The Warsaw Orphan in Aussie Readers

Apr 21, 2021 Brenda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc, historical-fiction, own-read, 2021-release, 5000-2021, net-galley, aussie-authors, read-on-kindle

It was 1942 and Elzbieta Rabinek was fourteen, living outside the Ghetto walls in Warsaw and unaware of the horrors that those walls contained. Sara, a nurse who was working in the city, lived in the apartment above Elzbieta and her parents and when one night she heard a commotion coming from above, Elzbieta investigated. What she found and later heard from Sara, changed her thinking and set her on a dangerous and incredibly courageous journey.

Thousands of Jews with little food, clothing or com ...more

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Apr 22, 2021 Helen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: review-copy-from-publisher

Kelly Rimmer takes her readers back to an occupied Poland, it is 1942 where we meet a young teenager, Elzbieta Rabinek things are heart-wrenching in Warsaw but nowhere near as bad as behind the wall of the ghetto. Elzbieta has seen things that no one should ever see and keeps a secret but she shows courage and strength as she befriends her neighbour a nurse Sara, together they do what they can to help in a dangerous situation.

Elzbieta becomes Sara鈥檚 apprentice so she can get behind the wall and Kelly Rimmer takes her readers back to an occupied Poland, it is 1942 where we meet a young teenager, Elzbieta Rabinek things are heart-wrenching in Warsaw but nowhere near as bad as behind the wall of the ghetto. Elzbieta has seen things that no one should ever see and keeps a secret but she shows courage and strength as she befriends her neighbour a nurse Sara, together they do what they can to help in a dangerous situation.

Elzbieta becomes Sara鈥檚 apprentice so she can get behind the wall and help with placing Jewish children into new homes and orphanages, during this time she meets a young man Roman Gorka while trying to help out his family, she clicks with Roman instantly she can see the strength and the will to fight for a better life for his family and friends and soon they are friends as well but war and rebellion get in the way.

Life is not easy for Elzbieta and her family and the rebellion behind the wall sees them fleeing to Lodz and trying to do what they can to survive, there is danger everywhere not only from the Germans but the Russian army as well. Elzbieta鈥檚 life changes so much and they move back to Warsaw to find Sara and Roman but will Roman鈥檚 anger and frustration cause more danger?

This is a compelling, poignant and very emotional story, so beautifully written it takes in the plight of the Polish people who went through so much and it shows the strength and resilience of Elzbieta, her parents Roman and Sara the heart-breaking things they saw and the thing they had to do to survive. There were many tears from me and cheering as well I wanted them to achieve so much and they did well through some very dangerous and desperate situations

Out of the cruelty of war and the heart-break it causes can hope and a future of love and happiness be found, when there is love and friendship and support there is always hope. I loved this story so much, Kelly Rimmer you have done it again another awesome story one that is not to be missed, and this one will stay with me for a long time to come, thank you.

My thanks to Hachette AUS for my copy to read and review.
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Jun 03, 2021 Janine rated it really liked it

The Warsaw Orphan is a companion book of Kelly's new york times best seller The Things we Cannot Say and tells the story of 14 year old Emilia who is in Poland with her adoptive parents Truda and Mateusz, she is now known as Elzbieta as her true identity could prove dangerous for her. It is also the story of Roman who lives there with his family.

Elzbieta develops a friendship with Sara who also lives in the same building and is a nurse and although she is older than her they develop quite a bond ...more

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Mar 20, 2021 Annie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, tear-jerkers, aussie-authors, authors-i-have-interviewed, read-2021

'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 ...more

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