Lilac Girls Summary
Lilac Girls, written by Martha Hall Kelly, is a powerful and moving historical fiction novel that tells the story of three women during World War II: Caroline Ferriday, a socialite and philanthropist from New York; Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp; and Herta Oberheuser, a German doctor who worked at the camp.
The audiobook version of Lilac Girls, narrated by Cassandra Campbell, Kathleen Gati, and Kathrin Kana, is a haunting and immersive experience. The three narrators bring the characters to life with their emotive performances, making it easy to connect with their struggles and triumphs.
The story is told through the perspectives of Caroline, Kasia, and Herta, and switches between their stories throughout the novel. Caroline works to help French children affected by the war, while Kasia and her family are arrested by the Gestapo and sent to Ravensbrück. Herta is recruited to work at the camp and becomes complicit in the atrocities committed there.
Kelly's writing is both heart-wrenching and thought-provoking, exploring important themes such as the power of resilience, the impact of trauma, and the strength of the human spirit. The novel sheds light on the experiences of women during World War II and the horrors of concentration camps.
