Thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources and Boldwood Books for the gifted ebook to join the tour with my honest review today.
1939, Poland. An extraordinary young woman vows revenge on the Nazis after her family are murdered…
Ania hears the explosion of gunshots before she sees the Nazi soldiers approach her beloved home. Her family don’t have time to run, but she does. Hiding nearby, she listens to her sister’s screams and – stroking the red ribbon she keeps tied around her wrist – she begins to plot her revenge…
Taunted her whole life for being smarter than anyone else in the village, now living in war-torn Poland, being governed by Nazis who think Poles are subhuman and women only good for one thing… Ania now only has her wits to rely on, if she’s going to survive.
But then she comes across a group of misfits all rejected by the resistance movement for bringing too much risk with them – a scarred Jewish man, a madwoman, a gypsy, and a quiet, handsome Russian soldier. And Ania realizes she alone has the power to unite them.
Together, they will destroy each and every one of the people who took everything from her.
The Nazis have no idea what – or who – they are up against. And they’re about to discover that no one should cross a woman who has nothing to lose…
Inspired by an incredible true story from the author’s own family, comes an absolutely gripping story about courage and sacrifice in the darkest days of war.
There is nothing better than historical fiction that’s based on a true story. When that true story is one that is based on the authors own family history. THAT is the cherry on the top.
Carly Schabowski has written enough historical fiction for me to know the quality of her novels. This book was a no-brainer for me.
Her World War 2 stories always have me armchair travelling back in time. The Girl With The Red Ribbon is set in Poland ,1939. It tells the tale of Ania, who has just escaped the family home before the Nazis arrive. While hiding, she hears her sister’s screams. Ania plays with the red ribbon she wears around her wrist and plots her revenge.
The characters are always multi dimensional in this author’s books. It’s a rare moment when I’m not getting my heart squeezed. Her characters come alive and feel so real constantly. Ania is a woman who shows so much bravery and courage throughout. She is labelled as mad because she has, what we now, as ASD. She becomes part of a group of ‘outsiders’. All members have differences in one way or another, so they haven’t been accepted by the society of the time.
I felt for everyone as the story developed and couldn’t help but be in awe of them all. Surviving together in the woods of Poland whole all around them, people were being murdered or taken away by the Nazi regime. It’s such a touching story for me. It didn’t take too much of a stretch to put my ASD son, who is also transgender in the type of situation this group found them themselves in!
To me, historical fiction is written to entertain, but I also feel I have been educated too. This is one of those stories. Tackling the marginalised in 1939 is not a run of the mill book. Not for me anyway! A highly recommended read, I am looking forward to her next book now.
Purchase Link https://mybook.to/girlredribbonsocial
Author Bio
Carly is the USA Today bestseller of historical fiction novels The Ringmaster’s Daughter, The Watchmaker of Dachau, The Rainbow, The Note, All the Courage We Have Found, The Secret She Kept, The Postcard, The Winter Child, The Girl with the Red Ribbon, and the novella, It is something to have been.
Social Media Links
Facebook @carly.schabowski
Twitter @carlyschab11
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Bookbub profile https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carly-schabowski
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