Daughters of War

Daughters of War is the first book in a new trilogy by Dinah Jefferies. Three sisters: Hélène , Elise and Florence are living together in war torn France near the end of WW2. Under German occupation life in France is full of uncertainty, terror and danger. Hélène, the eldest, has taken on the full responsibility of looking after her sisters, having lived in France for seven years on their own. After their father passed away and their mother decided to stay in England the sisters have learned to survive and thrive in France. Hélène, working as a nurse, Elise, setting up her own cafe where she helps the Resistance and Florence, growing their own produce to feed their family.

Jefferies writes with such beauty and passion. Her characters are realistic and very likeable making it easy to become fully involved in their lives. I was captured by the sister's differing personalities and found I could relate to each one of them. Their fight for survival and for one another is heartwarming but added to this is their maternal, humanistic nature that offers care for those around them, including that of strangers, which puts them at great risk. Jefferies' portrays the brutality of war very skilfully, outlining the impact it has on communities and individuals, as well as the courage and determination people endured.

Daughters of War is an emotive family drama which sends you on a roller-coaster of emotions. There are graphic scenes of rape and murder which sit alongside the beauty of friendship and the power of love. A multi-layered plot which was hard to predict and Jefferies' brilliant storytelling makes this not only a compelling read but one that is completely captivating. A fantastic start to the series. I'm very intrigued to see what happens in book number two.