June 18, 2019

1st Line/1st Paragraph: Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini

I’m linking up this week with Vicki @ I’d Rather Be At The Beach who hosts a meme every Tuesday to share the First Chapter/First Paragraph of the book you are currently reading.

I’m pleased to share the first line and first paragraph of Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini. If you appreciate an abundance of history in your historical fiction, this may be the read for you.

From Amazon: From the New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker, an enthralling historical saga that recreates the danger, romance, and sacrifice of an era and brings to life one courageous, passionate American—Mildred Fish Harnack—and her circle of women friends who waged a clandestine battle against Hitler in Nazi Berlin. Inspired by actual events, Resistance Women is an enthralling, unforgettable story of ordinary people determined to resist the rise of evil, sacrificing their own lives and liberty to fight injustice and defend the oppressed.

Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini

*This post contains Amazon affiliate links

Genre/Categories: Contemporary Southern Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Family Life, Mothers/Daughters

1st Line/1st Paragraph:

The heavy iron doors open and for a moment Mildred stands motionless and blinking in the sunlight, breathless from the sudden rush of cool, fresh air caressing her face and lifting her hair. The guard propels her forward into the prison yard, his grip painful and unyielding around her upper arm. Other women clad in identical drab, shapeless garments walk slowly in pairs around the perimeter of the gravel square. Their cells within the Hausgefangnis of the Gestapo’s Prinz-Albrecht-Strasse headquarters are so cramped that they can scarcely move, and now the prisoners spread their arms and lift their faces to the sky, like dancers, like dry autumn leaves scattered in a gust of wind.

How many of them would never again know more freedom than this?

I have read about 25% of Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini. So far, this is a leisurely paced histfic and not a page-turner. While some hisfic reads like women’s fiction in an historical setting, this is packed with vivid historical details and history takes center stage. In addition, there are interesting characters, and it prompted me to ask my husband this morning to refresh my memory between the exact differences of Communism, Socialism, and Fascism. Chiaverini’s prose is lovely and it’s easy and smooth reading, except when stopping to ponder political parties and the gravity of what’s happening. Often in WW11 histfic, we get thrown into the middle of the story. Chiaverini starts this story in 1929 so that we can experience the build-up to the war. Fans of Dietrich Bonhoeffer will appreciate references to him in the reading because one of the main characters, Mildred, marries Bonhoeffer’s cousin. I’m looking forward to continuing to learn about the brave actions of these three inspiring women, but at 600+ pages, it will take some time!

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QOTD:

Is Resistance Women on your TBR?

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Looking Ahead:

Friday, I hope to bring you a review of The Secret of Clouds by Alyson Richman. (My very last spring TBR title!)

Next week, it will be time for my June Wrap Up and I’m also working on a post which will highlight my favorite reads for the first half of 2019.

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***Blogs posts may contain affiliate links. This means that at no extra cost to you, I can earn a small percentage of your purchase price.

Unless explicitly stated that they are free, all books that I review have been purchased by me or borrowed from the library.

Book Cover and author photo are credited to Amazon or an author’s (or publisher’s) website.