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The Dutch Orphan: A Novel
From the author of The Dutch Wife comes a riveting novel set during World War II about two sisters, one of whom secretly adopts a Jewish baby and the other who is married to a Nazi sympathizer
Amsterdam, 1941. When the Nazis invade Amsterdam, singer Johanna Vos watches in horror as her Jewish friends are forbidden from performing with her onstage, and the vibrant music scene she loves is all but erased. Johanna helps organize the Artists’ Resistance, an underground network that arranges for Jewish musicians to perform at house concerts hosted by their allies. When Johanna is told about a Jewish orphan who is headed for deportation, she does not think she takes the baby in as her own, hiding the truth from everyone, including her sister, Liesbeth.
Meanwhile, Liesbeth de Wit finds herself torn between her sister and her failing marriage. She knows Johanna is an ally of the Resistance, while her husband actively supports the Dutch Fascist Party. As the sisters navigate the ongoing Nazi occupation, they find themselves growing further and further apart. And when another charming member of the Dutch Fascist Party sets his eyes on Liesbeth, her predicament only deepens.
As the war unfolds, secrets continue to grow between the sisters, severing their once-unbreakable bond. Eventually, both women are forced to make a choice that will alter their lives the choice between family and freedom.
Amsterdam, 1941. When the Nazis invade Amsterdam, singer Johanna Vos watches in horror as her Jewish friends are forbidden from performing with her onstage, and the vibrant music scene she loves is all but erased. Johanna helps organize the Artists’ Resistance, an underground network that arranges for Jewish musicians to perform at house concerts hosted by their allies. When Johanna is told about a Jewish orphan who is headed for deportation, she does not think she takes the baby in as her own, hiding the truth from everyone, including her sister, Liesbeth.
Meanwhile, Liesbeth de Wit finds herself torn between her sister and her failing marriage. She knows Johanna is an ally of the Resistance, while her husband actively supports the Dutch Fascist Party. As the sisters navigate the ongoing Nazi occupation, they find themselves growing further and further apart. And when another charming member of the Dutch Fascist Party sets his eyes on Liesbeth, her predicament only deepens.
As the war unfolds, secrets continue to grow between the sisters, severing their once-unbreakable bond. Eventually, both women are forced to make a choice that will alter their lives the choice between family and freedom.
390 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 18, 2023
103 people are currently reading
5999 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Keith
3 books239 followersEllen Keith is the author of the bestselling novel The Dutch Wife, which won the 2016 HarperCollinsPublishersLtd/UBC Prize for Best New Fiction. She has an undergraduate degree in history with a focus on WWII/Holocaust Studies from the University of Alberta, as well as an MFA in creative writing from the University of British Columbia. She is originally from St. Albert, Canada, and currently lives in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews
April 20, 2023
Two sisters on two different sides.
Johanna was married to a resistor and Liesbeth was married to a man supporting Hitler.
They always have been close, but this war separated them.
Another thing that separated them was that Liesbeth was trying to become pregnant while Joanna was trying not to become pregnant but did.
We learn of the lives of these two women and the residents of Amsterdam as they struggle through the war to stay alive, to help others, and for the sisters to try to not become estranged even farther because of the secrets they are keeping from each other.
THE DUTCH ORPHAN takes a few chapters to get into, but as you read, as the tension rises, as relationships are strained, and as the story line marvelously moves along it is one you won't want to put down.
It will appeal to historical fiction fans and women fiction fans as the reader gets pulled into the lives of Johanna and Liesbeth in hopes the sisters will become close again and as the reader gets involved with the tense situations of the war.
ENJOY!! 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
Johanna was married to a resistor and Liesbeth was married to a man supporting Hitler.
They always have been close, but this war separated them.
Another thing that separated them was that Liesbeth was trying to become pregnant while Joanna was trying not to become pregnant but did.
We learn of the lives of these two women and the residents of Amsterdam as they struggle through the war to stay alive, to help others, and for the sisters to try to not become estranged even farther because of the secrets they are keeping from each other.
THE DUTCH ORPHAN takes a few chapters to get into, but as you read, as the tension rises, as relationships are strained, and as the story line marvelously moves along it is one you won't want to put down.
It will appeal to historical fiction fans and women fiction fans as the reader gets pulled into the lives of Johanna and Liesbeth in hopes the sisters will become close again and as the reader gets involved with the tense situations of the war.
ENJOY!! 4/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
March 24, 2023
Because the thing we need most in this day and age of Holocaust denial and revisionism is another white saviour book featuring a Jewish character (this time a baby for extra sympathy!) as a plot device and a literal Nazi sympathizer as a main character.
Can non Jewish people stop writing about Jewish trauma? And stop using us to make themselves feel better? And for the love of all that is holy, stop using Jews as plot devices to “make someone learn a lesson”. We are people who have suffered and continue to suffer. Stop appropriating our trauma for your gain.
While, yes, there were people who tried to save Jews during the Holocaust, the truth of the matter is they were few and far between. Not nearly as many people saved Jews as the amount of books written about people saving Jews.
Also the fact that this book is set to release on Yom Hashoah, the Jewish day of Holocaust remembrance is a slap in the face. You are profiting off our trauma and releasing a book on a somber day of mourning. Do better.
Can non Jewish people stop writing about Jewish trauma? And stop using us to make themselves feel better? And for the love of all that is holy, stop using Jews as plot devices to “make someone learn a lesson”. We are people who have suffered and continue to suffer. Stop appropriating our trauma for your gain.
While, yes, there were people who tried to save Jews during the Holocaust, the truth of the matter is they were few and far between. Not nearly as many people saved Jews as the amount of books written about people saving Jews.
Also the fact that this book is set to release on Yom Hashoah, the Jewish day of Holocaust remembrance is a slap in the face. You are profiting off our trauma and releasing a book on a somber day of mourning. Do better.
December 19, 2022
Vivid and deeply personal, “The Dutch Orphan” is a harrowing story of two sisters torn apart by secrets, then forced to make an impossible choice. A heartbreaking, compelling story I couldn’t put down until the very last page.
April 23, 2023
The Dutch Orphan is a well written historical fiction with a bit of everything in it, from mystery, to sacrifice, to redemption, to heartbreak and love. If you like books about WWII, this one is a must read.
Following two sisters, Johanna and Liesbeth, in alternating chapters this novel explores family relationships, and the choices they make and the consequences of those choices. Liesbeth is married to a Nazi supporter, while her sister Johanna supports the Resistance which puts them on opposite sides of the war. What lengths would you go to, to save yourself and the people you love? This book explores that and so much more. I would highly recommend this book and really enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an ARC copy of this book.
Following two sisters, Johanna and Liesbeth, in alternating chapters this novel explores family relationships, and the choices they make and the consequences of those choices. Liesbeth is married to a Nazi supporter, while her sister Johanna supports the Resistance which puts them on opposite sides of the war. What lengths would you go to, to save yourself and the people you love? This book explores that and so much more. I would highly recommend this book and really enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an ARC copy of this book.
February 6, 2023
As we view the Nazi Party's rise to power through the eyes of two sisters in Amsterdam in 1941, we learn how loyalty to your heart and beliefs might be stronger than family bonds. Johanna Vos is a singer and friend with many Jewish performers, artists, and musicians. Liesbeth, Johanna's sister, loves her husband who believes Hitler is the future and will do what he can to pave his path. The sister's lives are strained as they each do what they must-- one for her friends and the other for her husband. But can one save a Jewish child without her sister knowing? What would she do if she knew? All while the war is turning and it seems that no one is safe. A new take and understanding of life in Amsterdam during the war--and women who made unfathomable choices.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade for the ARC.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade for the ARC.
March 29, 2023
This is a response to the antisemitic comment calling Jews as bad as the Nazi's NO ONE IS CALLING FOR THE BOOK TO BE BANNED - We are asking that they delay the publication date for 1 single day. Yes we are speaking out about the problematic themes of the book, we are tired of Holocaust fiction like this - but disagreeing withs someone isn't calling for a book ban.
The Nazi's systematically murdered 6 million of Europe's 9 million Jews including 1.5 million Children. They sat down and had a meeting to discuss how to murder us Jews. First they, used methods like taking Jews out and shooting them in front of massive pits... but murdering our people this way was to much for the mental heath of the Nazi's so it was changed to gas chambers. You think a Handful of Jews asking the author and the publisher to delay the release of this book by 24 hours is as bad as the people who mass murdered us? - Do you have any idea how antisemitic you sound.
Also as for your claim the the book has no "Nazi Sympathizing" please note the following in the blurb on this very page , "but her husband supports the Nazis. When a charming member of the Dutch Fascist Party sets his eyes on her"
Supporting the Nazi's IS being a Nazi Sympathizer, by 1936 the Dutch Fascist Party were Nazi supporters - THIS ALSO is being a Nazi sympathizer.
As for the Baby not being a plot device - The Author HERSELF PERSONALLY Told me that the baby wasn't a main character. - SO yea the title character not being a main character means they are a plot device.
There were *SOME* Dutch people who helped Jews - Not many. In 1940 the year the Nazi invaded there where 8,834,000 people in the Netherlands of that 140,000 were Jews so that means 8,694,000 could have helped their Jewish Neighbours - But OnlyAs of today, 5,204 rescuers from the Netherlands have been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations. and the Resistance was a network of 1700 people (there is plenty of overlap between these groups)
In 1944 the Dutch Nazi party has 101,314 members - Which is almost 20x the amount of people who actually did help Jews. That's the issue with these stories is they make people like you believe that there was "A LOT" of people helping and the fact is that there wasn't.
Also in terms of "bullying, trolls and trying to publicly humiliate" - NO that's not what happened. I personally reached out to the author and was ignored, I called the publishers office and was ignored. I tried many times to discuss this issue without it becoming public - but I was ignored. and I was a good Jew nice and polite.
All of this could have been avoided if the Author and Publisher had respect for Jews - but unless they are making money off us they don't care.
Yet another problematic “Holocaust” book, I’m not really sure what the author fetish is with trauma but it’s there. The author doesn’t consider the title person of the orphan to be a character in the book.
The Book is also set to release on Yom HaShoah - the Jewish day of mourning for holocaust.
Skip this - there are plenty of really great compelling memoirs and books written by Jews.
The Nazi's systematically murdered 6 million of Europe's 9 million Jews including 1.5 million Children. They sat down and had a meeting to discuss how to murder us Jews. First they, used methods like taking Jews out and shooting them in front of massive pits... but murdering our people this way was to much for the mental heath of the Nazi's so it was changed to gas chambers. You think a Handful of Jews asking the author and the publisher to delay the release of this book by 24 hours is as bad as the people who mass murdered us? - Do you have any idea how antisemitic you sound.
Also as for your claim the the book has no "Nazi Sympathizing" please note the following in the blurb on this very page , "but her husband supports the Nazis. When a charming member of the Dutch Fascist Party sets his eyes on her"
Supporting the Nazi's IS being a Nazi Sympathizer, by 1936 the Dutch Fascist Party were Nazi supporters - THIS ALSO is being a Nazi sympathizer.
As for the Baby not being a plot device - The Author HERSELF PERSONALLY Told me that the baby wasn't a main character. - SO yea the title character not being a main character means they are a plot device.
There were *SOME* Dutch people who helped Jews - Not many. In 1940 the year the Nazi invaded there where 8,834,000 people in the Netherlands of that 140,000 were Jews so that means 8,694,000 could have helped their Jewish Neighbours - But OnlyAs of today, 5,204 rescuers from the Netherlands have been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations. and the Resistance was a network of 1700 people (there is plenty of overlap between these groups)
In 1944 the Dutch Nazi party has 101,314 members - Which is almost 20x the amount of people who actually did help Jews. That's the issue with these stories is they make people like you believe that there was "A LOT" of people helping and the fact is that there wasn't.
Also in terms of "bullying, trolls and trying to publicly humiliate" - NO that's not what happened. I personally reached out to the author and was ignored, I called the publishers office and was ignored. I tried many times to discuss this issue without it becoming public - but I was ignored. and I was a good Jew nice and polite.
All of this could have been avoided if the Author and Publisher had respect for Jews - but unless they are making money off us they don't care.
Yet another problematic “Holocaust” book, I’m not really sure what the author fetish is with trauma but it’s there. The author doesn’t consider the title person of the orphan to be a character in the book.
The Book is also set to release on Yom HaShoah - the Jewish day of mourning for holocaust.
Skip this - there are plenty of really great compelling memoirs and books written by Jews.
February 1, 2023
Good book.
March 28, 2023
A wonderful new novel about the impact of the Nazi invasion on everyday Dutch citizens.
And contrary to the trolls who have been posting here and who haven’t read the book: there is no nazi sympathy in this book. Nor is there a Jewish baby used as a prop. There were many citizens who helped hide and save Jewish children during the war. That’s a fact.
To the trolls: Trying to ban books (especially without reading them), trying to publicly humiliate people based on your own ignorance makes you just as horrible as those nazi’s you’re claiming to rail against. Your tactics and bullying are not welcome here. Go away.
And contrary to the trolls who have been posting here and who haven’t read the book: there is no nazi sympathy in this book. Nor is there a Jewish baby used as a prop. There were many citizens who helped hide and save Jewish children during the war. That’s a fact.
To the trolls: Trying to ban books (especially without reading them), trying to publicly humiliate people based on your own ignorance makes you just as horrible as those nazi’s you’re claiming to rail against. Your tactics and bullying are not welcome here. Go away.
March 24, 2023
A pro-Nazi story released on Yom HaShoah, the Jewish day for recognizing the millions of murdered victims of Nazi genocide? NO THANKS!
July 29, 2023
This is the reason I take a break from my genres sometimes as I tend to lean towards most thrillers.
Historical fiction too can become quite overwhelming and overpowering at times if you’ve read too many WW1 or WW2 themes don’t you think?
Anyways, I found it slow to get into it however once my brain functioned to get my cogwheels spinning round and well oiled I found I was getting right into this without me even realising at first! Strange.
Now the author grabbed my attention I was hooked and walking around the house with my headphones on.
I found the narrator boring (sorry!) the monotone voice, anyone know what I mean?
It’s good that I found the storyline fascinating or I’d have dropped this one (maybe).
Johanna was married to a resistor while Liesbeth was married to a man who supported Hitler.
Sisters.
Can you imagine the strife between sisters and the breakdown, secrets and lies that would cause.
Also one sister was trying hard to get pregnant while the other one was trying to stop getting pregnant.
Spoiler alert
Historical fiction too can become quite overwhelming and overpowering at times if you’ve read too many WW1 or WW2 themes don’t you think?
Anyways, I found it slow to get into it however once my brain functioned to get my cogwheels spinning round and well oiled I found I was getting right into this without me even realising at first! Strange.
Now the author grabbed my attention I was hooked and walking around the house with my headphones on.
I found the narrator boring (sorry!) the monotone voice, anyone know what I mean?
It’s good that I found the storyline fascinating or I’d have dropped this one (maybe).
Johanna was married to a resistor while Liesbeth was married to a man who supported Hitler.
Sisters.
Can you imagine the strife between sisters and the breakdown, secrets and lies that would cause.
Also one sister was trying hard to get pregnant while the other one was trying to stop getting pregnant.
Spoiler alert
March 24, 2023
we're really putting out a nazi book in America rn??? lmaooo absolutely not.
March 24, 2023
Nazis and genocide are bad.
Nazi romances are bad.
Releasing a book glorifying Nazis on Holocaust Remembrance Day is harmful and disgusting.
Nazi romances are bad.
Releasing a book glorifying Nazis on Holocaust Remembrance Day is harmful and disgusting.
March 25, 2023
harpercollins back at it again with the six-figure deal for a nazi love story when they could have bought Anything Else
July 9, 2023
3.5 stars
A solidly written WW2 historical fiction that takes place in the Netherlands. Although I've read a ton of WW2 fiction, this was a new backdrop for me, which I appreciated.
The plot alternated between the perspectives of two sisters - one who does what she can to resist the German occupation and the other who turns a blind eye to how her husband collaborates with the Germans to take advantage of bettering his circumstances at the expense of the Jewish people. I loved the juxtaposition between the two sisters' personalities and plights. It emphasized the dilemma that so many people were faced with during WW2 occupation - compliance, resistance or doing whatever it takes to survive.
What didn't work as well for me was that the characters were a little too simplistic in their views. Black vs white, good vs bad, honorable vs evil. And although there was an element of character growth, it rang a bit hollow. I felt some emotion but this story had room to dial up the emotional depth.
Overall an interesting and well told WW2 hf but nothing to separate it from the masses.
A solidly written WW2 historical fiction that takes place in the Netherlands. Although I've read a ton of WW2 fiction, this was a new backdrop for me, which I appreciated.
The plot alternated between the perspectives of two sisters - one who does what she can to resist the German occupation and the other who turns a blind eye to how her husband collaborates with the Germans to take advantage of bettering his circumstances at the expense of the Jewish people. I loved the juxtaposition between the two sisters' personalities and plights. It emphasized the dilemma that so many people were faced with during WW2 occupation - compliance, resistance or doing whatever it takes to survive.
What didn't work as well for me was that the characters were a little too simplistic in their views. Black vs white, good vs bad, honorable vs evil. And although there was an element of character growth, it rang a bit hollow. I felt some emotion but this story had room to dial up the emotional depth.
Overall an interesting and well told WW2 hf but nothing to separate it from the masses.
March 24, 2023
I wonder if this book has 88 chapters? Will there be 14 words to focus on? Tune in next week for more
YT CHRISTIANS ❤️ NAZIS fckery!
The fcking goydacity.
YT CHRISTIANS ❤️ NAZIS fckery!
The fcking goydacity.
April 14, 2023
I received an advanced copy of this novel and just finished reading it. Happening in the Netherlands during the war, it looks at the Nazi occupation through the eyes of everyday Dutch people.
It was fun to read a novel from a city I know so well. I really got into the story, liked the range of interesting characters and would totally recommend it!
It was fun to read a novel from a city I know so well. I really got into the story, liked the range of interesting characters and would totally recommend it!
July 9, 2023
A moving historical fiction novel about two sisters and their lives in the Netherlands during WWII. I didn't know too much about what the Dutch went through during the war and this book did a great job highlighting their experiences. Johanna and Liesbeth find their relationship tested as one is married to a Nazi sympathizer and the other works for the Resistance and secretly adopts an orphaned Jewish baby. Great on audio and recommended for fans of books like Kristin Harmel's The Paris daughter.
CW: opioid addiction, infidelity
CW: opioid addiction, infidelity
March 6, 2023
**I was excited to receive a complimentary copy of The Dutch Orphan by Ellen Keith from NetGalley. Opinions in this review are completely my own.**
I love WW2 novels and just seeing the different perspectives of books set in different European countries. I haven't read really any set in Amsterdam so it was neat to get that historical context. I liked how some people worked to keep music and culture alive through the war. It was also interesting to read a book where family members were broken up because of their differing beliefs. Lisebeth's husband supports the Nazis and she is too weak to really have her own opinion on anything. Johanna supports the Resistance and helps them in some ways throughout the book.
That said, I liked the storyline and premise for the book. That said, the characters were just kind of blah to me. I was very annoyed by Liesbeth as she seemed to have no backbone or personality, and honestly I kind of wanted her to be punished like her husband in the end. I was not rooting for her at all.
I love WW2 novels and just seeing the different perspectives of books set in different European countries. I haven't read really any set in Amsterdam so it was neat to get that historical context. I liked how some people worked to keep music and culture alive through the war. It was also interesting to read a book where family members were broken up because of their differing beliefs. Lisebeth's husband supports the Nazis and she is too weak to really have her own opinion on anything. Johanna supports the Resistance and helps them in some ways throughout the book.
That said, I liked the storyline and premise for the book. That said, the characters were just kind of blah to me. I was very annoyed by Liesbeth as she seemed to have no backbone or personality, and honestly I kind of wanted her to be punished like her husband in the end. I was not rooting for her at all.
April 26, 2025
You know.. when you do that errand/chore as quickly as you can, because you want to get back to the story? This book.
I was so fortunate to receive an ARC of The Dutch Orphan. Well researched, and well written.
I was so fortunate to receive an ARC of The Dutch Orphan. Well researched, and well written.
September 11, 2024
I loved the book. It was touching and seemed so real. The relationship between sisters was just amazing and I felt what Jo felt. However, there were a couple of little things that have taken half a star. To begin with, the fact that half of the chapters were written using first person and the others were written using the third person made it a bit more difficult to read. I'd prefer everything written from one perspective. Also, sometimes the time gaps between chapters (ir even within chapters) were too long. What happened in between? Especially when Jo met the Canadian soldiers. Other than that the book was amazing and I strongly recommend it!
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April 12, 2023I love books about WWII and am happy to see more books coming out about the Dutch Resistance. The people of The Netherlands suffered greatly during the war, and I couldn’t put this book about two sisters in Amsterdam down.
Johanna is a young married woman with musical ambitions and the desire to start a family. Her younger sister, Liesbeth, is headstrong and enjoys life as a newlywed to an up-and-coming pharmacist. When the Nazis occupy Amsterdam, they must reckon with the choices forced upon them by the invaders and their own loved ones - resist or comply. As the Nazi web of terror grows closer, each sister finds the courage needed to survive the war and help those in need.
I was compelled to keep reading to find out what happened to Johanna, Liesbeth, and their families. The horror of the Nazi atrocities keeps stunning me in every WWII book I read, and the way Johanna, in particular, finds her inner strength to resist their abuse will stay with me a long time. I can only hope that I would be as strong if needed.
Having visited Amsterdam and its famed Anne Frank house and Dutch Resistance Museum, I walked the same streets as Johanna and Liesbeth, seeing the Amsterdam Zoo and the storied canals. It’s hard to imagine the horrific scenes taking place on the very cobblestones where I walked, which is why it’s so important for books like this to continue to be published.
I highly recommend this book for fans of WWII historical fiction and those who love reading about women who rise above the most unimaginable challenges to fight for what’s right.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.
Johanna is a young married woman with musical ambitions and the desire to start a family. Her younger sister, Liesbeth, is headstrong and enjoys life as a newlywed to an up-and-coming pharmacist. When the Nazis occupy Amsterdam, they must reckon with the choices forced upon them by the invaders and their own loved ones - resist or comply. As the Nazi web of terror grows closer, each sister finds the courage needed to survive the war and help those in need.
I was compelled to keep reading to find out what happened to Johanna, Liesbeth, and their families. The horror of the Nazi atrocities keeps stunning me in every WWII book I read, and the way Johanna, in particular, finds her inner strength to resist their abuse will stay with me a long time. I can only hope that I would be as strong if needed.
Having visited Amsterdam and its famed Anne Frank house and Dutch Resistance Museum, I walked the same streets as Johanna and Liesbeth, seeing the Amsterdam Zoo and the storied canals. It’s hard to imagine the horrific scenes taking place on the very cobblestones where I walked, which is why it’s so important for books like this to continue to be published.
I highly recommend this book for fans of WWII historical fiction and those who love reading about women who rise above the most unimaginable challenges to fight for what’s right.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.
April 30, 2023
I loved this novel as I loved Ellen Keith's last book, The Dutch Wife. Ellen juxtaposes two sisters with very different characters and lets the brutal, disorienting reality of the Dutch occupation unfold around them. At its heart it's about how character (and moral authority or moral dissolution) is shaped by hardship and war. To portray that subtly and compassionately is a challenge - but Ellen does it superbly. Read it if you like well-written historical fiction with compelling characters and a page-turning plot.
April 17, 2023
Reading this book was very eye opening as I hadn't really know anything about the German occupation of The Netherlands during WWII. There were many parts which were hard to read because they were so heartbreaking and horrendous. I loved how the bond between friends, family, and citizens was really emphasized. This novel impacted me deeply.
June 22, 2023
There are many books that depict World War II out these days, but this one definitely caught and held my attention. Spanning the years from 1940-1946 in the Netherlands, we follow the rise of the Nazi Party and its support in Holland as well as the rise of the Resistance movement that fought so bravely to defeat it. The story is told through the points of view of two sisters, Johanna and Liesbeth. They have always been very close, but Liesbeth’s marriage to an ambitious pharmacist whose sympathies lie with the Nazis threatens to break the bonds between them, especially since the strong and outspoken Johanna has cast her lot with the resistors. As Liesbeth grows increasingly unhappy in her marriage she turns to one of her husband’s friends for companionship, a liaison that will have life changing consequences for both herself and Johanna. Johanna grows more and more reckless in her actions, seemingly willing to sacrifice the safety of her family for the good of the cause. I liked this book because it focused on a country that is often overlooked in novels of this period. The author states in her notes at the end that over three-quarters of Jews in the Netherlands were slaughtered, making this book’s plot events even more poignant. The choices the Johanna and Liesbeth had to make regarding whether to resist or collaborate were real ones. I also liked the focus on family, and whether you can forgive the unforgivable. This is the second book by this author, and I am looking forward to reading more of her work.
May 17, 2023
Such a beautiful book, loved the Canadian bit at the end as well.
March 6, 2025
3.5. I enjoyed learning about other countries affected by the war. I didn’t see the point of having a brother in there though. But hey, that’s just my take.
May 26, 2023
A wonderful book about WWII in Amsterdam. Johanna Vas was a singer and a member of the resistance in the city when the Germans took over. When the Germans took the rights away from the Jewish musicians, Johanna helped plan private performances in their allies homes. Her sister Elizabeth was married to a man who sided with the Germans, How these sisters survived the war dealt with the predicament, and how their bond survived is very thrilling.
May 23, 2023
This book had major “The Nightingale” vibes, and because it took place in the Netherlands, and because that’s my heritage, I loved this story extra. I would highly recommend this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 29, 2023
War arrives in Amsterdam. Sisters Johanna and Liesbeth, who have always been close, are on different paths. Johanna becomes part of the Resistance and secretly takes on an orphaned Jewish baby as her own. Liesbeth marries a man who becomes an NSB member and supports Nazi ideals. She is torn between her sister and the man she feels more and more removed from. How do the two women manage these relationships and make decisions that will impact their lives forever?
This book was an interesting exploration into relationships, motivations and the things people will do both in times of war and in its aftermath. It explored the changing relationship of the two sisters and the dilemmas they faced in staying true to themselves in the different situations in which they found themselves. I found myself dropping other tasks to read this book as I wanted to discover what happened next to each of them. The book was well written and a speedy read.
This book was an interesting exploration into relationships, motivations and the things people will do both in times of war and in its aftermath. It explored the changing relationship of the two sisters and the dilemmas they faced in staying true to themselves in the different situations in which they found themselves. I found myself dropping other tasks to read this book as I wanted to discover what happened next to each of them. The book was well written and a speedy read.
September 23, 2023
I learned a few things, and this book made me think. It was about collaborating versus resisting, or just trying to survive. What would you have the courage to do?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 194 reviews