The Dutch Orphan by Ellen Keith

From the author of The Dutch Wife comes a riveting novel set during World War II about a woman who offers shelter to a Jewish baby, and her sister, who must choose between family loyalty and her own safety.

Amsterdam, 1942. When the Nazis invade Amsterdam, singer Johanna Vos watches in horror as the vibrant music scene she loves is all but erased, her Jewish friends forbidden from performing with her onstage. Alongside her friend Jakob, Johanna creates the Artists’ Resistance, an underground network allowing Jews to perform at houses hosted by their allies. When Johanna hears of a Jewish orphan headed for deportation, she does not think twice. She takes the baby in as her own, hiding the truth from even her own sister, Liesbeth.

Meanwhile, Liesbeth finds herself in a dilemma, as she knows of her sister’s staunch support for the Resistance, but her husband supports the Nazis. When a charming member of the Dutch Fascist Party sets his eyes on her, her predicament only deepens. As secrets continue to grow between the sisters, severing their once-unbreakable bond, they are both forced to make choices that will alter their lives forever.

Kindle Edition, 352 pages

Expected publication April 18, 2023

April 18, 2023 by Park Row

4/5 stars

This was one of my highly anticipated books of 2023. As someone who has read many WW2 books I was drawn to this particlar book because of the location, blurb and that cover.

The story follows two sisters who are newly married and dealing with the war in vastly different ways. One sister joins the resistance, while the other is married to a Nazi sympathizer. This story explores how the war affected those living in the Netherlands, a location that is not often explored in WW2 fiction.

The Dutch Orphan is a story of family, endurance and heartache. Since it spans throughout the whole years of  the war there is also reconciliation. It is a well written story that was authentic and showed what the dutch endured and also their strength and determination, loyalty and courage.

Released just yesterday it’s a book I recommend not just for lovers of HF.

My thanks to Park Row Books (via NetGalley) for a digital arc in exchange for honest review.

Review/Giveaway: The Dutch Wife by Ellen Keith

Amsterdam, May 1943. As the tulips bloom and the Nazis tighten their grip across the city, the last signs of Dutch resistance are being swept away. Marijke de Graaf and her husband are arrested and deported to different concentration camps in Germany. Marijke is given a terrible choice: to suffer a slow death in the labour camp or—for a chance at survival—to join the camp brothel.

 On the other side of the barbed wire, SS officer Karl Müller arrives at the camp hoping to live up to his father’s expectations of wartime glory. But faced with a brutal routine of overseeing executions and punishments, he longs for an escape. When he encounters the newly arrived Marijke, this meeting changes their lives forever.

 Woven into the narrative across space and time is Luciano Wagner’s ordeal in 1977 Buenos Aires, during the heat of the Argentine Dirty War. In his struggle to endure military captivity, he searches for ways to resist from a prison cell he may never leave.

 From the Netherlands to Germany to Argentina, The Dutch Wife braids together the stories of three individuals who share a dark secret and are entangled in two of the most oppressive reigns of terror in modern history. This is a novel about the blurred lines between love and lust, abuse and resistance, and right and wrong, as well as the capacity for ordinary people to persevere and do the unthinkable in extraordinary circumstances.

Kindle ebook, 384 pages

Published April 24th 2018

by Patrick Crean Editions

*****

As one who is always on the lookout for HF pertaining to the Netherlands the title and cover is what drew me to The Dutch Wife. It’s also Ellen Keith’s debut - how exciting is that! Only a small percentage of this book takes place in Holland but it’s enough for me, I didn’t totally expect to feel such an emotional connection to Marijke, really it should have been her husband Theo. You see back in 1943 my dad was taken from Holland to a Labour Camp in Germany, my parents never talked of the war years which is one of the reasons I am drawn to this genre.

The author has really done her homework here, the amount of research was evident. She didn’t hold back and some might find some of the details overwhelming. She told of the conditions in these camps vividly, no matter how dark and heartbreaking. For me there was a lot of learning that took place and though the characters are fictional what took place both in Germany and Argentina were based on fact.  I was not aware of what took place in the ‘70's in Argentina and that was a real eye opener. This book is told from 3 different POV’s with the added bonus of 2 being male - that doesn’t happen often and it’s refreshing for a change.

The Dutch Wife is a powerful, well written story of survival, secrets and heartache. It’s one of those that will stay with me for a long time.

Last month I had the privilege of attending an author event at Harper Collins Canada with Ellen Keith and have a signed copy of The Dutch Wife to give to a lucky reader (thank you Harper Collins)

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