The Warsaw Orphan: A WWII Novel
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- Create Date：2021-04-21 12:32:30
- Update Date：2025-09-07
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- Author：Kelly Rimmer
- ISBN：1665069058
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Nicole Leikam
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I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway！ Beautifully written。 I felt my heart aching while reading this book and I was so invested in this book that even when I felt like I wanted to throw this book down I couldn’t stop。
Monica
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5 stars。 Kelly Rimmer has written another great historical fiction set in WW2 Poland about the unbreakable spirit of humans under extraordinary circumstances。 The Warsaw Orphan is a heart wrenching story about two teenagers growing up in Warsaw， Poland in the 1940s， trying desperately to survive the severity of the Nazi occupation。 Fourteen year old Elzbieta is a girl living just outside the ghetto。 She meets Sara， a nurse living in her apartment building。 Soon she learns from Sara about what's 5 stars。 Kelly Rimmer has written another great historical fiction set in WW2 Poland about the unbreakable spirit of humans under extraordinary circumstances。 The Warsaw Orphan is a heart wrenching story about two teenagers growing up in Warsaw， Poland in the 1940s， trying desperately to survive the severity of the Nazi occupation。 Fourteen year old Elzbieta is a girl living just outside the ghetto。 She meets Sara， a nurse living in her apartment building。 Soon she learns from Sara about what's happening inside the ghetto and is compelled to help。 That's where she meets 16 year old Roman。 They instantly bond。 Inspired by the real life Polish nurse， Irena Sendler （Kryzyzanowska） who smuggled thousands of Jewish children out of the Warsaw ghetto， this story is filled with love and hope。 I've read many WW2 books but this one has a different bent as we see what life is like through the eyes of young people。 In short， life becomes more and more fragile as the war drags on especially inside the walled off ghetto。 I won't reveal all the horrors but living in cramped quarters， starving and foraging for foodscraps become everyday realities。 If you ever get the chance to visit Old Town in Warsaw you will see it has been restored but the sewer covers are still there - where resistance fighters crawled to make their escape。 The hardships endured there should never be forgotten。 As the world currently confronts a global pandemic that forces us all to remain isolated and masked I think about those that lived through WW2， like these characters， and my own relatives。。 It's really not that difficult to mask up and stay your distance！ There's no comparison to what Roman and his family， and others in the ghetto had to face daily。 Have your tissues at the ready。 This one is not an easy read but it's worth it。 Many thanks to Kelly Rimmer for another winner and to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review。 #NetGalley #TheWarsawOrphan 。。。more
Vlada
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This was a well-written book based on real events。 However， due to the horrific truth of life in the Warsaw Jewish ghetto during WW2， it was so depressing I could barely make myself pick it up again。 A word of warning: you need to be in an emotionally stalwart place to endure this。 The whole book is basically a description of one catastrophe after the other。Also， I never truly connected with the characters。 Emilia was just an average girl who did the best she could in the circumstances。 As for R This was a well-written book based on real events。 However， due to the horrific truth of life in the Warsaw Jewish ghetto during WW2， it was so depressing I could barely make myself pick it up again。 A word of warning: you need to be in an emotionally stalwart place to endure this。 The whole book is basically a description of one catastrophe after the other。Also， I never truly connected with the characters。 Emilia was just an average girl who did the best she could in the circumstances。 As for Roman， I found him intensely unlikeable。 I get that he was grief-stricken and lashing out because he was powerless to change the situation he found himself in。 But in my opinion， men of this sort （with their aggression and barely suppressed anger at the whole world） often resort to domestic violence in later life， when they are safely married。 Ugh。 The ending did address the issue， but I'm not sure if I buy this neat resolution。All in all， this was a good WW2 book， but it was hard work for me to finish it。Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for giving me a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion。 。。。more
Cj Reads Reviews
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A remarkable story set in Poland 1942， in the midst of WW11。 It follows the story of two young Warsaw Orphans who take on the world and fight for what they believe in。Living in Warsaw， young Elżbieta Rabinek makes a shocking discovery of what is really happening on the other side of the wall。 Setting in foot in the rundown area of the Jewish Ghetto， Elzbietz puts herself into a world of deception and heroism and risks her own life to save the lives of Jews。 Elzbietz meets the Gorka Family， whose A remarkable story set in Poland 1942， in the midst of WW11。 It follows the story of two young Warsaw Orphans who take on the world and fight for what they believe in。Living in Warsaw， young Elżbieta Rabinek makes a shocking discovery of what is really happening on the other side of the wall。 Setting in foot in the rundown area of the Jewish Ghetto， Elzbietz puts herself into a world of deception and heroism and risks her own life to save the lives of Jews。 Elzbietz meets the Gorka Family， whose newborn baby must be given up for adoption or slowly watch her die from starvation。 Having to give up his baby sister， Romans feelings stirs up and he fights for against the injustice behaviour of the Germans。 Can they both， Elzbietz and Roman fight for what they believe in， stay protected and not get caught。 Or is everything that they do isn't enough for their world and their people？ I was immersed in the setting of the book， Kelly was able to bring me straight into Warsaw and the Jewish Ghetto。 The abundance of research and emotional content that has gone into this book really shows， as I felt like I was seeing through the characters eyes。The characters were lifelike and believable， and although I couldn't relate to them I felt what they felt。 I thoroughly love reading this novel and I'll be definitely going back and reading her other works。 Thank you to Netgalley， Hachette Australia and Kelly Rimmer。 Book is out 28th April 2021 。。。more
Teresa
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I will be going back to read All the Things We Cannot Say to see if the character development from the first one gives me a better background in order to get the full effect of this book。 There was something lacking。 I can’t really say what， it just felt like this one was so much like several others I’ve read about the saving of the children and unfortunately it never took hold enough to draw me in and to get me completely engaged。 Maybe reading All the Things will give me the missing pieces。 If I will be going back to read All the Things We Cannot Say to see if the character development from the first one gives me a better background in order to get the full effect of this book。 There was something lacking。 I can’t really say what， it just felt like this one was so much like several others I’ve read about the saving of the children and unfortunately it never took hold enough to draw me in and to get me completely engaged。 Maybe reading All the Things will give me the missing pieces。 If you enjoy WWII books and have not read about the brave souls that risked their lives for saving the Jewish children， this may be one you will find entertaining。 I want to thank Harlequin along with NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC。 This one receives 4 stars 。。。more
Maya Linnell
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Another bestseller！ The Warsaw Orphan is jam-packed with breathtaking scenes， vivid settings， unforgettable characters and heart-breaking conflict。 This story will stay with me for many years。 Full review and author interview to come。
Mary McLean
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book twenty-seven。 #read - The Warsaw Orphan by Kelly Rimmer。 Thank you to @netgalley for the Advanced Copy。 ✨”I would endure to tire and starvation and even death if it meant I could stay with my family。 There was nothing more important to me in the world。”✨Kelly Rimmer has done it again。 I thought I was at my emotional tether with The Things We Cannot Say， but no， Kelly has come and once again proven why her stories are so amazing。 Her research and in depth emotional journey you go on with the book twenty-seven。 #read - The Warsaw Orphan by Kelly Rimmer。 Thank you to @netgalley for the Advanced Copy。 ✨”I would endure to tire and starvation and even death if it meant I could stay with my family。 There was nothing more important to me in the world。”✨Kelly Rimmer has done it again。 I thought I was at my emotional tether with The Things We Cannot Say， but no， Kelly has come and once again proven why her stories are so amazing。 Her research and in depth emotional journey you go on with the characters is eye-opening。 In particular this story relates to characters from previous novels （not required to read previous novels） however， I think I was more invested for this reason。These stories of heartache， determination， grit， love， sadness， grief， greed courage and of course sacrifice。 These people would give up nothing， in the hope that their families remain safe。 These stories continue to encourage the read to understand how the hell these young women and men survived。 HOW？！ It’s incredible。 At the end of the day， Kelly Rimmer has absolutely nailed it。 I highly recommend this when it appears on shelves April 28！ 。。。more
E
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4。5⭐️。 Review to follow shortly。
Sarah | coffeereadrepeat
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In 1942 Poland we meet Elzbieta， a 14 year old girl living in a crowded home just outside the walls of the Warsaw Ghetto。 When Elzbieta befriends Sara， a nurse living in the apartment upstairs， she uncovers the truth of what lies inside the Ghetto and unable to turn a blind eye， she makes the brave decision to venture inside the Ghetto with Sara to help。 It is there that she meets 16 year old Roman， rebellious by nature and intent on fighting the Nazis until his dying breath。 His need tor vengea In 1942 Poland we meet Elzbieta， a 14 year old girl living in a crowded home just outside the walls of the Warsaw Ghetto。 When Elzbieta befriends Sara， a nurse living in the apartment upstairs， she uncovers the truth of what lies inside the Ghetto and unable to turn a blind eye， she makes the brave decision to venture inside the Ghetto with Sara to help。 It is there that she meets 16 year old Roman， rebellious by nature and intent on fighting the Nazis until his dying breath。 His need tor vengeance endangers everyone in his life， but Elzbieta can’t bring herself to turn her back on him。This book is a parallel story to the one told in The Things We Cannot Say and if you have not read that yet， please do yourself a favor and order it right now。 It is one of my favorite books of all time and I can’t say enough good things。 You don’t need to read that one in order to read this one， but on a scale of 1-10 it’s a 27， so you should。Five heart wrenching stars to this one。 If you love historical fiction， read this。 If you need a good cry， read this。 If you just love good books in general， read this。 I haven’t had a good cry from a book in a while so I was definitely due for one and this book had me wrecked。 I felt everything - sad， mad， happy， you name it。 Please just read it， and have the tissues nearby。 。。。more
Karen S
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There definitely is an over abundance of historical fiction books out there that are written about World War II and the holocaust。 This is one of the best ones I’ve read and should be on everyone’s TBR list！ Special thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a free electronic ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review。 The author of this book， Kelly Rimmer， does a magnificent job of researching and writing this masterpiece。 The story centers on two Polish teenagers - Elzbieta There definitely is an over abundance of historical fiction books out there that are written about World War II and the holocaust。 This is one of the best ones I’ve read and should be on everyone’s TBR list！ Special thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for a free electronic ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review。 The author of this book， Kelly Rimmer， does a magnificent job of researching and writing this masterpiece。 The story centers on two Polish teenagers - Elzbieta and Roman。 Roman is Jewish and forced to live in the Warsaw ghetto with his family while Elzbieta is Christian and lives outside the ghetto with her adoptive parents。 The hardships and injustices forced on the Jews spur Elzbieta to take action and she starts working with a group who is dedicated to rescuing as many Jewish children as they can。 It is on one of her trips into the ghetto that she meets Roman and his family and develops a lasting bond with him。 When tragedy strikes， Roman joins a resistance group and becomes involved in the ghetto uprising。 The lives of these two teens takes very different paths during and after the war but it’s their lasting bond that perseveres。 The author of this book is an amazing storyteller and I was captivated from the very first page！ Just when I would think things couldn’t get any worse for the main characters， the author would throw in a new dilemma for them to face。 From start to finish this story is one of hope in the face of overwhelming devastation and a true testimony to the strength of the human spirit。 。。。more
Karren Sandercock
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Warsaw， 1942。Elzbieta Rabinek is a teenager， every afternoon she sits in the courtyard of her family’s apartment building， she’s lonely and bored。 She lives with her adopted parents Truda and Mateusz， they want to protect her from the war， the German army and the unrest in the city。 They keep Elzbieta close to home， she’s a curious teenager and she starts secretly visiting her neighbors apartment。 Sara’s a nurse and social worker and she works for the Department of Health and Sanitation。 When El Warsaw， 1942。Elzbieta Rabinek is a teenager， every afternoon she sits in the courtyard of her family’s apartment building， she’s lonely and bored。 She lives with her adopted parents Truda and Mateusz， they want to protect her from the war， the German army and the unrest in the city。 They keep Elzbieta close to home， she’s a curious teenager and she starts secretly visiting her neighbors apartment。 Sara’s a nurse and social worker and she works for the Department of Health and Sanitation。 When Elzbieta discovers what Sara's doing， she wants to help， Sara has no idea Rabinek family have a secret past and it increases the danger。 Sara visits the Warsaw ghetto， smuggling in much needed medical supplies and tries to help the plight of the starving Jewish children living behind the wall。 Roman Gorka is a Jewish teenager， he lives in the Warsaw ghetto with his mother Maya， stepfather Samuel， little brother Dawidek and his baby sister Eleonora。 The Gorka family made the choice to stay in their apartment， the family didn’t want to be separated， and are now stuck behind the high wall。 It’s extremely crowded in the ghetto， the conditions are deplorable， to survive you need to be useful and work。 Everyday Roman goes to work， he doesn’t talk to anyone， and it’s easier that way。 His mother had a baby six weeks ago， both his mother and baby sister Eleonora are not doing well and he’s worried about their health。 When his mother contacts Sara， she desperately wants to get her baby out of the ghetto， Roman is angry and then he understands why。 Roman and Elzbieta meet， develop feelings towards each other and it's dangerous for both of them。 Slowly the ghetto starts to be emptied， as the time goes on the situation in the ghetto becomes dire， Roman constantly worries about his family being deported and he dreads returning home to find the apartment empty and the injustice of his situation makes him an extremely volatile young man。The Warsaw Orphan is a story about two teenagers， growing up， living and trying to survive in a city consumed by war， hate， hardship， suffering and injustice。 Kelly Rimmer has written another epic historical novel about the power of human spirit， during such a horrific time in history， it makes you feel all kinds of emotions， it’s moving and it takes on a journey。 I received a copy of this book from Hachette Australia and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review， I couldn’t stop reading it and five big stars from me。 。。。more
Alma
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In the past I had read a little about the Jewish resistance in the Warsaw ghetto， but seeing it happen through Roman’s eyes made the sad details really come to life。 This book about finding， and holding on to， love in the midst of the heartbreak of life in the Warsaw ghetto will touch reader’s hearts。 Read the rest of the review on my blog: https://shouldireaditornot。wordpress。。。。 In the past I had read a little about the Jewish resistance in the Warsaw ghetto， but seeing it happen through Roman’s eyes made the sad details really come to life。 This book about finding， and holding on to， love in the midst of the heartbreak of life in the Warsaw ghetto will touch reader’s hearts。 Read the rest of the review on my blog: https://shouldireaditornot。wordpress。。。。 。。。more
theliterateleprechaun
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Kelly Rimmer’s eagerly anticipated novel， “The Warsaw Orphan，” is inspired by Irena Sendler （Kryzyzanowski）， a real-life Polish nurse and heroine， who smuggled thousands of Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto。 Meticulously researched and stuffed with heart-rendering emotion， this is more than a story about survival during Nazi-occupied Poland。 It’s a call to arms。 Not by taking up guns and ammunition， but to dig deep and find love， generosity， and kindness then openly and lavishly share it Kelly Rimmer’s eagerly anticipated novel， “The Warsaw Orphan，” is inspired by Irena Sendler （Kryzyzanowski）， a real-life Polish nurse and heroine， who smuggled thousands of Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto。 Meticulously researched and stuffed with heart-rendering emotion， this is more than a story about survival during Nazi-occupied Poland。 It’s a call to arms。 Not by taking up guns and ammunition， but to dig deep and find love， generosity， and kindness then openly and lavishly share it with others。 We see how 14-year-old Elzbieta Rabinek， despite losing everyone dear to her， knew that courage was in her blood。 She had inherited it at birth。 She had learned it from the legacy of those she’d lost。 Armed with that knowledge， she reached deep within and accessed it。 Under disguise as a social worker’s aid， she gained access to the Warsaw Ghetto， saw the horror behind the walls and was impelled to give over 2000 children a chance at a better life。 An orphan herself and searching for her place in this world， she helped give defenseless young people a second chance。 We may not have the chance to be an inspiring humanitarian and save thousands of lives， but we have option of using the 86，400 seconds we are blessed with every day to share a smile， pay it forward with a coffee， offer a stressed mother a hand， or help an elderly person。 Instead of fingering someone who carelessly cut us off， budged in line， or failed to be a decent human being， we could fight it with kindness。“I need to believe that there is some hidden depth of grace within these men who torture us， because if there isn’t， then all hope is lost。 And it’s not just lost for us， Roman， but for humanity， because even once all this is over， this evil could emerge from the souls of men again and again and again。”Like Elzbieta， let’s fight against this evil in human nature so that hope for humanity isn’t lost。 It has and will emerge， but if enough of us are fighting it， we can give hope and love room to blossom。 Rimmer’s book reminds us to choose kindness。I think the two things that I’ll remember most about this book， besides Rimmer’s message between the pages， are firstly， Rimmer’s juxtaposition of events throughout。 For example， the Spring flowers and Elzbieta’s elation at riding the Ferris wheel in the square with the gunshot and silence and then bookended with the man working the ride audaciously uttering “Have a lovely day。” How？ Secondly， I won’t forget the difference a timely hand up would have meant to the little girl in the alley and to Sarah’s child。Rimmer’s rich characters and haunting setting take backseat to her ability to immerse the reader into the plot。 The use of first person and alternating points of view added to this superb story。 Rimmer wrote to my five senses: I smelled the sewer clothing on the steps， I heard the baby in the handbag， I saw the gaunt people， I fingered the soil under the apple tree and I tasted the state， stodgy birthday cake。 I strongly urge you to purchase Rimmer’s historical fiction masterpiece come June 1， 2021。 Extreme gratitude to Kelly Rimmer， Graydon House， and NetGalley for the gift of my advance reading copy。 I received it for free and was under no obligation to provide a review。 。。。more
Erin （Drink。Read。Repeat）
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*View my reviews at www。drinkreadrepeat。com*In the past couple of months， I have passively reflected on the things we take for granted。Honestly， I have never really had… hardship… in my life。 Sure， there were things that weren’t ideal。People on the periphery of my life who weren’t nice。Experiences I would have liked to have but didn’t。Things I would have enjoyed owning but couldn’t afford。But I have never really wanted。I have absolutely been privileged。 And a journey I have been on in this *View my reviews at www。drinkreadrepeat。com*In the past couple of months， I have passively reflected on the things we take for granted。Honestly， I have never really had… hardship… in my life。 Sure， there were things that weren’t ideal。People on the periphery of my life who weren’t nice。Experiences I would have liked to have but didn’t。Things I would have enjoyed owning but couldn’t afford。But I have never really wanted。I have absolutely been privileged。 And a journey I have been on in this past year – one on which many of my peers have joined me – is recognizing and acknowledging this privilege。When I learned about the Holocaust in school， I was duly upset by the stories contained in the history textbook — even though these accounts of this genocide were largely sanitized， made easier to digest for a younger audience and easier to explain for a nervous teacher。It wasn’t until much later， when I visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum as a teenager， that I really realized just how incredibly horrible this atrocity was。 Until then， I had allowed myself to believe a watered-down version of history。 I had believed a version that textbook publishers and history teachers knew wasn’t the full， unvarnished truth， but I suppose assumed would suffice。 We cannot traumatize the students， they probably thought as they edited out the most horrifying details of the Nazi reign of terror。 But maybe being traumatized is what we really needed。Because I was traumatized when， standing amongst the crowd in that museum， I looked down on that pit of abandoned shoes， each once belonging to a child who was murdered by the Nazis。 And my trauma continued as I walked through the museum， floor by circular floor。 Only one way in。 Only one way out。 Designed to make it impossible for you to shield yourself from the full reality of the situation。 At the time I was moved。 I thought how awful it was that people of the past were able to do these things to other people。 Perhaps for my own sanity， I divorced myself from the events entirely。 The people who did these things were in the past。 Dead and gone and buried。Now， I am less moved and more infuriated。 Because I now realize that these events， these prejudices， aren’t a relic of our past。 Just a few weeks ago， I watched on TV as an angry mob forced its way into the US Capitol building。 Way too many of these rioters expressed not their dissatisfaction with governmental procedure， but instead their prejudice。 They marched through the halls of the Capitol waving their Confederate flags while unapologetically wearing shirts emblazoned with symbols and words reflecting their hatred。 A “Camp Auschwitz” shirt。 A shirt reading 6MWE – which I later came to learn meant “six million wasn’t enough，” in reference to the horrifying number of people who lost their lives at the bloodied hands of the Nazi regime。Now more than ever， I truly understand the importance of presenting a realistically abrasive recounting of what occurred during this horrible era of hate。 We， all of us， need to confront what happened。 Because it’s only by confronting it that we can truly understand the depths of evil to which people sunk in the past and truly realize the potential impact of not striking back against prejudices of all kinds today。This recent reflection on hatred in our society and my role in that system makes this the perfect time to read The Warsaw Orphan， Kelly Rimmer’s newest historical fiction novel which plunges readers into the icy cold waters of the Holocaust and keeps them there， submerged and gasping for breath， until the very last page。As this novel opens， we meet two teenagers: Roman and Emilia。 Both live in Warsaw and both are trying to navigate a society made horrifically complex and dangerous by the now-in-power Nazis。The son of a catholic father and a Jewish mother， Roman was raised in the church， even after his father’s death。 But， when the Nazi’s invaded， continuing to assert his Catholicism would have meant being separated from his family。 So he joined them in the Jewish ghetto。 They live in inhumane conditions， surviving on vegetable peels and living in impossibly cramped quarters。But they are surviving。Until the Nazi’s decide to start deporting Jews from the ghetto。 Though the residents of the ghetto are told that they are being relocated to work camps， they soon discover that the truth is even more stark。 Roman knows that the only way for his younger sister and brother to survive is for them to somehow escape the walls of the ghetto， so he explores every opportunity to secure them an exit， no matter how unlawful these avenues may be。Though not trapped inside the walls of the ghetto herself， Emilia is also far from free。 In fact， she’s not even free to go by her real name。 To those in Warsaw， she is Elzbieta。 She lives with a man and woman she calls father and mother， though， only a few years ago， they were mere acquaintances。 Emilia didn’t leave her former life behind by choice， but instead by necessity。 First， the Nazis murdered her father。 Then， when her brother was found to be helping Jews， they murdered him as well， but not before vowing to wipe out any remaining members of his family as well。Desperate not to lose the little girl who had filled the hole in their previously childless family， the man and woman who had raised Emilia since her father’s death fled to Warsaw， hoping to keep Emilia's connection to her fugitive brother a secret and， in doing so， keep her safe。Though Emilia values her safety， she cannot turn a blind eye to what the Nazis are doing。 Set on justice and driven by a compulsion to help， she works to position herself as a member of the rebellion。She knows that， should her involvement be discovered， there will be consequences。 But， if she doesn’t participate， she can’t help but believe there will be consequences for her soul。As I have come to expect from Kelly Rimmer’s historical fiction work， this novel was absolutely stunning。 Beautifully paced and packed with scenes that hurt your heart， it is honestly flawless。This book was， inarguably， a difficult read。 With page after page， scene after scene， of absolute devastation， it will almost certainly rock your foundation。 But， as I have come to learn recently， there is danger in avoiding things that hurt。 And， while this novel hurts， the story it contains is an important one。 Because it’s a story about humans， the good and the bad。 It’s a story about what has happened。 And it’s a story about what could happen if people turn a blind eye。The Warsaw Orphan is an absolute must-read。It earns an easy 5 out of 5 cocktails。 。。。more
Vanessa Carnevale
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This book has firmly cemented its place as one of my all-time favourite reads。 I absolutely adored it。 Like all wonderful books， it took me some time to recover from it！ I cried so many times and by the end I was a sobbing mess。 Kelly has a special gift of capturing the essence of what it is to be human in her novels。 This book， a reminder of what it means to find hope， strength and generosity of spirit in the midst of tragedy and heartbreak is one that I will never forget。 This is more than a s This book has firmly cemented its place as one of my all-time favourite reads。 I absolutely adored it。 Like all wonderful books， it took me some time to recover from it！ I cried so many times and by the end I was a sobbing mess。 Kelly has a special gift of capturing the essence of what it is to be human in her novels。 This book， a reminder of what it means to find hope， strength and generosity of spirit in the midst of tragedy and heartbreak is one that I will never forget。 This is more than a story of survival and hardship。 It is a reminder of how loving and caring for one another can make a real difference to the lives of others。 。。。more
Pat Trattles
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A survey published in 2020 shows that 63% of young adults in American grossly underestimate the horror and magnitude of the extermination of Jews by the Nazis during WWII。 What’s even more shocking is the number of those surveyed who said they believed the Holocaust was a myth。 This book will put those doubts to rest。 A magnificently researched and well written piece of historical fiction， it should be mandatory reading in all American schools。 Set in Warsaw， Poland， this is the story of the War A survey published in 2020 shows that 63% of young adults in American grossly underestimate the horror and magnitude of the extermination of Jews by the Nazis during WWII。 What’s even more shocking is the number of those surveyed who said they believed the Holocaust was a myth。 This book will put those doubts to rest。 A magnificently researched and well written piece of historical fiction， it should be mandatory reading in all American schools。 Set in Warsaw， Poland， this is the story of the Warsaw Uprising as told through the eyes of two teenagers， one who lived in the ghetto and took and active part in the ghetto uprising。 The other who lived outside the ghetto walls but went inside and was instrumental in secretly escorting children out of the ghetto before they could be “relocated” and face certain death at the hands of the Nazis。 Although fictionalized， the author based one of the main characters on an actual historical person who secretly and successfully removed thousands of children from the Warsaw ghetto。 A tale of cruelty， sacrifice， uprising， greed， courage， and love， the story pulls no punches。 It highlights the worst of humanity during the Nazi occupation， but also offers a glimpse into the best of humanity as it wrestles with everyday survival during the most trying of times。 Highly recommended。 Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。 I look forward to reading more from this author。 。。。more
Kelly Long
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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review。Historical fiction books about WWII are quite plentiful anymore and some are retelling of the same story that's already been told in better stories。 This book differs in that it features two teenagers， one inside the Ghetto walls and one outside the walls。 This book is very well written and really develops the characters to show the true struggles they went through。 It's hard to believe that these b Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review。Historical fiction books about WWII are quite plentiful anymore and some are retelling of the same story that's already been told in better stories。 This book differs in that it features two teenagers， one inside the Ghetto walls and one outside the walls。 This book is very well written and really develops the characters to show the true struggles they went through。 It's hard to believe that these brave people could keep any positivity about what their future held。 。。。more
Rose Henry
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Aww yes。 The Things We Cannot Say destroyed me。 This should be good。
Kelli
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Captivating is the only way to describe Kelly Rimmer’s new novel， The Warsaw Orphan。 Inspired by the real-life heroine who smuggled thousands of Jewish children to safety during WWII， this is a story of bravery， suffering and survival that will have you enthralled and heartbroken until the very end。 Elzbieta Rabinek is a young teenager living under Nazi occupation in Warsaw。 In the spring of 1942， grappling with the reality of her own wartime tragedy， she learns of the terrible plight of the fam Captivating is the only way to describe Kelly Rimmer’s new novel， The Warsaw Orphan。 Inspired by the real-life heroine who smuggled thousands of Jewish children to safety during WWII， this is a story of bravery， suffering and survival that will have you enthralled and heartbroken until the very end。 Elzbieta Rabinek is a young teenager living under Nazi occupation in Warsaw。 In the spring of 1942， grappling with the reality of her own wartime tragedy， she learns of the terrible plight of the families within the walls of the Jewish Ghetto。 She decides that she must act。 Roman Gorka is a teenager living within the walls of the ghetto， his family is starving， the stench of death and disease permeate the streets and rumours abound around the plight of the many Jews who are being forcibly shipped out of the ghetto to work for the Germans。 Roman becomes involved in the resistance， and the lives of the two teenagers become inextricably intertwined。The deep suffering and inhumane treatment of the Polish people during the war years is certainly hard to disregard， Kelly Rimmer has managed to humanise these atrocities though her skillful storytelling in The Warsaw Orphan。 I was drawn into the worlds of the people on each side of the wall， and the cruel conditions that they endured under German occupation。 Rimmer manages to take the reader there， into the thick of the lived experience。 Through the eyes of the characters， I gained a new understanding of the reality of living through this period of history and cried many tears。 A beautiful， thoughtful and well researched book that will touch the reader in a profound way。 Rimmer has immortalised these stories of bravery and resilience for future generations， we must never forget the atrocities that were endured throughout this period in history。 The Warsaw Orphan will remind you that even at the darkest times， humanity and love can triumph。 Kelly Rimmer has swiftly become one of my must-read authors。 Thank you to NetGalley， Hachette Australia and also to Kelly Rimmer - for the opportunity to read and review the advanced reader copy of this amazing book。 。。。more
Lori Case
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This story， set in the harrowing time of the holocaust， is beautifully written， meticulously researched， This is based on a true story of a heroine who saved thousands of orphans during WWII; along with what happened to a couple of close families， Nd how they connected during this tumultuous time。 I highly recommend you grab a copy after its release in late April。 # netgalley
Annie
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'The Warsaw Orphan' is a rousing， unflinching novel set during the occupation of Poland that asks readers to feel their way through one of history's darkest nights。 Through the eyes of young Emilia and Roman， we see what happens when the spirit of youth meets with the spirit of resistance。 There are horrors in this book I won't soon forget - but what right does any of us have to forget the evils committed within living memory？ I don't know if I'll ever be able to comprehend how the Holocaust hap 'The Warsaw Orphan' is a rousing， unflinching novel set during the occupation of Poland that asks readers to feel their way through one of history's darkest nights。 Through the eyes of young Emilia and Roman， we see what happens when the spirit of youth meets with the spirit of resistance。 There are horrors in this book I won't soon forget - but what right does any of us have to forget the evils committed within living memory？ I don't know if I'll ever be able to comprehend how the Holocaust happened， how anyone could let it happen， why anyone would want it to happen。。。but I think it's important to remember that it did。 And to carry the voices of the lost and traumatised forward with us。Beneath the atrocity and the tears， is the pulsing heart of this book and its message of resistance and courage。 I had no idea about the Boy Scouts and the Grey Ranks - I knew far less of the Jewish Ghetto than I realised - and I was awe-struck by the Polish people's valiant efforts to regain sovereignty over their nation。 How people found the resilience to live， love and hope under these conditions is a breath-taking testament to the human spirit。 And there is so much spirit in these pages。Whilst there are many ways to suffer， 'The Warsaw Orphan' is ultimately about the many ways there are to resist oppression - the chief of those being love。I was thoroughly moved by this book and I'd like to thank Kelly and Hachette for the advanced copy。 。。。more
Kimberly Mussell
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A heartfelt story that is deserved to be told。 Such a devastating time in history and The Warsaw Orphan is a representation of this time。 Wonderfully written。
Debbie
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This is a powerful and emotional story about the Warsaw and Ghetto uprisings。 We are witness to the cruelty and devastation of the war as well as the aftermath。 An important aspect of the novel is the desperate attempts made to free the children from the ghetto by an extraordinary display of bravery as a young Elzbieta secretly joins the force。 A romance develops between Elzbieta and Roman， a Jewish boy， determined to fight the Germans no matter what。 Pain and tragedy on all sides as the years p This is a powerful and emotional story about the Warsaw and Ghetto uprisings。 We are witness to the cruelty and devastation of the war as well as the aftermath。 An important aspect of the novel is the desperate attempts made to free the children from the ghetto by an extraordinary display of bravery as a young Elzbieta secretly joins the force。 A romance develops between Elzbieta and Roman， a Jewish boy， determined to fight the Germans no matter what。 Pain and tragedy on all sides as the years progress and the characters grow into their new lives。 a powerful and well researched novel with another aspect of this devastating war is brought to life。 #TheWarsawOrphan #KellyRimmer #NetGalley 。。。more
Beth H
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I received an advanced copy of this book。Elzbieta lives in Warsaw during 1942 and experiences the war in a very tough way。 She and her neighbor Sara become friends， and eventually she learns more about the role that Sara is playing in the war and it lights a fire in Elzbieta too。 Before long， Elzbieta is joining Sara in entering the ghetto to assist in the smuggling of the Jewish children to safety。 She connects with one family， and their older son Roman。 That connection deepens quickly but many I received an advanced copy of this book。Elzbieta lives in Warsaw during 1942 and experiences the war in a very tough way。 She and her neighbor Sara become friends， and eventually she learns more about the role that Sara is playing in the war and it lights a fire in Elzbieta too。 Before long， Elzbieta is joining Sara in entering the ghetto to assist in the smuggling of the Jewish children to safety。 She connects with one family， and their older son Roman。 That connection deepens quickly but many giant challenges are ahead of them as the war rages on。This book is tough。 The war resulted in many horrible conditions and treatment of people， and this story focuses primarily on children which can be very hard to read。 I thought it was a very well written and I was easily transported to Warsaw and the tough conditions that the characters lived in。 。。。more
Jeanne
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From the horrors of the Warsaw Ghetto， to the uprising， to the communist regime， The Warsaw Orphan delves into a horrific period of history to bring us a well-researched， well-written novel。 The book is a roller coaster of highs and lows as we read about some of the bravest acts， but also some of the most despicable。 The story does not hold back when describing what some people did to help free children from the ghetto。 Elzbieta， a fourteen-year-old who has already seen too much pain and sufferi From the horrors of the Warsaw Ghetto， to the uprising， to the communist regime， The Warsaw Orphan delves into a horrific period of history to bring us a well-researched， well-written novel。 The book is a roller coaster of highs and lows as we read about some of the bravest acts， but also some of the most despicable。 The story does not hold back when describing what some people did to help free children from the ghetto。 Elzbieta， a fourteen-year-old who has already seen too much pain and suffering， is unwavering in her determination to help the Jews caught behind the wall however she can。 Her neighbor， Sara， works as a social worker， entering the ghetto day in， day out。 Elzbieta will join her on these daily nightmares， doing what she can to help the children。 It is in one of these ghetto homes that she will meet Roman as Sara try to convince his parents to let them help save his brother and baby sister。 With an effort to transport the people in the ghetto to work camps， it is closed to outsiders， leaving Sara and Elzbieta unable to help。 However， the Jewish resistance is alive and well。 The descriptions of the Uprising and its 28-day battle is unsettling。 Poorly equipped and starving， Roman and his friends will face off against the highly trained Germans。 Throughout this novel， we will read of the pains， heartaches， suffering， despair and hope of Elzbieta and Roman。 Even when the war finally ends and the Nazi occupation is over， the suffering does not as now Poland is in the hands of the Red army。 There will be difficult decisions to be made。 Kelly Rimmer has brought us a traumatizing， heart-wrenching novel。 I received a copy of this book for an honest review。 。。。more
Julia Richardson
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Enjoyed this book！ The beginning is slow and focuses on character development， but then things really pick up。 This is a horrifying story about individuals living as Jews in a world where Jews are exterminated。 Following two teens through life as they attempt to fight back and simply survive is a very heart wrenching trip。 Well written， this book will stay with you！
Josephine Moon
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Just finished my early reader copy of the talented Kelly Rimmer’s upcoming novel ‘The Warsaw Orphan’。 This story， set in the harrowing time of the holocaust， is beautifully written， meticulously researched， and impossible to put down。 A tale of cruelty， uprising， greed， courage and sacrifice — highlighting the best and the worst humanity has to offer。 I highly recommend you grab a copy after its release in late April。
Craig / Phil
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Thank you Kelly， Rebecca and Hachette for sending us a copy to read and review。A historical fiction tale set in Warsaw during World War Two about a courageous young girl who becomes entangled in a mission to save Jewish children。1942， Warsaw and the Germans are raiding the Jewish ghettos。A girl， Elzbieta may be young but knows of all the drama and devastation going on beyond the walls of her home。One day she makes a decision that will take her into danger。Meeting the Gorka family she helps with Thank you Kelly， Rebecca and Hachette for sending us a copy to read and review。A historical fiction tale set in Warsaw during World War Two about a courageous young girl who becomes entangled in a mission to save Jewish children。1942， Warsaw and the Germans are raiding the Jewish ghettos。A girl， Elzbieta may be young but knows of all the drama and devastation going on beyond the walls of her home。One day she makes a decision that will take her into danger。Meeting the Gorka family she helps with an risky escapade that changes her life forever。She catches the eye of Roman but the incident sparks the rebel in him， making his actions affect those around him。Will their decisions decide their fate？An excellent written and thoroughly researched plot that will take your breathe away。Kelly is a articulate storyteller， one that doesn’t leave anything untouched to make it the best it can be。Captivating， powerful and definitely unforgettable with an emotional ending。Grief， loss， bravery， friendship， resilience， cruelty， kindness， are just some of the issues explored in an unimaginable period in time。Something that makes this read also heartbreaking， raw and authentic is that it’s inspired by true events， a story that will remain long after finishing。Kelly always inhabits her storyline’s with very convincing characters， fascinating dialogue and gives the reader a satisfying and memorable experience。Fans of The Things We Cannot Say may remember some familiar faces as this story has a connection to Kelly’s previous masterpiece。Relax and get ready for the adventure of being transported back in time as your arm chair travel encounter is about to begin and be wowed。 。。。more
Natalia
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