Synopsis – The Orphan List
Munich, 1943. My heart breaks as I watch the smug couple carry the tiny bundle into their sinister black limousine. Carefully I write the baby’s name into my secret notebook. No matter the danger, I will do everything I can to reunite him with his mother…
As the darkest shadows of the war spread, nurse Margarete Weiss is sent away to work in a mother and baby home in a beautiful corner of the German countryside. As she approaches the fairy-tale castle with manicured grounds and fair-haired young women laughing in the sunshine, she imagines she will be helping to create a haven for young German mothers to have their children. But when she discovers what is really going on inside the castle walls, she knows she needs to do whatever she can to put a stop to the horror she witnesses, even if it means risking her own life…
Italy, 2005. 90-year-old Margarete sits in her chair in her care home, her hands trembling as she looks into the face of the young reporter, Kristel, sitting in front of her. Kristel’s bright blue eyes and intelligent smile are so familiar, and as Kristel explains she is here to talk to her about the children taken from their mothers during the war, Margarete knows her faded blue notebook with its list of names might hold the answers that Kristel needs.
But as Margarete shares the names with Kristel, her heart beats fast inside her chest. She knows that sharing the truth about those terrible days is the right thing to do, but it also shines a spotlight on her own painful secrets. The notebook will provide Kristel and Margarete with answers… But at what price? And can the two women help each other find the peace they so badly need?
An absolutely heart-breaking and page-turning WW2 novel of one woman’s courage in a time of unimaginable darkness. Fans of The Alice Network, Before We Were Yours and The Nightingale will get lost in the pages of this incredible story.
Author Bio
Ann Bennett is the author of several historical novels about the second world war in South East Asia, inspired by her father’s experience as a prisoner of the Japanese on the Thai-Burma railway. She has a Law degree and works full time as a lawyer, but is fascinated by India and South East Asia. Since her early twenties she has spent as much time as possible travelling in the region. She’s married with three sons and lives in Surrey.
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My Review
The Orphan List by Ann Bennett
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Orphan List is an interesting and sometimes heartbreaking account of a horrible eugenics program in Nazi Germany during World War II. The story is told in two timelines – going between present day and the war. You hear from three points of view and it definitely had me interested in seeing how the three stories would eventually intersect.
The story though interesting initially started slow for me. However, it did eventually get to a point where I didn’t put the book down until it was finished. This is the first book in a series and though this book is a standalone there is still lots left for the author to explore in a sequel.
One of the reasons I love historical fiction is that I love learning about new things. I had never heard of the Lebensborn program and was saddened by what I learned first from reading this story and then by doing some additional research. The author did a good job portraying the horrors of this issue.
Overall, The Orphan List is a well-done historical fiction novel about an awful Nazi program in Germany during WWII. If you are a fan of historical fiction you should definitely add this one to your list.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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