The Warsaw Sisters: A Novel of World War II Poland

Without graphic depictions of battle, the sixty-three day Nazi siege of Warsaw, Poland is eloquently told through the eyes of an exceptional writer. Rot with examples of hardship, separation and grief, this story places two sisters amongst the antisemitism that caused the death of thousands of Jewish citizens and the eventual mass executions of both military and civilian Poles. This book’s exploration into the occupation of Poland establishes a portrait of the lowest of human qualities meshed with the desire to fight for something in the midst of war. Barratt’s characters within this novel tend to be as complex as their setting. I felt like a spectator watching Antonina and Helena grow in emotionally distinct ways when met with the circumstances brought upon by war. These women were resilient. Bearing strength and determination they didn’t realize they had. The audiobook version of this novel is captivating. Narrators, Rachel Botchan and Leah Horowitz, bring to life the surroundings that effect the worlds these characters live in. Both narrators were distinct, easy to understand and maintained vocal inflections that differentiated characters. The emotion displayed throughout the storyline shone through in this audiobook. I highly recommend this format for this story. This book is suitable for teens and older with no inappropriate intimate scenes and no bad language. However, without descriptive details, two unmarried characters do spend the night together and conceive a child. I received this book from the author/publisher free of charge, with no expectation of a positive review. I also purchased the audiobook and print versions of this title.