The Women in the Castle. Jessica Shattuck. William Marrow. March 2017. 356 pages. Source: Audio library
First sentence: The day of the countess's famous harvest party began with a driving rain that hammered down on all the ancient von Lingenfels castle's sore spots - springing leaks, dampening floors, and turning its yellow facad a slick, beetle-like black.
Plot: Set at the end of World War II, in a crumbling Bavarian castle that once played host to all of German high society, a powerful and propulsive story of three widows whose lives and fates become intertwined.
Amid the ashes of Nazi Germany’s defeat, Marianne von Lingenfels returns to the once grand castle of her husband’s ancestors, an imposing stone fortress now fallen into ruin following years of war. The widow of a resistor murdered in the failed July, 20, 1944, plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Marianne plans to uphold the promise she made to her husband’s brave conspirators: to find and protect their wives, her fellow resistance widows. (Goodreads)
My thoughts: After reading some reviews on this one I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! If you like World War II stories you are going to love this one!
The story travels back and forth in time from pre-war to post-war. There is very little coverage of during the war. But we know all too well the horrible things that occured during that time. After the war three widowed women live in the castle owned by Marianne along with their children for a short time.
After the war the story goes on to tell the background of each woman and how she came to be where she is. Then it moves to present day. The women are in their 80's. They are being invited back to Germany to the Castle for a dedication of a book about Marianne and her efforts for the resistance.
This story reminded me of The Nighingale by Kristin Hannah. Not exactly how they worked through the war but how they were invited back to their home land to be honored.
It was a good story and considering the content I enjoyed it.
The story travels back and forth in time from pre-war to post-war. There is very little coverage of during the war. But we know all too well the horrible things that occured during that time. After the war three widowed women live in the castle owned by Marianne along with their children for a short time.
After the war the story goes on to tell the background of each woman and how she came to be where she is. Then it moves to present day. The women are in their 80's. They are being invited back to Germany to the Castle for a dedication of a book about Marianne and her efforts for the resistance.
This story reminded me of The Nighingale by Kristin Hannah. Not exactly how they worked through the war but how they were invited back to their home land to be honored.
It was a good story and considering the content I enjoyed it.
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