Išdavikė

by V.S. Alexander, Birutė Bersėnienė (Translator)

Istorija, įkvėpta „Baltosios rožės“ pasipriešinimo judėjimo

Narsių vokiečių, drįsusių pasipriešinti naciams, įkvėptas romanas, kurio centre – moteris, pasiryžusi paaukoti viską žūtbūtinėje kovoje su tironija.

Siaučiant Antrajam pasauliniam karui, Miuncheno universiteto studentai stoja į kovą su nacių režimu. Jie įkuria grupę „Baltoji rožė“ ir platina atsišaukimus, raginančius priešintis valdžios vykdomiems žiaurumams. Prie judėjimo prisijungia ir rusų kilmės vokietė Natalija, drauge su tėvais pabėgusi nuo Stalino teroro. Dabar jai svarbiausia – nepakliūti į gestapo nagus...

Įtampos kupinoje aplinkoje bet koks nugirstas žodis ar menkiausia užuomina į maištą gali reikšti ilgus metus kalėjimo ar net mirties bausmę. Vis dėlto, pabuvusi slaugytoja savanore Rytų fronte ir savo akimis regėjusi karo baisumus, Natalija supranta, kad priešintis būtina. Ji rizikuoja savo pačios ir artimųjų gyvybėmis, ištveria teismą ir kalėjimą, praranda draugus, bet kai ant kortos pastatytas daugybės nekaltųjų likimas, jokia kaina neatrodo per didelė.

Autorius subtiliai ir intriguojančiai plėtoja įvykius, keičiančius Natalijos ir kitų veikėjų jausmus, pažiūras, pasirinkimus ir likimus. Rašytojas išryškina sudėtingas išdavystės, doros ir kaltės temas, kurias kiekvienas žmogus gali suprasti savaip. Romanas suteikia galimybę panirti į Antrojo pasaulinio karo ištakas ir skaudžius įvykius, suskaldžiusius Vokietijos žmones į priešingas stovyklas bei pakeitusius svarbiausių etikos normų suvokimą.

Genres: Historical Fiction, World War II, Fiction, Historical, War, Holocaust, Germany

384 pages

First published February 25, 2020

About the author

Also see Michael Meeske

I'm happy to share my historical women's fiction with you thanks to Kensington Publishing. My novels feature strong women protagonists whose lives take them on incredible journeys in settings fraught with danger and intrigue. Along the way, they learn about life, love, and themselves.

My writings include: The Magdalen Girls (2017), The Taster (2018), The Irishman's Daughter (2019), The Traitor (2020), and The Sculptress (2021). Two more novels are scheduled for the coming years. I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I enjoy writing them.

Thank you, and happy reading!

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opposition
The Traitor is a compelling weave of fiction and imaginatively structured fact. It is a story that relives the harrowing days in Germany under Nazi rule, where young men and women espouse bravery, loyalty, and fortitude in their opposition to the Nazi ideology. In 1942 several students at the University of Munich, led by brother and sister Hans and Sophie Scholl, founded a non-violent, intellectual resistance group to the Nazi regime, called The White Rose (die Weiße Rose). The group conducted a leaflet and graffiti campaign to illustrate how Nazi power was destroying freedom and social values, killing millions of innocent people, and conducting an unjust war at the behest of a megalomaniac and his party.

The White Rose Group risked their lives to challenge Hitler’s regime, and the leaders were finally caught after a caretaker at the University of Munich reported them to the Gestapo. Siblings Sophie and Hans and their friend Christoph Probst were executed by guillotine on 22 February 1943. Not only were the three leaders inspirational and brave, but as they each went to their deaths, they remained committed to their cause, loyal to their colleagues, and resolute to the end. Hans Scholl’s last words were “Let Freedom Live”, and Sophie stood upright and determined at her trial, constantly challenging the partisan judge. They were tried and executed the same day. Hans and Sophie Scholl

The true story struck me deeply, how young men and women can assume the selfless dedication and bravery to a cause at a time in history where cruel lurking horror was commonplace. This story is truly inspirational.

“When you see the world in all its enchanting beauty, you’re sometimes reluctant to concede that the other side of the coin exists. The antithesis exists here, as it does everywhere, if only you open your eyes. But here, the antithesis is accentuated by war to such an extent that a weak person sometimes can’t endure it.”

The fictional aspects of the story place a young Russian-German woman Natalya Irenaovich Petrovich as a member of the White Rose Group. Natalya and her friend Lisa Kolbe undertook various ventures throughout the story, as they stray dangerously close to the authorities and exposure. V.S. Alexander writes a fictional novel through the eyes of Natalya and creates a wonderfully absorbing story with an authentic voice for the actual activities of the White Rose Group. The use of the fictional characters enables a plot and dialogue to flow without compromising the original characters and paying them the highest respect by leaving their voices within legitimate historical material. The characters in the novel show the pervasive fear existing in German society at the time and how they struggled to maintain secrecy and caution with everyone that they encountered. The atmosphere of suspicion and the anxiety of what has become everyday life is extremely well depicted. After the executions, the ongoing harrowing experiences suffered by Natalya are vivid, ruthless and tragic.

In her work, V.S. Alexander has achieved the blending of real moments in history with such a compelling fictional narrative that creates an outstanding novel. It is fitting that this book was released in February. I would highly recommend this book, and I’d like to thank Harper Collins, One More Chapter and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary ARC copy of the book in return for an honest review.

[Beata · Rating 3 out of 5]

The White Rose was a group of German anti-Nazi students who showed courage to defy the totalitarian system and who paid the highest price for their beliefs.
The plot of The Traitor is based on The White Rose story, however, as the Authoress stresses, Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl and their friends are in the background, the main protagonist, Natalya Petrovich being in the limelight.
I think this is an interesting HF, based on true tragic events, however, I expected the Scholls to be more 'visible' in the novel. Although Natalya is, together with her friend, Lisa, extremely courageous, I cannot say I found everything believable, and the romance theme was the weakest part of the whole story although it may seem crucial to it.
I would recommend this novel to anyone who has never heard of the Scholls as it gives a splendid insight into their lives and actions. The day at university when they were arrested is perfectly described. Also, their trials held by abominable Roland Freisler are told with every possible detail.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

In 1942, Natalya volunteers as a nurse for the German Red Cross and witnesses WWII on the Russian Front. After her time volunteering, she moves back home to Munich where she joins the White Rose resistance group with her close friends. After the group is caught, Natalya must keep resisting but does not know who she can trust.

The inspiration for the novel is the White Rose resistance group. The main character, Natalya, does not join the White Rose organization until the very end of chapter three (or 20% on a Kindle). Admittedly, I was hoping for more from the first half of the novel which is mostly about her involvement in White Rose. It really moved slowly and was passive. (Her involvement in the White Rose ended about around halfway into the story; so about 20-50% is her direct involvement in the White Rose.) On the other hand, several of the characters circulating during this time were real members of the White Rose group. A tribute to the true members of the White Rose resistance group was requited through the characters Alex Schmorell, Hans Scholl, and Sophie Scholl.

Her journey after the resistance group was most interesting. This is the second half of the novel and was much more exciting. This includes court drama, a prison sentence, POW camp, and more that leads up to the end of the war.

The narrator, Natalya, was hard to connect with. I liked her, I just wanted more depth from her. When reading WWII fiction there is a level of emotion to be expected, but Natalya's character did not evoke those feelings for me because her narration was often listless.

Because of the great last half, I enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. Opinions are my own.

More on this: :
Read about the guillotine used for Hans and Sophie Scholl.

Hans and Sophie Scholl remain symbols of resistance


Stadelheim Prison was widely known to execute its prisoners by guillotine. Main character, Natalya, experiences life in Stadelheim prison in the novel The Traitor.


Hans Scholl (left), Sophie Scholl and Christoph Probst, leaders of the White Rose resistance. Photo taken from the Jewish Virtual Library.


Weiße Rose Pavement Memorial in Munich Germany. Bronze pamphlets in reverence to Hans Scholl, Sophie Scholl, and Christoph Probst. Visit the memorial here.


Alex Schmorell, read more about him here.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

White Rose was a peaceful resistance group in the Third Reich led by a group of students including siblings Hans and Sophie Scholl at the University of Munich. The group mailed leaflets to random people picked from the phone book, appealing to the “blindness of German people” and spreading “words of resistance, struggle, and hope.” They were mailed from different cities to different cities to “allay suspicion from the home city of Munich and to make the group seem much larger than it was.”

Munich, 1938. Sixteen year old Natalya Pertovich notices her Jewish friends disappearing from her life, hiding in their houses to avoid any attention.

1942. Numb to the horrors of war and feeling powerless, she then takes a step and heads to the Russian Front as a volunteer nurse for German Red Cross. There she makes friends, who back in Germany introduce her to the White Rose movement. “Everyone in the White Rose was chosen for their intelligence, their convictions, and their politics…” After witnessing horrors of war on the Russian front, she joins the movement.

She gets involved in writing the leaflets, expressing about the oppressive government, the strangling of creativity of artists, the disappearance of originality and individuality, the death of the soul of the German People. “The Spirit of Germany has been crushed under a foul dictator’s iron boot.”

As Sophie’s and Hans’ behavior become more and more brazen, they put themselves in danger of being discovered. Ultimately leading to their arrest and putting others in danger’s path.

The character of Natalya exemplifies a strong woman. A woman who stands behind her convictions. Despite Hitler’s regime and his teachings on Aryan supremacy, she had “an urge to be free, to be my own woman, a nascent rebelliousness.”

Drawing atmosphere of the time period by bringing the pressure put on students at university, which wasn’t a place for a woman. She should be by her husband and reproducing Aryan race. “Women should present a child every year to the Fuhrer.” By clashes between students and SS officers. By the restrictions of free movement, which made distribution of leaflets very dangerous.

The story of Hans and Sophie is very touching. Sophie was a young student, who was mature beyond her years. “Child, but one of immense maturity and unyielding courage.”

This beautifully imagined and poignant story pays honors to those young students and professors whose lives were cut short, who took a stand and fought peacefully for humanity, for what was right.

This story doesn’t bring the graphic atrocities of WWII. It is informative and focuses on the lives of those who took part in the White Rose, with profoundly deeply moving characters and surroundings reflecting the time of war-torn places.

“We had stood against tyranny when few did and many more should have taken a stand.”

P.S. Also by this author, highly recommend The Taster – Hitler’s obsession with being poisoned.

Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 4 out of 5]

A group of students at the University of Munich are unhappy with what’s happening in German, young people who question what the Nazis and their supporters are doing and they decide to print leaflets, and take part in acts of resistance. The White Rose movement is led by siblings Hans and Sophie Scholl, their friends, and fellow academics. They pick names out of the phone book, send their anti-war messages to these people, fling leaflets off buildings and leave them in public places.

Natalya volunteers to be a nurse’s aide for the Red Cross, as the train rolls across the plains and gets closer to the Russian front, she sees whole villages have been destroyed and she wonders what happened to the people who once lived there? Her parents left Russia for a better life in Germany and her memories of living in Leningrad are hazy. Natalya discovers how badly the war is going, thousands of German soldiers are being killed, maimed and when she returns home she doesn’t tell anyone what she witnessed first-hand and it’s too horrible.

Natalya goes back to university in Munich and joins the White Rose circle, she attends secret meetings, and takes part in small acts of defiance, printing and distributing flyers, she doesn’t really understand how much danger she's in, it just takes one person to infiltrate the group, or a collaborator inform the authorities and the Gestapo will pounce and the consequence are unimaginable.

I received a copy of The Traitor by V.S Alexander from NetGalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review. Mr. Alexander has an interest in the Second World War, and I can understand why he chose to write about the White Rose movement in Germany and the brave university students who used words to battle against tyranny and oppression and four stars from me.

[Rosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5
خیانتکار روایتی تاریخی از گروهی به نام رز سفیده که در مقابل جنایت های هیتلر و مامورانش ساکت نموندن و با آگاه کردن مردم به وسیله ی اعلامیه ها و فریاد آزادی، کابوس این حکومت شدن‌.

کتاب از دو بخش اصلی رز سفید و خیانتکار تشکیل می‌شه که با کمک چند شخصیت خیالی، شجاعت و فداکاری شخصیت های واقعی این گروه رو شرح میده.
بخش اول بیشتر بر اعضای گروه رز سفید ، افکار، شیوه ی فعالیت، اهداف و خطراتی که تهدیدشون میکرد، تمرکز میکنه و بخش دوم ، داستان با دادگاهی شدن و تعیین مجازات برای این گروه به وسیله "رولند فرایسلر-قاضی اعدام" ادامه پیدا می کنه و در نهایت هم ورود متفقین به اردوگاه و پایان اسارت.‌‌...


ی قسمت کوچیکی از کتاب مربوط به سخنرانی "پائول گیزلر-نماینده ناحیه" هست که نکته ی قابل توجهی داره و باعث اعتراض و دستگیری تعدادی از دانشجوها میشه:
_"جایگاه طبیعی زن توی دانشگاه نیست، بلکه با خانواده اش و کنار شوهرشه."
_"زنان باید هر سال برای پیشوا یک بچه بیارن."

این نوع نگاه به زنان و تلاش برای محدود کردنشون، ایجاد ناامنی در کشور( از هر لحاظ😈)، تشویق خبرچینی و حذف مخالفین، کمبود رفاه، غذا و بهداشت و..‌.، به خوبی گویای سیاست و خواسته های یک حکومت مستبده !
😌🫠🙃🫠🙃😌

" واژگان ابزار نیرومندی هستند که وقتی به خدمت اهریمن درآیند، می توانند صدمات جبران ناپذیری به بار آورند، برای تقسیم و برای تسخیر "

در جایی که قدرتی متزلزل و همیشه در ترس از سرنگونی، با اعمال زور و ایجاد وحشت، بر مردم حاکم میشه، معانی کلمه ها و همچنین مخاطبینش تغییر می کنه:
خیانتکار از طرف نازی ها، به افرادی نسبت داده میشد که برای به دست آوردن آزادی و نجات وطنشون ( و دنیا!) از دست یک دیکتاتور روانپریش، از جان و زندگی و حاشیه ی امن خودشون می گذشتن، در حالی که خیانتکاران واقعی بر مسند قدرت، هر جنایتی رو مرتکب میشدن اما حتی از سایه ی خودشونم می ترسیدن.....

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on the true story of the White Rose.

Natalya became a member of the underground Resistance group the White Rose, but she got caught. The group took great risks to bring messages to the German people. These brave men and women risked their lives fighting against the enemy. Natalya was a traitor to Hitlers regime. She survives prison ut lost friends.

I had never heard of the White Rose, so this alone peaked my interest. The book is well written and the author has researched WWII and the White Rose. This is a story about brave men and women who risked their lives fighting the enemy. These people were traitors to the Nazis. This is a thought provoking read.

I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and the author V.S. Alexander for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

This intriguing new novel by V.S. Alexander gives the reader a look at the horrors of World War II from another perspective - those of Natalya Petrovich. Natalya is a German citizen, lives in Munich and is a student at the University. She was born in Russia but her parents moved to Munich when she was very young to have a better life. She sees the cruelty of the war when she volunteers to work as a nurse at the Russian front. When she returns to Munich, she vows to try to make a difference. When her best friend asks her to join a small resistance group called the White Rose, she knows that being part of the group could lead to her death but she is determined to take the chance if she can make a difference. Natalya risks her life and the lives of her parents hoping that her words and actions will encourage other people to resist what is happening in Germany. Will her gamble pay off and will she be able to make a difference or is the White Rose group destined to failure? As the Nazi hierarchy of Munich searches for the members of the group, Natalya's hopes for survival diminish and she must take an extraordinary gamble in her own personal struggle to survive.

The plot of the novel is intriguing and suspenseful. I flew through the pages to find out what would happen to Natalya and the other members of the White Rose. I will admit to some tears during the story but the overwhelming feeling was the strength and resilience of many of the German citizens.

Note: Be sure to read the author's notes at the end of the book to find out about the White Rose resistance group in Germany. Many of the characters in the novel are based on real people and the author did extensive research to learn more about the real people in the group and made an effort to 'marry fiction with history'.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. All opinions are my own.

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Traitor is inspired by the Germany's White Rose, a group of people, mostly in their early twenties, who resisted the Nazis from within Germany. The group was uncovered, and the majority of its members were executed. Rather than writing a fictionalized narrative of one of the White Rose members, V.S. Alexander invents one—Natalya, a Russian who immigrated to Germany as a child with her parents, in order to escape the Stalin regime in the Soviet Union.

Natalya begins the novel as a relatively naive volunteer, returning for the first time to the Soviet Union as a nurse affiliated with the German Army. While there, she befriends a local woman and her children. At this time, her first questions about the ethics of the Nazi regime arise. When Natalya returns home, she gradually finds herself among others asking similar questions and the novel moves from that point through to the conquest/liberation of Germany by the allied forces.

I found the novel to be highly engaging and not, as it might have been, sensationalistic. Natalya is sincere in her opposition the the Nazis, but none of her decision-making is easy. Reading this novel gives some small taste of what it might be like to make such difficult, potentially life-threatening choices and also gives an excellent overview of WWII as it was experienced in Munich. The Traitor offers reading time well-spent.

I received an electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley. The opinions are my own.

[Jurgita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vienas pamišėlis savo kliedesiais panardinęs visą pasaulį į protu nesuvokiamą košmarą ir baimės gniaužtuose laikantis visą Vokietiją.
Grupelė jaunuolių, susibūrusių į pasipriešinimo organizaciją, neginkluotai kovai su nacių režimu. Kovai, be galimybės laimėti ir su minimalia galimybe pralaimėjus išgyventi.
"Aš tapau išdavike nuo to momento, kai mane susirado "Baltoji rožė". Turėjau vilties, kad net ir menkos mano pastangos gali pasaulį pakelti iš tos pragaro bedugnės, į kurią jis nusirito".
Autoriui pavyko labai tiksliai ir įtaigiai aprašyti to meto situaciją, sukurti visa apimančią ir nuolat didėjančią įtampą, perteikti viską kaustantį siaubą, neviltį bei už kiekvieno kampo tykančią mirties baimę. Ir visame tame košmare, kai į dienos šviesą išlenda pačios bjauriausios žmogaus savybės, kai išgyvenimo instinktas verčia daugelį paminti žmogiškąsias vertybes, o moralė tampa neįmanoma prabanga, visada atsiranda žmonių, kurie nebijo, kurie kovoja, krenta, keliasi ir niekada nenuleidžia galvos, nes tik taip toje juodžiausioje tamsoje sužiba viltis gyventi, tikėti ir net mylėti.

[Grace Johnson]

It is with regret that I am *temporarily* DNFing this book. I've only done that once, and I hate to do it, really, but I do have my reasons.
#1 I can't get into it. 50+ pages in, and nothing has drawn me to the heroine or the story. Alexander's prose is good enough in and of itself, but the first-person portrayal is sorely lacking.
#2 I have many, many, many other things that I need and want to read. Therefore, I'm putting this on the back burner so that I can focus on the others.
I'll probably return to finish The Traitor eventually, but I make no promises.

[Óscar Moreno (OscarBooker) · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.5)

Empezaré diciendo que este libro fue como una escalada de montaña. Todo inició lento y sin mucha fuerza de la narradora pero despegó la historia.

Como mencioné, en el inicio nunca entablé empatía con los personajes. Los sentía vacíos de cierta forma. Ya pasada la página 50 todo comienza a mejorar y volverse más interesante.

Debo admitir que no tenía ninguna expectativa de este libro y me acabó gustando. Lectura muy sencilla, rápida y además adictiva. La historia, basada en historia real, es muy interesante sin duda alguna.

Mi calificación realmente es algo entre 3.5 y 4 ⭐️, ya que me gustó y lo disfruté enormemente pero no estoy seguro si son esas lecturas que volvería a hacer. Es posible pero el hecho de que haya duda influenció en bajarlo a 3.5⭐️

Sin embargo, cabe aclarar, si te gusta la Segunda Guerra Mundial si te va a gustar este libro. Si se los recomendaría pero claro no es ninguna obra maestra. Es una buena lectura para pasar el rato.

Un buen libro

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely enjoyed reading 'The Traitor' which was based on a true story. I had never heard of the White Rose group, so learned something new. I love reading about this period in history and was so grateful to have the chance to read this book by V S Alexander. I rarely write what a story is about as i prefer one to read the book for themselves, but i do highly recommend. I hope to read more books by this author.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review which i have voluntarily given.

[Liviu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprisingly compelling book that took over my reading as I opened it "just in case" and couldn't put it down until the end; while it is inspired by the White Rose student resistance movement of Munich 1942-3, it is a first-person narration by a fictional associate of the movement, Natalia Petrovich, a young German-Russian nurse and student who meets some of the main members of what will become the White Rose when volunteering as a nurse in the German army on the Eastern Front in 1942 and witnessing first hand the Nazi atrocities in Russia.

The first person voice is really compelling - a mixture of naivete, determination and making the most of the unexpected, while the book first builds towards the known climax of the White Rose movement but then hurtles beyond in unpredictability until a superb finale.

Highly recommended and another top 10 novel of the year for me.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Traitor is set during a dark period of Germany's history. It shows, through the characters of Natalya and her friends, that not all Germans were Nazis and that some, like her, had the courage to resist despite the risk to them and their families. Those risks become all too evident as the book progresses as well as the desperately difficult moral choices they face.

The book's title raises the question who exactly is the "traitor"? Is it Natalya and her companions, as the German State would have it, for challenging the word of the Fuhrer? Is it those who inform on others, even if only to save themselves? Is it those in authority who participate in show trials, knowingly compromising their integrity? Is it those who profess allegiance to the Reich whilst in their hearts believing something else?

Personally I would have liked a little more information about the White Rose group, knowing nothing about it before starting the book. For example, how many members it had and how wide was its reach. Having said that, there are more details in the informative Author's Note, as well as suggestions for further reading and an example of a White Rose leaflet. 

I confess I found it hard to understand Natalya's attraction to the character with whom she gets involved and who becomes a recurring - and influential - presence in her life. He seemed to me to have few redeeming qualities even at the beginning. The opposite applies to Natalya who throughout demonstrates remarkable courage and resilience, even during the darkest of times.

The Traitor vividly conveys the oppressive atmosphere of the time, the constant fear of informers, the brutal treatment meted out to those who dared to defy the Reich and the courage of those who aided the resistance groups.

[Misfit]

Will wait for reviews. My luck with this publisher is not so good.

[Mal Warwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

In June 1942 a group of students at the University of Munich led by brother and sister Hans and Sophie Scholl formed the nonviolent White Rose resistance to Nazi terror. Theirs is the best-known of many anti-Nazi resistance groups that sprung up in Germany during the war. However, their heroic effort ended just eight months later with their arrest in February 1943. They and one of their collaborators were executed by guillotine four days following a show trial. The story of the White Rose has occasioned a number of books, three films, a play, a chamber opera, and many other portrayals in the media. The most recent of these is the novel The Traitor by V. S. Alexander.

Characters both historical and fictional

The novel hews closely to the historical record in many respects. However, as Alexander explains in an Author’s Note, he had decided not to force words into the mouths of Hans or Sophie Scholl or any of their other real-life colleagues. Thus the narrator, Natalya Petrovich, framed as an active member of the White Rose, is fictional, as is Lisa Kolbe, a fellow student who serves as her foil in dialogue. And Alexander portrays Natalya as surviving not just long imprisonment by the Nazis but for many years following the war as well.

Quixotic anti-Nazi resistance in Germany

As a child, Natalya had fled Stalin’s brutal regime in 1929. Now, as the novel opens in 1942, she is a naturalized German citizen and studying biology at the University of Munich. When her best friend, Lisa, asks her to attend a student party with her, she reluctantly agrees. And there she meets Hans and Sophie and several other members of the White Rose. Soon, she is drawn into their quixotic campaign to write and print leaflets and mail them anonymously to random German citizens throughout the Reich.

Illustrating conditions in Germany under Nazi rule

In the novelist’s version of the tale, the Gestapo stumbles upon the conspiracy when Lisa and Natalya veer off plan when mailing leaflets in Nuremberg. Not long afterward, Hans and Sophie are arrested, as are other principals in the White Rose. But Alexander tells the story through Natalya’s eyes, as she is first interrogated, imprisoned, found guilty in a farcical “trial,” sentenced to five years, and later moved to a mental asylum. Eventually, she meets the American troops who liberate the concentration camp where she has gotten a job after escaping from the asylum. It’s all highly unlikely, but it gives the author the opportunity to illustrate conditions in Germany under Nazi rule — and the fate of the anti-Nazi resistance — from many angles.

The historical context

The White Rose is the best-known anti-Nazi resistance movement active in Germany at the grassroots level during World War II. There are credible reports of hundreds of such small-scale opposition groups. And Alexander reports that “at least eight hundred thousand Germans were imprisoned for active resistance during the war years.” However, unlike the experience in many occupied countries, there was no centrally organized resistance analogous to the French, Dutch, or Italian Resistance. After all, the German people labored under a totalitarian regime that was not just ruthlessly efficient but popular as well.
About the author

An amateur historian in Florida named Michael Meeske has written four historical novels under the pen name V. S. Alexander. The Traitor is the most recent.

[Jena Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Not all Germans were Nazis” is the subtitle of The Traitor. What impact and power! But most Germans were subjugated by the Nazis and most Germans suffered. This book tells the story of Natalya, as she participates with the White Rose resistance group during World War II in Munich.

The real students behind the White Rose movement appear this book. Natalya is fictionalized. The White Rose, the meaning of the name is not known, was a peaceful movement by a small group of university students in 1942 who secretly produced and disseminated anti-Nazi and Reich leaflets. “We are your conscience.” They also painted resistance messages on buildings at night. “Freedom!” “Down with Hitler” The leaders of the group were guillotined by the Nazis in 1943. They died bravely, without denouncing fellow members. The author tells us in the book notes that copies of the White Rose leaflets were smuggled to the Allies, who copied and dropped them by the millions over Germany.

The book follows the life of Natalya, whose family emigrated to Munich, Germany from Russia to escape Stalin. At the Munich university, she meets members of the White Rose resistance. She also is pursued by a man who intrigues her- but can he be trusted? What about her landlady? And her own parents? As the war goes on, her suffering intensifies, but her spirit keeps her going.

The topic of this Historical Fiction is gripping and inspiring, but the way it is presented is flat and distant, even though it is told in the first person by Natalya. The second half of the book is exciting, but we never get to really know Natalya or the other White Rose members. We are told about the horrors of living in Munich during World War II.

Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollinsUK, and One More Chapter for an advance review copy. This is my honest review.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Traitor by V.S. Alexander is a great historical fiction taking place overall in Munich, Germany 1942 and focussing on the real-life resistance group, The White Rose, that comprised of young adult German citizens that tried to do their part in fighting the brutality of the Nazi regime.

The book focusses on Natalya, a German citizen that was born in Russia. Through living amongst the changes and atrocities, she is drawn into the resistance group of like-minded individuals in hopes that they can help fight back.

I enjoyed the plot, the pace, and the suspense. There were definitely some nail-biting moments that had me glued to my seat, yet antsy to turn the page again and again to find out what would happen next! I love plots that take a bite out of real people, groups, or situations and creates a fantastic and believable tale that enthralls me from beginning to end.

As far as characters go, Natalya was ok, but not as intriguing or magnetic as many I have read lately. However, she was still like able and did not detract from the book itself.

I have read about the White Rose resistance group a few times, and it was great to dive into a book that shed more light on how it would have felt being part of the group itself.

4/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon and B&N accounts upon publication.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Traitor by V.S. Alexander is based on a true story regarding the White rose resistance movement. A group of students that attended the University of Munich resisted against the Nazi Regime. Most of the group where executed including Hans and Sophie Scholl, who are real, but the main character is fictional
Natalya Petrovich was born in Russia but came to Germany with her parents to get a better life and away from the Stalin regime. She attends the University of Munich. She also volunteers as a nurse at the front and sees the horrors that take place there. She gets involved with the White Rose movements distributing leaflets. Risking her life going to different towns to spread the word. She also meets Garrick who tries to befriend her and wants to find out more about the movement, but can he be trusted?
I have read several books of this period but, I wasn’t aware of White Rose movement until I read this book. This book is not a book to shock you as White rose was a peaceful movement, but it tells you that not all Germans in that time where bad. They were also victims of the war and the part they played to try and stop it. A well written, fictional account of what happened and if you like me like these types of books I highly recommend.

[Alyssa Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Natalya Petrovich is a German citizen of Russian origins struggling to keep herself and her parents safe in Nazi Germany. So horrified by the Nazi regime, however, Natalya can't help but fight against it by joining the White Rose, a nonviolent resistence movement. This leads Natalya deeper into the horrors of Hitler's Third Reich, often with little hope of surviving. But she has made her choice: to actively bring about change rather than hide from the truth. Throughout her ordeal, Natalya maintains the resiliency and courage of someone desperate to see sanity and hope restored to her world. Through superb research and extraordinary storytelling, the author brings us along on Natalya's journey as through we're beside her every step of the way.

[Tita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Já sabem que gosto muito de ler livros passados durante a 2ª Guerra Mundial e fiquei bastante com este livro por nos mostrar um grupo de alemães que eram contra o regime nazi.
A história é-nos contado por Natalya Petrovich , uma jovem estudante, de origem russa mas a viver na Alemã há alguns anos, e que chegou a trabalhar como enfermeira, pelos alemães, na frente russa. De regresso a casa, acaba por ingressar na universidade e é aí que entra para o grupo Rosa Branca, um grupo anti-nazi da resistência alemã, que distribuíam panfletos contra o regime.
Achei a narrativa muito bem construída, com um bom equilíbrio entre a ficção e factos históricos. O autor conseguiu retratar o clima tenso mas também a coragem dos jovens estudantes que faziam parte do grupo. Houve também, uma pequena referência ao grupo Orquestra Vermelha, e que muito me agradou, apesar de ter sido mesmo muito pequena.
Gostava de ter visto um pouco mais do envolvimento de Natalya com o movimento Rosa Branca, pois julguei, pela sinopse, que teríamos grande parte da narrativa sobre este período. No entanto, senti que começou um pouco mais tarde e terminou a cerca de metade da história, com grande parte do grupo a ser capturado, julgado e morto, como foram os casos, reais, de Alex Schmorell, Hans Scholl e Sophie Scholl. E é nesta segunda parte que, para Natalya, a história torna-se muito mais angustiante e sofrida. E, confesso, trouxe mais ritmo e emoção à narrativa, desde as cenas em tribunal, à prisão, a um hospital psiquiátrico e até um campo de prisioneiros.
No entanto, senti que tive um problema com a nossa protagonista, Natalya. Não consegui-me ligar-me a ela e não me passou a emoção que eu contava sentir. Foi quase como se estivesse a ver a história "por fora" e não "dentro dela", não sei me conseguem perceber esta sensação.
Foi uma leitura bastante boa e que me deu a conhecer o movimento Rosa Branca e senti que o autor fez um grande trabalho a mostrar-nos o medo que existia na sociedade alemã e da luta para manter o segredo, desconfiando de todos.

[Hana Zupnik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Knyga labai nuvyle, jeigu "maisto ragautoja" man pritrūko stiprios moters, tai šitoje knygoje jos išviso neradau, vienintelis dalykas, kad pagrindine heroje sutiko kurti ir platinti pasipriešinimo lapelius, o toliau tiesiog bande išgyventi kitų gyvybiu sąskaita. Deja, bet didvyrės aš čia neradau.
Iš istorinės pusės labai daug dėl herojės dalyvavimo veiklose kyla abejonių. Heroje nepasižymėjo nei aštriu protu nei išmintim ir net ne drąsa. Dialogai nuobodus, banalus.

[Lyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Traitor By V.S. Alexander
4.5 Stars

V.S. Alexander has a compelling way to draw his readers into history. He is a fantastic story teller. He possess a magical way to feed the reader with bits of real history, woven into the fiction.

The Traitor is based on the true story of the “The White Rose” (die Weiße Rose) which was a non-violent, intellectual resistance group in Nazi Germany. It was led by a professor and a group of students at the University of Munich. The group conducted an anonymous leaflet and graffiti campaign which called for active opposition to the Nazi regime. Their activities started in Munich on 27 June 1942, and ended with the arrest of the core group by the Gestapo on 18 February 1943. This is an excellent read.

If this story sparks an interest in this type of history then “White Rose, Black Forest” by Eoin Dempsey is another worthwhile read. Additionally, “Resistance Women” by Jennifer Chiaverini, introduces another resistance cell “Die Rote Kapelle”, the Red Orchestra or the Red Chapel which was the name given by the Gestapo to a group of resistance workers.

[Stories Unfolded (aka Danielle Olson) · Rating 5 out of 5]

(***Please note that this review may contain spoilers***)

Before I jump into my thoughts about The Traitor, I wanted to start with a quote from the author's notes. "I can safely say that fewer Europeans outside of Germany, and most Americans, particularly young people, know little of the resistance movements like the White Rose and the Red Orchestra. Their only exposure may be a mention in passing during a history class on World War II. This is another reason I wanted to write The Traitor. We should never forget". (The Traitor, V.S. Alexander)

For almost a year, I've been reading various historical fiction books surrounding WWII because I wanted to continue learning about this time in history. Like the author said, "we should never forget" and books like The Traitor and all the others I've read are making sure we know about the people that resisted Hitler's evil and the horrors of that terrible time in history. We should never forget so that we never see this again in our future.

The Traitor is based on a real group called the White Rose who "composed four leaflets, which exposed and denounced Nazi and SS atrocities, including the extermination of Jews and Polish nobility, and called for resistance to the regime" (History).

Rather than focus on the real life founders and participants of this group, V.S. Alexander created fictional characters that could have been really part of the group. I thought this was a great path for the author to go because there's more that he could do with the characters and there's less pressure to be historically accurate with real individuals. However, he still included the founders, Hans and Sophie Scholl as well as other prominent members of the group, but made sure to be true to who they were.

This book was different from the books I've read recently, as it focused solely on the perspective of one person, Natalya Petrovich. Other books usually include perspectives from several different people. I liked that I was able to follow just one person's thoughts and experiences throughout the entire war. We follow Natalya through seeing her town (Munich) destroy jewish establishments all the way to the American liberation of the POW prison she was working at.

V.S. Alexander really captured the horrific circumstances, torture, manipulation, blackmail, and deceitfulness that Natalya faced after she was arrested for being a member of the White Rose. She was consider a traitor to the Reich and every day could have been her last. She spent years in prison, was sent to an asylum, and escaped with the help of others who resisted Hitler's rule. There was a lot of death along the way and Natalya lost a lot of people, but she didn't lose hope and kept on going despite everything she'd been through. She was a very brave woman and I suspect there were many women like her that actually existed during WWII.

Overall, this book was amazing. I couldn't put it down and would highly recommend reading it regardless of the genres you do or don't read. It's a great story about resilience in the face of death and uncertainty. It's a look into another piece of history that you may not know enough about. Most importantly, it highlights the evil that plagued its time and how people overcame it and fought against it. I look forward to reading more from this author and happy I discovered him on NetGalley.

[Andria Sedig · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt like the presentation of Natalya's choices and struggles felt realistic. I really enjoyed the premise of the book and enjoyed reading about the White Rose, a subject that isn't often written about in WW2 books; OVerall, I thought that this book was a decent read but didn't blow my mind or feel particularly surprising or impactful.

[Shirley McAllister · Rating 5 out of 5]

Resist the only way we can

The Traitor is a fiction novel based on the true story of "The White Rose" a resistance group formed by College Students Hans and Sophia Scholl and their college friends. The main character is a friend and a member of the group Natalya, her friend Lisa and the villain is a boy named Garrick who pretends to like Natalya in order to infiltrate the group. He is really a Gestapo agent.

The White Rose group really existed and Hans and Sophia Scholl were the leaders. There were many members of this group. The group made flyers against Hitler and distributed them throughout Germany telling the people of the horrible things Hitler was doing. They also wrote messages in paint like Down with Hitler and Hitler is a murderer, drew swastikas' on buildings and put a red X through them. Many of the members were caught and murdered with the guillotine by the Nazi's.

In the story Natalya's life was spared and she was sent to prison on the word by Garrick that she would spy for them in prison and help them catch other resistance members. She never did.

This is the story of Natalya through her association with the White Rose, imprisonment, time in the asylum where Garrick had her sent trying to catch other resistance members to the escape from the asylum and a safe house to her meeting with her future husband Manfred and work at a POW camp. It is the story of how she survived, her family, her cat named Katz and that of her friends.

The book is a story of Patriotism, Resistance in the face of death, love of family, a lot of courage and a great ending. The book kept me reading until wee hours in the morning. I would definitely recommend it.

Thanks to V.S. Alexander, Harper Collins UK One More Chapter, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of the book for an honest review.

[Leanna Mattea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful, well researched novel by #V. S. Alexander, about an area of resistance that I never was aware of. Based on real resisters and a group called White Rose, that operated under great risk, to bring truth to the German citizens.
Natalya is a Russian born German citizen, living in Munich during WWII with her parents. As they struggle to survive and stay under the Nazi’s radar, Natalya is pursued by a handsome German that is attractive, but she is leery of his motives, but is conflicted by her attraction to him. She joins up with White Rose to spread propaganda and brings danger into all of their lives.
This the story of the brave men and women, risking their lives to fight the enemy. It shares their stories if hunger, loss, despair and the danger they faced, as everyone is under suspicion and danger. It’s a testimony to those that fought, struggled and died, to save their country.
My thanks to #NetGalley #KensingtonPublishing for my ARC. All comments are my own, and it’s definitely a five star effort.

[Gabija. Keista Skaitytoja · Rating 3 out of 5]

"-Kiek prireiks laiko Vokietijai, kol šalis atsigaus? - paklausė Manfredas. - Kiek laiko pasaulis mūsų neapkęs?
Nieko neatsakiau, bet gerai žinojau, kad ištisos kartos negalės atleisti Vokietijai jos padarytų nuodėmių - jei iš viso kada nors sugebės atleisti."

Labai taiklūs žodžiai iš knygos, ir nori nenori, sutapatini ir su dabartine situacija juos. Šitos karo nuodėmės, nebepasimiršta visą gyvenimą ir klausimas ar tam užteks ir poros šimtų metų.
Bet šnekant apie knygą, šios autorės "Maisto ragautoja" man patiko labai, buvo taip įdomu skaityti, įtraukė nuo pirmų puslapių, bet ši. Buvo meh. Gale gal kiek įdomiau pasidarė, kai kurie sprendimai rašytojos buvo įdomus, nors siužetas su Gariku buvo įdomus visai.
Pabaiga irgi labai jau greita buvo, sudėta į du paskutinius skyrius, kur visą knygą tempėsi siužetas, o tada bam bam, meilė, atradimas, karo pabaiga.
Tad man gal labiausiai ir užkliuvo, kad visa knyga buvo labai ištempta. 🤷‍♀️

[Edita Kazakevičienė · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Žodžiai.
Žodžiai yra galingi ginklai, galintys padaryti nepataisomą žalą, kai jie naudojami piktam – skaldyti ir užkariauti."

Šis romanas nušviečia dar vieną mažai žinomą Antrojo pasaulinio karo aspektą — nesmurtinį pasipriešinimo judėjimą, pavadinimu „Baltoji rožė". Jį sudarė studentai, kurie spausdino skrajutes-lapelius ir tokiu būdu protestavo prieš Hitlerį, trečiąjį reichą ir karą. Ši knyga nuo panašių skiriasi tuo, kad į nacizmą leidžia pažvelgti iš pačių vokiečių perspektyvos.

Pagrindinė „Išdavikės" veikėja studentė Natalija, Vokietijos rusė. Ji taip pat prisijungia prie „Baltosios rožės". Pasakojimo pradžioje mergina beveik vaikas ir jos mąstymas naivus, tačiau įsigalint Hitlerio ideologijai, ji pamažu pradeda kelti klausimus ir abejoti.

Pirmoji pusė romano gan lėta ir pasakoja Natalijos įsitraukimo istoriją. Tačiau įpusėjus padaugėja veiksmo. Man tik pritrūko šiek tiek daugiau emocijų, nes Natalija ne kartą rizikavo savo gyvybe, tačiau pasakojimo maniera vistiek buvo rami ir lėta. Iš grožinio, nors ir istorinio kūrinio tikėjausi jausmų: pasipiktinimo, liūdesio, nusivylimo, baimės ir pykčio.

Bet puiku, kad autorius rėmėsi tikrais faktais, tad į romaną įtraukti ir šio judėjimo pradininkai brolis ir sesuo Hans ir Sophie Scholl. Dalis veiksmo vyksta Miunchene, kurio universiteto studentai tokiu būdu priešinosi nacistiniam režimui. Čia minima ir krikštolinė naktis, Stadelheimo kalėjimas, Stalag VII-A stovykla. V.S. Alexander pastabos knygos pabaigoje suteikia knygai daugiau aiškumo ir vertės.

Istorija nemiršta, tarp nacių ir vokiečių nėra lygybės ženklo ir negali jo būti. Šis istorinės prozos kūrinys skiria dėmesį žmonėms, išdrįsusiems galvoti kitaip, slapta priešinusiais diskriminacijai ir tapusiais valstybės išdavikais, tačiau likusiais ištikimiems savo sąžinei.

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