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I first became interested in reading Carly Schabowski's books when I saw the amazing cover for The Ringmaster's Daughter. In due course, I bought that book, and a couple of her other books, but I haven't yet read them. I therefore jumped at the chance to read her first book with her new publisher, Boldwood Books.
The main character of this book is Ania. These days she would definitely be considered as autistic, but in her own time, she was considered szalony - crazy. Whilst she has a prodigious memory and thirst for knowledge, she is not good at reading the emotions of other people, including her father and sister. Ania also believes that her father and sister blame her for the death of her mother in childbirth.
Ania is ostracised from her fellow villagers. Her only friend is an elderly Jewish man named Isaac who feeds her thirst for learning by teaching her new languages, sharing books with her and teaching her about the world. He also tries to help her understand how she can understand other peoples emotions, which is much more difficult for her. However this is 1939 and Poland is not a safe place for any Jewish people, and so when Isaac disappears, Ania is once again left on her own.
When Ania's remaining family members are murdered in cold blood, she knows that she needs to run, and so she and Benjamin, a heavily scarred Jewish man who had been hiding in their barn, set off to head to the woods where she knows there are groups hiding.
Along the way, she meets an elderly woman named Gosia, a former Russian soldier named Aleksi and a gypsy named Wanda and they come together to look after each other, and to start to formulate a plan for revenge and destruction against the German invaders. Ania has something of an advantage. Not only is she extremely clever and shut off from many of her emotions, she is also very slight and looks very young which means that she can be mistaken for a child. After all, who would suspect a child of committing any resistance activities?
The main emotion that Ania does recognise within herself is rage, and this rage is what pushes her to get revenge. The way that she sees this rage is often connected to the colour red - red blood, red apples and more. However, the red ribbon that she has had since birth is a source of comfort and safety.
This is an unusual format of story. It is not quite a dual timeline although part of it is set in 1969 as one of the characters looks back at the events that occurred during WWII. It wasn't the easiest of reads either. It took me a good few days to read this book, I think because the story was so intense. This is not a light and fluffy WWII read. That doesn't mean it wasn't good, because it was. Just different. It has also been a very long time since I read anything set in Poland in WWII.
So I guess the question is given I have long been attracted to Schabowski's books, will I read more. The answer is a definite yes for me!
I am sharing this review with the New Release Challenge hosted by The Chocolate Lady's Book Reviews and the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host here. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour shown below. Thanks to the publisher, Netgalley and Rachel's Random Resources for the review copy.
About the Book
The Girl with the Red Ribbon
1939, Poland. An extraordinary young woman vows revenge on the Nazis after her family are murdered…
Ania hears the explosion of gunshots before she sees the Nazi soldiers approach her beloved home. Her family don’t have time to run, but she does. Hiding nearby, she listens to her sister’s screams and – stroking the red ribbon she keeps tied around her wrist – she begins to plot her revenge…
Taunted her whole life for being smarter than anyone else in the village, now living in war-torn Poland, being governed by Nazis who think Poles are subhuman and women only good for one thing… Ania now only has her wits to rely on, if she's going to survive.
But then she comes across a group of misfits all rejected by the resistance movement for bringing too much risk with them – a scarred Jewish man, a madwoman, a gypsy, and a quiet, handsome Russian soldier. And Ania realizes she alone has the power to unite them. Together, they will destroy each and every one of the people who took everything from her.
The Nazis have no idea what – or who – they are up against. And they’re about to discover that no one should cross a woman who has nothing to lose…
Inspired by an incredible true story from the author’s own family, comes an absolutely gripping story about courage and sacrifice in the darkest days of war.
Purchase Link - https://mybook.to/girlredribbonsocial
About the Author
Carly is the USA Today bestseller of historical fiction novels The Ringmaster's Daughter, The Watchmaker of Dachau, The Rainbow, The Note, All the Courage We Have Found, The Secret She Kept, The Postcard, The Winter Child, The Girl with the Red Ribbon, and the novella, It is something to have been.
Social Media Links –
Facebook: @carly.schabowski
Twitter: @carlyschab11
Instagram: @carlyschabowskiauthor
Newsletter Sign Up: https://bit.ly/CarlySchabowskiNews
Bookbub profile: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carly-schabowski
