The Winter Orphans
Book Feature - The Winter Orphans by Kristin Beck
HBL Note: Ashley’s checklist of favorite historical fiction attributes:
Based on a true story? Check.
Features strong women? Check.
Compared to some of my favorite authors (Pam Jenoff, Lisa Wingate, and Kate Quinn)? Check.
Set during WWII? Check. (Okay, I know there are a lot of books set in WWII, but I studied this time period for my dissertation so I have a particular love for it.)
From the author of Courage, My Love, which received praise from a variety of media outlets including AARP, Parade, Publishers Weekly, BookTrib, Booklist, THE WINTER ORPHANS is Kristin Beck’s sophomore novel. She’s come to be known for her “knack for writing emotionally gripping novels about women and children.” This story is no exception. It follows Rösli Näf and Anne-Marie Pigue, two Swiss volunteers who protected over a hundred Jewish orphans in a derelict castle in France.
“A poignant story of courage and sacrifice, The Winter Orphans is another extraordinary novel by Kristin Beck. Based on the powerful true story of the Jewish children who escaped France during the Nazi-occupation and the Red Cross workers who fought to bring them to safety, Beck’s novel is an emotional and resonant page-turner. A beautiful book!” —Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of Our Last Days in Barcelona
Book Feature - The Winter Orphans by Kristin Beck
Book Feature - The Winter Orphans by Kristin Beck
From the publisher:
In a remote corner of France, Jewish refugee Ella Rosenthal has finally found a safe haven. It has been three years since she and her little sister, Hanni, left their parents to flee Nazi Germany, and they have been pursued and adrift in the chaos of war ever since. Now, they shelter among one hundred other young refugees in a derelict castle overseen by the Swiss Red Cross.
Swiss volunteers Rösli Näf and Anne-Marie Piguet uphold a common mission: to protect children in peril. Rösli, a stubborn and resourceful nurse, directs the colony of Château de la Hille, and has created a thriving community against all odds. Anne-Marie, raised by Swiss foresters, becomes both caretaker and friend to the children, and she vows to do whatever is necessary to keep them safe.
However, when Germany invades southern France, safeguarding Jewish refugees becomes impossible. Château de la Hille faces unrelenting danger, and Rösli and Anne-Marie realize that the only way to protect the eldest of their charges is to smuggle them out of France. Relying on Rösli's fierce will and Anne-Marie's knowledge of secret mountain paths, they plot escape routes through vast Nazi-occupied territory to the distant border. Amid staggering risk, Ella and Hanni embark on a journey that, if successful, could change the course of their lives and grant them a future.
