her family are forced into the ghetto in Belarus where her father and brother are murdered, her sister is hung in front of her, and her mother is shot. Vowing revenge, she escapes the ghetto and goes to Moscow where she enrolls in a sniper training school. Upon completing the training program, she is stationed at the Eastern Front, but when she suffers and injury, she is transferred and becomes a German translator for the Red Army, soon finding herself to be a part of one of the biggest secret missions of all time!
This story is not butterflies and rainbows. With its very true to life depictions of the front lines, this book is a realistic look at what it was like for women involved in the war. The author does not hold back, and the reader is forced to take a hard look at the atrocities of war and the violence and vile tactics used including at one point, the admission of what reward was given to people for every Jew killed.
Author Shelly Sanders highlights the strength and courage of the female soldiers, not just in the face of danger but in the way they are treated by their male counterparts being called “front line wives,” the sexual abuse they endured and the cruelty from civilians calling them “war whores.”
Despite the harsh realities and loss depicted on the pages, this book is also about hope, strength, resilience and the ability to persevere through the hardest of times.
For those who require trigger warnings, there is violence and the mention of rape.
A big thank you to Harper Perennial for the physical copy of this book and to Harper Audio for the audio version. It was such a special opportunity to be able to both read and listen to the book. Both were equally well done. The narrator Gilli Messer and the audio production team did a wonderful job bringing this important story to life.
November 8, 2025
This novel explores a lesser known path of women snipers in the Red Army during WWII. We follow the protagonist Elena Bruskina, a Jew from Minsk in a parallel time line between her time when she was forced into the Minsk ghetto in 1943, where she lost all her family to the atrocities of the Nazis, and her escape from the ghetto where she joins the Red Army of Stalin's USSR army to become a sniper in the war against the fascists.
This is excellent historical fiction. Many of the characters in the novel were real and the other characters were based upon diaries of real women who became snipers. Each chapter starts with a quote from a source that was actually recorded during the war. I specifically enjoyed Elana's reflections on the absurdity of Stalin's propaganda. How Jews should renounce their Jewishness and embrace being equal Soviet citizens, while still being discriminated against for being Jewish. Elana remarks "I know that being Jewish isn't the same as being Russian." (Pg 61) How women should take up the mantel of everything that men do, then being told to keep quiet about it. How Stalin propagates loyalty to the state over everything else. "Much like Stalin's order to die rather than retreat." (Page 69). Elana's emotional dilemmas follow her through the entire story. She wants to avenge her family's murders by the fascists but she has a hard time pulling the trigger to actually kill.
The novel explores the development of comradery, friendship and loyalty under the excruciating circumstances of war on the front line. The different characters express the diverse opinions of the time, from loyalty to the motherland to living for the moment because tomorrow we might be dead.
The novel kept jumping back and forth between the time lines which at times was a bit confusing. But overall, I felt it was a realistic portrayal of the little discussed position of women snipers recruited in the Red Army during WWII. As many novels as I have read about WWII, there are still many stories yet to be told as this novel demonstrates. A worthwhile read.
This is excellent historical fiction. Many of the characters in the novel were real and the other characters were based upon diaries of real women who became snipers. Each chapter starts with a quote from a source that was actually recorded during the war. I specifically enjoyed Elana's reflections on the absurdity of Stalin's propaganda. How Jews should renounce their Jewishness and embrace being equal Soviet citizens, while still being discriminated against for being Jewish. Elana remarks "I know that being Jewish isn't the same as being Russian." (Pg 61) How women should take up the mantel of everything that men do, then being told to keep quiet about it. How Stalin propagates loyalty to the state over everything else. "Much like Stalin's order to die rather than retreat." (Page 69). Elana's emotional dilemmas follow her through the entire story. She wants to avenge her family's murders by the fascists but she has a hard time pulling the trigger to actually kill.
The novel explores the development of comradery, friendship and loyalty under the excruciating circumstances of war on the front line. The different characters express the diverse opinions of the time, from loyalty to the motherland to living for the moment because tomorrow we might be dead.
The novel kept jumping back and forth between the time lines which at times was a bit confusing. But overall, I felt it was a realistic portrayal of the little discussed position of women snipers recruited in the Red Army during WWII. As many novels as I have read about WWII, there are still many stories yet to be told as this novel demonstrates. A worthwhile read.
July 20, 2025
This is my 1st book by author Shelly Sanders, and I will be looking for more of her books.
This historical fiction is based on the true stories of real female snipers and interpreters who worked in the Red Army during World War II.
The story opens with the Nazi invading Russia, and Elena Burskina, a Jewish university student, and her family, forced into a ghetto and thousands shot including her father and brother. Her tipping point is when her sister is hung and her mother shot. She escapes the ghetto and is the 1st to join the Central Women’s Sniper Training School located in Moscow. She is sent to the front with her fellow women snipers and experiences the brutal ugly of war, having to kill or be killed, seeing her team mates killed, dealing with men taking advantage of them, poor food, terrible conditions and the subsequent mental trauma of war. The descriptions of war are well done, you can feel the despair, fear, the biting cold, camaraderie and the struggles to survive.
When she is wounded, she is transferred to be an interpreter with the assignment of helping find high ranking enemies. The double dealing, interviews and building suspense are well portrayed as they race to find them before they can escape.
The book was very interesting and engaging, and I learned more about the Russia's involvement during WWII and about these heroic women. The book has some foul language, war brutality and mentions of rape without being overly graphic, yet realistic and heartbreaking to read..The writing was sometimes a bit uneven, but didn't detract from the overall plot.
I highly recommend this book for those who want to read a balanced, realistic unique POV of WWII. The courage, resilience and determination of these young women and those in their lives shines brightly and makes this a worthwhile read.
A very big thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC, it was a privilege to read. All opinions expressed are my own.
This historical fiction is based on the true stories of real female snipers and interpreters who worked in the Red Army during World War II.
The story opens with the Nazi invading Russia, and Elena Burskina, a Jewish university student, and her family, forced into a ghetto and thousands shot including her father and brother. Her tipping point is when her sister is hung and her mother shot. She escapes the ghetto and is the 1st to join the Central Women’s Sniper Training School located in Moscow. She is sent to the front with her fellow women snipers and experiences the brutal ugly of war, having to kill or be killed, seeing her team mates killed, dealing with men taking advantage of them, poor food, terrible conditions and the subsequent mental trauma of war. The descriptions of war are well done, you can feel the despair, fear, the biting cold, camaraderie and the struggles to survive.
When she is wounded, she is transferred to be an interpreter with the assignment of helping find high ranking enemies. The double dealing, interviews and building suspense are well portrayed as they race to find them before they can escape.
The book was very interesting and engaging, and I learned more about the Russia's involvement during WWII and about these heroic women. The book has some foul language, war brutality and mentions of rape without being overly graphic, yet realistic and heartbreaking to read..The writing was sometimes a bit uneven, but didn't detract from the overall plot.
I highly recommend this book for those who want to read a balanced, realistic unique POV of WWII. The courage, resilience and determination of these young women and those in their lives shines brightly and makes this a worthwhile read.
A very big thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC, it was a privilege to read. All opinions expressed are my own.
July 30, 2025
Rating: 4.2/5 Stars
The Night Sparrow by Shelly Sanders follows Russian sniper and translator, Elena Bruskina, during the second world war. The novel is written as a dual timeline story. One timeline follows Elena through her life in the Minsk ghetto as a Russian woman of Jewish descent. After losing her family to the various cruelties inflicted by the Nazis, Elena joins the Central Women’s Sniper Training School to avenge their death’s at the hands of fascists. She meets many incredible women in training who become friends.
The second timeline follows Elena as she becomes a German translator for the Russians as they search for Hitler as Berlin falls to the Russian army. Has Hitler escaped? Is he hiding? Is the dead?
While this novel is a work of historical fiction, it is based on very real female Russian snipers. Shelly includes a quote from a publication, radio broadcast, or diary before the start of every chapter. I felt that this inclusion really allowed the reader to stay connected to the fact that the story is based on actual occurrences. I certainly enjoyed the perspective of a Russian women at the end of World War II, a perspective that I had very little knowledge about. I also had not considered the urgency to find Adolf Hitler at the end of the war to determine if he was dead or operating from a new, remote location.
The writing style of this novel was very Hemingway-esque. It was direct and clinically portrayed the horrors that Elena experiences in her travels. The author does not romanticize or avoid descriptions of the atrocities that occurred around Elena. I, personally, found the writing style to be wonderful in portrayal of wartimes. I also found Elena’s story to be a refreshing, not oft explored perspective to the second world war. This novel was fascinating and inspired me to delve further into research into female Russian snipers who defied social norms to make an enormous impact in the defeat of fascism.
The Night Sparrow by Shelly Sanders follows Russian sniper and translator, Elena Bruskina, during the second world war. The novel is written as a dual timeline story. One timeline follows Elena through her life in the Minsk ghetto as a Russian woman of Jewish descent. After losing her family to the various cruelties inflicted by the Nazis, Elena joins the Central Women’s Sniper Training School to avenge their death’s at the hands of fascists. She meets many incredible women in training who become friends.
The second timeline follows Elena as she becomes a German translator for the Russians as they search for Hitler as Berlin falls to the Russian army. Has Hitler escaped? Is he hiding? Is the dead?
While this novel is a work of historical fiction, it is based on very real female Russian snipers. Shelly includes a quote from a publication, radio broadcast, or diary before the start of every chapter. I felt that this inclusion really allowed the reader to stay connected to the fact that the story is based on actual occurrences. I certainly enjoyed the perspective of a Russian women at the end of World War II, a perspective that I had very little knowledge about. I also had not considered the urgency to find Adolf Hitler at the end of the war to determine if he was dead or operating from a new, remote location.
The writing style of this novel was very Hemingway-esque. It was direct and clinically portrayed the horrors that Elena experiences in her travels. The author does not romanticize or avoid descriptions of the atrocities that occurred around Elena. I, personally, found the writing style to be wonderful in portrayal of wartimes. I also found Elena’s story to be a refreshing, not oft explored perspective to the second world war. This novel was fascinating and inspired me to delve further into research into female Russian snipers who defied social norms to make an enormous impact in the defeat of fascism.
June 30, 2025
This was a very difficult read, to say the least.
It is said that it was inspired by actual Soviet Women who WERE snipers and who held some pretty prestigious positions in the War (WWII). Although, they have not been recognized as being snipers or being a part of the war.
Also, it is difficult to read, as many before have been, as they are describing the death, especially of loved ones, at the hands of the wicked. Those in power.
Additionally, this one brought up the fact of 'wives on the frontline', unfortunately NOT meaning what you might think, but instead meaning that these horrible men 'claimed' certain woman to 'live with them' and do as they please with them.
All that being said, it was quite a story, and one that should be out there in the world for all to read. But, getting through some of the harsh scenes above should also be noted, as many have things that might trigger them, and although I do NOT have these triggers, they brought up some very unhealthy vibes for me.
Beautiful outlook on friendships during difficult times, and doing what needs to be done, even when you feel like you have nothing left…
And, how one woman can make a difference in so many others lives…
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!
#TheNightSparrow by #ShellySanders and narrated nicely by #GilliMesser.
*** RELEASE DATE IS JULY 1, 2025 !! *** SO LOOK 👀 FOR IT ON SHELVES SOON!!!!! ***
Thanks so much to #NetGalley, #HarperAudioAdult and #HarperPerennial for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.
You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️
It is said that it was inspired by actual Soviet Women who WERE snipers and who held some pretty prestigious positions in the War (WWII). Although, they have not been recognized as being snipers or being a part of the war.
Also, it is difficult to read, as many before have been, as they are describing the death, especially of loved ones, at the hands of the wicked. Those in power.
Additionally, this one brought up the fact of 'wives on the frontline', unfortunately NOT meaning what you might think, but instead meaning that these horrible men 'claimed' certain woman to 'live with them' and do as they please with them.
All that being said, it was quite a story, and one that should be out there in the world for all to read. But, getting through some of the harsh scenes above should also be noted, as many have things that might trigger them, and although I do NOT have these triggers, they brought up some very unhealthy vibes for me.
Beautiful outlook on friendships during difficult times, and doing what needs to be done, even when you feel like you have nothing left…
And, how one woman can make a difference in so many others lives…
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me!
#TheNightSparrow by #ShellySanders and narrated nicely by #GilliMesser.
*** RELEASE DATE IS JULY 1, 2025 !! *** SO LOOK 👀 FOR IT ON SHELVES SOON!!!!! ***
Thanks so much to #NetGalley, #HarperAudioAdult and #HarperPerennial for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.
You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine
Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️
July 25, 2025
To be fair i would not have spontaneously chosen to read a novel about the Soviet side of the WWII, what I know of Stalin would have deterred me and my bias extends to the whole army of the people. I can’t, refuse would be more accurate, excuse the Ribbentrop/Molotov treaty that gave Hitler free reins to invade Poland, France, Netherlands and Belgium _thanks the gods of war for dear Winston_ the alliance between the two ogres of the Eurasian continent can’t ever been pardoned.
Anyway, this novel crossed my social networking scroll and the title caught my eyes, few words from the author caught my attention and the book joined my kindle shelves.
And I am so very happy for this sum of coincidences. This is the embodiment of a great historical fiction. Good characters, very evil guys, dire situations, bravery and humanity. It’s also full of fascinating details about women in history, women warriors, women facing their fears and despair and trying their best to commit to their greater self.
So many heartbreaking details, but the reader is invited to stand by these girls in all their complexity, pettiness and grandeur.
So funny how nothing astonishes us anymore when one is speaking about women roles and women strength, that’s the beauty of modern age. But each stone brought by novelist or historian is a contribution to a new History where half of humankind is back into our memory. Universalism at its best.
We all know how this period went from bad to worse to abysmal but Elena, Zina, Raya, Nina and even the terrible Chava brought a new light to the Resistance archipelago, young Jewish women, trained as snipers, ready to fight to death the monsters who destroyed their lives. Books are choosing their readers as much as the other way around and I am honored to have been chosen by these brave little sparrows.
Anyway, this novel crossed my social networking scroll and the title caught my eyes, few words from the author caught my attention and the book joined my kindle shelves.
And I am so very happy for this sum of coincidences. This is the embodiment of a great historical fiction. Good characters, very evil guys, dire situations, bravery and humanity. It’s also full of fascinating details about women in history, women warriors, women facing their fears and despair and trying their best to commit to their greater self.
So many heartbreaking details, but the reader is invited to stand by these girls in all their complexity, pettiness and grandeur.
So funny how nothing astonishes us anymore when one is speaking about women roles and women strength, that’s the beauty of modern age. But each stone brought by novelist or historian is a contribution to a new History where half of humankind is back into our memory. Universalism at its best.
We all know how this period went from bad to worse to abysmal but Elena, Zina, Raya, Nina and even the terrible Chava brought a new light to the Resistance archipelago, young Jewish women, trained as snipers, ready to fight to death the monsters who destroyed their lives. Books are choosing their readers as much as the other way around and I am honored to have been chosen by these brave little sparrows.
October 18, 2025
This is a haunting book that I am extremely grateful was flagged to me. I love books based on real events, especially perspectives I am less familiar with, and this one immersed me in the Eastern front from the perspective of a platoon of women soldiers whose stories have largely been erased from history.
The story follows Elena, a young Jewish girl living in the Minsk Ghetto in 1941 who, after seeing her entire family killed, enrols in Moscow’s Central Women’s Sniper Training School and becomes a Russian snipper. Because she speaks German, she is quickly recruited to also serve as a translator and is assigned to an especially crucial secret mission that takes her straight into the bunkers of high-ranking German officials.
The story is told in a dual timeline, juxtaposing Elena’s early training days with her subsequent active-duty days, showing her evolution and helping to frame her motivations as well as those of her fellow female recruits (which were sometimes conflicting). The level of courage of these women is astounding, and Shelly Sanders makes the book especially compelling by starting each chapter with quotes taken from real historical accounts, bringing the voices of the real women who inspired this novel back to life.
The story has heart-wrenching moments that remind us how truly horrible WWII was but at its core, is a tribute to women soldiers, to their selfless contribution, and to the strength of the human spirit in general.
This is in my list of top 10 books this year. I highly recommend it to any historical fiction lover.
Thank you to Shelley Sanders and Harper Collins Canada for granting me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
The story follows Elena, a young Jewish girl living in the Minsk Ghetto in 1941 who, after seeing her entire family killed, enrols in Moscow’s Central Women’s Sniper Training School and becomes a Russian snipper. Because she speaks German, she is quickly recruited to also serve as a translator and is assigned to an especially crucial secret mission that takes her straight into the bunkers of high-ranking German officials.
The story is told in a dual timeline, juxtaposing Elena’s early training days with her subsequent active-duty days, showing her evolution and helping to frame her motivations as well as those of her fellow female recruits (which were sometimes conflicting). The level of courage of these women is astounding, and Shelly Sanders makes the book especially compelling by starting each chapter with quotes taken from real historical accounts, bringing the voices of the real women who inspired this novel back to life.
The story has heart-wrenching moments that remind us how truly horrible WWII was but at its core, is a tribute to women soldiers, to their selfless contribution, and to the strength of the human spirit in general.
This is in my list of top 10 books this year. I highly recommend it to any historical fiction lover.
Thank you to Shelley Sanders and Harper Collins Canada for granting me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
June 7, 2025
**ARC Review: *The Night Sparrow***
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*The Night Sparrow* is a compelling and powerful work of historical fiction that sheds light on a lesser-known part of World War II: the Soviet women assassins who fought against the Nazis. These women, highly trained and incredibly skilled, were responsible for over 11,000 confirmed kills—a fact that in itself is staggering and brought to life with haunting precision in this book.
What I found most intriguing was the transformation each woman underwent, especially Elaine, whose personal journey from civilian to sniper was raw, emotional, and deeply human. Her inner turmoil over her first kill and the psychological toll of war felt incredibly real and relatable. It’s easy to imagine ourselves in her shoes, facing impossible decisions under unthinkable pressure.
The novel doesn’t shy away from the darker complexities of the Soviet regime either. The portrayal of Joseph Stalin and the atrocities committed under the banner of anti-fascism adds another layer of moral conflict to the story. The duality of fighting evil while being under the thumb of another oppressive system is handled with nuance and care.
I also found the author's note particularly fascinating—it provided essential historical context and made it clear just how much research and respect went into portraying these women’s stories. It gave the novel an even deeper impact, showing how fiction can illuminate real history that too often goes untold.
Overall, *The Night Sparrow* is an unforgettable tribute to the strength, resilience, and sacrifice of women in wartime. A must-read for fans of WWII fiction, feminist history, and character-driven narratives.
July 2, 2025
4.5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
From the very first page I was pulled into Elena’s world-a world collapsing under war, grief, and loss.
What makes this story so powerful is how it centers the women who fought, survived, and sacrificed in ways history rarely acknowledges. Elena’s path from the horrors of the ghetto to the front lines as a sniper is harrowing, but it’s also a story of perseverance and defiance. These women weren’t just part of the war-they carried it, often without recognition.
Beyond the emotional weight, what really struck me was how meticulously researched it all felt. Though it’s historical fiction, it’s based on a true story, and it reads like a blend of memory and record…part novel, part remembrance. Every detail seemed purposeful, grounded in real history, and woven seamlessly into the story. It felt like I was learning as much as I was feeling.
This book doesn’t shy away from the brutality-of war, of loss, of injustice. I felt compelled to keep reading not only because I was invested, but because these women deserved to have their stories told. Their experiences matter, and the book treats them with the weight and respect they’re owed.
The author’s notes at the end are incredibly insightful-I always read them, and in this case, they added even more meaning to the story. The historical details, the personal reflections, even the bibliography (which includes Enemy at the Gates) all help underline just how much these stories still resonate.
For readers drawn to stories that give voice to the forgotten and shine a light on overlooked history, this one delivers. It’s emotional, and rich with meaning.
From the very first page I was pulled into Elena’s world-a world collapsing under war, grief, and loss.
What makes this story so powerful is how it centers the women who fought, survived, and sacrificed in ways history rarely acknowledges. Elena’s path from the horrors of the ghetto to the front lines as a sniper is harrowing, but it’s also a story of perseverance and defiance. These women weren’t just part of the war-they carried it, often without recognition.
Beyond the emotional weight, what really struck me was how meticulously researched it all felt. Though it’s historical fiction, it’s based on a true story, and it reads like a blend of memory and record…part novel, part remembrance. Every detail seemed purposeful, grounded in real history, and woven seamlessly into the story. It felt like I was learning as much as I was feeling.
This book doesn’t shy away from the brutality-of war, of loss, of injustice. I felt compelled to keep reading not only because I was invested, but because these women deserved to have their stories told. Their experiences matter, and the book treats them with the weight and respect they’re owed.
The author’s notes at the end are incredibly insightful-I always read them, and in this case, they added even more meaning to the story. The historical details, the personal reflections, even the bibliography (which includes Enemy at the Gates) all help underline just how much these stories still resonate.
For readers drawn to stories that give voice to the forgotten and shine a light on overlooked history, this one delivers. It’s emotional, and rich with meaning.
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