The Winter Orphans

The Winter Orphans

Kristen Beck

Publication date: September 13, 2022 by Berkley Books

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: 5  👢👢👢👢👢

Summary: In a remote corner of France, Jewish refugee Ella Rosenthal has finally reached safety. 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. 

My Thoughts: Sometimes it is hard to define the feelings you have experienced upon finishing a book. I am not referring to the difference between liking or not liking the book. I'm talking about how to express the intensity of emotions one felt while reading the book. This book touched my soul. 

There have been dozens of books written about WWII. Recent books have even touched upon the enormous sacrifices of both men and women who assisted Jewish children escape the Nazis. Beck wrote a beautifully moving story that incorporated multiple perspectives. Not only do readers get to learn about the brave and courageous women of the Swiss Red Cross operating in occupied France, but they also get to experience the unfathomable choices that children had to make in order to survive. 

Nothing was guaranteed in their lives. Security, safety, love, freedom: these were things that Jewish children could not endeavor to believe that they would ever have again. Hope would blossom from mere kernels. Could the courage to sacrifice one thing bring peace and comfort? Through the characters of Ella, Isaac, and Hannah, Beck provided a glimpse into the choices and sacrifices that mere children had to make for their very survival. 

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an early copy  of this title.