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The Resistance Daughter
Poland, 1942. After witnessing the destruction of her hometown in Warsaw, Anna Kowalski joins the Polish Resistance. She is tasked with smuggling as many children as possible out of the Warsaw Ghetto through the sewers and relocating them to safety.
Through her work, Anna meets Johnnie Nowak, an RAF pilot who had managed to escape from a prisoner of war camp. He's not safe in Warsaw, so Anna leads him out of the city to protect him...
But suddenly Anna is caught by the SS and sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp where she is surrounded by even more horror and despair. A female guard, known as The Beast, is renowned for her violence and aggression towards her prisoners, and she's set her sights on Anna.
When Anna is relocated to a different camp, she finds herself reunited with Johnnie Nowak, the pilot she had saved. Desperate to escape, the two of them devise a plan that, if caught, could mean a fate far worse than death.
Will Anna and Johnnie finally find freedom, and survive the war together?
Inspired by true stories of WWII, don't miss this emotional and poignant historical novel debut of courage against all odds, perfect for fans of Anna Stuart and Soraya M Lane.
Through her work, Anna meets Johnnie Nowak, an RAF pilot who had managed to escape from a prisoner of war camp. He's not safe in Warsaw, so Anna leads him out of the city to protect him...
But suddenly Anna is caught by the SS and sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp where she is surrounded by even more horror and despair. A female guard, known as The Beast, is renowned for her violence and aggression towards her prisoners, and she's set her sights on Anna.
When Anna is relocated to a different camp, she finds herself reunited with Johnnie Nowak, the pilot she had saved. Desperate to escape, the two of them devise a plan that, if caught, could mean a fate far worse than death.
Will Anna and Johnnie finally find freedom, and survive the war together?
Inspired by true stories of WWII, don't miss this emotional and poignant historical novel debut of courage against all odds, perfect for fans of Anna Stuart and Soraya M Lane.
384 pages, Paperback
Published July 29, 2025
578 people are currently reading
469 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
April 7, 2025
I picked up The Resistance Daughter with high hopes, particularly drawn to the premise of Anna Kowalski’s brave resistance work during WWII. Based on the true story of Anna’s courage against all odds, I was eager to dive into her tale of smuggling children to safety and defying the Nazis. Sadly, this novel fell far short of its potential and left me deeply disappointed.
The biggest issue for me was the prose. The writing felt clunky and disjointed, with short, choppy sentences that made it hard to stay engaged. Rather than feeling the tension and emotional weight of Anna’s dangerous work with the Polish Resistance, it often felt like I was just being told what happened rather than experiencing it alongside her.
Another problem was the way historical information was presented. The constant “telling” of basic facts—like “Hitler hated Jews” or “Nazis banned education beyond grade 4”—felt patronizing. Anyone reading this type of book likely already knows these facts, and it would have been far more powerful to weave them into the story naturally rather than presenting them like a history lesson.
While I appreciated that the book didn’t shy away from the horrors of war and the real, inspiring story it was based on, it ultimately needed more editing and a deeper emotional connection to truly resonate.
I was really hoping to love this, but unfortunately, it missed the mark for me.
The biggest issue for me was the prose. The writing felt clunky and disjointed, with short, choppy sentences that made it hard to stay engaged. Rather than feeling the tension and emotional weight of Anna’s dangerous work with the Polish Resistance, it often felt like I was just being told what happened rather than experiencing it alongside her.
Another problem was the way historical information was presented. The constant “telling” of basic facts—like “Hitler hated Jews” or “Nazis banned education beyond grade 4”—felt patronizing. Anyone reading this type of book likely already knows these facts, and it would have been far more powerful to weave them into the story naturally rather than presenting them like a history lesson.
While I appreciated that the book didn’t shy away from the horrors of war and the real, inspiring story it was based on, it ultimately needed more editing and a deeper emotional connection to truly resonate.
I was really hoping to love this, but unfortunately, it missed the mark for me.
April 20, 2025
The Resistance Daughter by @joanne Kormylo is out today.
Available on Kindle, Audible and Paperback.
From page one, Anna Kowalski's story gripped my heart. As she joined the Polish Resistance and selflessly smuggled children out of the Warsaw Ghetto, I loved her strength and adamancy to prevail. The book was descriptive, writing about the ghetto, the sewers, and the tension of all the missions. It made the book more tense and gripping.
Then we have Johnnie Nowak, the downed RAF pilot, who helps escape…
The scenes in Ravensbrück are shocking. The cruelty and inhumanity of the camp are portrayed with such honesty, and I never lose hope for Anna. Again, anna is such a strong character.
This novel was tough to read in places, emotional and upsetting, but understandable because of the genre and topics.
Anna is fictional, but the fact that so many people have lived their lives through this is heartbreaking.
Such a powerful book with great characters and a gripping story.
Inspired by true stories of WWII,
Highly recommended to historical fiction readers.
Available on Kindle, Audible and Paperback.
From page one, Anna Kowalski's story gripped my heart. As she joined the Polish Resistance and selflessly smuggled children out of the Warsaw Ghetto, I loved her strength and adamancy to prevail. The book was descriptive, writing about the ghetto, the sewers, and the tension of all the missions. It made the book more tense and gripping.
Then we have Johnnie Nowak, the downed RAF pilot, who helps escape…
The scenes in Ravensbrück are shocking. The cruelty and inhumanity of the camp are portrayed with such honesty, and I never lose hope for Anna. Again, anna is such a strong character.
This novel was tough to read in places, emotional and upsetting, but understandable because of the genre and topics.
Anna is fictional, but the fact that so many people have lived their lives through this is heartbreaking.
Such a powerful book with great characters and a gripping story.
Inspired by true stories of WWII,
Highly recommended to historical fiction readers.
April 14, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 ( 4 1/2)
Genre ~ historical fiction
Pub date ~ 17th April
Firstly, thank you so much @joanne_kormylo for an arc of your upcoming book.
I really enjoyed this book, it’s beautifully written and well researched. Based on true stories, this book has a duel PoV which makes this book interesting to read and I loved how the characters were intertwined. We get to read about Anna, a young women in the polish resistance and also Johnnie, a young Canadian in a pow camp. I found both storylines very interesting to read about. This is an emotional and heartbreaking story which goes into detail on the brutal and horrific treatment of prisoners in concentration camps such as Ravensburk. I also found it interesting to read about the trauma the war had on these characters once the war was over. Only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is because I would have loved a epilogue maybe a year later to read what happened next to the characters.
I would definitely recommend this book. 🫶🏻
December 16, 2025
Hard-to-put Down!
I became acquainted with the Holocaust after reading "The Diary of Anne Frank" and I've been fascinated ever since. I've read many books of survivors and of those who gave aid despite the danger to themselves and their families.
This is a book that I could barely put down (or, that I could barely take a break from as I read an e-version of it). I appreciate the afterward which talked about the research the author did on the topic, which made it even more real for me.
I became acquainted with the Holocaust after reading "The Diary of Anne Frank" and I've been fascinated ever since. I've read many books of survivors and of those who gave aid despite the danger to themselves and their families.
This is a book that I could barely put down (or, that I could barely take a break from as I read an e-version of it). I appreciate the afterward which talked about the research the author did on the topic, which made it even more real for me.
April 20, 2025
I would like to thank the publishers, Hodder and Stoughton, along with NetGalley for giving me a free digital ARC copy of this book in return for a true review.
This book has two main characters. We have Airman Johnnie Nowak, a pilot shot down on his return journey to England with his crew. After carrying out a vital 'drop' with important supplies to aid the Polish resistance. Nowark and crew are 'rescued' from the sea by the Germans and taken to the hospital before being moved on to a POW camp. Then there is Anna 'Hope' Kowalski, a member of the Polish Resistance, with her family and friends. Anna helps to smuggle Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto via an underground sewer system.
Their lives collide when Nowak and a crew member escape, and they meet Hope, who helps them along to the next part of their escape.
What follows is a beautiful yet heartbreaking tale of the horrors of war, the strength and resilience of those taken captive as well as the power and belief of those fighting both officially and as part of the resistance. There is brutality, death, and dispair but also love, hope, dreams, and new friendships formed in the hardest of situations. The author has made a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life, and I'm so pleased I had the chance to read this.
This book has two main characters. We have Airman Johnnie Nowak, a pilot shot down on his return journey to England with his crew. After carrying out a vital 'drop' with important supplies to aid the Polish resistance. Nowark and crew are 'rescued' from the sea by the Germans and taken to the hospital before being moved on to a POW camp. Then there is Anna 'Hope' Kowalski, a member of the Polish Resistance, with her family and friends. Anna helps to smuggle Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto via an underground sewer system.
Their lives collide when Nowak and a crew member escape, and they meet Hope, who helps them along to the next part of their escape.
What follows is a beautiful yet heartbreaking tale of the horrors of war, the strength and resilience of those taken captive as well as the power and belief of those fighting both officially and as part of the resistance. There is brutality, death, and dispair but also love, hope, dreams, and new friendships formed in the hardest of situations. The author has made a fantastic job of bringing the characters to life, and I'm so pleased I had the chance to read this.
May 10, 2025
A good World War II story from Poland
The Resistance Daughter overall was a good story focused on a young Polish girl coping with the Nazi occupiers in Poland. She was part of the resistance and suffered at the hands of the Nazis when she was caught.
The story brings into focus the tragedies the brought on everyday people. There is a romance that developed that gave the two main characters the impetus they needed to stay alive. The story is clean and wholesome from the romance angle. It is a good story and I recommend it.
The Resistance Daughter overall was a good story focused on a young Polish girl coping with the Nazi occupiers in Poland. She was part of the resistance and suffered at the hands of the Nazis when she was caught.
The story brings into focus the tragedies the brought on everyday people. There is a romance that developed that gave the two main characters the impetus they needed to stay alive. The story is clean and wholesome from the romance angle. It is a good story and I recommend it.
August 14, 2025
This is one of the best historical fiction stories I’ve ever read. Could not put it down. Throughly researched. Joanne Kormylo weaves it into a terrific story of romance and the courageous sacrifice that men and women made in fighting the Nazis during WWII. An amazing debut novel. A must read.
January 6, 2026
What a book
This is a fantastic book. The determination of the survivors in the prison camps, is something to admire. I can’t begin the imagine the hell they lived thru. This book is so full of historical information and sheds a bright light on the resistance. I honestly believe this story should be made into a movie. Thanks for all your research and sharing your father’s history Joanne.
This is a fantastic book. The determination of the survivors in the prison camps, is something to admire. I can’t begin the imagine the hell they lived thru. This book is so full of historical information and sheds a bright light on the resistance. I honestly believe this story should be made into a movie. Thanks for all your research and sharing your father’s history Joanne.
January 8, 2026
Amazing amazing amazing is all I can say a book ever one should read to understand what our men and women went through in wartime god rest there souls and sacrifice
December 18, 2025
The Resistance Daughter is a great book. It explores concentration camps for the Polish and prisoner of war camps, and is a lovely story of fight, desire and love. I was left wanting to read more about Anna and Nowak’s life, but I think it ended really well and at the right point in the storyline.
I gave the book 3 stars not because it isn’t good, but because I feel like the characters lacked a bit of depth, and I would have liked to have been more emotionally tied to them. A great book nonetheless!
I gave the book 3 stars not because it isn’t good, but because I feel like the characters lacked a bit of depth, and I would have liked to have been more emotionally tied to them. A great book nonetheless!
April 27, 2025
In The Resistance Daughter, Kormylo fictionalizes the experiences of her father, who was a World War 2 bomber who crashed and, after being captured, spent time as a prisoner of war. The close and personal connection, along with extensive research, make every scene in this novel ring true.
It’s the small details that make it feel this way, like how the men in captivity receive care packages from the Canadian Red Cross, a hidden map in a game of Monopoly, or the way they dye their pants in an old cauldron when planning an escape.
The Resistance Daughter is a compelling war novel that is as much about family as it is about the fighting. The story takes the reader into sewers underneath the Polish ghettos, behind the barbed wire of Stalag IVB in Germany, and into the quiet places where a person can take a second to breathe, even amidst the worst horrors war has to offer. The characters have scars they’ll never be rid of, and at the heart of this novel are the questions how and why?
Why do humans engage in such obviously sick and destructive behavior?
How would you respond if it was your family being locked up and murdered?
Impossible questions to answer, but the meaningfulness of them comes in the asking.
It’s the small details that make it feel this way, like how the men in captivity receive care packages from the Canadian Red Cross, a hidden map in a game of Monopoly, or the way they dye their pants in an old cauldron when planning an escape.
The Resistance Daughter is a compelling war novel that is as much about family as it is about the fighting. The story takes the reader into sewers underneath the Polish ghettos, behind the barbed wire of Stalag IVB in Germany, and into the quiet places where a person can take a second to breathe, even amidst the worst horrors war has to offer. The characters have scars they’ll never be rid of, and at the heart of this novel are the questions how and why?
Why do humans engage in such obviously sick and destructive behavior?
How would you respond if it was your family being locked up and murdered?
Impossible questions to answer, but the meaningfulness of them comes in the asking.
June 6, 2025
This engaging book shines a light on a little known part of WWII, the German Prisoner of War (POW) camps. Based on extensive research by the Canadian author, Joanne Kormylo, a gripping picture of the world inside Stalag IVB emerges. It is a remarkable story highlighting what one does to survive under horrific conditions. An equally fascinating parallel taking place outside the camp is seamlessly integrated. A fascinating, intense read combining history and the goodness of human nature.
July 10, 2025
Great Debut Novel
This novel is set primarily in Germany & Poland during WW 2. Resistance Daughter tells the story two main characters during & after WW 2s . The book has two main character both of whom are incarcerated in German camps. The characters are well developed. I highly recommend this book. I read it in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down.
This novel is set primarily in Germany & Poland during WW 2. Resistance Daughter tells the story two main characters during & after WW 2s . The book has two main character both of whom are incarcerated in German camps. The characters are well developed. I highly recommend this book. I read it in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down.
March 13, 2025
A sensitive and thoughtful book by Joanne. I enjoy hearing more about this period if enjoy is the correct word. Based on true stories a moving book that wasn’t shy to describe the awful happenings. Thanks to Joanne and her publisher.
July 19, 2025
I loved this book! I read it in two days and loved every bit of it!!!!
August 20, 2025
An excellent read. amazed the learn to find the is the authors debut. if you're into ww2 based historical fiction this is a fantastic well researched book.
December 12, 2025
WWII
Loved this story.
Recommend to anyone who likes historical books or romance.
These prisoners are the strongest people. Their strength amazes me.
Loved this story.
Recommend to anyone who likes historical books or romance.
These prisoners are the strongest people. Their strength amazes me.
July 18, 2025
Very good if you’re a fan of WW2 you will love this. A very intense view of a life I never want to experience!
October 15, 2025
Great book. The horrors of WWII are not shied away from and the bravery of the characters in the book was honestly unfathomable to me while reading it. Suspenseful and heart breaking. I did feel the story relied on convenient coincidences which felt too unrealistic for me to be really invested in a few of the chapters but, that aside it was a great read full of heart, resilience, and strength.
November 27, 2025
Loved it recommend it!
July 16, 2025
the resistance daughter
This was very close to some of the non fiction accounts I have read. It is so unbelievable how cruel people could be.
This was very close to some of the non fiction accounts I have read. It is so unbelievable how cruel people could be.
October 10, 2025
so good! it had me the whole book.
Read
October 4, 2025A really good read
I've read many WWII books and still am learning more about the horrors resulting from the Nazis fanatical obsession with purity of race. I like how the author tells the 2 stories and then ties them together as the book goes on.
I've read many WWII books and still am learning more about the horrors resulting from the Nazis fanatical obsession with purity of race. I like how the author tells the 2 stories and then ties them together as the book goes on.
November 6, 2025
"Over the years, memories fade Details blur. Reports vary"
Such a realistic historical read of the events.
Captures detail and realisation
Such a realistic historical read of the events.
Captures detail and realisation
January 29, 2025
I got an advanced copy to read and loved this WWII historical fiction story, based on true events, especially the strong female heroin Anna. Her ingenuity and bravery resisting Nazi occupation in Poland is amazing. Lots of twists and cliff hangers that were shocking and horrific. I kept turning pages. I fell in love with the intertwining journey of Nowak, flying for the RAF and risking it all to help the resistance. I won't spoil the ending. I thought I'd read all the WWII stories but I learned so much more about the ways people fought to save lives and survive. I'm ordering copies for my reading girlfriends and guy friends, since it appeals to all genders.
June 8, 2025
It was a gripping account of the horrors of was in Germany.
November 25, 2025
I wish there was a little more to the ending but it was overall a good book.
September 26, 2025
love for history
Lately I have been reading books about WWI n WWII. This is the first one that I felt really told me what those felt like living in the concentration camps and how they survived. Talk of the underground systems to get Jewish people to safety the risks those took to do it.
Worth a read!
Lately I have been reading books about WWI n WWII. This is the first one that I felt really told me what those felt like living in the concentration camps and how they survived. Talk of the underground systems to get Jewish people to safety the risks those took to do it.
Worth a read!
August 25, 2025
engrossing & enlightening
This is a new aspect of WWII; a new perspective and different eyes. Same arena though. Reading about the war from a prisoners of war & the Polish underground is intriguing & arresting.
This is a new aspect of WWII; a new perspective and different eyes. Same arena though. Reading about the war from a prisoners of war & the Polish underground is intriguing & arresting.
July 7, 2025
An ambitious debut by Canadian author Joanne Kormylo.
The daughter of the title is Anna, a younger sibling in Nazi-controlled Poland whose father and brother are both involved in smuggling weapons, aiding Allied spies, and otherwise thwarting the regime. Anna is deliberately kept out of things until the younger neighbour girl she walks to school is taken by the Nazis because of her Aryan good looks. That loss sets Anna off on her own type of underground war work, trying to recover and smuggle out stolen children.
After circumstance introduces her to Johnny, an allied airman, the plot unfolds with plenty of realistic wartime and camp details. The depth of research is evident, and the author‘s personal connection – her father was a prisoner of war – infuses the writing with passion and focus. Anna’s family members and Johnny’s friends are used to illustrate different aspects of daily life during the war, and the conflict's impact on different populations. Mistakes and vengeance by both the Nazis and Russians, and by citizens of the liberated nations as they struggle to find normality, are all touched on in the war’s aftermath.
For all the political issues and the inevitable disasters of sorting and repatriating millions of displaced people while holding accountable those who committed the worst atrocities, the focus remains firmly on our two lead characters, Anna and Johnny. Their bond, forged early in the war, survives past its end and acts as the continuing thread of this love story set against the vast canvas of World War II that has the power to expose a whole new generation to the horrors of unbridled warfare and the triumph of the human spirit.
The daughter of the title is Anna, a younger sibling in Nazi-controlled Poland whose father and brother are both involved in smuggling weapons, aiding Allied spies, and otherwise thwarting the regime. Anna is deliberately kept out of things until the younger neighbour girl she walks to school is taken by the Nazis because of her Aryan good looks. That loss sets Anna off on her own type of underground war work, trying to recover and smuggle out stolen children.
After circumstance introduces her to Johnny, an allied airman, the plot unfolds with plenty of realistic wartime and camp details. The depth of research is evident, and the author‘s personal connection – her father was a prisoner of war – infuses the writing with passion and focus. Anna’s family members and Johnny’s friends are used to illustrate different aspects of daily life during the war, and the conflict's impact on different populations. Mistakes and vengeance by both the Nazis and Russians, and by citizens of the liberated nations as they struggle to find normality, are all touched on in the war’s aftermath.
For all the political issues and the inevitable disasters of sorting and repatriating millions of displaced people while holding accountable those who committed the worst atrocities, the focus remains firmly on our two lead characters, Anna and Johnny. Their bond, forged early in the war, survives past its end and acts as the continuing thread of this love story set against the vast canvas of World War II that has the power to expose a whole new generation to the horrors of unbridled warfare and the triumph of the human spirit.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews