Hi everyone! Today’s Sunday Spotlight is for the Band of Sisters by Lauren Willig. This book is about the often complex relationships between women and is set in France during WW I. What attracted me most to this book was the Publisher’s description which calls it a mixture of Call the Midwife and The Alice Network. I’ll be listening to the audiobook version of this story. Band of Sisters is in the General Fiction, Historical Fiction and Women’s Fiction genres which are some of my favourites so I’m hoping this book will be a good for me.
The Publisher notes:
“A scholarship girl from Brooklyn, Kate Moran thought she found a place among Smith’s Mayflower descendants, only to have her illusions dashed the summer after graduation. When charismatic alumna Betsy Rutherford delivers a rousing speech at the Smith College Club in April of 1917, looking for volunteers to help French civilians decimated by the German war machine, Kate is too busy earning her living to even think of taking up the call. But when her former best friend Emmeline Van Alden reaches out and begs her to take the place of a girl who had to drop out, Kate reluctantly agrees to join the new Smith College Relief Unit.
Four months later, Kate and seventeen other Smithies, including two trailblazing female doctors, set sail for France. The volunteers are armed with money, supplies, and good intentions—all of which immediately go astray. The chateau that was to be their headquarters is a half-burnt ruin. The villagers they meet are in desperate straits: women and children huddling in damp cellars, their crops destroyed and their wells poisoned.
Despite constant shelling from the Germans, French bureaucracy, and the threat of being ousted by the British army, the Smith volunteers bring welcome aid—and hope—to the region. But can they survive their own differences? As they cope with the hardships and terrors of the war, Kate and her colleagues find themselves navigating old rivalries and new betrayals which threaten the very existence of the Unit.
With the Germans threatening to break through the lines, can the Smith Unit pull together and be truly a band of sisters? “
Final Thoughts
As those of you who follow my blog will know, I love a story with strong female characters and this one has it in spades. At the time of writing, Goodreads has 129 reviews with an impressive average of 4.38 stars for this book. This is my first book from this author, and one I’m looking forward to reading and reviewing it for its March 2 Publication date.
Add Band of Sisters to your Goodreads shelf
Thanks for reading! I hope you have a great day.
Jodie
Virginia
Wow…it sounds like an interesting book that I could read.
thathappyreader
Thanks Virginia!
Retirestyle Travel
Sounds like an exciting adventure overseas. Audiobooks are great, aren't they?
thathappyreader
Yes I love audiobooks! Thanks for your comment!
Graham Crosby
Sounds good. You might just have found me a birthday present for my mam. This sounds right up her street!
thathappyreader
That’s great! I’m glad I could help!
Katie Harding
Can't wait to read the full review, because this sounds great!
Katie | katieemmabeauty.com
thathappyreader
Thanks Katie!
Sophie | Love and Literature
This sounds really good! I love historical fiction, so this book sounds right up my street! x
Sophie | https://www.loveandliterature.co.uk
thathappyreader
That’s great Sophie! Thanks for your comment!
Nancy
Band of Sisters sounds like an interesting book. Pretty cool to read about different perspectives during important times. Or at least, a storyline. We always see what's going on in the war upfront, but not often in the other roles. Thanks for sharing about this book!
Nancy ✨ mdrnminimalists.com
thathappyreader
Thanks Nancy!