Daisy Chain
Sisters Of The Resistance by Jina Bacarr is a powerful and heartbreaking historical novel. It is the sequel to Sisters At War which I recommend reading first for maximum enjoyment.
The novel opens in 1942. The action is mainly set in Paris with alternating chapters between the two sisters, Eve and Justine. They both ‘fought’ very different wars. “Not everyone fights the Boches with guns and ammo.” Both were in opposition to the Nazis – one in the resistance, the other from within the Nazis as a spy but posing as a mistress, after events took a dreadful turn in the opening of book one. For safety’s sake, secrets and silences were kept, even when it meant others thought badly of them.
The battle for France was played out not just on the battlefields but in homes and streets, the people fought back however they could, holding on to the hope that one day France would be free again.
Family is important. Family ties and their safety saw one sister denying herself in order to preserve her family. “Winning the war is what counts, not me.”
There were some truly awful atrocities committed by the Nazis against women. Jina Bacar has realistically and sensitively portrayed some very hard to read scenes of the violence and attacks against the women of Paris.
Round-ups and the treatment of the Jewish people was horrific. A sister declared “I need to know. Then someday I can tell the world what I saw.” Survival was essential to tell the world what really happened.
We see that “war unites women … we’re in this fight together to save our men, our families …save France.” As the lights went out in Paris, the battle for France began.
The resistance saw many give their lives. It took skills and bravery to survive and to attack.
Hope kept people going, a hope that there would be a brighter tomorrow and that loved ones would return from the camps and prisons.
Morality altered during war, behaviour was forced to adapt and change. People did what they did in order to survive, to fight and to save others. We must never judge them. “I don’t have the right to ask God for forgiveness until this war is over.” One day forgiveness would be asked for and would be granted.
All the characters were well drawn and believable. The two sisters are to be applauded for their bravery. We see that not all Germans are Nazis. And not all Nazis supported Hitler and the party, as the war continued. Some worked to sabotage from within.
Jina Bacar has written a powerful tale that is horrific and shocking but also inspiring. The story of the French women is appalling but it needs to be told.
I received a free copy via Rachel’s Random Resources for a blog tour. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
A word of warning: there are situations and themes which some readers may find upsetting. If you are affected, please talk to someone and seek help.
JULIA WILSON
Sisters of the Resistance
Paris, 1942: Two sisters in Paris had their lives torn apart. Now they must choose – save themselves, or fight the Nazis to the very end…
I’d given up everything to fight for the Resistance. But nothing prepared me for discovering my sister was a traitor. Kept by a Nazi SS officer, outwardly she barely resembles my beloved Justine anymore.
But I guessed her secret. About her beautiful, fragile little child. The baby she’ll do anything to protect. And I believe that deep down she still knows what is right.
As the Nazis threaten everything we ever held dear, I know I have one chance. I must convince her to betray the evil she seems to have chosen. I need her to find her true self once more.
Because I need her to join the fight…
Could you choose your country – and what is right – over the person you once loved more than anyone in the world?
Unmissable, heartbreaking, gripping WW2 fiction, perfect for fans of Soraya M. Lane, Ellie Midwood and Jean Grainger.
Purchase Link – https://mybook.to/sistersofthesocial
Author Bio –
Jina Bacarr is a US-based historical romance author of over 10 previous books. She has been a screenwriter, journalist and news reporter, but now writes full-time and lives in LA. Jina’s novels have been sold in 9 territories.
Social Media Links –
Facebook: @jinabacarrauthor
Twitter: @jinabacarr
Instagram: @jinabacarr
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/JinaBacarrNews
Bookbub profile: @JinaBacarr
My goodness, what an amazing review of Sisters of the Resistance! You hit all the high notes with your thoughts. I appreciate you pointing out the difficult parts to read. I thought long and hard about how much to reveal about that time re: what happened to women at the hands of the enemy. In the end, I didn’t shy away from the reality, but I wanted to temper it with the emotional scarring, then the healing process… perhaps the hardest part to write. It can take years for a victim of sexual assault to come to grips fully with what happened and how it altered her life. Thank you again.