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The Goddess of Warsaw
USA TODAY
BESTSELLER
“Utterly gripping. . . a transformative and immersive story so powerful and captivating that I could not put it down. . . . Truly one of the best books I’ve read.”—Liv Constantine, bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish
“Lisa Barr's new historical fiction, The Goddess of Warsaw , gifts the reader with jaw-dropping moments worthy of a Tarantino film, a story that could not be more timely, and a heroine whose ferocity and valor knows no bounds.”—Natalie Jenner, author of the instant international bestseller The Jane Austen Society
The Goddess Of Warsaw is an enthralling tale of a legendary Hollywood screen goddess with a dark secret about her life in the Warsaw Ghetto. When the famous actress is threatened by someone from her past, she must put her skills into play to protect herself, her illustrious career, and those she loves, then and now.
Los Angeles, 2005. Sienna Hayes, Hollywood’s latest It Girl, has ambitions to work behind the camera. When she meets Lena Browning, the enormously mysterious and famous Golden Age movie star, Sienna sees her big break. She wants to direct a picture about Lena’s life—but the legendary actor’s murky past turns out to be even darker than Sienna dreamed. Before she was a Living Legend, Lena Browning was Bina Blonski, a Polish Jew whose life and family were destroyed by the Nazis.
Warsaw, 1943. A member of the city’s Jewish elite, Bina Blonski and her husband, Jakub, are imprisoned in the ghastly, cramped ghetto along with the rest of Warsaw’s surviving Jews. Determined to fight back against the brutal Nazis, the beautiful, blonde Aryan-looking Bina becomes a spy, gaining information and stealing weapons outside the ghetto to protect her fellow Jews. But her dangerous circumstances grow complicated when she falls in love with Aleksander, an ally in resistance—and Jakub’s brother. While Lena accomplishes amazing feats of bravery, she sacrifices much in the process.
Over a decade after escaping the horrors of the ghetto, Bina, now known as Lena, rises to fame in Hollywood. Yet she cannot help but be reminded of her old life and hungers for revenge against the Nazis who escaped justice after the war. Her power and fame as a movie star offer Lena the chance to right the past’s wrongs . . . and perhaps even find the happy ending she never had.
A gripping work of one of history’s most heroic uprisings and an actress whose personal war never ends, The Goddess Of Warsaw is filled with secrets, lies, twists and turns, and a burning pursuit of justice no matter the cost.
“Utterly gripping. . . a transformative and immersive story so powerful and captivating that I could not put it down. . . . Truly one of the best books I’ve read.”—Liv Constantine, bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish
“Lisa Barr's new historical fiction, The Goddess of Warsaw , gifts the reader with jaw-dropping moments worthy of a Tarantino film, a story that could not be more timely, and a heroine whose ferocity and valor knows no bounds.”—Natalie Jenner, author of the instant international bestseller The Jane Austen Society
The Goddess Of Warsaw is an enthralling tale of a legendary Hollywood screen goddess with a dark secret about her life in the Warsaw Ghetto. When the famous actress is threatened by someone from her past, she must put her skills into play to protect herself, her illustrious career, and those she loves, then and now.
Los Angeles, 2005. Sienna Hayes, Hollywood’s latest It Girl, has ambitions to work behind the camera. When she meets Lena Browning, the enormously mysterious and famous Golden Age movie star, Sienna sees her big break. She wants to direct a picture about Lena’s life—but the legendary actor’s murky past turns out to be even darker than Sienna dreamed. Before she was a Living Legend, Lena Browning was Bina Blonski, a Polish Jew whose life and family were destroyed by the Nazis.
Warsaw, 1943. A member of the city’s Jewish elite, Bina Blonski and her husband, Jakub, are imprisoned in the ghastly, cramped ghetto along with the rest of Warsaw’s surviving Jews. Determined to fight back against the brutal Nazis, the beautiful, blonde Aryan-looking Bina becomes a spy, gaining information and stealing weapons outside the ghetto to protect her fellow Jews. But her dangerous circumstances grow complicated when she falls in love with Aleksander, an ally in resistance—and Jakub’s brother. While Lena accomplishes amazing feats of bravery, she sacrifices much in the process.
Over a decade after escaping the horrors of the ghetto, Bina, now known as Lena, rises to fame in Hollywood. Yet she cannot help but be reminded of her old life and hungers for revenge against the Nazis who escaped justice after the war. Her power and fame as a movie star offer Lena the chance to right the past’s wrongs . . . and perhaps even find the happy ending she never had.
A gripping work of one of history’s most heroic uprisings and an actress whose personal war never ends, The Goddess Of Warsaw is filled with secrets, lies, twists and turns, and a burning pursuit of justice no matter the cost.
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First published May 21, 2024
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About the author
Lisa Barr
6 books1,179 followersLisa Barr is the New York Times bestselling author of WOMAN ON FIRE, THE UNBREAKABLES and the award-winning FUGITIVE COLORS. Her new historical thriller, THE GODDESS OF WARSAW debuts on May 28th, 2024. In addition, Lisa served as an editor for The Jerusalem Post, managing editor of Today's Chicago Woman, managing editor of Moment magazine, and as an editor/reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times. Among the highlights of her career, Lisa covered the famous “handshake” between the late Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, the late PLO leader Yasser Arafat, and President Bill Clinton at the White House. Lisa has been featured on Good Morning America and Today for her work as an author, journalist, and blogger. In exciting book news: Actress Sharon Stone has optioned rights to adapt WOMAN ON FIRE for film.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,750 reviews
June 9, 2025
I had high hopes for this, seeing as it has such a high goodreads rating and the average on NetGalley is 5 stars. However, I suppose I'm in the minority. I've seen other people explaining the various reasons why this one was not a winner, so I'm not going to reiterate it too much, but here are my qualms with The Goddess of Warsaw (I DNF'd around 35%)
First, I don't love that Lisa Barr is elevating Bina to "goddess" status with this title, personally. It feels like it's just another attempt to dramatize the story, which is already done PLENTY in the prose itself. This book is SO OVER THE TOP! The Holocaust was monstrous even without the additions that Barr is making. I'm a trained historian, I very much appreciate when fiction authors properly represent the atmosphere of the time period they're writing about. BUT! Every single strife and hardship falls upon Bina and her family that could possibly happen--I understand that fiction tends to have some coincidences for the sake of driving the plot, but what I read in this novel was even more than I expected.
Bina's lust over her brother-in-law is honestly kinda gross to me. Even if he wasn't her husband's brother, the narration of her desire for him is A LOT and just made me feel icky regardless lol. Then, the other kind of lust present here: blood lust. So much of it. SO MUCH. I didn't even get very far into this book and it was inundated with killings of various kinds. There are better ways to portray these occurrences that aren't so insanely dramatic. Bina also ended up with a very important role in the resistance without really much vetting at all? That is SO unrealistic and left me feeling like I got whiplash lol--like, wait, how did we get here? To start, she barges into the room and demands a place in the resistance, so the lady in charge is like: "oh, okay cool. Here you go, have this super important mission even though you have no tactical background and your feelings for your brother-in-law who is standing across the room are evident enough that I'm noticing them, but I trust them not to affect your performance." I'm sorry, what??
Anyways, I'm happy for the people who liked this book, but I was definitely not one of them. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC.
***DISCLAIMER: I didn't expect my review to end up so high on the review list of this book, but seeing as it has and other reviewers are commenting their agreements, I'm not the only one who didn't like this. To all of you who loved this book, I truly LOVE that for you! I didn't. I understand that the explanation of the title comes later in the book and I didn't get there, but I won't be editing my review further than adding this note because my opinion of the book, the title, and the plot hasn't changed one bit since reading the comments of people upset with me for not liking it and sharing my thoughts lol but thanks for all the interactions and moving this review higher up on the book's page! 🤭
First, I don't love that Lisa Barr is elevating Bina to "goddess" status with this title, personally. It feels like it's just another attempt to dramatize the story, which is already done PLENTY in the prose itself. This book is SO OVER THE TOP! The Holocaust was monstrous even without the additions that Barr is making. I'm a trained historian, I very much appreciate when fiction authors properly represent the atmosphere of the time period they're writing about. BUT! Every single strife and hardship falls upon Bina and her family that could possibly happen--I understand that fiction tends to have some coincidences for the sake of driving the plot, but what I read in this novel was even more than I expected.
Bina's lust over her brother-in-law is honestly kinda gross to me. Even if he wasn't her husband's brother, the narration of her desire for him is A LOT and just made me feel icky regardless lol. Then, the other kind of lust present here: blood lust. So much of it. SO MUCH. I didn't even get very far into this book and it was inundated with killings of various kinds. There are better ways to portray these occurrences that aren't so insanely dramatic. Bina also ended up with a very important role in the resistance without really much vetting at all? That is SO unrealistic and left me feeling like I got whiplash lol--like, wait, how did we get here? To start, she barges into the room and demands a place in the resistance, so the lady in charge is like: "oh, okay cool. Here you go, have this super important mission even though you have no tactical background and your feelings for your brother-in-law who is standing across the room are evident enough that I'm noticing them, but I trust them not to affect your performance." I'm sorry, what??
Anyways, I'm happy for the people who liked this book, but I was definitely not one of them. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the ARC.
***DISCLAIMER: I didn't expect my review to end up so high on the review list of this book, but seeing as it has and other reviewers are commenting their agreements, I'm not the only one who didn't like this. To all of you who loved this book, I truly LOVE that for you! I didn't. I understand that the explanation of the title comes later in the book and I didn't get there, but I won't be editing my review further than adding this note because my opinion of the book, the title, and the plot hasn't changed one bit since reading the comments of people upset with me for not liking it and sharing my thoughts lol but thanks for all the interactions and moving this review higher up on the book's page! 🤭
January 13, 2025
Take a look at any bestseller list and it seems that the reading public has an endless appetite for WWII stories. Me, not so much…particularly when it comes to the Holocaust. I can only handle one, maybe two a year, and I sure didn’t plan on kicking off 2025 with one.
But, wow, what a way to start off the new year: with a five-star read!
The Goddess of Warsaw by Lisa Barr is told from a dual-timeline perspective, alternating between 2005 and 1943, as an 85-year-old Hollywood film legend tells her (hidden) life story to actress and aspiring director, Sienna Hayes.
Bina Blonski is a young female Jewish actress whose family and privileged life in Poland were destroyed by the Nazis. Forced into the Warsaw ghetto in 1943 with her husband Jakub, Bina — with her blonde hair and blue eyes — survives the Holocaust by using her brains and beauty, acting as a smuggler and spy for the Jewish resistance effort.
Barr’s vivid and raw descriptions of living conditions in the Warsaw Ghetto in WWII Poland will make your toes curl.
After the war, Bina flees to Hollywood and reinvents herself as Lena Browning, an acclaimed actress whose personal war never quite ends.
Barr, the daughter and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, skillfully weaves in historical facts throughout the novel.
A perfect combo of great fiction and historical truth, The Goddess of Warsaw is an unputdownable page-turner. This one serves up the whole enchilada: history, suspense, betrayal, revenge, romance, secrets, and sacrifice.
Suspenseful to the very end, it’s an unforgettable tribute to those courageous enough to stand up against hate and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
May 19, 2024
Lena Browning is one of Hollywood leading ladies and in 2005 she’s visited by up and coming movie star Sienna Hayes, who wants to direct and star in a movie about her idols life. Lena is eighty-five years old, she wants to tell Sienna her real story and who she once was.
Bina Blonski is a wealthy Jewish actress, in 1943, she and her husband Jakub were imprisoned in the Warsaw Ghetto and with his brother Aleksander, Bina's father had been killed and her mother and younger sister had been sent to Treblinka.
Bina is blond and she’s able to pass as an Aryan woman and this gives her an advantage. She’s determined to survive, she does whatever it takes, and smuggles in food and medicine into the Ghetto and later becomes a member of the resistance and an unlikely assassin.
Bina makes it to the United States and becomes a star, she can never forgot what the Germans did to her and the Jewish population of Poland, she wants them to pay for their war crimes, many are hiding in America, and she hunts them down and gets justice.
You read what is was really like living in the Warsaw Ghetto, over 400,000 Jewish people were held behind the walls and it was hell. Over crowded, filthy, people were beaten and starved, children died from exposure and diseases. When they knew time was running out they prepared to fight and go out on their own terms and take as many Germans with them.
I received a copy of The Goddess of Warsaw from Edelweiss Plus and HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. Lisa Barr has written an emotional and moving narrative about the Holocaust and the Warsaw Ghetto and it’s a story that will stay with me for a long time and the characters.
Full of secrets, lies, twist and turns that I didn’t see coming and it’s about sacrifice, bravery, losing everyone thing you own and most of all the people you love, survival, secrets, revenge, it’s never too late to make people pay and get justice.
Five stars from me, I cried so much reading this book, I highly recommend and the author’s previous novel Fugitive Colors.
Bina Blonski is a wealthy Jewish actress, in 1943, she and her husband Jakub were imprisoned in the Warsaw Ghetto and with his brother Aleksander, Bina's father had been killed and her mother and younger sister had been sent to Treblinka.
Bina is blond and she’s able to pass as an Aryan woman and this gives her an advantage. She’s determined to survive, she does whatever it takes, and smuggles in food and medicine into the Ghetto and later becomes a member of the resistance and an unlikely assassin.
Bina makes it to the United States and becomes a star, she can never forgot what the Germans did to her and the Jewish population of Poland, she wants them to pay for their war crimes, many are hiding in America, and she hunts them down and gets justice.
You read what is was really like living in the Warsaw Ghetto, over 400,000 Jewish people were held behind the walls and it was hell. Over crowded, filthy, people were beaten and starved, children died from exposure and diseases. When they knew time was running out they prepared to fight and go out on their own terms and take as many Germans with them.
I received a copy of The Goddess of Warsaw from Edelweiss Plus and HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. Lisa Barr has written an emotional and moving narrative about the Holocaust and the Warsaw Ghetto and it’s a story that will stay with me for a long time and the characters.
Full of secrets, lies, twist and turns that I didn’t see coming and it’s about sacrifice, bravery, losing everyone thing you own and most of all the people you love, survival, secrets, revenge, it’s never too late to make people pay and get justice.
Five stars from me, I cried so much reading this book, I highly recommend and the author’s previous novel Fugitive Colors.
July 17, 2024
The Goddess of Warsaw is a captivating historical fiction read that follows the untold story of Hollywood star Lena Browning aka Bina Blonski, a Polish Jew who survived the Warsaw Ghetto. The writing was exquisite, the characters were well-developed, and even though I read a lot of Holocaust fiction, I found this to be a unique perspective.
Barr dives into the choices that people make in impossible situations, what one will do to save those they love, and has you contemplate whether you can just move on from the perils of the past without repercussions. When reading Barrs descriptions about Jewish life I got chills.
Read if interested in:
-WWII fiction
-Jewish history
-Suspense
-Hollywood movie making
Thank you Harprer Perrenial for the ARC! Pub 5/12
Barr dives into the choices that people make in impossible situations, what one will do to save those they love, and has you contemplate whether you can just move on from the perils of the past without repercussions. When reading Barrs descriptions about Jewish life I got chills.
Read if interested in:
-WWII fiction
-Jewish history
-Suspense
-Hollywood movie making
Thank you Harprer Perrenial for the ARC! Pub 5/12
December 17, 2024
DNF. Kind of can’t believe how good the reviews are. The writing is melodramatic and amateur. Incredibly distracted by the modern phrases and dialogue which would not have been used at that time. There are far better fiction/nonfiction books about the Warsaw ghetto that I’d recommend before this one. This is unfortunately another in a string of average and not historically accurate WWII-era books that do a disservice to what actually happened for the sake of entertainment. Would not recommend!
June 17, 2024
If you love HF, but want something different, this book is for you! Also- Jane Oppenheimer narrated the audio so of course I recommend it!!!
July 2, 2024
Wow, was I disappointed in this book. As a prolific reader of Holocaust fiction and non-fiction, I eagerly awaited this to come in for me at the library.
The author overdramatized the plot, the dialogue was cheesy, and the lust for the brother in law was beyond creepy and bordered on obscene at times. For the main character to be involved in every aspect of the Holocaust was laughable. She was gorgeous, looked like an Aryan and was able to get away with everything she tried. From her "spacious" apartment (for three people they had two rooms) in the ghetto, to her ability to smuggle using her looks, sex appeal, as well as her body, from her husband being involved in the Oyneg Shabbos project of keeping records, and her involvement in the resistance movement of the ghetto as a leader, it was so unbelievable.
Then to find out her best friend from her acting life prior to the war turns out to be the benefactor of the resistance - yeah right. I practically laughed at the plot and the dialogue all the way through.
The writing is overdramatic and juvenile - unrealistic in every way. I do not recommend this book.
The author overdramatized the plot, the dialogue was cheesy, and the lust for the brother in law was beyond creepy and bordered on obscene at times. For the main character to be involved in every aspect of the Holocaust was laughable. She was gorgeous, looked like an Aryan and was able to get away with everything she tried. From her "spacious" apartment (for three people they had two rooms) in the ghetto, to her ability to smuggle using her looks, sex appeal, as well as her body, from her husband being involved in the Oyneg Shabbos project of keeping records, and her involvement in the resistance movement of the ghetto as a leader, it was so unbelievable.
Then to find out her best friend from her acting life prior to the war turns out to be the benefactor of the resistance - yeah right. I practically laughed at the plot and the dialogue all the way through.
The writing is overdramatic and juvenile - unrealistic in every way. I do not recommend this book.
July 7, 2024
I rarely rate a book this low, but my GAWD this was painful. So overly dramatic and constant sensationalism. Way over the top in almost every way.
April 30, 2024
Still processing, but this will absolutely be one of my top reads of 2024. By far, Lisa's best book yet. And we all know how good WOMAN ON FIRE was.
August 7, 2024
Where to even begin with this book?! This is another one of those gripping novels where everything feels so real, I’m convinced the story is entirely true and that every character is an actual person.
About The Goddess of Warsaw: “The Goddess of Warsaw is an enthralling tale of a legendary Hollywood screen goddess with a dark secret about her life in the Warsaw Ghetto. When the famous actress is threatened by someone from her past, she must put her skills into play to protect herself, her illustrious career, and those she loves, then and now.”
Set between Warsaw, Poland in the 1940s and Los Angeles in 2005, The Goddess of Warsaw is the story of Lena, a decades-long famous actress, who was once known as Bina, a young woman who took part in the Warsaw uprising against the Nazis. She’s not just any woman, though. She’s a femme fatale, brilliant, cunning, and a survivor.
The story is so well-written, I never stepped out of it. It’s that immersive. In many ways, Lena/Bina tries to move beyond her past, living in hiding, but at the same time, she is consumed with exacting revenge on war criminals. The Goddess of Warsaw is dramatic, and there is never a dull moment. Bina is an absolutely unforgettable protagonist.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
About The Goddess of Warsaw: “The Goddess of Warsaw is an enthralling tale of a legendary Hollywood screen goddess with a dark secret about her life in the Warsaw Ghetto. When the famous actress is threatened by someone from her past, she must put her skills into play to protect herself, her illustrious career, and those she loves, then and now.”
Set between Warsaw, Poland in the 1940s and Los Angeles in 2005, The Goddess of Warsaw is the story of Lena, a decades-long famous actress, who was once known as Bina, a young woman who took part in the Warsaw uprising against the Nazis. She’s not just any woman, though. She’s a femme fatale, brilliant, cunning, and a survivor.
The story is so well-written, I never stepped out of it. It’s that immersive. In many ways, Lena/Bina tries to move beyond her past, living in hiding, but at the same time, she is consumed with exacting revenge on war criminals. The Goddess of Warsaw is dramatic, and there is never a dull moment. Bina is an absolutely unforgettable protagonist.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
July 15, 2024
4.5 stars ⭐️
If you think you would enjoy Evelyn Hugo who becomes a femme fatale, this is the book for you!
There are so many Historical Fiction books on WW2 but this book brought something completely different. I was roped in immediately by the “IT girl” and the “Living Legend.” The newest movie star wants to play the Legend on the movie screen but in order to do so, she has to understand the background. The background takes you to Poland, the Warsaw ghetto and the ugliness of the Nazi regime. The desire for justice has the ultimate outcome.
Just a delightful story. From start to finish. 🤌🏻
If you think you would enjoy Evelyn Hugo who becomes a femme fatale, this is the book for you!
There are so many Historical Fiction books on WW2 but this book brought something completely different. I was roped in immediately by the “IT girl” and the “Living Legend.” The newest movie star wants to play the Legend on the movie screen but in order to do so, she has to understand the background. The background takes you to Poland, the Warsaw ghetto and the ugliness of the Nazi regime. The desire for justice has the ultimate outcome.
Just a delightful story. From start to finish. 🤌🏻
July 14, 2024
The Goddess of Warsaw by Lisa Barr is a historical fiction novel characterized by extensive research and strong female characters. Bina, a Holocaust survivor who later becomes part of Hollywood, once a part of the resistance as a spy and assassin. She killed two Nazi leaders who were torturing Jews in the Warsaw ghetto. I very much enjoyed this novel, appreciating its unique writing style. The characters are brave and courageous, with their stories of survival lingering throughout their lives. This novel has so many wow factors in it. Bina doesn’t just die. She is resurrected to an entitled Hollywood elite who comes back to continue to right the wrongs of the Nazi War “heroes”. (Operation Paperclip) Lena is beautiful and enticingly deadly.
July 4, 2024
Is literature dead?
We have reduced every “strong female lead” to simply mean bitchy and sexually liberated.
First, it opens feeling exactly like Evelyn Hugo. They even make a comment that “this is not Liz Taylor and her seven husbands,” so you know they know you are thinking about Evelyn Hugo. Then it flashes back to a WWII ghetto in which a married woman is lustfully praying to God that, after all she’s been through, He will allow her to have sex with the hunk in front of her. Not just have sex, but IN DETAIL what she wants and how BAD she wants it. Hahahahaha. WHAT A WINNER. Definitely a heroic woman young girls should aspire to imitate.
Perhaps this story is about a strong woman surviving unbelievable circumstances but you lost me in the first 1% of her portrayal and the comic book writing.
We have reduced every “strong female lead” to simply mean bitchy and sexually liberated.
First, it opens feeling exactly like Evelyn Hugo. They even make a comment that “this is not Liz Taylor and her seven husbands,” so you know they know you are thinking about Evelyn Hugo. Then it flashes back to a WWII ghetto in which a married woman is lustfully praying to God that, after all she’s been through, He will allow her to have sex with the hunk in front of her. Not just have sex, but IN DETAIL what she wants and how BAD she wants it. Hahahahaha. WHAT A WINNER. Definitely a heroic woman young girls should aspire to imitate.
Perhaps this story is about a strong woman surviving unbelievable circumstances but you lost me in the first 1% of her portrayal and the comic book writing.
June 20, 2024
I hate giving bad reviews but this could not be avoided. The premise to this book sounded fantastic but the execution was not there for me. The story follows Bina Blonski, who works as a spy in WWII and uses her Aryan looks to move things into the ghetto. It sounds great, right? But then every single thought of her is about how much she wants her brother-in-law that it’s distracting. I get it – he’s hot – but this was excessive. Every sentence is overly dramatic and not in a good way. DNF. Did not want to even try.
I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.
I received a copy from #NetGalley for an honest review.
March 27, 2024
Exceptional! Highly, highly recommend this latest book by Lisa Barr. Its themes are eerily relevant today, and this a story that grabs hold of you and simply does not let go! Bravo.
June 28, 2025
Its so unlike me to be days and days late in writing a review. I actually don't like it when I feel a book has already slipped away from me, and now i am intent on recovering its feeling. So I actually think I am going to take a different approach. Begin another deeper dive into why I am so drawn to WWII books. I mean there are so many of them, aren't there? And with the proliferation of really good resistance, spy, and holocaust literature, each of them has to be truly worthy to surpass the others.
So why? What is it about this genre that enraptures me? Definitely something about the indefatigable spirit that dominates and transcends, and the moral fiber that makes one fight in the most desperate and inhumane of circumstances. Would you fight? Become part of the resistance? Would you be one of the ones who survived? I think a lot about prophecy and pre-destination, and where fate and will intertwine - and if one's free will is part of the fate and pre-destination. Its a go-to topic for me. People have risk everything, the resistance fighters, to believe that they will be part of the positive outcome. Or at least to save one life, one child, stop one atrocity, help the war effort, survive. I don't think its fair obviously that so many people perished, and that so many others died trying to help. But there is something incredible about the story of the survivors. How against all odds that they made it. And the Jewish people as a whole, how collectively we have made it - still. There is something incredible about hearing the stories of survivors and seeing the hand of God even in the most tragic and devastating of places. I want to believe, do believe, that God has a plan for us. And that while not all of us survive o see it, that we are all a part of it, and that out efforts to make a difference truly matters, and it does.
Its very hard not to compare the events of WWII to what is going on in our world today. At least right now, we are not in the level of devastation that emerged back then, and the targets are not the same. But the beginnings are the same, and history teaches us a lesson. What are the ways in which we fight today, and do we have the courage to stand up when it puts us at personal risk? Would we allow our LGBTQ brothers and sisters and siblings to suffer the fate that we did? How about migrants, not to mention our legally working friends and neighbors and co-workers? How about those born with birthright citizenship, or those who became legal citizens, whose legality is now threatened? What does it mean to be considered a human being, and to consider one's humanities and rights to exist and live freely and safely and to prosper? Yes, we have an opportunity right now to consider these things and fight for them. To not let history repeat itself. To not let darkness and the lack of humanity win.
The Jewish people are in an extremely precarious place once again, and all over the world. We are not seen as persecuted, as the ethical loving people that we are. We have been cast as oppressors, harmers, and genocide bearing folks, rather than the repeated victims of genocide. This is how fake news works, and when its being promulgated by the people we see as most good and ethical, and the news we consider the "true" news, we have no place to land. Neither safe on the left, nor right. Its a scary time, and Jews are thinking about it 24/7. But, as I say about out devolving America, I still believe. On both fronts. We will not come through without loss and carnage. But come through we will. We will survive. Judaism will survive, democracy will survive, humanity will survive, and there will still be those of us who fight for values and value driven life at all costs. Our world is once again at war over human values. And we intend to stay the course. To love at all costs, and to find joy wherever we can. And to be our highest selves as we are called upon to do so.
Back to the book, I really liked it and got engaged in it. Our heroine, born of trauma, was a fiesty woman, who did what it took to live her values. Some of it of course was fantastical. But when it comes to these situations, sometimes the way prophecy weaves in - it is just that. All at once miraculous, and incredible, and that just points to prophecy/predestination and will and the amazing way the two intertwine.
I do love Lisa Barr's writing/books, and how she can spin a tale out of this very dark time in history. I also had to read a a book for a prompt that was one of my ten highest rated books on my TBR. This one slipped in, as I just added it recently to my TBR, since looking that prompt up numerous times. So I have to ask, what is it about this book, that it is so highly rated? How did it come to be that this WWII book fits my prompt? I am going to say that it is about what I said earlier and all the way through. The spirit that transcends. The amazing resilience story that allows such incredible miraculous survival to take place. The person from the other side who helps. The spirit and love that survives. But it keeps me going. Its everything I believe and that we need to believe. And we shall indeed overcome - all of us. Loved the book. Gripping and fantastical.
So why? What is it about this genre that enraptures me? Definitely something about the indefatigable spirit that dominates and transcends, and the moral fiber that makes one fight in the most desperate and inhumane of circumstances. Would you fight? Become part of the resistance? Would you be one of the ones who survived? I think a lot about prophecy and pre-destination, and where fate and will intertwine - and if one's free will is part of the fate and pre-destination. Its a go-to topic for me. People have risk everything, the resistance fighters, to believe that they will be part of the positive outcome. Or at least to save one life, one child, stop one atrocity, help the war effort, survive. I don't think its fair obviously that so many people perished, and that so many others died trying to help. But there is something incredible about the story of the survivors. How against all odds that they made it. And the Jewish people as a whole, how collectively we have made it - still. There is something incredible about hearing the stories of survivors and seeing the hand of God even in the most tragic and devastating of places. I want to believe, do believe, that God has a plan for us. And that while not all of us survive o see it, that we are all a part of it, and that out efforts to make a difference truly matters, and it does.
Its very hard not to compare the events of WWII to what is going on in our world today. At least right now, we are not in the level of devastation that emerged back then, and the targets are not the same. But the beginnings are the same, and history teaches us a lesson. What are the ways in which we fight today, and do we have the courage to stand up when it puts us at personal risk? Would we allow our LGBTQ brothers and sisters and siblings to suffer the fate that we did? How about migrants, not to mention our legally working friends and neighbors and co-workers? How about those born with birthright citizenship, or those who became legal citizens, whose legality is now threatened? What does it mean to be considered a human being, and to consider one's humanities and rights to exist and live freely and safely and to prosper? Yes, we have an opportunity right now to consider these things and fight for them. To not let history repeat itself. To not let darkness and the lack of humanity win.
The Jewish people are in an extremely precarious place once again, and all over the world. We are not seen as persecuted, as the ethical loving people that we are. We have been cast as oppressors, harmers, and genocide bearing folks, rather than the repeated victims of genocide. This is how fake news works, and when its being promulgated by the people we see as most good and ethical, and the news we consider the "true" news, we have no place to land. Neither safe on the left, nor right. Its a scary time, and Jews are thinking about it 24/7. But, as I say about out devolving America, I still believe. On both fronts. We will not come through without loss and carnage. But come through we will. We will survive. Judaism will survive, democracy will survive, humanity will survive, and there will still be those of us who fight for values and value driven life at all costs. Our world is once again at war over human values. And we intend to stay the course. To love at all costs, and to find joy wherever we can. And to be our highest selves as we are called upon to do so.
Back to the book, I really liked it and got engaged in it. Our heroine, born of trauma, was a fiesty woman, who did what it took to live her values. Some of it of course was fantastical. But when it comes to these situations, sometimes the way prophecy weaves in - it is just that. All at once miraculous, and incredible, and that just points to prophecy/predestination and will and the amazing way the two intertwine.
I do love Lisa Barr's writing/books, and how she can spin a tale out of this very dark time in history. I also had to read a a book for a prompt that was one of my ten highest rated books on my TBR. This one slipped in, as I just added it recently to my TBR, since looking that prompt up numerous times. So I have to ask, what is it about this book, that it is so highly rated? How did it come to be that this WWII book fits my prompt? I am going to say that it is about what I said earlier and all the way through. The spirit that transcends. The amazing resilience story that allows such incredible miraculous survival to take place. The person from the other side who helps. The spirit and love that survives. But it keeps me going. Its everything I believe and that we need to believe. And we shall indeed overcome - all of us. Loved the book. Gripping and fantastical.
May 30, 2024
This is an utterly gripping WWII story about a young Jewish actress turned assassin. It is set during the Nazi attack on Poland. The protagonist, Bina Blonsk, is the daughter of privilege and grows up in a wealthy family who consider themselves more German than Jewish. But after the Nazis attack Poland, she turns to using her looks and talent to escape the Warsaw Ghetto. Eventually, she makes her way to America. She changes her name to become "Lena Browning," a rising Hollywood star who secretly becomes an assassin targeting Nazis living freely in the United States. Fast forward to the present, where Sienna Hayes, the latest young rising star in Hollywood, wants to direct and star in a film about Lena’s legendary life as a movie star. In doing so, Sienna finds out the highly-guarded secrets of Lena's past.
The book sheds light on the often-overlooked role of strong women in bringing freedom to Jews during WWII. It provides a glimpse into life in the Warsaw Ghetto and explores the idea of trying to forget your past only to seek revenge on those who have caused immense suffering to you, your family, and your people.
To listen to my interview with the author, visit my podcast at https://zibbymedia.com/blogs/transcri...
The book sheds light on the often-overlooked role of strong women in bringing freedom to Jews during WWII. It provides a glimpse into life in the Warsaw Ghetto and explores the idea of trying to forget your past only to seek revenge on those who have caused immense suffering to you, your family, and your people.
To listen to my interview with the author, visit my podcast at https://zibbymedia.com/blogs/transcri...
January 12, 2024
The Goddess of Warsaw is a captivating historical fiction read that follows the untold story of Hollywood star Lena Browning aka Bina Blonski, a Polish Jew who survived the Warsaw Ghetto. The writing was exquisite, the characters were well-developed, and even though I read a lot of Holocaust fiction, I found this to be a unique perspective.
Barr dives into the choices that people make in impossible situations, what one will do to save those they love, and has you contemplate whether you can just move on from the perils of the past without repercussions. When reading Barrs descriptions about Jewish life I got chills.
Read if interested in:
-WWII fiction
-Jewish history
-Suspense
-Hollywood movie making
Thank you Harprer Perrenial for the ARC! Pub 5/12
Barr dives into the choices that people make in impossible situations, what one will do to save those they love, and has you contemplate whether you can just move on from the perils of the past without repercussions. When reading Barrs descriptions about Jewish life I got chills.
Read if interested in:
-WWII fiction
-Jewish history
-Suspense
-Hollywood movie making
Thank you Harprer Perrenial for the ARC! Pub 5/12
July 12, 2024
2.5⭐️ Oh no. Right from the prologue, with its Norma Desmond-like dialog, I knew this was not for me. It’s fascinating and exciting history, but it’s unfortunately written as a lurid melodrama…over-the-top pulp fiction dialed up to 11. I skimmed a lot of it.
January 23, 2025
5⭐️ I save my five star ratings for the best of the best and this, my friends, is one of the best books I’ve come across in a long time. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever read before and just know that nothing I say here could do it justice.
I went into this totally blind but nothing could have prepared me for THE GODDESS OF WARSAW. I had no idea what to expect (a Goodreads synopsis hadn’t even been posted yet), but I assumed it would be something glamorous and artsy and historical- similar to the author’s highly lauded, WOMAN ON FIRE.
In the prologue, we meet Lena Browning, an 83-year-old Hollywood icon, and I instantly fell in love with her. She’s bold and brash and her story will stick with me for a very long time.
WWII is never easy to read about but this was one of the most difficult (and powerful) books I’ve encountered. Lena is so raw and honest and her journey was incredibly painful. I’ve read a lot of HF about strong, brave women and Lena is both of those things, but she’s also so much more.
This is a story about strong women and while Lena steals the show, there are so many side characters (Anna, Zelda, LILAH!) that I won’t soon forget.
I cannot recommend this book enough. It’s beautifully written and truly a gutting read, but there were also lighter moments thanks to Lena’s sassy personality. When (not if) you pick this up, make sure to carve out plenty of uninterrupted reading time because you will NOT be able to put it down.
Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader!
🥳 PUB DAY: MAY 28th
I went into this totally blind but nothing could have prepared me for THE GODDESS OF WARSAW. I had no idea what to expect (a Goodreads synopsis hadn’t even been posted yet), but I assumed it would be something glamorous and artsy and historical- similar to the author’s highly lauded, WOMAN ON FIRE.
In the prologue, we meet Lena Browning, an 83-year-old Hollywood icon, and I instantly fell in love with her. She’s bold and brash and her story will stick with me for a very long time.
WWII is never easy to read about but this was one of the most difficult (and powerful) books I’ve encountered. Lena is so raw and honest and her journey was incredibly painful. I’ve read a lot of HF about strong, brave women and Lena is both of those things, but she’s also so much more.
This is a story about strong women and while Lena steals the show, there are so many side characters (Anna, Zelda, LILAH!) that I won’t soon forget.
I cannot recommend this book enough. It’s beautifully written and truly a gutting read, but there were also lighter moments thanks to Lena’s sassy personality. When (not if) you pick this up, make sure to carve out plenty of uninterrupted reading time because you will NOT be able to put it down.
Thanks to the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader!
🥳 PUB DAY: MAY 28th
September 8, 2024
Excellent. This unputdownable tale is set in LA ‘05 as Sienna Hayes, Hollywood’s latest It Girl, meets movie star Lena Browning from the Golden Age of Hollywood.. to film a documentary on her. Not yet known, but Lena was once the wealthy Polish Jew-turned spy Bina Blonski who survived horrible atrocities in the Warsaw Ghetto during WWll. Bina immigrated to the U.S. becoming Lena, the highest paid movie star of her day with unusual extracurricular activities in her downtime. Secretly she narrows her sights on Nazis in hiding, then delivers her own brand of justice in retribution for her loved ones killed by the Nazi regime. Threatened by someone in her past, she puts her deadly skills to task to protect herself and those she cares for. What an incredible story. This is two for two of Barr’s books I’ve read and given 5 stars. It’s good overcoming evil and everything we “should never forget or let happen again,” sadly much in this story are of issues we are currently facing today. 5 stars — Pub. 5/28/24
July 9, 2024
Barr has set the bar with her research and amazing story. The emotional details will keep you invested in this novel. Looking forward to more of her work. I love historical fiction and love finding new was to explore parts of history that I am unfamiliar with. Thank you, Barr for this truly noteworthy novel.
May 13, 2024
The best way to describe this book is 'Evelyn Hugo meets The Book of Lost Names with elements of Hamilton sprinkled in (Angelica stepping aside for her Eliza... you'll see). I liked this book but I hate to admit that it also felt a little disjointed for me - there was just so much going on and most of it seemed highly implausible. I just couldn't feel totally invested in this book and I can't put my finger on why - perhaps if we got to know the characters a little better in the beginning I would have felt more connected to them, but it just quickly jumped into Bina pining for her brother in law, which in my mind played too strong of a role considering everything going on around them.
There were definitely aspects I liked though - who wouldn't appreciate a female Jewish resistance fighter turned actress who goes on to hunt Nazis after the war?! There was a lot to unpack in this book and the ending was wild - definitely a different take on a WWII historical fiction novel and I'm definitely not sad I read it. I also liked that it touched on Operation Paperclip, something I learned of when I read Kelly Rimmer's 'The German Wife' so I was intrigued when it made an appearance in this book as well. Overall a solid WWII historical fiction, I just wish I felt more feelings.
There were definitely aspects I liked though - who wouldn't appreciate a female Jewish resistance fighter turned actress who goes on to hunt Nazis after the war?! There was a lot to unpack in this book and the ending was wild - definitely a different take on a WWII historical fiction novel and I'm definitely not sad I read it. I also liked that it touched on Operation Paperclip, something I learned of when I read Kelly Rimmer's 'The German Wife' so I was intrigued when it made an appearance in this book as well. Overall a solid WWII historical fiction, I just wish I felt more feelings.
July 6, 2024
This book is trying to be/do too many things. The “everything-but-the-kitchen-sink” approach to storytelling leaves it feeling campy, melodramatic, and plodding. The Evelyn Hugo-esque framing device felt forced, unnecessary, and derivative.
March 30, 2025
One of the best historical fiction books I have ever read!
This is the portrait of a woman who survived WWII in the Warsaw Ghetto to become a legendary screen goddess never forgetting her crimes of the past and executing present day vengeance.
A story of survival, revenge, love and courage.
A gripping page turner that I couldn't put down!
This is the portrait of a woman who survived WWII in the Warsaw Ghetto to become a legendary screen goddess never forgetting her crimes of the past and executing present day vengeance.
A story of survival, revenge, love and courage.
A gripping page turner that I couldn't put down!
January 3, 2025
Almost DNF at several points and perhaps should have. Writing was over-the-top and storylines were not believable to the point of being ridiculous. No idea how the book has so many 5 stars. Clearly wasn’t for me.
April 16, 2024
Opomenuli su me da moram da navedem da sam primerak dobila tako da evo napominjem: hvala Harper Kolinsu i Edelweiss platformi.
iskreno, jedna od najlošijih knjiga u mom ćivotu, dođe mi da dignem ocenu jeleni bačić alimpić posle čitanja ovog čuda.
toliko je lenjo napisana, toliko nelogična, ja sam šokirana. ej ubiješ petoro ljudi u eksploziji u najvećem holivudskom studiju i fbi kaže ma sve je ok ipak su to nacoši koji su vas ucenjivali ahahahah
kontam da će se u državi čije ime počinje na i a završava se na l ovo da ide ko alva, ali za slučaj da laguna otkupi prava setite se mojih reči NE, NIKAKO!
iskreno, jedna od najlošijih knjiga u mom ćivotu, dođe mi da dignem ocenu jeleni bačić alimpić posle čitanja ovog čuda.
toliko je lenjo napisana, toliko nelogična, ja sam šokirana. ej ubiješ petoro ljudi u eksploziji u najvećem holivudskom studiju i fbi kaže ma sve je ok ipak su to nacoši koji su vas ucenjivali ahahahah
kontam da će se u državi čije ime počinje na i a završava se na l ovo da ide ko alva, ali za slučaj da laguna otkupi prava setite se mojih reči NE, NIKAKO!
August 2, 2024
What a surprising, fabulous book. I couldn’t put it down. The characters leap off the page and into your heart. The writer, Lisa Barr, said in her authors note that she poured her heart into this story. That is obvious. This book has everything. Historical relevance, love stories, amazing character development, great tension and a beautiful, totally satisfying ending. Read it.
April 6, 2024
Words can not express how much I LOVED The Goddess of Warsaw! Within the first few pages, I was utterly captivated by Lena Browning, aka Bina Blonski, and her compelling life story. Lena was an incredible character, whose resilience shone through every page. I found her strength and power inspiring, and I was cheering for her success every step of the way.
Lisa Barr's writing skillfully weaves a captivating narrative exploring resilience and the enduring strength of the human spirit. Through her vivid storytelling, she draws readers into a journey filled with anxiety, hope, and eventual triumph, delving into the scars left by war. This beautifully crafted story is both enthralling and profound, leaving a lasting impact long after the final page.
This book is not just an engaging read but an important one. It offers a powerful reflection on themes that resonate deeply in today's world. The Goddess of Warsaw is a must-read, standing out as a significant piece of historical fiction and one of the most impactful books of the year. It is a novel that not only entertains but enlightens, reminding us of the power of literature's ability to illuminate the complexities of human history and the unyielding nature of the human spirit.
****
The Goddess of Warsaw is a gripping work of historical fiction, that follows the life of Lena Browning, also known as Bina Blonski, a Polish Jew who rose to Hollywood fame. Set against the backdrop of the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939, the story spans from the onset of the war to 1943, capturing the perseverance and challenges of Jewish survivors who make their way to America in the 1950s. The story then jumps to the early 2000s where it offers insight into the lasting effects of history on those who lived through it.
THANK YOU Harper Paperbacks for an advanced copy!
Lisa Barr's writing skillfully weaves a captivating narrative exploring resilience and the enduring strength of the human spirit. Through her vivid storytelling, she draws readers into a journey filled with anxiety, hope, and eventual triumph, delving into the scars left by war. This beautifully crafted story is both enthralling and profound, leaving a lasting impact long after the final page.
This book is not just an engaging read but an important one. It offers a powerful reflection on themes that resonate deeply in today's world. The Goddess of Warsaw is a must-read, standing out as a significant piece of historical fiction and one of the most impactful books of the year. It is a novel that not only entertains but enlightens, reminding us of the power of literature's ability to illuminate the complexities of human history and the unyielding nature of the human spirit.
****
The Goddess of Warsaw is a gripping work of historical fiction, that follows the life of Lena Browning, also known as Bina Blonski, a Polish Jew who rose to Hollywood fame. Set against the backdrop of the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939, the story spans from the onset of the war to 1943, capturing the perseverance and challenges of Jewish survivors who make their way to America in the 1950s. The story then jumps to the early 2000s where it offers insight into the lasting effects of history on those who lived through it.
THANK YOU Harper Paperbacks for an advanced copy!
May 26, 2024
This was the first book I've read by Lisa Barr, and it was heartbreaking and stunning. Obviously, the Jewish representation in the story was super important to me. I couldn't stop reading. I wanted to know everything that was going to happen. While this was beautifully written, it was also super heavy and emotional. I felt like I was witnessing these events firsthand which is just a testament to Barr's writing style. It's also crazy how the themes of a book set in 1943 translate to what's happening in 2024. This book was exceptional. There were twists and turns I didn't see coming, and I've read a ton of Holocaust historical fiction, but this take and perspective was unlike other stories I've read before. I thought the different timelines were really important and I liked seeing Bina's journey throughout each one. I loved this book and I'll definitely be exploring Barr's backlist titles. Thank you to Harper Perennial for sending me and ARC to read and review!
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