Blog Tour & Review: Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini

Title: Resistance Women

Author: Jennifer Chiaverini

Published: May 2019, William Morrow

Format: ARC Paperback, 608 pages

Source: Publisher via TLC Book Tours

Summary: 

From the New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker,
an enthralling historical saga that recreates the danger, romance, and
sacrifice of an era and brings to life one courageous, passionate
American—Mildred Fish Harnack—and her circle of women friends who waged a
clandestine battle against Hitler in Nazi Berlin.

After
Wisconsin graduate student Mildred Fish marries brilliant German
economist Arvid Harnack, she accompanies him to his German homeland,
where a promising future awaits. In the thriving intellectual culture of
1930s Berlin, the newlyweds create a rich new life filled with love,
friendships, and rewarding work—but the rise of a malevolent new
political faction inexorably changes their fate.

As Adolf Hitler
and his Nazi Party wield violence and lies to seize power, Mildred,
Arvid, and their friends resolve to resist. Mildred gathers intelligence
for her American contacts, including Martha Dodd, the vivacious and
very modern daughter of the US ambassador. Her German friends, aspiring
author Greta Kuckoff and literature student Sara Weitz, risk their lives
to collect information from journalists, military officers, and
officials within the highest levels of the Nazi regime.

For
years, Mildred’s network stealthily fights to bring down the Third Reich
from within. But when Nazi radio operatives detect an errant Russian
signal, the Harnack resistance cell is exposed, with fatal consequences.

Inspired by actual events, Resistance Women
is an enthralling, unforgettable story of ordinary people determined to
resist the rise of evil, sacrificing their own lives and liberty to
fight injustice and defend the oppressed.

My thoughts: I have long been a fan of Jennifer Chiaverini, having loved her other historical novels, including Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker, Mrs. Grant & Madame Jule and Enchantress of Numbers to name a few. Of course I jumped at the opportunity to read her latest, a book about a the roles some women took during the Nazi reign…and what a fascinating read it was!

I have been on a roll with reading fantastic historical fiction lately and this one is absolutely no exception. Despite it length, this one kept me completely absorbed in the story the entire time. Yes, it’s a slower read, as I tend to find with much of the historical fiction I read, but especially with this one, I found I wanted to take my time. There is much to digest here.

This book is based on actual women who helped fight against Hitler…and while not all the main characters are real, the majority of them were and I did not know anything about them prior to reading this book. This is why I love reading historical fiction. I feel every single time I pick up a new book in this genre I walk away having learned something new and this book just blew my mind. The lengths these women, and this group of people, known as Rote Kapelle, or Red Orchestra, went to to warn other countries about Hitler and what he was planning to do is just mind-boggling, and yet it seems all their efforts fell on deaf ears. And even knowing that, they still continued their efforts.

I liked how the book took us through the rise of Hitler coming to power and that we could see how the changes happened over time. It wasn’t overnight that everything happened, but slowly, bit by bit. We also saw how this new regime was able to sway the country to believe in Hitler and what he was saying, even though his actions were the direct opposite. It’s quite scary to believe this happened and that the general mass was so easily swayed.

This book is intense and very well-researched. It is the type of book that will stay with you long after you finish that last page. While we all know the overall story, it’s the type of book that still needs to be read because we don’t know the story of these women and their role in fighting the Nazi regime. I highly recommend adding this to you reading list, especially if you enjoy historical fiction.

***Keep an eye out for a chance to win a copy of this book later on today – I’ll have a separate giveaway post with the details up a bit later!!!

About the Author: Jennifer Chiaverini is the New York Times bestselling author
of several acclaimed historical novels and the beloved Elm Creek Quilts
series. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University
of Chicago, she lives with her husband and two sons in Madison,
Wisconsin.

Authors Links:  Website   |   Twitter   |   Facebook    |   Instagram

 

Purchase Links:   HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Be sure to check out all the other stops on the blog tour and follow the tour on Twitter (hashtags:  #TLCBookTours & #resistancewomen).