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Please Note: I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions of my review in any way.
Synopsis (From Goodreads):
Two estranged sisters, raised in Brooklyn and each burdened with her own shocking secret, are reunited at the Springfield Armory in the early days of WWII. While one sister lives in relative ease on the bucolic Armory campus as an officer’s wife, the other arrives as a war widow and takes a position in the Armory factories as a “soldier of production.” Resentment festers between the two, and secrets are shattered when a mysterious figure from the past reemerges in their lives.
Review:
I love historical fiction, particularly when it's about the 1940's and WWII. I guess it's because it's hard to imagine such a colossal event as a worldwide war. I honestly can't imagine this happening now.
The Wartime Sisters, by Lynda Cohen Loigman, is full of fascinating details about life at that time. It's also a dark family drama about the animosity between two sisters. Which war are they fighting in: World War II or their own private conflict? Their story was riveting.
What I Liked:
Setting:
The novel begins in 1930's Brooklyn. The two sisters, Ruth and Millie, are constantly being compared by their parents. Millie seems to be favored due to her stunning looks, which causes resentment in Ruth.
Both Brooklyn, and later Springfield, Massachusetts, are shown in positive and negative light. On the one hand, Brooklyn seems like a place of lively comradeship among the neighbors. People look out for each other. But people must also watch out for nosy busybodies. Springfield also has it's share on helpful and troublesome residents. With the war going in the 1040's, paranoia makes everyone a suspected saboteur.
Historical Details:
The details of life at this time are so plentiful. One can tell the author worked hard to make the Springfield Armory come to life, with all the frantic activity of thousands of people coming together to support the war effort. One scene of an Armory dance was particularly memorable. The fact that the organizers had to have various start times to accommodate all the shift workers really brings home how hard these people were working.
Characters:
At first, I found Ruth to be really petty, getting so upset about how people fawned over Millie. But later, I came to see how boxed in Ruth must have felt. Ruth, the responsible older sister, felt she had to be perfect. She could see how Millie wasn't held accountable for anything simply because of her looks. I would probably resent being the responsible child, too!
But Millie did have expectations thrust upon her. Her mother assumes that Millie will find a rich man to marry. Being so pretty, men assume that she will be sexually eager when they go on dates. When Millie rebels and starts seeing a handsome (but disreputable) man, her mother is livid. With so many people telling her she is only valuable for her looks, it's no wonder Millie feels so helpless.
Story:
The story revolves around Ruth and Millie's relationship. Both have a hard time connecting with each other due to many misunderstandings. There are several moments when the sisters could have made choices to support each other, but there would be no story, right? I do think this was pretty realistic, albeit frustrating as a spectator to read.
Rating:
Release Date: January 22nd, 2019
Author: Lynda Cohen Loigman
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Genre: Historical Fiction
Page Length: 304 Pages
Source: Netgalley
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: A great choice for a book club. The historical details are fascinating and the story of the conflict between the two sisters will create lots of discussion among the members of a book club.
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