Jonetta's Reviews > Lilac Girls
Lilac Girls (Lilac Girls, #1)
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This is a fictional story of the real-life women who were subjected to medical experiments at Hitler's Ravensbrüch concentration camp, the only one exclusively for women. The story is told from three narratives: Caroline Ferriday, a New York debutant and socialite who worked tirelessly on behalf of French orphans before and at the war's outbreak; Kasia Kuzmerick, a young Polish woman who was subjected to these experiments at Ravensbrüch; and Herta Oberheuser, one of the camp doctors (the only female one) conducting the experiments.
I thought I was familiar with most of the atrocities of the Holocaust but the plight of these women, referred to as the Ravensbrüch Rabbits because of the abnormalities of their gaits resulting from the tests, was a new account for me. Using the voices of a victim, perpetrator and savior helped to vividly portray the complete perspective. As distasteful and dispassionate as I found Herta's point of view, it was essential to the story and made a big difference.
One of the reasons I enjoy historical fiction is the opportunity to learn something about a period of time that I didn't know previously. So much of this story was enlightening and I especially liked learning about Caroline Ferriday who is not a fictional character and lived a life of charity and substance. It's a haunting, difficult story but I'm glad I read this book, one of unlikely heroes and incredible sisterhood.
I thought I was familiar with most of the atrocities of the Holocaust but the plight of these women, referred to as the Ravensbrüch Rabbits because of the abnormalities of their gaits resulting from the tests, was a new account for me. Using the voices of a victim, perpetrator and savior helped to vividly portray the complete perspective. As distasteful and dispassionate as I found Herta's point of view, it was essential to the story and made a big difference.
One of the reasons I enjoy historical fiction is the opportunity to learn something about a period of time that I didn't know previously. So much of this story was enlightening and I especially liked learning about Caroline Ferriday who is not a fictional character and lived a life of charity and substance. It's a haunting, difficult story but I'm glad I read this book, one of unlikely heroes and incredible sisterhood.
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Reading Progress
April 12, 2016
– Shelved
April 12, 2016
– Shelved as:
to-read
April 12, 2016
– Shelved as:
historical-fiction
September 30, 2016
–
Started Reading
October 4, 2016
– Shelved as:
group-read
October 4, 2016
– Shelved as:
16000-in-2016
October 4, 2016
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-28 of 28 (28 new)
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Dem
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Oct 04, 2016 03:00PM
Great review Jonetta and another book I need to move up my list.
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Dem wrote: "Great review Jonetta and another book I need to move up my list."
Thanks, Dem! I moved it up because of the group read.
Thanks, Dem! I moved it up because of the group read.
Angela M wrote: "Wonderful, Jonetta . I felt the same way ."
Thank you, Angela, for your review that inspired me to add this book to my shelf.
Thank you, Angela, for your review that inspired me to add this book to my shelf.
Thanks, Brenda! This is one you'll want to read.
Thanks, Stephanie! Angela's review had me add the book, yours pushed me to read it now.
Thanks, Stephanie! Angela's review had me add the book, yours pushed me to read it now.
I have been meaning to read this book since it came out. Did you by chance listen to this one on audio?
Awesome review, Jonetta. It sounds like a very worthy read but I think I'd definitely need to be in a certain mood to read it.
Thanks, Veronica! You very definitely need to be prepared for this kind of story. I deliberately read it after a romance.
Excellent review Jonetta! I want to read this. I once was on the waiting list for it and it was on overdrive and I checked it out and never got to it, so it was automatically sent back. I am putting it on the waiting list again. This time I will read it.
Great review Jonetta, I'll be moving this back up on my TBR pile. I had no idea that Caroline was based on a real person.
Thanks, Debbie! I'm glad you're willing to give this another shot. Caroline comes across as a bit "breezy" initially but she's a woman of depth.
Perfect review. You said it all so much better than I did. I am still recovering from the book, to be honest. Great review!