The Polish Girl

More than anything else, this is a story about a mother and daughter's complicated relationship. Trying to survive World War II doesn't make matters any easier for them, and though central to the plot, the heart was Danusha and Anna.

The story is told from Danusha's POV. There is some level of disconnect given her age which made warming up to her difficult. Nevertheless, her story comes across with emotion during this terrible time in the world. Though her mother is far from likable, she does what she needs to for her children and expresses her love in her own strange way. Unfortunately, her favor is toward her son rather than her daughter — something evident to both children. Danusha must come to terms with her mother's favoritism at a young age. She carries the wounds as she grows.

The book is based on a true story and a real person which adds to the emotion of the book. In that respect, the book was terrific. However, as I mentioned already, it was written in a way that isn't flattering to Danusha's character though my heart absolutely broke for her. The pacing was also inconsistent and had the tendency to drop off and not pick up again. All this aside, I say it's worth the read. It's an interesting perspective on the war.

A huge thanks to Harper360 for sending me a free copy of the book to read and review.