Valerie S. (VolunteerVal) -
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men [and women] to do nothing" - Edmund Burke
The Nine by Gwen Strauss is the true story of the author's great aunt Helene Podliasky who led a group of nine female resistance fighters as they escaped a Nazi labor camp and survived a nine-day journey across the front lines from Germany to Paris. These young women were "nine who didn't want to die, and who fought together to return to life." Diverse in many ways (6 were French, 2 Dutch, and 1 Spanish), they were united in their will to defeat the Nazis, help others, and survive.
The Nine is primarily focused on their capture, imprisonment, and harrowing journey to freedom, which is far from over once they reach French soil. It also includes information about the women's lives before and after WWII as well as the author's 10 years of research to identify and learn about other members of The Nine.
I appreciated the photos in the print version, and Juliet Stevenson's narration of the audiobook, especially her fluid pronunciation of many French and German words and phrases, was excellent. The audio production wasn't as polished as some I've enjoyed but that helped me stay in the non-fiction mindset.
Reading books like this always cause me to wonder if I would have the bravery to put my life at risk by joining an underground resistance movement. Thank you Gwen Strauss for sharing the experiences of your great aunt Helene and her dear friends and to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the review copies. All opinions are my own.
The Nine by Gwen Strauss is the true story of the author's great aunt Helene Podliasky who led a group of nine female resistance fighters as they escaped a Nazi labor camp and survived a nine-day journey across the front lines from Germany to Paris. These young women were "nine who didn't want to die, and who fought together to return to life." Diverse in many ways (6 were French, 2 Dutch, and 1 Spanish), they were united in their will to defeat the Nazis, help others, and survive.
The Nine is primarily focused on their capture, imprisonment, and harrowing journey to freedom, which is far from over once they reach French soil. It also includes information about the women's lives before and after WWII as well as the author's 10 years of research to identify and learn about other members of The Nine.
I appreciated the photos in the print version, and Juliet Stevenson's narration of the audiobook, especially her fluid pronunciation of many French and German words and phrases, was excellent. The audio production wasn't as polished as some I've enjoyed but that helped me stay in the non-fiction mindset.
Reading books like this always cause me to wonder if I would have the bravery to put my life at risk by joining an underground resistance movement. Thank you Gwen Strauss for sharing the experiences of your great aunt Helene and her dear friends and to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the review copies. All opinions are my own.
