Lilac Girls (Woolsey-Ferriday, #1) in Reading with Style

May 13, 2017 Connie G rated it it was amazing

Shelves: book-club, new-york, france, germany, poland

When author Martha Hall Kelly toured the beautiful lilac and rose gardens at the Bellamy-Ferriday House in Connecticut, she had no idea that she would also learn about one of the most gruesome medical experiments designed by the Nazis. Caroline Ferriday came from a philanthropic family with connections to New York high society. She volunteered at the French consulate with a special interest in helping French orphans during the war. After World War II Caroline raised money and obtained medical he When author Martha Hall Kelly toured the beautiful lilac and rose gardens at the Bellamy-Ferriday House in Connecticut, she had no idea that she would also learn about one of the most gruesome medical experiments designed by the Nazis. Caroline Ferriday came from a philanthropic family with connections to New York high society. She volunteered at the French consulate with a special interest in helping French orphans during the war. After World War II Caroline raised money and obtained medical help for a group of Polish women, survivors of Ravensbruck, a forced labor camp for women.

Kasia, a young member of the Resistance in Poland, was arrested and sent to Ravensbruck with her sister, her mother, and some friends. Kasia felt tremendous guilt that the SS officers had followed her to her family and friends. Dr Herta Oberhauser, a new surgeon, was assigned the task of carrying out the sulfonamide experiments on healthy Polish women. To simulate a war wound, one leg would be mutilated by breaking bones, tearing muscles, and adding various bacterial cultures, glass, wood chips, and dirt. The women developed gangrene, but only some victims were treated with the sulfa drugs. The women were called Lapins (French for Rabbits) since they were treated like lab animals and hopped around when it was painful to put weight on their wounded leg. Many died from these horrific, painful experiments. The surviving Rabbits often had to hide when the camp officials were choosing disabled prisoners for the gas chamber. It was amazing how often other women would put themselves at risk to help the weaker prisoners. Kasia and her sister were partially based on real sisters at Ravensbruck, and Dr Hera Oberhauser was a real Nazi doctor.

Caroline Ferriday's story merges with Kasia's story after the war when Caroline is asked to help the Rabbits recover. Herta's story is continued in a limited way. Reading about the cruelty at the Nazi concentration camp was not easy. But it was heartwarming that so many people reached out to help after the Rabbit's plight was publicized by the "Saturday Review". This book is well-researched with strong characters, and is highly recommended.

An interesting article about Caroline Ferriday, and the Bellamy-Ferriday House and Gardens:
https://connecticuthistory.org/a-godm... ...more

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May 29, 2020 Sandra rated it it was ok

Shelves: netgalley-arc, books-read-in-2020, summer-challenge-2020

I know I'm going to be in the minority here, but for me Lilac Girls just doesn't live up to the hype. In such a crowded genre, I would choose any other title over this one. The story lands flat with it's unlikeable characters and clumsy writing. I really wish I could have liked this more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine Books for a free digital copy in return for an honest, unbiased review. ...more

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Aug 29, 2020 Kim rated it it was amazing

Shelves: new-england, read-again, nyc-area, historical-fiction, war, sisters, europe, 1000books, 5-star

The Lilac Girls is a well-research work of historical fiction whose timeline covers 20 years, from 1939-1959. The main characters are Caroline, a NYC-CT socialite; Kasia, a young Polish girl imprisoned with her mother and sister at the woman's prison, Ravensbrück; and Herta, a young, female German doctor who performs unspeakable operations on a group of women, who come to be known as the Rabbits. Although this is a difficult book to read, the story deserved to be heard. The courage and heartbrea ...more

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Apr 07, 2016 Susan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: ww2-holocaust, 2017, historical-fiction-twentieth-centur

Lilac Girls is an intertwined story of several women and their acquaintances prior to, during and after World War II. Many of the characters were real people or based on real people. The author follows the young women from before the outbreak of hostilities, to the invasion of Europe, to concentration camps and medical experimentation, to rescue, reunification, PTSD and finally to truth.

This is a compelling look at a horrible international outcry through the eyes of those who survived, whatever ...more

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